Category Archives: Travel

Gothenburg – Grebbestad – Koster – Risør

Posted on Wednesday June 22nd, 2022 by dafdaf

Bruno arrives on the 18.6. by plane from Berlin and I feel both proud an happy to continue this trip with him. – What could be better than 500 miles father and son sailing ? Next day we take two bikes of the sailingclub to get some fresh groceries and then we immediately leave. – Into the Skerries an easy 30 miles north and drop the anchor behind a fish farm in the Möllösund.

Leaving GothenborgLeaving the anchor place in the MöllosundPassing Gullholmen...where we decided to get a boat agagin...

After breakfast we immediately leave and it should become one of the most amazing sailing days in my life. We tack 52 miles towards north in between the islands and sometimes only have a few shiplengths to maneuver. Really exciting  – and challenging to navigate.

IMGP0468Another house wedged inbetween some rocksIMGP0464IMGP0462

The Skerries get more beautiful as we go north and although most of the islands seem empty, one can find hidden little (or not so little) houses hidden in between the rocks on most of them. We are very happy to have met John with his SY Josin, a very well outfitted Ballad 30 . He is a very experienced sailor and gave us many tips for our trip of which all have been absolut marvelous so far.

Aufkreuzen_zwischen_Gullholmen_und_GrebbestadIn the Gasthavn at GrebbestadGrebbestadTomorrow is Bruno's bd !

On the island Koster we actually wanted to celebrate Bruno’s 16th birthday and go out for dinner but it seems like the whole island is closed. The only thing open are the footpaths – everything else is closed. And I thought it would be big party as it’s midsummer today ? – But the swedish people will celebrate on the next weekend it seems. Well. We cook and Bruno blows out the candles and next day it’s sailing again. We don’t have much time as we should be in Bergen on the 30.6. and that’s not too much time.

Leaving KosterEntering the skerries W of KosterBruno chillin'First view of the E coast of Norway

So we’re really happy that the light wind that was predicted actually blows with nearly 20 knots. Going against with a 30ft boat is not too comfortable but on the other side we’re doing 7 knots and arrive in Risør, Norway at eight in the evening.

Bruno doing a Lebowski-pose on the foredeck (Tai Chi)In RisørBeautiful wooden houses in RisørRisør

The little town is really beautiful with it’s white wooden houses. – We’ll stay for a day as the wind will continue to blow from SW. Tomorrow it’ll be better and we’ll continue our way towards south Norway…

Posted in LosLocos, Pics, Sailing, Travel | Comments Off

Summer trip pt. 1: Stralsund – Gothenburg

Posted on Monday June 13th, 2022 by dafdaf

After many years, the opportunity has finally come for a slightly longer sailing trip. I have eight weeks off and since this might be one of our last trips up here in the north, we wanted two things off our bucket list: the Skerries of the swedish west coast and the fjords of Norway.

Since the way to the fjords is long and the wind is usually not in the right direction, we decided to split the trip in three legs. The first one to Gothenborg I’ll do with my old friend Wolfgang who also came with us across the Atlantic back in 2011. The second part from Gothenborg to Bergen, Norway I will do with Bruno who just turned 16 ! Then, once in Bergen Gui will join us with the two small ones, Moana and Kilian. Viola will join us later in Stavanger where Bruno will fly back to Berlin.

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We headed out of Stralsund on the 8th of June with wonderful blue skies and light wind from southerly directions. As the wind was absolutely perfect, we decided not to stop for the night but keep sailing through the Øresund until we want to stop. We slid under the huge Öresund bridge right after sunrise and were pushed northwards with a steadily increasing current.

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In the evening of the second day the wind went to zero. – So we pulled into a tiny fishing harbour called Skallbroken for the night.

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Next day we encountered our first Skerries and also met some seals sunbathing on them. After a beautiful day sailing, we anchored behind the little skerry called Öckerö.

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The last day we sailed into Gothenborg with a wonderful blue sky and perfect wind. Here the trip ended for Wolfgang and I did a bit of work on the boat (and in the “homeoffice”) while I waited for Bruno’s arrival on the 18.6.

