All Waypoints

LatLonBoat nameNoteCreated at ▲
19º 11.736' N104º 40.956' WShindigIn the Grand Bay Marina - Barra de Navidadabout 9 years  agoShow

19º 5.73' N104º 28.158' WShindigAnchor down in Ensenada Carrizal. Had a wonderful 15 mile spinnaker run from Barra de Navidad yesterday. 12 to 15 knot winds push the boat nicely south.
All is well onboard Shindig!
about 9 years  agoShow

19º 6.6' N104º 23.4' WShindigBahia Santiago - beautiful bay! Just got back from the market in town. We walked 3 miles down the beach and took the bus back. We are now enjoying beers and wifi on the sand. All is well!about 9 years  agoShow

18º 55.548' N104º 17.34' WShindigUnder way from Santiago to Isla Grande (near Zijuatanejo) - 180 miles to go.about 9 years  agoShow

17º 40.83' N101º 39.378' WShindigArrived safely at Isla Grande (near Zijuatanejo) - Had a wonderful sail last night with the near-full moon. Anchor down and time for a nap.about 9 years  agoShow

17º 37.8' N101º 33.0' WShindigArrived in beautiful Zijuatanejo yesterday. There are about 30 other boats here in the main anchorage and the place is a buzz about Guitarfest. This will be our furthest point south this season. We'll be heading back to Banderas Bay and the Sea of Cortez after our stop here.about 9 years  agoShow

18º 4.302' N102º 54.45' WShindigDeparted Isla Grande for the 200 mile trip north to Santiago bay. Expect to arrive before noon tomorrow. Sailing was great for 5 hours. 15 knots on the beam pushed Shindig along at 7.0 to 8.0 knots. No wind now and a few sprinkles. Caught three bonita and set them free. The big tuna like the one Robin (s/v Agave Azul) caught is elusive.about 9 years  agoShow

19º 7.2' N104º 22.8' WShindigAnchor down after at 28 hour trip from Isla Grande. On and off sailing with 4 hours of squalls. During the the worst squall the wind was 30 knots on the bow with 6 foot wind chop and lightning.. The conditions slowed Shindig down to 4.5 knots from 7.0 knots. On the bright side we had fabulous beam reaching conditions for much of the night. We and Trinity Rose are the only boats in the anchorage. Enjoying DosXX and wifi at the Oasis.about 9 years  agoShow

19º 11.736' N104º 40.98' WShindigCheated death one more time. Back to Barra de Navidad for a few days to provision and make our way back to La Cruz. Weather window looks good for a Cabo Corrientes rounding on Tuesday, Wednesday.about 9 years  agoShow

19º 35.1' N105º 7.8' WShindigAnchor down at Bahia Chamela. Depart tomorrow morning for Ipala.
Nancy and I had a great walk/hike on the beach this morning. 8000 steps according to Nancy's fitbit.
about 9 years  agoShow

20º 44.898' N105º 22.86' WShindigArrived at Marina LaCruz two days ago. It is wonderful to return here to many friends and the red chair tacos restaurant. Today Shindig goes to the yard and the mast comes off for painting. It is a big project! All the shrouds are loose and the electrical is detached. Bring on the crane.about 9 years  agoShow

23º 16.122' N106º 27.918' WShindigTied up at El Cid in Mazatlan. Nice sail/motor from Punta de Mita.
The generator ate my last spare impeller. So much for making lots of water on the trip north.
almost 9 years  agoShow

25º 59.658' N111º 6.498' WShindigMade it to Isla Carmen today from Mazatlan (50 hours). Met up with Mom and Dad in Bahia Salinas and had a wonderful happy hour and caught up on our Mexican adventures.almost 9 years  agoShow

24º 38.868' N108º 53.52' WShindig1/2 way to Isla Carmen from Mazatlan. Motorsailing in lumpy conditions. The boat is very wet and salty!
All well on board Shindig. Just talked to mom and dad on the Ham radio. They have already arrived at Isla Carmen and we'll see them tomorrow.
almost 9 years  agoShow

25º 49.29' N111º 18.672' WShindigLeaving Puerto Esconido today. Should be in LaPaz in two weeks. Many improvements here. New, high quality, mooring field and they have cleaned up the facilities a lot. almost 9 years  agoShow

25º 18.12' N110º 56.748' WShindigLobster Tonic....... almost 9 years  agoShow

24º 54.66' N110º 42.348' WShindigIn San Everisto after stopping in Los Gatos and Mangeles Solo.
Sailing has been mild short passages are nice in this part of the Sea.
Tried the Pargo fish tacos ashore. Excellent!
Two and a half weeks without internet..... I think we going to make it.
almost 9 years  agoShow

24º 33.54' N110º 23.832' WShindigAt Ensenada Grande, just north of LaPaz. Finishing up a wonderful three week trip buddy-boating with Mom and Dad.
The decomissioning process starts in Thursday. Plan to be done in a few weeks and then off to California.
almost 9 years  agoShow

