Voyage Log 2002 Tallship Soren Larsen

NEW CALEDONIA to NEW ZEALAND 2002

Thurs 14th Nov 2002 - Soren Larsen arrives home to Auckland! The ship arrived back at Princes Wharf this morning - see pictures here.

Mon 11th Nov 2002 - Soren Larsen has arrived back to the New Zealand coast. Capt. Tod Thompson brought the ship in to Opua wharf in the Bay of Islands in to clear Customs on Friday.

Clearing in at Opua went well. A cameraman accompanied the MAF official for a TV program (" Border Control" see it on NZ Tv soon..). With water tanks full we anchored at Russell for a visit then out in the Bay for the night.

Next day we explored the Bay and islands before settling in at Lagoon Bay, Roberton Is. For the evening we were invited to Jim's and Teri's for a BBQ and tremendous hospitality and to see his boat- building project.

The following morning we shared some people-power to help shift "Gloriana"(their 100 year old Logan cutter now destined for the Maritime Museum, Auckland) closer to the launching ramp then Jim and Teri came on board for moning tea. Jim gave a talk on compass swinging followed by a demonstration of the real thing aboard Soren, involving any that were interested.
Whangamumu was our anchorage for the next night, then down the coast to Kawau Is For a visit to Mansion House Bay Tuesday morning.

The ship will arrive home to Princes Wharf, Auckland at 1000 Thursday 14th Nov as scheduled.

Thurs 7th Nov 2002 -
Soren is just off North Cape New Zealand - and will arrive in to the bay of Islands to clear customs on Friday! The ship will then cruise south through the Hauraki Gulf and is due into Auckland on Thursday 14th to conclude our 2002 Pacific voyaging.

Monday 28th Oct 2002
Departing Noumea

Left Port Moselle Monday early pm after crew intro's, famils, briefings, and having all the passports processed at the Australian Consulate by 1200 for our visas for Norfolk Island.

Sail and line handling enroute to Baie Maa arriving in time for a swim and a swing. Happy hour was spent with the bar open and having the new Voyage Crew watching for the green flash as the sun went down over the lagoon and we then enjoyed a twilight dinner on deck.

Earlyish (0730) start, muddy bottom - which gave the crew the chance test fire pump/hose on the anchor chain as we hauled up! Glassy calm. Morning was spent at Isle Te Ndu (Signal Is) snorkeling, swimming and beachcombing the small island. Afternoon sail brought us back to Anse aux Boeufs for the night. Alongside in Pt Moselle Wed am for Customs, Immigration, Fuel and fresh fruit and vegies. Away after lunch and we hauled down the French flag after clearing the barrier reef via Dumbea Pass. The four days to Norfolk included head winds, fair winds, no wind and weak cold front. Anchored Cascade Bay Saturday night. SSW wind.

We had a warm welcome from Norfolk officials Allan and Mitchell (Mitchell being a "Bounty" First Fleeter from S/L's past).Everyone having a turn ashore; Cascade Bay still providing shelter as wind goes SE and today (Monday) calm. Today's plan is explore island, then all aboard for early dinner and set off, bound for Opua, NZ.

VANUATU to NEW CALEDONIA
15th October 2002
Ex Port Vila , Vanuatu.
We have had a scheduled break between voyages for maintenance and to allow crew a well earned break. After 10 days in Vila its good to get going again. New Voyage Crew joined yesterday morning (good to see David P. back again!) and after taking on some fuel and introducing everyone to the ship we sailed around to Mele Island in the late afternoon sun. This morning, several went over the side for a leisurely swim after breakfast and the plan is to up-anchor after morning tea and get underway for Tanna island.

Tanna lies southeast from Vila and this will involve a motor sail to windward. the tradewinds consistently blow from the southeast but we'll try to make it as swiftly as possible to Pt. Resolution harbour.

We departed Tanna late morning on the 19th with a South East 20 knot tradewind giving ideal winds for the ocean passage to New Cal.

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NEW See Voyage Crew Ian Grieves pictures here

Departed Tanna 1100local time on 19 Oct. We are having good sailing with a favourable SE 20. Position at 0640 GMT 19/10: 20 00 S 169 11E, 220T
@ 6.5' All's well Tod.

Tues 22nd Oct 2002 - Arrived Noumea, New Caledonia. With a few days still to go on this ten day voyage, the ship has cleared Customs and Immigration in the French part of the Pacific. Daphne the Purser has been ashore to help Capt Tod with the paperwork and change money at the bank. The ship has sailed from Vanuatu, three and a half days ago and has made a good time to here.

Bonjour - Anchored at Amedee now, blowing fresh sunny day back to the mainland for the night. Arrived Noumea 1330 then there was some delay yesterday from Port Moselle finding us a berth( tho' they had an ETA from Vila and a call first thing in the morning ) Which led to Customs delaying til this am (they knocked off at 1545!) Good sailing from Tanna.

The ideal tradewind conditions allowed consistent hull speed as Soren sailed downwind on the port tack. We passed through the south side of the Loyalty islands, on New Caledonia's east coast and although the pure white beaches and turquoise lagoons looked inviting we are obliged to clear in to the country in Noumea. (Soren Larsen was formally placed under arrest here some years ago for a minor infingement of this regulation - we beat the rap, but that's another story..)

We will spend a couple of days cruising the lagoon at the south west corner of the country before completing this voyage on Thurs. We will spend the weekend preparing for the next passage which starts on the 28th.. an ocean sailing passage home to New Zealand - our final voyage of this 2002 Pacific Odyssey..

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