The Big Trip

Well, the "Big Trip" is looking more official every day. Our plans to cruise to New Zealand, which have been over 10 years in the making, are finally taking shape for 2009-2010. I notified my boss shortly after the New Year and was VERY pleased with his positive response (big sigh of relief). Our Preliminary Itinerary is as follows, of course boats hate schedules, so it is certainly subject to change. The dates are really only used to keep track of time and to review weather patterns. We are keeping our actual schedule fairly flexible other than some dates that will need to be met in order for flights etc.

Depart Newport, RI mid May 2009 bound for San Salvadore Island, Bahamas, arrival planned May 23, 2009.
May 23 Arrive Cockburn Town, San Salvadore Island, Bahamas 24.03.1 N, 74.32.1 W
May 27 Sail San Salvadore Island, Bahamas to Cartagena, Columbia 743 nm
June 1 Arrive Cartagena, Columbia 10deg 25’N, 75deg 38’W Crew change in Cartagena, 3 week stay planned.
June 21 Cartagena to San Blas Islands 180 nm
June 22: Arrive San Blas Islands, Panama 9.34 N, 78.57W Cruise San Blas Islands for 6 weeks heading west to Colon and Panama Canal
Aug 9 San Blas Islands to Colon, Panama 75 nm
Aug 10 Arrive Colon, Panama 9.23.8N 79.51.8W Visions of Johanna to berth at Shelter Island marina for 1 month. This allows Mom & Bill to go home and work for August and me to Sail (end of August & beginning of September) in the Six Metre World Championships with Toby and Hank on Alana. Zak will also be joining us in September after staying home in Maine for a final summer with his friends before everybody heads off to school.
Sept 23 Transit Panama Canal -- We would like to try to stay a few days at BCI Island with my best friend from high school (and nursery school) Meg, but will have to see if this is possible.
Sept 25 Arrive Balboa, Panama
Sept 26: Balboa, Panama to Las Perlas Islands 35 nm
Sept 26: Arrive Las Perlas Islands Cruise Las Perlas for 5 days
Oct 1: Sail Las Perlas Islands to La Libertad, Ecuador 700 miles
Oct 6: Arrive La Libertad
Berth at Puerto Lucia Yacht Club for 7 week stay. Vessel will likely be manned full time through this interval. Alternatively, the Puerto Lucia Yacht Club is an exceedingly safe marina to leave boat with local caretaker.
Nov 30: Sail La Libertad to Galapagos Islands 540 nm
Dec 4: Arrive Academia Bay, Galapagos Island 00.45.05S 90.18.08W Cruise Galapagos Islands for 1 month

This is where we have a choice to make....do we take the normal route to the Marquesas or the southerly route to Easter Island and Pitcairn, and then do we double back north to visit the Marquesas as well.

Passage Details 2010 – Potential Southerly Route
Allow 3 days for clearance and maintenance upon arrival and 2 days clearance and provisioning outbound. Assume average speed 6 knots = 144 nm/day. One of two routes to Tahiti are contemplated. Routes coalesce May 18 in Papeete, Tahiti
Jan 4: Sail Academia Bay to Hanga, Roa, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) 1945 nm
Jan 18: Arrive Hanga, Roa, Easter Island 27.08.7S 109.26.2W Plan 10 days Rapa Nui
Feb 2: Sail Easter Island to Pitcairn Island 1200 nm
Feb 10: Arrive Bounty Bay, Pitcairn Island 25.04.0S 130.06.0W Plan 1 week at Pitcairn Island. This stop will be weather and seas dependent and it may be necessary to move directly to Gambier Islands
Feb 17: Pitcairn Island to Rikitea, Gambier Islands 290 nm
Feb 19: Arrive Rikitea (Mangareva Island), Gambier Islands 23deg 05’S 135deg 05’W Plan 6 weeks cruising Gambier Islands
April 1 Sail Gambier Islands to Papeete, Tahiti via Tuamotus archipelago 890 nm
May 18 Arrive Papeete, Tahiti windward group Society Islands 17.32.5S 149.45.35W Explore Tahiti/Moorea 2 weeks

Passage Details 2010 – Potential Westerly Route (Traditional "Milk Run")
Jan 4: Sail Academia Bay to Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands 3050 nm
Jan 25: Arrive Atuona, Hiva Oa, Marquesas Islands 9.24S140.03W Plan 2 months cruising in Marquesas Island group.
Mar 23: Sail Marquesas to Papeete, Tahiti via Tuomotu Archipeligo 755 nm
May 18 Arrive windward group Society Islands Papeete, Tahiti 17.32.5S 149.45.35W Explore Tahiti/Moorea 2 weeks

2010 Passage through Polynesia -- This is the same for either route.
June 5 Moorea to Fare, Huahine in Leeward group Society Islands 80 miles
June 6 Arrive Fare, Huahine Island leeward group Society Islands 16.42S 151.02W Explore Leeward group, Raiatea and Bora-Bora 3 weeks
June 30: Sail Vaitape, Bora Bora to Suvarov Atoll, Cook Islands Approx 685 nm
July 4 Arrive Suvarov Atoll, Cook Islands 13.20’S 162.40’W Explore Cook Islands National Park 5 days
July 11 Sail Suvarov Atoll to Pago Pago, Tutuila Island, American Samoa 550 nm
July 14 Arrive Pago Pago, Tutuila Island, American Samoa 14.17S 170.41W` Cruise American Samoa and Somoan Islands for 6 weeks Crew change
Aug 25 Sail Pago Pago to Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji ` 620 NM
Aug 29 Arrive Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji Cruise Fiji 1 month
Sept 29 Sail Vuda Point, Viti Levu Island, Fiji to Port-Vila, Efate Vanuatu 520 miles
Oct 2 Arrive Port-Vila, Efate Vanuatu 17deg 45’S 168deg 18’E Plan 4 weeks Vanuatu
Oct 30 Sail Lennekai, Tanna Island, Vanuatu to Opua, New Zealand 1095 nm
Nov 6 Arrive Opua, New Zealand

Our plans once we reach NZ are still really up in the air. We would like to spend some time there, maybe even ... work a bit. This probably won't start to be worked out until late 2009 at the earliest.