24º 10.896' N110º 18.216' WShindigShindig has been in LaPaz for more than a week. We are putting her to bed for the summer break. What an incredible season. 2023 nautical miles traveled since we left LaPaz in November 2014.almost 9 years  agoShow

24º 10.944' N110º 18.204' WShindigNancy and I are back in LaPaz putting the boat back together. We had a wonderful drive down the Baja this year and enjoyed a stay in the Guadalupe Valley and Ensenada before making fast tracks to Baja Sur. Everything is going well and we will heading North into the Sea of Cortez in less than a week.over 8 years  agoShow

24º 54.618' N110º 42.318' WShindigAnchor down at San Evaristo. A bit windy in the channel between Baja and Isla San Jose. The boat is a salt lick.
It is nice to get moving north again. Fellow cruisers caught a marlin on their way south. There is a fish feed on the beach tonight!

Abnormally high vacuum pressure on the main engine fuel system has been bugging me for some time. It is not the fuel filter, it is not the fuel line from the tank, it is not the pick-up in the tank...... found it. It is the stupid gauge ! That took months of debugging to figure out.
over 8 years  agoShow

25º 31.38' N111º 4.41' WShindigAnchor down at Agua Verde. One other boat here preparing for the Norther that is supposed to hit today. Nancy and I went ashore to check out the shopping mall... I mean shack. Tortillas, potatoes and tomatoes. I think this anchorage will be good for kiteboarding. The wind will blow onshore and there is a nice beach to launch from. Bring on the wind! I'm ready
over 8 years  agoShow

26º 6.21' N111º 16.548' WShindigAnchor down on the South side of Isla Coronado. We went to Loreto yesterday for some provisions and the motored up here in sporty conditions. Going to hike the volcano today!
over 8 years  agoShow

25º 49.158' N111º 18.69' WShindigOn a mooring ball at Puerto Escondido. North winds are cranking up and big nasty waves are marching down the Loreto Channel. 7 foot waves at 6 seconds. It is a good day to catch up on boat chores. over 8 years  agoShow

25º 51.33' N111º 11.622' WShindigGreat escape from the mooring field in Puerto Escondido today.
Wonderful sail to Isla Carmen. We are in a new to us anchorage, Punta Colorado.
Nancy and I explored the beach and collected some shell treasure this afternoon.
Guess what, another norther is expected on Thursday! This one is feeding a tropical depression and the windyty.com model is impressive. We have a few days before we need to hide. Tomorrow we start heading South
over 8 years  agoShow

25º 18.21' N110º 56.73' WShindigAnchor down at Punta Los Gatos. We are the only boat here. No sign of Manuel the lobster wrangler yet. Had a wonderful spinnaker run for 2 hours on our way south from Agua Verde. This was the first flight with the symmetrical kite. Usually we fly the asymetrical. There is a bit more rigging to set up but it sailed DDW so much better. It is blue, white and pink. Pink, really.... Well I guess it was the 90s when the previous owner bought it. over 8 years  agoShow

24º 54.618' N110º 42.342' WShindigAnchor down in San Evaristo. 5 other boats are here anxiously getting weather. Hurricane Sandra is to the South and expected to pass within 100 miles of Cabo on its way to Mazatlan. It is decreasing in strength quickly and does not pose a threat in our area. We are on our way to LaPaz and expect to be there around December 1st. We are hand steering these days. Our autopilot is busted. It might be repairable in LaPaz. If you know a good hydraulics shop there let me know!
over 8 years  agoShow

24º 10.938' N110º 18.222' WShindigForgot to update our position back at Marina Palmira. All is well on Shindig. We are finishing up a few boat projects before moving to La Ventana for a month. The kiteboarding has been amazing this last month and we hope the wind continues to blow steady. Nancy starts ground-school on Monday!about 8 years  agoShow

24º 33.042' N110º 23.28' WShindigShindig is on the move after much slumber at Marina Palmira. We are heading north into the Sea of Cortez for 5 weeks. On Wednesday we pick up Nancy's sister Elaine and her husband JD in Loreto and will tour around the area for a while. Right now we are anchored at Isla Partida with Cinnabar and saying our goodbye's as they are Puddle Jumping to the south pacific and we won't see them for a while. There might be tequila involved.
about 8 years  agoShow

26º 6.48' N111º 17.244' WShindigShindig is at Isla Coronado just north of Loreto. Beautiful conditions in the anchorage. Caught three fish yesterday and enjoyed an amazing whale show from the dinghy. The humpback was breaching continuously for an hour.about 8 years  agoShow

26º 20.946' N111º 24.486' WShindigShindig is in San Juanico. Elaine and JD are with us and we are having a wonderful time.
The fish have avoided our lures but we have enjoyed their company on several snorkeling adventures.
about 8 years  agoShow

26º 45.45' N111º 53.562' WShindigMade it Conception Bay yesterday. This is as far north as we'll get for 2016. Met up with Mom and Dad on the M/V Elegante. Having fun exploring and meeting up with old friends here. Nancy has the piano out and we are settling in for a few days on the hook.almost 8 years  agoShow

