The Pacific - A Quiet Ocean
In many respects it is a settled place. A magical place. And don't I say that about every place. We left Panama heading to the Galapagos. A wild ride with some bouncy water. Where the cold upwellings meet the warm Pacific water there seems to be an argument on what to do and where to go. Elysium bobbed around making way South.
From the Galapagos to French Polynesia (FP) was quite a stretch. 19 day plus or minus a few hours. We spent 6 months there and it wasn't enough. My mistake is explained in the blog for more detail. Currently stuck in the hurricane belt we looked for some place to go and discovered a real jewel in the Pacific; Penhryn. We spent the cyclone season getting to know the people and island. Sharing in their life and they to a small extent ours.
Sadly leaving for the cruising time in the tropics we shot to American Samoa (AS) for entry to the Tongan - Fiji experience. In AS we went crazy with US shopping and shipping to AS as it is a US territory. I won't get into any politics at this point. The supplies are what kept us here for several weeks. On to Tonga; Earthquake center of our travels. A lovely place where Dogs are actually friendly; those that are not eaten! :)
Across to Fiji and a cyclone pit for the next season. Here we flew ( I don't love flying) back to the US. Flying is faster then sailing! And two seasons were spent enjoying Kakoda. A real delicacy. Once the transporter gets developed I will be doing many trips to Fiji just for the Kokoda.
A rough passage to NZ (blog detail) and boat projects, tourist stuff (Helicopter to a Glacier, Fox Glacier, Dunedin and Christchurch, Hobbiton, Lake Matheson, Milford Sound, Fiordland, Wendy's Gallery of the S. Island), and tennis. Eighteen months were spent there and we completely enjoyed our time. We took off heading for Vanuatu but Mother Nature had other plans for us. Miinerva Reef called and we answered. Fiji was again in our sites.
Fiji the third time had every experience; being hit by a ship (blog detail), sitting out cyclone season on a safe mooring in a safe harbor, parties and swimming. We left because the world is a big place and we have more to see and do. Vanuatu was next followed by the gorgeous New Caledonia.
Beating the next cyclone season we joined the Go West Rally and had a wonderful sail to Australia where we are partially captive from Covid and the poor response of the pandemic in the US.