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Short update

Posted on Wednesday June 8th, 2022 by dafdaf

Six years have passed since the last entry…  A few things have happened since then, some of which might be told here later on … but first of all this reactivation is mostly for family and friends who wonder where and how we are. For all others who still might be reading this blog, here comes a very very short update:

Since 2014 we are landlocked again in Berlin. My wife became full time teacher and I started a company specializing in energy consulting (and we build our own ultra portable energy meters). Of course we’re still travelling a lot. Initially with an old camper van, until one time when we visited friends in Gullholmen, Sweden – the sailing fever hit us again. So sometime in 2018 we exchanged the VW van for a small Compromis 720.

Mit dem VW Bus in AlbanienIMGP9519Die Schummla (in Wiek, bei Greifswald)IMG_2782

And then … we got two new family members – first Moana (2018) and then Kilian (2021). So now we have a wonderful family with four kids (and two cats). The boat of course was a little to small so since 2020 we have a Carter 30, Bj. 1979 which we share with another family who are very good friends and neighbours.

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Or to put it short: Yes. We still are LosLocos. :-)

Posted in Berlin, Kids, LosLocos, News, Pics, Sailing, Travel | 1 Comment

Berlin – Flensburg – Brisbane

Posted on Saturday March 28th, 2015 by dafdaf

Just a few days ago we were freezing our asses while sailing with friends in the Baltic Sea. Today I’m sweating in the tropics. What a trip ! What a chaotic life, what an adventure…

Frueh morgens geht's von Berlin losUnd einen Tag spaeter - frueh morgens - geht's mit der Marlin weiter...Eis am DinghyBereit zum Anlegen

I’ll start from the beginning: Last weekend it finally happened that two cruising families who know each other since ages via Email, Skype and Facebook get to meet each other in meatspace. I’m talking about the crew of the SY Ironlady or nowadays SY Marlin. Even before we began our own journey, I’ve been a keen reader of their blog and the first book they wrote about their own journey with kids: ‘Meer als ein Traum‘ was the trigger for us to go sailing. So finally we met in Flensburg to get to know each other and go on a little sailing trip with their amazing new yacht. The weekend was exhausting but totally beautiful and just as expected the kids immediately connected to each other and off they went blabbering in three different languages, running around with the dog, chasing sheep or producing chaos on bord. The big ones enjoyed the (chilly) breeze on their faces, the sea, the moving of the yacht – in one word: sailing. It was gorgeous. And hopefullly not the only meeting.

Die wunderschoene Marlin gedockt an der OchseninselGrosse Tafel, im Salion der Marlinund am Abend wieder zurueck nach FlensburgSchoene Stadt. Haetten wir evtl. auch gewaehlt, waeren wir mit dem Schiff zurueck gekommen...

Back in Berlin, I immediately prepare to leave again. This time the journey is a little longer. Destination: Brisbane, Australia. Our ship the Suvarov has been in Redcliffe for several months but the plan to sell her with the help of a broker didn’t really work out. That’s why I chose to fly around the globe to tidy her up and take it in our own hands. I’ve just got two weeks but it should be possible to find a new owner – or at least a cheaper place to leave the boat.

Morgens in Tegel bei RegenUnd Mittags in Abu DabiMit etwas kleinen AugenUm Mitternacht dann in Brisbane

After 1.5 days of air travel, Brisbane welcomes me with tropical-moist, warm air just after midnight. I take a cab to Redcliffe where our marina is located. Luckily everything worked out as planned and I find the deposited security token and our ship’s keys – I get onboard without having to climb fences or getting wet. Heh. On bord no surprises (good !!): everything is in it’s place, no bad stench, no little animals. Without searching, I find the lights in the dark. I sit down while my surroundings together with the ship’s smell remind me of past adventures and places. The soft hissing of the wind generator takes me away to lonely anchorages in the south seas… a torrent of emotions start to break down on me. Despite the exhausting journey I can’t sleep and start to search for a drink. Finally I find an old hip flask with some Whiskey in it. I grab it and sit down at the bow where I immediately catch sight of the constellation Scorpion….

am Strand in RedcliffeUnd zusammen mit unserem alten Zuhause, der Suvarov.