24º 10.932' N110º 18.228' WShindigToday is our second to last day cruising the Sea of Cortez this season. We have had a wonderful 5 weeks making our way to Conception Bay and back to LaPaz. Fun filled time sailing, fishing, hiking and meeting new and old friends along the way. Today we are at Playa Bonanza on Ispiritu Santo staged for our return to LaPaz tomorrow.almost 8 years  agoShow

24º 10.932' N110º 18.228' WShindigThis is a test of the farwkar position update from airmail using seatalk GPS data in. about 7 years  agoShow

24º 10.938' N110º 18.24' WShindigAll the Shindig crew is in town and we are making final preparations for our long passage. Yesterday we went out for a practice sail and enjoyed beautiful 12 to 15 knot conditions. Everyone got some time on the wheel and we practiced a spinnaker flying with the big symmetrical.

Weather looks good for a mid week departure and sail south off the East Cape.

Today we put eyes on all the gear that we need to stow and find places for it.
about 7 years  agoShow

24º 26.508' N110º 18.6' WShindigShindig slipped her lines today at 11:30. We enjoyed a wonderful send off from friends on the dock and Mom and Dad escorted us out of the channel aboard Elegante. Rob, JD, Tom and Slyvia are all excited for the passage ahead.
We are currently at the Bonanza anchorage at Espiritu Santo and making our plans for the next few days.

There is a norther expected in the Sea of Cortez on Thursday that may not make for the most comfortable sailing but will shoot us out of the Sea like a cannon ball.
about 7 years  agoShow

23º 59.028' N109º 49.71' WShindigToday we started heading South toward Cabo!
We had a mix of sailing and motoring today and are now anchor down at the Bahia De Los Muertos.
Our buddies on SV Pangaea are here too. It is 75 degrees outside and there are 5 knot winds from the NE.
At the moment we are studying the weather to plan our departure timing to take advantage of norther that should arrive tomorrow. The trick is to have good wind but not get spanked during the windiest part of the system off the tip of Baja.
about 7 years  agoShow

22º 53.19' N109º 32.358' WShindigShindig is off shore and on her way.
This morning we left Bahia De Los Muertos and sailed south.
We had 20 to 25 knots most of the day and made good time around the tip of Baja.
Right now we are in the wind shadow of Baja and motorsailing West to pick up North winds.
There were many whales spotted on our trip South. They were breaching all over the place. I like to think they were waving goodbye to Shindig.
about 7 years  agoShow

21º 16.53' N111º 33.312' WShindigLast night the wind came up at 0200 and allowed us to sail West and we have been sailing for the last 18 hours. We are beam reaching in lumpy 6 ft swells. It is a "one hand for you, one hand for the boat" kind of day. Everyone is getting used to the watch schedule and taking naps to catch up since is was not a restful night. Yesterday's 24 hour run was 152 miles.
Sylvia made excellent beef burritos for dinner. All smiles for the crew. JD and Sylvia saved the day today when they recognized a bolt had fallen out of a support brace for the wind generator. We were able to fix it before anything bad happened! 2474 miles to go.
about 7 years  agoShow

19º 41.028' N113º 29.028' WShindigLast night we had excellent sailing conditions. Beam to broad reaching in 12 to 17 knots of wind with far less sea state than the night before. We clicked off 154 miles in the 24 hours ending at 0730 this morning. Soon after sunrise the wind dropped to less than 10 and we struggled to make good progress down the track.

Tom and I have been studying the weather and it looks like there is a big wind hole forming around us and we need to be west of our position to get the boat sailing.

We have been motor sailing that way for most of the afternoon. To conserve fuel we motor slowly at about 5.5 knots.

Dolphins swim by throughout the day but we are very slow and boring for an extended visit. The ocean is an incredible blue and over 11000 feet deep here.
about 7 years  agoShow

19º 14.55' N115º 8.748' WShindigYesterday was a 132 mile day. Light wind (<12 knots) was again the big story. In order to keep Shindig moving comfortably we are sailing more West than South and are looking for more wind.

The sailing is comfortable but we are not breaking any speed records. 4.5 to 5.5 knots.

Much of the day was spent attending to and fixing critical boat equipment. Our trusty Keurig coffee maker broke and crew moral soured quickly.

It took a while to figure out how to take it apart but it soon gave up its secrets and debugging on the salon table entertained everyone for hours. We found and removed debris in a check valve and now hot coffee is flowing freely. Mutiny avoided.

400 miles completed. 2238 to go.

Tonight we are having green chili chicken enchiladas that Nancy and Elaine made for us!
about 7 years  agoShow

18º 20.262' N117º 39.852' WShindigWe are now 25% of the way!
Great sailing conditions for the last 24 hours. The best winds have been at night (15 to 20). During the day the winds back off a little but made for beautiful trade wind reaching. We have two more days of westing before we jybe over and aim for the equator near 135 West. The long range weather model suggest we will encounter winds <10 knots in a week or so. I hope the forecast improves because Shindig likes lots of wind on the stern.

