Looong Way Adventure.

capnsensible

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Dont often count deliveries until I slip lines, but my next one is lookin good, dropped some kit on board today (I join later) plus flight booked! :)

Bavaria 46. Very experienced crew, leaving Lanzarote tomorrow, Im meeting them in Antigua early next month.

Then we cross Caribbean, ready for Panama transit around 12th March.

Pit stops in Galapagos, Marquesas and finish in Tahiti.

Home on big bird via Trumpton and Madrid.

Yabba Dabba.
 
Top tip. However as its been hangin on for 14 years now, subject to the whims of Neptune, Im gonna be Ok with it.

But I will still look at what Neptune does to us mortals. Daily. :)
 
Small delay on departure from Lanza but the lads got going this morning. Gave them a tooty salute on the foghorn. Last seen whizzing off at eight knots towards Tenerife.

My mission this week is a circumnavigation. Of Lanzarote! In Arecife tonight, bonkers Graciosa tomorrow. They will be warmer sooner..........
 
Signing up for the free puddle jump rally was a good steer from someone - for small fee paid to agent in tahiti in advance you get “bond exemption" letter from the agent which they can send to sat phone and you print out, hence no need to individually post massive bonds equal to flight money home repayable only when u leave French Poly. And the boat gets help with getting (some) tax-free fuel, in Tahiti. You just sign up for puddle jump, no fees, i think there’s a free party in Tahiti around may or summing. The letter they give you is handed in at first checkin to marquesas, and the gendarme says thankyou.

Other than that, just arriving at panama shelter bay is all it takes to attract oodles of agents so no need to book anything, transit $1500 or thereabouts the lazy way - not going into crimey Colon at all. Fuel round the back of Panama end, at Flamenco marina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0-PHGGBcVg

Puerto Ayora on Galapagos is best anchorage to see a large tortoise ashore, but another $1000-$1500 to check in and out. Nice resto = The Rock in town. Hide vegetables and fruit in anchor lock else officials confiscate them for iffy reasons such as they might infect the island - in which case the guys taking them ashore bit daft eh? Oh well.

Cash only for officials, no cheques or credit cards but there are cashpoints in the main towns.

Cheap printer on the boat - essential for printing stupid forms and hence saving the $3k each as above.

http://www.pacificpuddlejump.com

Las Perlas islands - think “muddy pearls” and move along

Rangiroa rather fab r+r anchorage en route marquesas to Tahiti, incl Kia Ora Resort

Cheap booze or cigs warning: The nice french gendarmes with their speedboats will find every boat visiting french polynesia eventually, and if you have non-EU-duty-paid booze or cigs the duty and fines are applied invariably and with a smile. It’s okay to have SOME booze on board like a few bottles, but not a massive Gib-style stash from cheapy carib or Panama.

Boat has to be fully sorted cos er not much boat fixing in Pacific or at least not the bit you plan - overnight to SXM if antigua not playing and gimme a shout. St martin last option for French supermarket posh nosh vits and vics until Carrefour in tahiti.

hth.
 
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Dont often count deliveries until I slip lines, but my next one is lookin good, dropped some kit on board today (I join later) plus flight booked! :)

Bavaria 46. Very experienced crew, leaving Lanzarote tomorrow, Im meeting them in Antigua early next month.

Then we cross Caribbean, ready for Panama transit around 12th March.

Pit stops in Galapagos, Marquesas and finish in Tahiti.

Home on big bird via Trumpton and Madrid.

Yabba Dabba.

What's the boat name?
 
Signing up for the free puddle jump rally was a good steer from someone - for small fee paid to agent in tahiti in advance you get “bond exemption" letter from the agent which they can send to sat phone and you print out, hence no need to individually post massive bonds equal to flight money home repayable only when u leave French Poly. And the boat gets help with getting (some) tax-free fuel, in Tahiti. You just sign up for puddle jump, no fees, i think there’s a free party in Tahiti around may or summing. The letter they give you is handed in at first checkin to marquesas, and the gendarme says thankyou.

Other than that, just arriving at panama shelter bay is all it takes to attract oodles of agents so no need to book anything, transit $1500 or thereabouts the lazy way - not going into crimey Colon at all. Fuel round the back of Panama end, at Flamenco marina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0-PHGGBcVg

Puerto Ayora on Galapagos is best anchorage to see a large tortoise ashore, but another $1000-$1500 to check in and out. Nice resto = The Rock in town. Hide vegetables and fruit in anchor lock else officials confiscate them for iffy reasons such as they might infect the island - in which case the guys taking them ashore bit daft eh? Oh well.

Cash only for officials, no cheques or credit cards but there are cashpoints in the main towns.

Cheap printer on the boat - essential for printing stupid forms and hence saving the $3k each as above.

http://www.pacificpuddlejump.com

Las Perlas islands - think “muddy pearls” and move along

Rangiroa rather fab r+r anchorage en route marquesas to Tahiti, incl Kia Ora Resort

Cheap booze or cigs warning: The nice french gendarmes with their speedboats will find every boat visiting french polynesia eventually, and if you have non-EU-duty-paid booze or cigs the duty and fines are applied invariably and with a smile. It’s okay to have SOME booze on board like a few bottles, but not a massive Gib-style stash from cheapy carib or Panama.

Boat has to be fully sorted cos er not much boat fixing in Pacific or at least not the bit you plan - overnight to SXM if antigua not playing and gimme a shout. St martin last option for French supermarket posh nosh vits and vics until Carrefour in tahiti.

hth.

Cheers for all that, copied and will be acted on! For once I dont have to do any organising so relaxy. Some bookings already complete, its a full on delivery, no tourist. Owner to collect yacht in Tahiti.

Pit stops are all about fuel and food (oh well yeah, lager) and cracking on.

Our shore team is fab (!!) so with Iridium modem and top tips way may be smooth.

Not really interested in tortoises, they are never far from where you left them anyway. Grass skirts way better.......

Shame to miss St Maarten would be an awesome visit but as I get to English, its slip and go west.

Take care, C and M

Oh yeah, guess the US dollar is the thing to have?
 
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