Eventually my eyes get tired and I fall asleep having crazy dreams. I wake up as a tropical shower pours down on deck and I run through the ship to close windows and hatches. When viewed in daylight I can see a few little specks of rust here and there but nothing essential. Actually a lot less than I imagined. One fender lost it’s air but otherwise I cannot find any defects. In the afternoon I walk through the little town to get some groceries and have a look at the nearby beach. Back on board I start the engine which comes to life on the first turn – just as if we’d been getting into harbour yesterday. I’m amazed how well the Suvarov has taken the six months without maintenance. Hopefully a potential buyer will also notice. Tomorrow – hopefully halfway recovered from the jetlag, I’ll start working…

Posted in Berlin, LosLocos, Pics, Sailing, Suvarov, Travel | 3 Comments

Final landfall

Posted on Sunday August 31st, 2014 by dafdaf

Sorry for the delay but there was just too much happening these last weeks leaving no time for blog updates or other forms of communication besides what was absolutely needed…

So here we are. Back in Berlin, the city we left with the Rancho Relaxo of the Seas just a little over three years ago. We relocated six (!) times during these last weeks, moving from appartment to appartment and back and forth in between Austria and Germany. And to intensify that experience, Gui flew to Colombia to have her very first Fashion Show with Coquito, then visited Paris to have a look at the children’s clothes fair ‘Playtime‘ where hopefully Coquito will be present next year.

The models getting prepared.Little beauties in gorgeous dresses...Fashion show in tropical climate. Nice.Gui and her models.

In the meantime I was working overtime to get back into ‘the machine’, getting registered as a citizen, getting insurance, enlisting and visiting the school of our children, organizing the transport of our few belongings that we left with my parents in Austria, meeting friends, finding a job, getting essential furniture and finding out why our stuff from the boat still didn’t arrive in Germany and and…. Believe me: the life in the south seas was a lot more relaxing.

In beautiful AustriaAnd back in BerlinStreet artFirst day of school !

But compared to my last visit of Berlin where I was quite shocked by the ‘western civilisation’ – coming just from French Polynesia, this time it’s different. It probably is mostly owed to the fact that we all were very looking forward to being in Europe again, having access, money, a smart phone, running water, a fridge and shops that are around the corner instead of a one hour dinghy ride away. Despite all the stress, we all enjoy ourselves, are quite relaxed and happy with the city life.

Leaving the house early in the morning, excited and happyMy beautiful girls on the way to schoolThe welcoming of the first graders takes place in the historic cinema 'Babylon'.Every single new scholar is greeted by his teacher

Still, when I hear the wind shake the leaves I immediately search the sky for signs of bad weather, we don’t really know what to do with all the space in our appartment and all my clothes still fit into a cabinet too small to even qualify as a bedside locker. We enjoy seeing so many old friends and connecting with new people. The kids started school last week and although it’s a little tough for Bruno starting school in 3rd grade and in english, he does very well. Viola’s classes will officially start on monday and she cannot wait to finally go to a ‘real’ school. Heh.

The class 1cIn school...Playtime !Brain jogging

So on monday we’ll all leave home early in the morning… dropping the kids off at school and then I’ll be starting work in the office again. Funnily enough I also got a VERY interesting offer to deliver a yacht from Turkey to France. But I had to decline since all the other stuff going on didn’t make it seem clever to leave my family with all the chaos. But – hey – maybe again in spring ? Offers welcome !

Posted in Berlin, Coquito, Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Travel | 5 Comments

Arrived in dumpling-country

Posted on Friday July 4th, 2014 by dafdaf

After 1.5 days in the airplane and endless airport-security fun we finally landed and were greeted by my parents who picked us up at Munich airport. We filled the car with our bags and drove to Austria where my sister already was waiting with a big meal including the famous austrian dumplings. Mmmmmh.

Arrived in Munich after 36 hours of flightThe family back togetherIn the car, on the way to Austriaand arriving at my parent's house

While the grown-ups were a big jet lagged, the kids had endless fun with their cousins and the brand new bikes they got. Today we’ll be at my grandmother’s place for a different kind of dumplings (with apricot inside). Hehehe. Later more…

First thing in the morning: getting fresh berries from the gardenAnd the kids get long awaited bicycles !Viola forgot how to ride a bike...but we're getting there.