We had a visit from a booby bird today. It was very interested in the fishing lures and circled for an hour diving occasionally to get a closer look.

JD got out the sextant and we looked at it. It should be able to give us a latitude and longitude position but we can't figure out how to turn it on.

The crew feasted on penne pasta with red sauce and a salad for dinner.

last 24 hour miles: 145
Distance covered: 545
Distance to Nuka Hiva:2095
about 7 years  agoShow

17º 4.092' N120º 22.272' WShindigAll is well onboard Shindig this evening.

In the morning Tom collected two flying fish that were on deck. They are now bait but no takers.
In fact, we have been dragging lures in the daytime for 5 days without a bite. We must be doing something wrong.

100% cloud cover today and good winds from the NE 12 to 20. We are now sailing wing on wing and it is very comfortable compared to the broad reaching in 6 foot swells and chop for the last few days.

Todays highlights......

We open the "in case of scurvy" gift from Cliff and Donna. In it we found delicious freeze dried fruits. Yummy puffy fruit snack

Sylvia is getting to know the boat and spent three hours driving on her 11 to 2 watch.

Tonight was calm enough for movie night. We enjoyed Passengers.

Last 24 hour miles: 157
Distance to Nuka Hiva:1945
almost 7 years  agoShow

15º 29.892' N122º 19.488' WShindigToday, on our 7th day at sea, we jybed. After being on the same tack for 900+ miles it is time to slow down our westing aim more at Nuka Hiva.

The morning lull at sunrise relented and we continued making good speed in 15 to 20 knots of wind all day.

In the middle of the night I found myself chasing new noises. You get used to the noises your boat makes. It is quite noisy in fact when the boat is going fast and rolling a lot. When a new thud, thunk or squeak shows up I always investigate to make sure something bad is or is about to happen. I got harnessed in at 0100 and went on deck with my flashlight. It was coming from the stern near the wind generator and new "squeak, squeak thud" only happens when the boat rolled hard on its side. There is a little play in a wind generator bracket and I think that may be the culprit. (yes the same bracket where a bolt worked loose 5 days ago). I used some lashing to preload tension in the bracket and went back to bed. A short time later the boat rolled hard and "squeak, squeak" no thud. Did I get it.....?

Tonight we are having chicken, turkey and gruyere crepes and cucumber salad.

PS. Nancy has forwarded me some facebook comments to these position report. It is fun to share them with everyone onboard. Keep them coming.

Last 24 hour miles: 155
Distance to Nuka Hiva:1800
almost 7 years  agoShow

13º 6.612' N123º 10.35' WShindigToday the sun came out in the morning and we have had some of the best trade wind sailing of the trip. We are broad reaching in 15 knots and miles are flying by.

We are now more than 1/3 of the way and broke the 1000 mile mark. If you know where, "in the middle of nowhere" is, well we past that a few days ago.

Today we opened a care package from from Mom and Dad. It was labeled, "open after day 7". It was full of fun snacks and everyone was very excited. Thank Mom and Dad!

JD had continued success in the Bad Noise Eradication Program(BNEP). There are some wires in the mast that flop back and forth and make a racket. It has been a lively sail and being that the mast is right next to JD's bunk we decided to tackle the project before he went crazy. The solution involved a dremel tool, bungie cord and patience. We are happy to report there is one fewer bad noises on board.

Our weather analysis today indicates that we will have these same good winds for a few more days and then we are likely to experience some rain and light winds. We are enjoying these trade wind conditions and clear skies while we have them!
almost 7 years  agoShow

10º 47.358' N124º 25.47' WShindig146 miles completed in the last 24 hours. Is is amazing how consistent our mileage has been in last 7 days. (154, 132, 145, 157, 155, 142 and 146)
As expected the clouds rolled in today and we have 90% cloud cover the wind is holding at 15 to 20 this afternoon. It is a rambunctious ride as the sea state has grown to 6 to 8 ft and is confused. There are also less significant wave trains from different directions.

This type of ocean sailing I call, "Endurance Sailing". It is said that this three week trip will but more than 1 year of wear and tear on boat gear. The goal is to make it without breaking people or gear and have a fun time. No reason to take risks or subject the boat to stressful situations on purpose (that shit will happen on its own). How is this different than the way we normally sail Shindig? For one, we are not flying the spinnaker in these conditions. Sailing with the kite puts a lot of stress on the boat and requires a lot of crew attention. Especially in 15 to 20 knot winds and 6 to 8 ft confused seas. Another thing we have done for Endurance Sailing.... Inspect the rigging every day, re-rig sheet and guys to avoid chafe, and move control lines periodically to avoid chafe points.

Today we encountered rain and mild squall activity but the wind is still good and consistent. The ITCZ (google it) is moving north into our path and we will need a plan to traverse it sooner than expected. In the morning we'll get another set of weather data and modify our course to a skinny part of the ITCZ.

