• HOME
• |
• VOYAGES
  • PACIFIC 2012
  • Voyage Notes
  • F.A.Q.
  • Voyage Choices
  • Types of Voyages
  • Getting There
• |
• CHARTER
  • Sydney DAYSAILS
  • Filmwork
• |
• SHIP & CREW
  • Specifications
  • SHOP
  • History
  • Crew Profiles
  • Picture Gallery
  • Video Gallery
  • Newsletter
  • Media
  • Jobs
  • Links
• |
• VOYAGE LOGS
  • LATEST LOG
  • Video Gallery
  • Voyage Logs 2011
  • Voyage Log Archives
  • Facebook Group
• |
• TRACK SOREN
  • Satellite position
  • Picture location
• |
• BOOK NOW
  • BOOK  Berth
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Medical questionaire

V340 New Caledonia to Sydney 2011

Marsha's Blogs Part 1-3

Our final voyage of the season takes us from Noumea, New Caledonia to Sydney, Australia via Lord Howe Island. Joining us on this ocean passage are 8 faces mainly residing in Australia and New Zealand and one gentleman who designs racing sailboats in France.
We got underway after a few safety briefings and a nice salad lunch. We set sail just outside the harbour and sailed as far as the wind would take us before darkness set in. We toasted to the voyage with some real French Champagne, brought by Jean-Louis, as the sun set casting beautiful colours across the rolling seas.

The first night is always a good one. Much conversation is had getting to know one another and the sharing of stories about where we’ve each traveled to. After a quick snorkel from the beach the next morning we sailed off the hook and heaved to (and fro) in between islands and reefs. It was a good sail and we ended up at Îlot du Phare Amédée. The stark contrast between the blue of the water and sky with the brilliant white lighthouse shooting up out of nowhere is just perfect.

After spending the night we went ashore to explore the lighthouse and the islands many resident snakes. Once back onboard we set sail and headed back towards Noumea. We anchored just outside and city and the following morning we cleared out of New Caledonia Customs and Immigration. We had to unfortunately say a very sad goodbye to Sione, our cook from Tonga. After much pleading with the Australian Consulate it seems we just didn’t have enough time to get Sione’s Australian tourist visa processed. So, after many hugs and a few tears Sione took the last boat into Noumea.

After a nice fresh lunch we put a reef in the main sail and stowed the ship for sea. Lord Howe Island is our next stop some 650 nautical miles away. We turned off the engine and sailed straight out of the barrier reef protecting New Caledonia.

Last night Mary got a nice break from the galley. Jean-Louis stepped in with some beautiful tuna he had bought in Noumea. A lovely sauce with French wine and veggies. Everyone was well impressed with the chef and there was not a scrap left.

Not far from me is the giggling 12-4 watch. It’s 10:45am and they are getting ready for watch. Cardboard and markers and hard at work and green and gold clothing is coming out of the wood works. They have raided the fancy dress stash and gone through all my clothing as well… apparently I have a lot of green and yellow clothing. The 12-4 watch is made up of Elliot, Matt (bosun not captain) and Dan, all Australians, and they are pretty keen on rugby. Mitch, our resident kiwi, is fiercely proud of his All Blacks and has been flying his team flag every game day. Today I feel a bit more of a rivalry between them. . The guys are hoping we can find the game on HF radio. We’ll see what the out come is.

+++++

V340 blog no. 2 - Life on the Ocean waves

Lord Howe Island is only 16.5 km² and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The group of islands comprising the Lord Howe Island Group are considered part of Australia even though the mainland is over 600 km away. There are just under 400 permanent residents and a maximum of 400 tourists are allowed to visit at any given time.

This is where we’ve been trying to get to since we cleared out of New Caledonia a week ago. The winds haven’t exactly been cooperating and the waves have been working against us. As a result we’ve had to motor sail most of the way. Through quite a few rocky and rolly, sleepless nights, we’ve (almost) all managed to get used to the extreme creaking from the ship bending and flexing with the massive waves that keep us from our destination. After this long at sea with rain and cold waves crashing against you everything is damp and down below everything is dark from all the hatches being closed up tight.

We’ve been spending our time reading the many books on board and getting into intense card and board games. It’s amazing how cheating is tolerated and just how ridiculous the stakes are. Elliot managed to lose his beloved cheese and sausage he bought in Noumea and Dan had to wear a dress on watch last night. Pouring over charts and weather forecasts is a favourite hobby for Reinhard and Jean-Louis assisted by Captain Matt. Stories and spinning a good yarn is always a favourite way to pass the hours. A fun topic, which seems to take up a lot of our time, is food. ‘What are you going to eat first when we get to Sydney?’ ‘If you could eat anything right now what would is be?’ and ‘I have been craving such and such for soooo long I can’t even remember how long it’s been..’ usually followed by ‘Damn that would be SO good right now!’ Food is plentiful on the Soren but it’s all about what you can’t have. For some of us who have been on board since the beginning of the Pacific Season in May it’s definitely been a while.