 

Posted in Austria, Kids, Learning for life, LosLocos, Pics, Travel | 3 Comments

Check-in

Posted on Wednesday July 2nd, 2014 by dafdaf

We made it ! Left the boat clean, safe and sound in the marina, filled the taxi with ten huge bags and ourselves, drove to the airport and then we we got a bit stuck. Although we measured the weight of our luggage several times somehow we seem to have made some miscalculations and our check-in luggage was several kilos above the limit (30kg per person). So we re-distributed everything several times over and finally (with a few argentinian tricks) we could send six huge bags into the belly of the airport.

The Suvarov in her berth at the Scarborough marinaMoving outWhat an enormeous amount of luggage !Arriving at the airport

Now we’re left with four still quite big but legal pieces of hand luggage and wait for the plane…. Phew !! One step further… Although the whole last days still didn’t really sink in and everyone is running around with their feet in the air. It’s gonna take a few days for us to really comprehend what’s happening with us. But… all well. We’re on the way !! In ninety minutes we’ll hopefully be in the air above Brisbane and on our way to Bangkok.

Yeh. The LosLocos like it internationalA bit scary to arrive with that at the check-in counter.Queuing. Something new for us.Not our plane. But we like the name. (for Ma)

Posted in LosLocos, Pics, Suvarov, Travel | 1 Comment

Dates and numbers on the last trip

Posted on Friday June 13th, 2014 by dafdaf

This is a post for the sailing nerds – so to say. I like to look at the numbers and as this was our fastest trip of the last three years it’s even more fun.

Crossing the Landsdowne BankApproaching Brisbane (the distance from the lighthouse to the river entrance is about 40nm)Tacking, tacking, tacking. Against 25knots. *rrr*And under engine up the river - at night.

Ok here comes: From Tanna, around NewCal towards Brisbane we travelled a total of 1238nm and it took us 219 hours to do that. This gives an awesome average speed of 5,70 knots ! Top speed (with a wave pushing from behind) was 9.9kn. The daily logs (24hours from noon to noon) were: 141, 144, 150, 126, 136, 142, 125, 130 and 123nm.

Lovely ripple cloudsA tanker passingInto the wind. Always into the wind...3rd reef

The wind on average came from SE with a force of 5. Minimum of S2 and maximum of S9 (measured: 42 knots). We never met more ships than on this trip. Out on the open ocean we met two fishing vessels, two tankers and one cruise ship. And during the approach to Brisbane we met another six ships. The drive up the river was a whole different story. We that we have stayed on tropical islands for these last years and never saw a real city… now suddenly we have to navigate a river with speed ferries zomming in and out, hundereds of ships anchored everywhere, buoys, moorings, jetties…. a lot of current. And everything is so bright ! And the eyes as well as the skipper who hasn’t slept the last 48 hours are a bit overwhelmed… But everything goes well, we find a nice spot to anchor and sleep the best sleep ever. The one of sailors who arrive in a safe harbour after a rough trip.

Oh. And I’ve got a little video too. It’s a bit boring but sailors might enjoy it anyways…

Posted in LosLocos, Pics, Sailing, Suvarov, Travel, Video | 3 Comments

From Vanuatu to Australia – the pictures

Posted on Thursday June 12th, 2014 by dafdaf

And here come the missing pictures… have fun !

We leave Tanna and wave good-bye to our friends on the SY Kira...past that beautiful beach we've been hanging out a few times...And around the corner where the wind picks upSailing on the wind for many days...

The first sunrise out on sea - and one of the last ones for us.And again: beating against the windUntil everything is encrusted in a layer of salt.The capitana on the wheel during a gust

The cirrus uncius clouds predict more wind !And the wind comes......with frequent squalls...But the kids still have a lot of fun. Heh.

Storm petrels are the other species out here having fun with 40knots of wind.I watch them for hours gliding 30cm above the waves.Finally we aproach the entrance to Brisbane.For the first time since the North Sea (!!) we're wearing the foul weather gear.

Right in the harbour entrance a big freighter wants to overtake.Wow ! A real harbour !...and a real city !!A lot of industry down at the river entrance

But we continue up the river towards the city.Entering Brisbane at nightfallIMPRESSIVE - especially after two years spent only on tropical islands.A different view in the morning (from the kitchen window)

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Volcanic activity

Posted on Thursday May 29th, 2014 by dafdaf

Yesterday the time has finally come and at noon we started to walk towards the volcanoe. The ‘road’ leads through thick, lush jungle and a few villages and after about 2-3 hours, we arrived at the entrance to the volcano national park. Our lucky kids got a ride up the volcanoe while Gui and me walked up. All the time with loud rumbling noises and while the floor starts to shake. The earth underneath us is alive !