No fish today but when I pulled in one of the lines the hook on the lure was bent straight. Something had a taste.... or it snagged on debris.
almost 7 years  agoShow

9º 7.452' N126º 32.778' WShindigYesterday was our best mileage day at 159. Last night was our first with squally conditions. The wind stayed with us though and the 15 to 20 knots pushed Shindig downwind with ease. In the late morning Tom and I studied the weather and all the predictions for a long ITCZ in our path were reversed. Odd for sure. We decided to jybe and head a bit more south around noon. With all hands on deck we over sheeted the main in close and flopped over. The expected bang was followed by the pitter patter of torlon bearings bouncing on the deck. The outhaul car on the boom broke. No April fools. JD and I got the outhaul car off the boom and collected as many of the bearings as we could find. With all the bits and pieces on the floor of the cockpit it was clear that fixing the block was not going to be an easy option (car end plastic was cracked allowing bearings to escape). We all channeled our inner McGyver and turned our attention to modifying an old staysail deck car to work. Soon after we had the end of the boom off, fitted the modified staysail car, and.... Bobs your uncle. The fix worked! Team Shindig is back on course and getting closer to the equator with every hour. almost 7 years  agoShow

6º 40.35' N127º 59.952' WShindigYesterday was our best 24 hour run at 160 miles and we are past the 1/2 way mark!
The water is an inviting 81 degrees but we are waiting for our equatorial swim to test it out.
Haven't run the main engine in 6 days. Today the spinnaker came out at 10 in the morning and have been flying it all day. The seas are down to 4 to 5 feet at the stern and less confused.

As we close in on the ITCZ we see huge clouds but haven't experienced the big rains or squalls that come with them yet. I am getting good satellite image data at it looks like we were able to avoid a big cell last night.

The outhaul fix is still holding and I expect it to be fine for the rest of the trip.

We got two surprises today. The first was a flying fish that flew or flopped into the main cabin sometime last night. Flying fish appear to be the only fish in this area of the Pacific. Second was Tom's computer. His hard drive crashed. There was much debugging today that will continue tomorrow.

Mushu pork for dinner! (no we will not eat flying fish)
almost 7 years  agoShow

4º 49.032' N129º 19.428' WShindigShindig bested our daily run at 163 miles yesterday. We got a lot of miles on the spinnaker for sure.
Squalls and electrical storms kept us busy last night starting at 0200. This afternoon we sailed in and out of the rain and watched Cool Hand Luke in the afternoon. The movie choice was inspired by a discussion of the most famous movie lines of all time. Sylvia has wikipedia on her computer so we can be informed on such trivia. You wouldn't believe how much we have referenced it. Can you guess the famous line from Cool Hand Luke?

We have experienced a significant wind shift to the SE from the NE. It is too early to tell but we might be on the South end of the ITCZ now. We are close reaching in 14 knots of wind and it is pissing rain. Weather models predict little wind for the next few days. The D-sail might be coming out soon.

almost 7 years  agoShow

2º 55.05' N130º 38.382' WShindigIt is 1:00 am LaPaz time and I'm just now getting around to doing email and position reporting.
I've only had success getting connected to stations in Hawaii and yesterday one was down an the other was "propagationaly challenged" when I was trying to connect. We are talking about changing the ships time... but just talking about it.

The seascape is dramatic in the ITCZ. Huge towering cloud banks are all around. Some are very high and have towering offshoots. Others are low and dark, ready to drop a load of rain. The rainy clouds are visible on radar too and we can get a sense of how big they are and how much rain they carry. It is nice to be able to anticipate their intensity then you can choose to move out of the way or just get wet.

Our 24 hour run was 117 miles. (4.7 knot average)

We sail when squalls produces enough wind to sail at >3.5 knots. Otherwise the D-sail is deployed (last 12 hours). We have also observed adverse current in spots. 0.5 to 1.0 against us in the area of 6N to 4N

Shindig is aiming to cross the equator at 133W

Tom made a fishing flasher and noise maker out of Topo Chico bottles. With this secret weapon deployed we are hope to catch.... Something!

Thanks for all the comments on the Cool Hand Luke quote. "What we have here is a failure to communicate" was the famous quote. Other winners from the movie. "This is the way he wants it. This is the way he gets it." and "you got your mind right?" Try to work these into your day today.

Shindig out.
almost 7 years  agoShow

1º 46.998' N131º 38.73' WShindigLast night we motored at "fuel saver" speed toward the equator. Watches were easy and everyone was well rested this morning.
The night sky was clear and the 1/2 moon set behind clouds on the horizon on my 2-5 watch. Jupiter was over head and the Southern Cross rotated from its side to the 12:00 position during the night. Incredible night sky with stars horizon to horizon.

At 9:00 we took a break from the passage and got off the boat. We jumped into 80 degree water that was 11,000 ft deep. For an hour we splashed around the boat and hung onto the safety line. Tom and JD found many Cone Jellys. Back on board Shindig, a trip to our local copy of wikipedia detailed all the interesting facts about this Ctenophore.

