Dreams Do Come True Part II

Catherine and William arrive in Tahiti and pick up their crew (daughter Minetta and her boyfriend, Nick) for the next six weeks.  The four of them explore the Society Islands and then head off to Tonga.  Min and Nick jump ship there and take off to Fiji while Catherine and William set sail for the final leg of this journey... destination New Zealand.

Hope you enjoy the images of our journey...

In case the video doesn't play please click on this link:            Dreams Do Come True Part II

Dreams Do Come True Part I

I had a really big problem with my computer when we arrived in New Zealand - it crashed!!  When we got home I took it to the computer geeks and we were able to retrieve all of the photos and when I say all I mean all 10,000 images that were stored in the hard drive!

Well, to make a long story short(er), I was able to restore some of the photos to their high quality but many I was not... so the result is what you will see in our slideshow of images of our trip.  Bill and I have  high quality images in our minds but we did want to share some of what we experienced with you.


This is the slideshow of the first leg of Cathy and Bill Norrie's South Pacific voyage on their Pacific Seacraft Crealock 37 yacht "Terrwyn".  This segment takes them through their preparations in Canoe Cove, B.C. and Port Townsend, Washington and finally they set sail from Bamfield, B.C. After 40 days at sea they arrive in the French Polynesian islands of Marquesas.  Some of it you have seen in the videos we posted earlier but many are new.

Please forgive the fuzziness ...

Fatu Hiva

After having left Hiva Oa, our first Marquesan Island, we headed to the southern most island of the island group... Fatu Hiva.  We both were eager to see what has been touted as the most beautiful bay in the world.  Even though it is usually a nasty beat against the wind the day we sailed there was fantastic!  With a constant 15-20 knot wind on the beam all the way it made for the best ride ever.  

The Lonely Planet describes Fatu Hiva as "the island of superlatives: the most remote, the furthest south, the wettest, the lushest and the most authentic."  
When we arrived it lived up to it's reputation.  It was early in the day when we sailed into Hanavave Bay also known as Bay of Virgins or Baie des Vierges.   The phallic skyline of Hanavave Bay caused it to be named Baie des Verges (Bay of Penises). Outraged, the missionaries hastened to add a redeeming 'i' to make the name Baie des Vierges (Bay of Virgins).

As the day went on the light changed and by sunset the valley was drenched in purple light and the surrounding peaks took on a bronze veneer.  Stunning!!


It was also a couple of days before Bastille Day which is embedded in the holiday month of July that is celebrated throughout French Polynesia.  We were one of two boats anchored in the bay and when we rowed ashore in our dinghy we were greeted by the people of the village with little boys eager to help us drag the dinghy up to dry land.  I met some of the local women and they invited us to the evening feasting and traditional dance.  The dance competition was with the only other village on the island from the neighbouring valley.  

In the video you will see some of the traditional dance that we enjoyed.  It was led by the local choreographer, dance master and chef extraordinaire, Ramon.  Ramon was a Mahu - a male who was raised as a woman.  This is a common phenomenon throughout the South Pacific islands.

First Landfall

We finally reached land after 40 days and 40 nights at sea.  Bill is happy to do some cleaning chores while at anchor and the water is as warm as a bath tub.  We have yet to see Cathy go ashore!  What does that mean?  Stay tuned...

Crossing the Equator

Well we finally made the video of us crossing the equator in our lovely. 

It was in the middle of the night and we were down below since it was less than lovely conditions out on deck.  The nasty squall filmed earlier is still happening out there.  We were glued to the GPS monitor,  counting down the final minutes of North Latitude as we were southbound.  As we watched the numbers go down... OMG...!!  Can you guess what happened?

Now have a look and see!

SV Terrwyn Lives on... One Ocean At a Time

June 23, 2012                       Blog Summary and Progress Report

Good day readers.  This is Bill with a Dry Dock Half-Time  Progress Report for SV Terrwyn, currently safe and sound 'on the hard' in Auckland NZ.  She is under the watchful eyes of our boatyard friends, cameras and workers in Gulf Harbour Marina.