After two hours of fast walking, we arrive at the entrnce to the volcano national parkThe last few hundered meters up the volcano, the kids hitch a rideThe end of the 'road' - at the slope of Mt. Yasurbeautiful little houses at the slope

The volcano was at the lowers activity level (1) but still – the show was breathtaking ! The noise and the lava that was thrown through the air, the smell, the whole scenery. Quite awesome. ’nuff said, enjoy the pics:

On the rim of the craterA first look into the craterFascinatedThe crater of Mt. Yasur

Everyone getting ready as the sun is settingGui on the edgeAs it gets darker, the activity becomes more visibleA 'blob' of basalt on the ground

Lavaimpressive show after darkExplosions and lava flying through the airA highlight of our long journey

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Tanna ! Wow !!

Posted on Tuesday May 27th, 2014 by dafdaf

Crazy, crazy. It seems like an island out of a dream. Unreal. Too beautiful, too exotic. I don’t know where to start… we’ve only been here for a little more than a day. I’m still overwhelmed. And we haven’t even seen the volcano yet ! So… what happened ?

Mont Yusur, while sailing past the coast of TannaClosing in on Port Resolution, Mont Yusur as seen from the eastThe SY Kira and the SY Suvarov meeting for the first time (Tanna, Port ResolutionTraditional outrigger canoe at the beach

Well, our friends from the SY Elhaz said hello and goodbye and left for Port Vila – which made us quite sad. But next morning the SY Kira arrived and we had a good, long breakfast together that continued into a mid-day feast, followed by a walk through the village and a swim on one of the most gorgeous beaches we’ve seen so far. When the sun started to set behind the volcanoe, we brought Gui and the kids to the boat. The men were invited to drink kava with the villagers. People in Tanna are strict followers of the ‘Kastom’ and thus: no women allowed.

Traditional outrigger canoe at the beachThe bay is popular and the villagers have established a restaurant. Heh.local housingHey, SY Thor: Is that really necessary ? ;-)

Der Strand auf der Sued-Ost SeiteWhat a beach ! What colors !!mit Claus am StrandThe ladies going for a walk

All the grown up males gather on a little place in the village and start to prepare the kava by chewing the roots, spitting it in banana leaves , rinsing it with water and finally pouring the brown/greyish liquid in a little coconut shell. The kava here is a lot stronger than in Fiji as it is made from fresh roots and the traditional way. We enjoyed the ritual and the quietness that falls over the village after the first round of cava bowls went around. The sounds are from the waves and the wind to our back and endless zykades in the front, the sound of small, red glowing fires all around and a lot of loud slurping and spitting. The sky is full of stars, no bright lights disturbing our vision. We are welcome in the village and together with our friend Claus with whom we started the voyage three years ago. What a dream !

And although we’re anchored in one of the most historic places (James Cook went ashore in this bay, approx. 230 years ago) we’ve found internet: connected via bluetooth and mobile phone. Slow but steady…

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Off to the volcano !

Posted on Friday May 23rd, 2014 by dafdaf

After we’ve been waiting for one week not seems to be the time: For two days the wind will shift to the east and also go down a little in force. In an hour or so we’ll set out towards the south-east, towards Tanna. There we’ll meet the SY Kira, hopefully the SY Elhaz and definately the Mont Yasur: the active (!) volcano of the island.

Also this post marks the end of internet: in the next days and weeks on our final travel to Brisbane, Australia we will only be connected with shortwave radio. So no pictures in the upcoming days. – Sorry…

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From Fiji to Vanuatu

Posted on Friday May 16th, 2014 by dafdaf

So that now was our second to last trip with the Suvarov, ey ? It was a nice one, I have to admit. For the first time in a year we had pleasant, nearly perfect wind on that journey. And although the swell made the ride a bit bumpy in the beginning, we did quite well. We logged 131, 126, 122 and 127 nautical miles daily and the whole trip of 545nm took us just a bit more than 100 hours.