The wind picked up a bit by noon and the spinnaker has been up since then. We are making 4.0 to 5.5 knots toward the equator.

Today I fixed a leaking chainplate on the port side. In doing so I discovered than several of my sealants had spoiled and were not usable.

This is our 13th day on passage from the tip of Baja and the 16th day onboard since our LaPaz departure.
Tomorrow we cross the equator. Two pollywogs will become shellbacks.
almost 7 years  agoShow

0º 13.998' N132º 58.998' WShindigThe winds did not materialize for our equator crossing today. We were able to sail through the night with 4.0 to 5.0 knots of boat speed but at dawn the wind backed off and did not return. We are in the doldrums. So we wait.... And watch and movie.... And go swimming... And do boat maintenance.

Eventually we turn on the motor and start making our way to the equator and just around dinner time the wind arrives and the spinnaker goes up.
Right now we are making 6.5 knots and should be at 00N in the morning! Our crossing will be between 133W and 134W Longitude.

almost 7 years  agoShow

0º 12.852' S133º 39.81' WShindigA special report. Shindig has left the Northern Hemisphere!
She is accompanied by 4 shellback, two of them just so.

At 8:17 AM we crossed the equator at 133 27.859 West

There was much celebration. Care packages from Nancy and Elaine for the crew were opened. (full of treats and treasures)
We dressed up to honor Neptune and champagne was offered to appease the ruler of the sea. Our offering was accepted and we were allowed to pass. Surrogate Neptune Tom, inducted the slimy Polywogs, Rob and JD, into the mysteries of the deep. A few choice words and wave of the magic snorkel and it was done.... Shellbacks.

Following the grog and photos JD and I jumped over the side and located the equatorial rope below the surface. It is a little different than the you see on globes and charts. 1/2 nylon three strand. Who knew.

Sylvia capped off the morning with apple pancakes and bacon.

We have wind and are speeding toward the Marquesas at 8 knots with the spinnaker up. 2131 miles down and 624 to go.

Any day with bacon is special but today was extra special!
almost 7 years  agoShow

1º 53.298' S134º 37.11' WShindigWith our equatorial victory behind us, Shindig is pressing on the final 600 miles to the Marquesas.
Afternoon sailing was amazing with the asymmetrical spinnaker up for 10 hours. Beam reaching in 12 to 15 knots of wind resulted in high average speeds. The boat motion was a bit herky jerky as we punched though confused swells and wind chop. This evening we have 8 to 10 knots on the beam and mild squalls.

Weather gribs indicate sailing wind for the next 36 hours and then we become a motor boat. We expect on and off squall activity for the remainder of the trip.

Today our friends on Pangaea and Tumbleweed are expected to cross the equator! Hurray!
Based on the boats I know to be on passage that check into the Pacific Puddle Jump radio net, the three of us will be the next Mexico based Puddle Jumpers to arrive in the Marquesas.

Tom has been doing deck and rig inspections daily. Earlier in the trip he found screws backing out of the gooseneck. Fixed with threadlock. Disaster averted. Two days ago he found one missing ring-ding on a lifeline retention pin. Without the ring-ding it was a matter of time before the lifeline would have detached from one end. I'm glad we found these things before they became a real problems. Don't think that Shindig is falling apart. This is expected when you cram a years worth of normal sailing into three weeks.

Carnitas tacos for dinner.

Ships time was changed to Marquesan time. UTC - 9.5 hours. I need to know where the .5 hour came from.

almost 7 years  agoShow

3º 59.7' S135º 35.022' WShindigOur 24 hour run that began at 7:30am local (just before crossing the equator) was 158 nautical miles.

We took down the kite at 8:30PM and had a more conservative sail plan for the evening.
One good size squall visited on Tom's 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM watch and we were glad to have reduced sail. There is a welcome 1.0 knot current helping us here.

At the end of my watch we spotted a large fishing vessel that crossed our bow 2 miles ahead. This is the first boat we have seen since traversing the shipping lanes off Baja more than 2000 miles ago.

JD and I put the spinnaker up at dawn today and we flew it 15 hours until the wind and sea state slowed progress to 3.0 knots and we were not able to sail a good course to Nuka Hiva.

The wind has been much more North East than East. This angle means we have to sail a dead run to the Marquesas and in this confused sea state that is too hard on gear in light wind.

So we are motoring at 5.3 knots with 400 miles to go.

Nothing broke since my last position report!

Pangaea crossed the equator last night (4/9) as did Tumbleweed! Add five more shellbacks to the roster.

The Shindig Cineplex featured Moana last night and the crew enjoyed chicken mole.
almost 7 years  agoShow

5º 12.15' S136º 29.178' WShindig140 miles to report in the last 24 hours. 16 hours was sailing and then we had to fire up the iron oar.
The wind is predicted to be < 10 knots and squally for the final 300 miles.

At this moment we have an unpredicted 18 knots from the East and we are hauling ass at 7+ knots down the course.
The radar is on the 12 mile range and there are 4 different rain events around us.