This morning the 4 to 8 watch spotted land first. Ray, on bow watch, saw two strange looking clouds coming up on our starboard side. Land Ho! A rum goes to Ray! Two mountains appeared out of the sea and immediately the day seemed brighter. This is definitely going to be the longest 20 miles ever. Our engine is pushing us along at just barely 5 knots and it feels like we’re barely inching along. Even still the chatter on board has switched to what we’re all planning on doing with our time on Lord Howe and wondering how clearing in with Quarantine, Immigration and Customs will go. Mervyn, Stewart and Ray have come up with some pretty colourful scenarios. They have very lively imaginations…
Well it’s getting on towards lunch time and the galley is all over the place in this rolling so it takes two of us to dish up food without the lot ending up on the galley floor. Mary and I have a pretty good system down pat and we barely even step on each others feet anymore. Now if only the milk would stop flying all over the galley…

+++

V340 blog no. 3 - on Lord Howe

Dry land! After being tossed around for seven days the rocky beach seemed like heaven. We were told it was just a 45 min walk into town from Gulch Bay. After 623 stairs and 200 m of elevation gain we all felt a little bit tricked. The view from Kim’s Lookout was spectacular. The lagoon and mountains were breath taking… well would have been if we hadn’t already lost our breath on the way up.
You see we had to anchor on the north side of Lord Howe Island due to the wind direction and the large swell. Only a 45 min walk we were told…
By 10am everyone had made it down the mountain and into town. Everyone ended up at Humpty Mick’s Café to enjoy a well deserved fresh juice, cappuccino or delicious baked good.

Lord Howe is by no means big, but everything seems to be spread out. The best way to see it all is by hiring a bicycle. With helmets strapped on we began to explore the many beaches, shops and hillsides by pedal power. There is a wonderful Maritime Museum here, where Reinhard spent most of his day, with admission being a cool price of free. Mervyn and Lesley tried their luck feeding fishing over by Ned’s Beach. The giant King Fish were such a tease to Mervyn who only wanted to fish. Lord Howe is a Marine sanctuary soooo no fishing. Luckily they got to enjoy some fish and chips for lunch at the Café. Warren, Ray, Stewart and Ted rode up and down every single road and trail on the island I’m sure before retiring to the café for a cold beer. Still others took to bird watching. There are many different types of birds who call Lord Howe home. Lots of nesting sites and birds swooping at your head at any given moment.

Before lunch the seas had calmed down and customs asked if the ship could move over to the lagoon side of the island. So the remaining crew on board heaved the anchor and motored over to settle just outside the lagoon. We were all extremely relieved to know we wouldn’t have to hike back over the mountain to get home that evening.

After exploring the white sand beaches and crystal clear (but cold) waters we turned in our bikes and after one last ice cream (my count was 3 for the day I’m ashamed to say) we headed back to the ship for dinner. The crew who had been on board all day painting and making the ship sparkle got to come ashore to run wild for the evening. Warren decided to join them. They made their way to the bowling club but ended up at the golf club where everyone on the island seemed to be partying. After partying like locals and a pitch black bike ride back to the wharf they took the small boat back to the ship for a good nights sleep.

The following days plans changed a bit. We had planned to spend a whole other day in Lord Howe but after Matt got updated weather he decided leaving sooner rather than later was a better idea. So we planned to leave at 1pm. The sun was shinning brightly and the seas were calm.

We just got started when the windlass seemed to be struggling and then just cut out. We sent 2nd mate Elliot down to have a look at the anchor and chain but his beard impaired his diving abilities. After a quick shave (resulting in a blinding tan line) he went ashore and rented dive gear. Dressed in a wetsuit and his own free dive fins and mask he dove down sans air tank and gave a massive tug on the chain wrapped round a coral head. With a good yank it came free and we sailed off the hook as Elliot went to shore to return the dive gear he didn’t end up using.
On the subject of shaving…A few nights ago there was a ‘hair cutting’ party on board. Bosun Matt decided he needed a trim and managed to convince young Mitch that a mullet was a superb idea. Clippers in hand Matt went at Mitch’s head like mad. Shaved on both sides and cut short on top he’s looking like a mix between a long lost 80’s rock star and a bogan (American translation = hick). Mitch paraded around the deck in his new ‘do’ as a brilliant sun set beyond the horizon. Matt was next helped by Mitch, Elliot and a tiny mirror. We tired to convince Dan is was a good idea and even told him that if he shaved his head Elliot and myself would shave ours. No such luck though.

Till next time, Fair Winds my Friends.

Marsha Book, Purser.

Read the final part of Marsha's Blog Lord Howe to Sydney here...

See the Voyage Picture Gallery here...