Gulf Harbour Marina Boat Services

It has been nearly 9 months since we arrived in Auckland and it will be another 9 months until we leave NZ bound for South Africa early April 2013.  Therefore this 'Half-Time Report'.

We have taken this opportunity in NZ to tune Terrwyn's systems from lessons learned during our first leg (Canada to NZ) last year May - November 2011.  Meanwhile Cath and I have returned back to Calgary living and working full time towards our coming 9 month cruise (NZ - SA), April - December 2013.We love Calgary, our friends, families, our little old house and Bill's practise.  Cath is flat out writing, managing our homestead - inside and out and being mommy to Daisy our new baby Dane ( www.daisythegreatdane.com )who is growing like a weed.  She is also mommy to Harley and Nessie but they have lots of life skills already. 

Terrwyn has had "mucho trabajo hecho" and much more to come.  Details below.

Back in Calgary we are gathering our navigational materials for the coming passage:  charts- paper and electronic; sailing directions; pilot charts; cruising guides and assorted articles.  We have also ordered a new Light Air (<10 knots true) symmetrical spinnaker from PT Sails and gathering proper deep sea fishing gear, deck winch and stand up Penn rod and reel (both with 1,000 metres of line).  Fishing gear was my biggest error of omission on our first leg.  Marlin and Tuna are now duly warned.

Other Terrwyn tasks completed include:

1. NZ Customs' blessing for keeping Terrwyn for 18 months in NZ.
2.  LOA from Bill's hospital for the required 9 months.
3. Sailing Kitty filling up as quick as possible.
4. Puppy care arranged for all three of our babies here in Calgary (thanks Cam) and Quadra Island (thanks Michael and Danielle).
5. House sitting arranged again for Calgary (thanks again Cam) and Quadra Island (thanks again to Michael and Danielle).
6. Terrwyn's refit partly completed and progressing.
1. Engine, prop and shaft all reworked
2. New electronics and instruments (Nexus) installed on an arch immediately forward and above companionway (boat speed, depth sounder, wind speed and angles, GPS).
3. Rigging repairs - to jib sheet cars and tracks; new wire solent retractable headstay; Spinlock gear shift and throttle in cockpit.
4. 2nd Ritchie magnetic compass to port forward cockpit bulkhead.
5. Cold plate repaired.
6. Upgrade solar panels from 85 watts to 300 watts.
7. LED's and new speakers below deck.
8. Install Irridium phone and docking station with email, fax and GRIB file capacity.
9. AIS
10. Overhaul VHF and SSB.
11. Deck cover; topsides; and anti-fouling paint all to be done.
12. Sole re-finishing, maserator and head re-fitted.

That's about all - B.O.A.T. units galore!

Billy stowing all halyards and replacing with 'messenger lines'.

Cath taping in preparation for doing brighwork.

Happy Skipper Billy on foredeck preparing for installation of new protective cover while Terrwyn is 'on the hard'.

Our intention is to sea trial these items in February.  Then Bill will return to Calgary for March while Cath stays on in NZ to re-provision.  We will leave NZ, sail north to New Caledonia in early April and then WEST...

Further video clips of our Pacific crossing may be forth coming...crossing the equator and various landfalls to follow.

Thank you for following our blog.  We intend to carry on beyond NZ and SA, to the Caribbean and back into the South Pacific in our circumnavigation quest in roughly 6 month blocks over the next few years - one ocean at a time.

Please comment with any questions that we will promptly answer.

Fair winds
Smooth seas

Billy

Flying the Spinnaker...and the Drifter... Including an exciting trailer...

Catherine and William continue their journey across the grand Pacific Ocean, now captured on video...

 Here they are 'sailing' through the ITCZ or otherwise often known as "the doldrums". Flying both the poled out spinnaker (or genniker) and drifter with full main they are able to sail downwind picking up what little breeze there is!

And now, finally, here is the trailer for the exciting movie that you have all been waiting for (coming to a theatre near you) !!!