We had many squalls today but they were not of the violent variety. We'd get maybe 10 to 12 knots of wind and big drops for 5 or 10 minutes.

This morning we inspected our main outhaul fix from a week ago. It was holding up well but there was some chafe that needed to be addressed. We replaced the Spectra lashing with a metal shackle and now the fix is bomber.

Dinner. Cold noodle salad with shredded beef and oyster sauce.
almost 7 years  agoShow

6º 55.29' S138º 7.83' WShindigShindig racked up 132 miles toward Nuka Hiva. Only 180 miles to go!

Last night I reported that the unpredicted wind came up. In the early evening it picked up to 15 or so and then we sailed into a giant squall. It was 40 miles wide and we popped out into a clearing sky on my 2 to 5 AM watch. All watches got wet but we made good progress.

We use radar to see squalls from a distance. You can get a good idea of their intensity and where they are going. When you are "involved" in a squall the radar doesn't do anything for you. It can only cut through the rain so far. You can't see the edges. When we entered this big one last night we didn't think it would take 8 hours to get through it.

Today the winds backed off at dawn and we motored until 4:00 PM at fuel economy speeds.

Now the wind is back and we are making 7.1 knots toward the Marquesas.

All day we witness huge clouds gathering strength and we wonder which ones will track us down at night. We expect to be "involved" with weather again tonight.

Two more nights at sea. We plan to arrive in Nuka Hiva Wednesday morning!

We are starting to notice more bird life out here.
Still no fish.

Today I finally lowered the Mexican curtesy flag.
almost 7 years  agoShow

8º 54.918' S140º 6.03' WShindigAt 21:11 on 4/11, Shindig and her crew have arrived and are anchor down at Nuka Hiva! The full moon illuminated the anchorage for easy navigation. The floral smell of the island was strong 1 mile off shore.

This has been an amazing passage with an outstanding crew. As we enjoyed another one of Sylvia's galley creations we all reflected on some of the highlights.

Swimming in the open ocean, experiencing the vast ITCZ and its big bully squalls, endless spinnaker sailing, a double green flash and the wonder of in mast furling.

We are celebrating our achievement with some nice tequila and jelly beans.

Thanks for tuning in on our South Pacific passage.

Over the next few days I'll upload some photo to shindigsailing.com.
almost 7 years  agoShow

8º 54.918' S140º 6.03' WShindigHere are some of the stats for our passage from Baja to the Marquesas
20 Days, 2760 miles sailed on a route distance of 2549. 211 extra miles sailed, 8% of the distance. Averaged 138 miles per day. Speed average 5.75 knots (jogging pace). 88.9 engine hours, 25,8 generator hours. 121 gallons of fuel consumed. Solar power contribution 14K watt hours. Wind power contribution 4K watt hours. Generator DC power contribution 40K watt hours

This will be the final post for the Puddle Jump. Look for new reports as we visit anchorages in the Marquesas this month and make a passage to the Tuomotus in May.
almost 7 years  agoShow

8º 56.742' S140º 9.87' WShindigThis is our first position report in a while! Shindig has made two laps around Nuka Hiva and it is time to sail off to the Southwest. Our next stop is the Tuamotus, an island chain about 550 miles away from Nuka Hiva.

The French conducted nuclear testing on some of the most remote islands in the chain. Black pearls are farmed on many of the islands.

We just received word from friends on Makemo island that the wind is up and the kitesurfing is ON!

We look forward to crystal clear water and good kiting conditions.

Shindig out! Captain Coconut Clear!
almost 7 years  agoShow

11º 17.85' S141º 28.002' WShindigShindig is underway! We left Nuka Hiva yesterday and are 24 hours into a 3 or 4 day sail to Makemo.

Conditions are challenging. The wind is 5 to 10 knots more than predicted. We are moving fast but it is not very comfortable.

We made 155 miles in the last 24 hours. 345 to go.

Winds are supposed to ease in the next 24 hours. I hope so!
almost 7 years  agoShow

13º 44.262' S142º 33.498' WShindigOur second night at sea is behind us.
Yesterday at noon we found the East winds and the wind speed dropped to about 18-20 knots.
We are beam reaching with reefed sails.

Our 24 hour total for day 2 was an amazing 181 miles!
A boobie bird landed on the stern pulpit last night and has been enjoying a restful night with his head tucked under his wing. It is the funniest thing..... a headless bird balancing on pitching perch.

All is well onboard and we look forward to landfall at Makemo tomorrow.
almost 7 years  agoShow

16º 37.632' S143º 34.272' WShindigDay three was some of the best tradewind sailing we have seen.
15 knots on the beam and going fast. The seas moderated to 3 to 5 feet and the boat motion was comfortable.
The were only a few squall but none paid a visit.
We are now anchor down at Makemo Island in the Tuamotus. One of the features of these motus is the "pass". This as a break in the reef that allows boats into the motu. There can be crazy currents and standing waves in the pass. Having never done one there was a concerned about getting it right. I was studying the tides and a local tool called the "guestimator" to arrive at a good time. It turned out fine and the pass was flat calm with 1 knot of current with us on the flood. I hope they are always that good to us.

