While the majority of yachts continue from Galapagos along the classic trade wind route to the Marquesas and Tahiti, every year a few boats make a detour to Easter Island and continue from there via Pitcairn Island to French Polynesia. They made up just over half of the 44 boats which called at Easter Island in , the rest being boats en route to the Chilean Canals and South Atlantic.
The peak arrival time is between January and April, with 30 arrivals recorded during that period. It is estimated that approximately American and Canadian boats arrive every year in French Polynesia but that number has been slowly going down. Compared to the past when many of these boats continued on a circumnavigation of the world or at least sailed as far as New Zealand before turning around, close to about half of the North American boats now turn north from Tahiti.
It is reckoned that about 80 boats sail the circuit from the US West Coast to Tahiti and Hawaii which some attempt to complete in one season. Those who sail the longer loop to New Zealand return to Tahiti in June and continue to the mainland via Hawaii. Those who limit themselves to the shorter loop, sail north from Tahiti at the end of the safe season in the South Pacific and either spend the winter in Hawaii and sail home the following spring, or return to the South Pacific for another season of cruising.
The number of arrivals in Tahiti is usually a good indication of the movement of cruising boats in the Pacific basin and the figures for supplied by the port authority of Tahiti show a steady increase in recent years, with in compared to in the previous year, in , and in However, according to the Tahiti Yacht Club, the figures for may be misleading as they refer to all recorded arrivals and therefore also include boats which have visited Tahiti more than once.
Based on the figures from destinations west of Fiji, the individual arrivals in Tahiti were probably closer to still showing a significant increase over those recorded in which were also confirmed by the figures from Galapagos. By this time, he had already spent weeks alone on his boat, and his supplies were running dangerously low.
He was about two hours from Tuvalu waters when he was discovered by maritime officials - who again, told him to leave. I won't anchor and step on land, just let me stay in your waters,'" he said.
At last I said ok at least help me buy some food and fuel. A boat carrying both these things eventually arrived, but they couldn't approach Wong due to social distancing rules. We took a lot of time pulling it back and forth. So he left, deciding to head towards Fiji.
During this time, his family back home in Singapore got in touch with Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and tried to secure a place for him to dock in Fiji.
All he could do then was wait and hope for the best. His options were running low but then he hit a real low point after his boat hit coral. I remember on that day, huge winds started picking up - they were really strong," he said. He later found out that he was some nautical miles km away from Cyclone Harold - the storm that ravaged the Pacific Islands, killing dozens.
The winds blew my boat and it hit something, causing one of my propellers to spoil," he said. But thankfully, he soon received word that the Fiji government had agreed to take him in. A navy boat was sent out to tow him in and he eventually docked in Fiji on 29 April - after almost three months of wandering the sea.
Cmdr Natuva said the rescue effort required co-ordination from Singapore and multiple ministries in Fiji including customs, immigration, navy and the ministry of health. Fiji, which has a population of about ,, currently has 18 confirmed cases of the virus - one of the few nations in the South Pacific to have any reported virus cases.
Cmdr Natuva said the rescue itself was "fairly simple" but "needed some adjustments" because of the virus restrictions. But it was a success - Wong eventually managed to dock. Start with your boat and do a thorough, honest evaluation - is your vessel ready for the journey?
Make sure you complete any jobs or essential maintenance you have been putting off. Make sure to go over our extensive checklist of 41 Cruising Essentials , to ensure you don't forget the most important gear and tools. Check and then check again. Organize the insurance for your boat. Bear in mind, however, that any fresh food you have with you when you reach the Galapagos Islands will be removed to protect the delicate ecosystem. You might be forced to have your hull cleaned too.
Before you attempt your crossing, you should also aim to spend time studying the prevailing winds, currents and cyclone season for your course. Enough people have made the journey so you can find a lot of information written on the subject. The time it takes to sail across the Pacific does not cover the full extent of the experience. A sailboat doesn't have to be expensive if you know what you're doing.
If you want to learn how to make your sailing dream reality within a year, leave your email and I'll send you free updates. I don't like spam - I will only send helpful content.
What About Navigational Preparations? Did you find the answer to your specific question? Leave a comment. Your subscription could not be saved.
Please try again.
0コメント