Ein letzter Blick zurueck auf die Inseln von FijiWir suchen uns eine Oeffnung und verlassen die LaguneKraeftiger Schwell sorgt fuer Kreuzsee, aber auch fuer traumhafte Wellen im Surfer-Paradies Fiji.Bruno and Viola planen ihr zukuenftiges Zimmer in Berlin

We also were quite lucky: we arrived in Port Vila at night but with good weather. The next day it started to rain heavily (we topped up the water tank in less than one hour !) and we had wind quite above 30 knots. Good timing !

So it seems we’re stuck in Port Vila for a few days since our next trip to Tanna is against the wind and I don’t want to head out into rough seas…

Die Kinder verwandeln den Salon in einen Spielplatz......und machen riesen Chaos. - Als ob bei dem Seegang nicht schon genur in der Gegend rumfliegt !Die Windsteuerung hab ich auch mittlerweile gut im Griff und sie steuert nahezu perfekt.Und das neu lackierte Deck ist mir eine echte Freude !

But right now I’m still waiting for the quarantine officer to come on board. It seems he’s busy with the cruise ship that entered that morning and keeps us waiting. Gui and the kids are on land, visiting the immigration office and later the Australian Embassy fur Gui’s visa.

Posted in Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Sailing, Suvarov, Travel | 4 Comments

A few more pics from Yanuca Island

Posted on Saturday April 19th, 2014 by dafdaf

Die Suvarov unter Segel (Danke an die SY Time Lord fuer die Fotos !!)Und endlich mal wieder ein Bild der kompletten LosLocosVor Anker im Westen der Insel Yanuca Ein kleines, verlassenes Resort im Hintergrund

Die Haengematten blieben zum Glueck erhalten !Die Kinder klettern Stundenlang ueber die Steine am UferFuer Stunden nicht gesehen......kehren sie zurueck...

...mit einer Schuessel voll......Einsiedlerkrebsen !'Unser' StrandSelfie der Fotografin

Badespass fuer viele Stunden...und die Kinder hauen alle zusammen mit dem Kajak ab.Und wir hauen ab in den Westen Fiji's, eine Nachtfahrt weiter.Ein schmutziger Frachter in der Riffpassage

Doch schoen wirkt er, mit dem Tagesstern im HintergrundDie Kinder traeumen noch vom Strand, waehrend wir schon in die Lagune von Malolo einfahrenOekologische Aktivitaeten fuer unsere wertvollen Touristen.Wertvolle Aktivitaeten fuer unsere oekologischen Touristen.

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The Yanuca island and a difficult farewell

Posted on Wednesday April 16th, 2014 by dafdaf

A few days ago I mentioned big news and I guess now it’s time to let the cat out of the bag: We’re in the last weeks of our voyage. Soon – probably sometime in July we’ll return to Berlin. Back into the concrete jungle, yes. Well. Now it’s out.

Of course some of you will try to encourage us to stay and I really appreciate it but be assured: It was not an easy decision. And somehow we wished we could continue. But the time is not the right one. We’ve been sailing three years, crossed two oceans, lost one yacht, had many adventures, met wonderful people and were able to see and live in the amazing beauty of the South Pacific. It’s a good time to stop.

Motorenderweise verlassen wir gemeinsam mit der SY Time Lord die Bucht vor LamiFlautensegeln Richtung MbenggaViola sorgt fuer gute AussichtenGui im Ausguck, um nicht versehentlich Korallenkoepfe zu beschaedigen

We also searched for ways to continue our travel or fast routes to sail back to Europe but nobody on board really wants to cross the Indian ocean and even less the Atlantic from south to north with very few and short landfalls in between. We all miss our family and friends a lot and – it has to be mentioned: Since our shipwreck we always have been very short on money which sometimes complicated things.

Bruno badet Viola, waehrend wir unterwegs sindVor AnkerStrandspassSuedsee vom Feinsten

Soon we’ll try to go back in our previous lives but not quite yet: We still have some weeks left and want to visit Tikopia in the Solomon Islands and climb the volcanoes of Vanuatu. Later we probably will end up in Australia which seems to be the best place to sell a boat in the Pacific.

And just as we made up our mind, the South sea throws this unbelievable gorgeous island called Yanuca in our way. Together with the family from the SY Time Lord we’re the only souls around. The kids wander off and disappear for hours looking for crabs on the beach and investigating a lost resort hidden by the palm trees. We snorkel in the crystal clear water, see turtles and sharks. Dolphins swim and jump in the bay and in the evening we have a wonderful camp fire on the beach. And to top it all off, we experience a rare ‘blood moon’ as we return to our boats.

