 Below is the last part of Sally Anderson's Web Log reports from
the Galapagos to Easter island:
Part 1 tells of their passage from Panama
to Cocos island - 7/12th Feb. Click here.
Part 2 covers from Cocos
Island to the Galapagos - 13/18th Feb. Click here:
Part 3 recounts their journey
between Galapagos
and Easter Island, and their experiment in traditional navigation
methods, 22 - 28th Feb:
 Part 4: Continues the passage to their
arrival at Easter Island, 1st-19th March:
1st March
SE winds abating and ME on 1800. The VC are all enthralled in their Celestial
Navigation classes - sextants are out in abundance.
2nd March
SE wind fills in early hours - ME off at 0300 at least a Force 4...
3rd March
Fantastic sailing over the next few days averaging F4/5, wind backing slowly to the
East.
VC Elain from Canada is a Kite guru and has announced a kite making and flying
competition. May the best kite win.
Various squalls, bringing only rain and fickle winds! Man overboard drill on 3rd March.
9th March
The centre of the high is nearby as our steady winds begin to abate and a heavy
southern swell rolling. 
10th March light airs!
Hove to after lunch for a swim. Great fun and very refreshing. Tarzan ropes, ball games,
blow up rings - but no sand castles. Wind veers to the South and dies away. ME on at 2100.
11th March
A light NW´ly wind settles in - signs of the other side of the high. ME off at 1200
but back on at dinner.
VC Mary & Ian take over the Galley and cook dinner! Stir fry for tea and the dress
up theme tonight is Chinese Chickens?
12th March
Overnight motoring with light Northerly winds. Backed to the NW, force 3 by morning -
ME off.
13th March
Wind up to force 4, but throughout day backs to the west and abates. Ships Company
involved in fire drill. Wind falls away after dark. Start ME 2200.
4th March 0700 Land Ho!!
And the navigators give a sigh of relief. About 0900 we hove too off the Northern side of
Isla Sala Y Gomez. Quite a dramatic sight as the heavy swell breaks over a narrow gorge in
the centre of island.
The island is volcanic and the highest elevation is 30m. It is a tiny dot in the
Pacific, only 2.5 cables long and 1.5 cables at the widest point. (10 cables = 1 nautical
mile).
The pilot Book states the charted position is reported to lie further to the east. We
confirmed this to be 6 minutes of longitude to the east and 1 minute of latitude to the
south. We circumnavigated the island and then the wind filled in on cue. A good force 4
from the south and slowly backing. Set sail and headed west for Easter Island. Making 6
kts at times.
15th March
Wind still fresh and from the SE. Easter Island sighted at 1545. Sunset was a delight
with a fantastic landfall - all on deck for the occasion.
We almost sailed into the anchorage, but the wind backed suddenly only a couple of
cables from letting go. We dropped anchor at 2145 at Anakena Bay on the Northern side.
16th March
A ver exciting morning - all up early to observe the new backdrop. We are due to drop
anchor at Hanga Roa on the Western side at 0900 to meet the ships agent. Weighed anchor at
0600 and had a scenic tour of the western side of the island, while motoring down. Super
morning. Saw our first Moai (statues) at the Anakena anchorage.
Anchored Hanga Roa at 0900 and the local authorities board almost immediately to deal
with Customs and immigration. All's goes smoothly and VC get ashore by lunch!
17th March
St Patrick's Day! Geoff Saunders, originally from Ireland, kicks off the festivities
with a traditional Irish recipe of Soda bread for breaky and green coloured milk. VC
ashore for a tour of the island - very good. Tonight - farewell party and Geoff Wood´s
Birthday Party. Dress is green or with an Irish Theme. Guinness and Murphys Irish Stout is
flowing - where did that come from? and of course the Pogues playing in the background. %
of our C leave us here and 8 new VC will join on 22nd. We leave for Pitcairn on the 23rd
March.
19th March
today is VC Geoff Woods birthday! On his 70th birthday he was on Elephant Island in the
Antarctic where Shackleton was marooned. On his 64th birthday he ascended Island Peak in
Nepal - 20,000 feet! and today on his 73rd birthday Geoff climbed over the futtocks and up
the foremast off Easter Island!
+++++++++
More will follow of Galapagos and the the
passage to Easter Island shortly.
NEW  Voyage
Crew Memory Module:
Paul Huisking reflects on his
Auckland -Panama
Ocean Passage last year.
Voyage Crew Memories
Ian Marshall's Atlantic Crossing
Voy 142, Dec 2000
See pictures of the Curacao - Panama voyage at Voyage Crew Bob
Lewis' own webpage at http://www.nythfa.freeserve.co.uk/soren/sorenlarsen.html
 See pics from John Homes and Alan Murphy of the
Grenada-Curacao leg:
here
++++++
VOYAGE CREW RETURNING HOME: Scan and email
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