But still, today in the afternoon we’ll pull the anchor out of the coral sand and sail through the night towards the western islands. We try to reach Malolo Leilei (what a name !) in the morning and probably stay there for a week to celebrate easter and Violas 6th birthday.

Posted in Berlin, Freedom, Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Sailing, Suvarov, Travel | 5 Comments

Via Namena, Makongai, Leluvia and Nasilai River towards Suva

Posted on Thursday April 10th, 2014 by dafdaf

Two days ago we arrived in Lami, a little village west of Suva. Here in the little bay, we finally met some more cruising families which is extremely welcome. The kids have endless fun and are messing up a different boat each day. ;-) In the meantime, the captain crisscrossed through Suva to get all papers, copies, photographs together and verified  by the german consul. Now a pack of paper is underway towards Canberra where the (nearest) austrian embassy will hopefully issue me an emergency passport.

Namena aus der Vogelperspektive. (Dank an Julia fuer's Foto !)Am Strand im Osten NamenasDer Klassiker - auf der PalmeHoch hinaus

Suva being the largest city in the tropical south Pacific is home to 50% of all escalators – namely: two ! There is also three or four traffic lights and a cinema. And today I will wander off to see ‘Rio 2′ with the kids.  Heh. After stocking up a little, we’ll probably be out on sea in a few days, visiting the island of Benga and finally arriving in Malolo Leilei where we plan to celebrate easter and (even more) Viola’s sixth birthday.

Also we made a huge decision and have changed our long term plans but more on that in an upcoming blog post.

Endloser Spass beim Spiel in den WellenUnd der Strand ist wirklich einer der schoenstenZusammen mit der crew der SY Elhaz in MakongaiWunderschoen bunte Krabbe

Viola mit Echo, dem Bordhund der SY ElhazSonnenuntergang im Mund des Nasilai RiverAbendliches Malen und BastelnUnd angekommen in Suva, ihres Zeichens groesste Stadt im Suedpazifik.

 

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Visitors in Fiji

Posted on Thursday March 20th, 2014 by dafdaf

It’s been a long time since the last update. Way too long. And much has happened – as always. But the important thing right now is that my brother Oliver and his girlfriend Julia are here in Fiji and staying on the Suvarov fot the next twelve days.

Approaching Fiji by planeFirst sundowner at the ResortAt the 'split rock'Little beauties

They arrived yesterday, coming from Singapore and we immediately left Savusavu and dropped anchor in front of the Costeau Resort to go snorkeling. Their first impression is – well – quite good. Or rather: both were pretty speechless when they first dipped their heads under water.

Our favouriteAnd the clownfish - the 'sunset' pic of snorkelingLittle black opes in a white coralAnd blue ones in a yellow soft coral

And that’s just the beginning. Tomorrow we’ll continue to explore the local reef and it’s little fish and plentiful corals. If the weather holds up as promised, we’ll be sailing to Namena on Saturday. There the two will be shown the true, untouched beauty of tropical sealife. Expect some nice pics on our return !

Posted in Animals, diving, Pics, Travel | 2 Comments

Splashing in the bilge

Posted on Tuesday January 14th, 2014 by dafdaf

Good News Everyone ! This might be the last blog entry about engine cooling for at least a few weeks ! I know: you’re gonna miss the frequent posts on this really exciting subject. – I too will miss the excursions into the depths of the engine room every morning but it seems that new developments will shift my energy into different areas…

Die Wasserpumpe - wieder schoen gemacht.Rueckseite mit Anschluss and die WelleTest-Setup mit elektrischer Pumpe und kurzgeschlossener WasserpumpeLeon bei der Fehlersuche

After I did a lot of testing, the final changes I made was to replace two more hoses, clean and polish the old waterpump, getting two new impellers (also for the bilgepumpe !) and finally connecting both pumps in parallel to increase the waterflow through the engine. And it seems to work as during the last test-trip from Savusavu to the Resort, the engine DID NOT overheat ! Ok. I was only putting along with 1500 revs but still. Also one has to take the water temperature into account and that settled at amazing 31˚C (!!) during the last weeks ! With that temperature, all watercooled gadgets will run into slight problems. I borrowed a nice infrared-thermometer from Dieter and now I could verify that the engine indeed doesn’t overheat: After running for one hour, the cylinderhead measured 62˚C and the water coming from the exhaust 52˚C. All good.

Nun mit beiden Pumpen im ParallelbetriebEs braucht 1800U/min und eine Stunde, bis der Motor ueberhitzt !Defektes Ventil des WassermachersUnd selbiges, wieder schoen gemacht.

And as usual: when one thing is repaired, the next one will break. Our next patient is just beside the engine in the bilge: the watermaker suddenly wouldn’t build up any pressure. I suspected a seized valve which I took out and restored. Then the pre-pumpe wouldn’t start anymore so now I have to figure out how to get all the air out of the system. Well, well… next project.

Gleich wird's kuehler - oder ?Unglaubliche Hitze, eine Stunde nach SonnenuntergangKategorie 5 Zyklon Ian fegt ueber Tonga hinwegRuhiges Wetter am Resort.

In the mean time the rainy season went into action and the first cyclone ‘Ian’ (upgraded to category 5) missed Fiji and went over Tonga. Right now the storm is heading south where it will disappear over colder waters. The next one is just about to form in between Vanuatu and New Caledonia while here in Fiji the weather slowly returns to ‘normal’.

Posted in Hardware, Pics, Sailing, Suvarov, Travel, Work | 3 Comments

At the Maroroya Falls

Posted on Thursday December 19th, 2013 by dafdaf

With all the heat in the engine room (and outside) we try everything to cool ourselves. A few days ago we set out on a little journey together with the crew of the SY Time Lord. Our destination: The Maroroya falls near the Nakawaga village. We get there by car (takes about 30′) and stop a little before the village where the path starts. The walk through the jungle is only about half an hour and very nice. Beautiful flowers and trees all around and soon the kids can hear the waterfall announcing itself through the thick, lush green.

Aussichts-FelsTolle BlumeFleckiges GewaechsIntensiv Lila

The kids have a lot of fun walking through the forest and the hightlight-  the bath in the cool, fresh water will not end. One can actually swim through the two little pools and go right under the fall itself. Where the water is quiet, in the little ponds the kids collect prawns – which they set free again after a while. (Too small to eat. ;-)

Diese erinnert an HerbstfarbenGesichterBesser...Wir sind am Ziel

75% LoslocosFlusskrebse fangenDschungelPflanzen auf Pflanzen

After a extensive picknick we start walking back. When we reach the road, we call for a cab which will take about 40 minutes to get here. As the sun burns down on us and we see a river nearby, we climb down and follow the creek until we reach deeper water. Another nice, cool bath, yay !

BlattDer Weg zum FlussDer Fluss mit ueppigen Bambusbuescheln im HintergrundNochmal schnell erfrischen, bevor's retour geht.

It was a really nice little trip  – we should do that more often. Well – now that my engine project is on hold, I guess we’ll get out of the dreaded anchorage more often…

Posted in Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Plants, Travel | 6 Comments

Utukalongalu market and a few faces of Tonga

Posted on Wednesday October 30th, 2013 by dafdaf

The last few hours in Tonga and we spend it in front of the computer. Hehehe.

Nah – not really. We will putter down to the main wharf and clear out of Tonga alright but tonight we’ll still spend one more night around the corner in a quiet anchorage. Tomorrow during the day, we’ll set sails and go to Fiji.

So here are some more pictures for you, taken in the ‘main town’ of Vavau: Neiafu.

A house on the side of the 'main street'We're far away from everywhere it seemsTongan schoolgirlsTongan youth with the traditional uniform

Traditional clothing: black and woven pandanus mats around the waist.a tongan car. Hehe.The computer shop (think of that, next time you enter Walmart or Media Markt)Lady selling vegetables in the market

Another old lady sellin her homegrown saladWe also get some fresh herbsWoven baskets and other beautiful artefactssilhouette of a schoolgirl with a coconut in her hand

Taro rootBoys and girls :-)traditional clothingStreet scene in Neiafu

Also we’ll be without internet of course and have only our SSB connection. But we should be back online beginning next week when we arrive in SavuSavu.

Posted in Kids, LosLocos, Pics, Plants, Suvarov, Travel | Comments Off