Our 24 hour total for day 3 was 165 miles.

We completed the 500 mile trip in 72 hours. 167 miles/day.
1.2 hours of engine run time. 7.4 hours of generator run time.
0 fish - starting to think there are no fish in the sea.
75amp/hours of solar, 182 amp/hours of wind power

We are super happy to be anchor down.... although I snorkeled on the anchor and found that I dropped it on an old sunken boat and the chain was "involved" with the remnants of the engine, so we had to move over 100 feet.

Captain Coconut, out.
almost 7 years  agoShow

16º 39.348' S143º 23.748' WShindigShindig has moved East inside the Makemo Motu. We are expecting strong winds from the East/Southeast for the next few days and this is a good hiding spot.
We will not be that protected from the wind but the reef and small spit of land will provide good protection from the big wind waves that will come.

This anchorage is in top 5 in my book. Crystal clear water, 25 feet deep with scattered bommies on the bottom. The shore is lined with palms. It is like Gilligan's Island!

Kiteboarding operations begin today!

almost 7 years  agoShow

16º 42.342' S144º 27.792' WShindigShindig is outbound Makemo and inbound Tahanea! This is only a 50 mile passage but it must be done at night. The pass exit at at Makemo can only be done safely in the daylight. Same with the entrance pass at Tahanea. It is uncommon to make Shindig go slow..... but we must average 4 knots or less overnight to arrive at sunrise and slack water at Tahanea. Wind is 10 knots on the stern. We had a bit of a fire drill trying to get the anchor up at Makemo. The chain was caught under a bommie and my buoy system to help prevent this didn't work.... I had to get in the water to put eyes on the problem then direct Nancy to position the boat just so.

almost 7 years  agoShow

16º 57.15' S144º 34.812' WShindigShindig is anchor down at Tahanea!
This is a beautiful atoll with thee passes. We are at the East end. Yesterday we navigated around many bommies to this idyllic anchorage in 15 feet of water. All is well onboard. We are catching up on boat maintenance keeping Shindig beautiful. I miss my friend Chava in LaPaz. He is a master with boat wax and a varnish brush.

almost 7 years  agoShow

16º 30.462' S145º 27.492' WShindigShindig completed a passage from Tahanea to Fakarava today. We thought this might be a two day trip with an intermediate stop at Faaite but Shindig had other plans. The wind was on the beam at 11 to 13 knots. We put of the spinnaker and we were flying. We clipped off the miles and made it to the South pass of Fakarava at 3:00pm and are safely in the lagoon. Nancy is happy. No overnight passage! There is an exclusive dive operation here. The pass is famous for the number of the sharks. In fact, in the anchorage there are four or five swimming around the boat to greet us. I'm still getting use to swimming with sharks but the more I do it the more I realize they are curious but not dangerous.

almost 7 years  agoShow

15º 55.8' S145º 53.28' WShindigShindig is anchor down in Toau following a 20 mile trip from North Fakarava. The exit pass was a little bumpy due to the 2 knot ebb. Shindig managed just fine and made the Southeast pass on Toau near slack.

There are two other boats here. One are new friends on the catamaran Tiki and the other we'll meet soon.

Winds are predicted to fill in from the east tomorrow and I think we are in a good kiteboarding spot.
We have protection from the reef and there is little land and tree to disrupt the wind. Flat water sailing inside the lagoon!

This afternoon we'll get Shindinghy down and find a good place for rigging and launching.
Here comes the wind!

over 6 years  agoShow

14º 57.96' S147º 38.418' WShindigShindig completed the 70 mile passage from Apataki to Rangiroa today. It is an overnight sail that includes careful timing of the departure pass at Apataki and arrival pass at Rangiroa. The passage was a 10. 12 to 15 knots of wind on the aft quarter and a full moon! The night started by literally sailing into the sunset to the West. We put up the spinnaker and flew it all night until the 2 miles outside the pass at Rangiroa. We arrived a little before sunrise so we waited for first light and are now anchor down near the Kia Ora resort.

This report has been resent as there was a format error on the date and farkwar threw it away. This post was from July 10th
over 6 years  agoShow

17º 31.38' S149º 31.86' WShindigShindig is anchor down outside the Tahiti Yacht Club. We have been enjoying the Societies islands of Moorea and Tahiti for the last month. Beautiful Islands with lots of resources. All the food choices at the market will make your head spin after experiencing slim pickn's in the Tuamotus.

over 6 years  agoShow

16º 48.672' S150º 59.502' WShindigShindig is anchor down at the South anchorage at Huanine. Beautiful spot with free moorings and fantastic snorkeling close by. Visibility at the East reef is 100+ feet. Amazing!

The passage from Moorea was fast with 20 to 30 knot winds. We only flew a little jib and arrived at the pass just after sunrise.

over 6 years  agoShow

16º 31.65' S151º 44.598' WShindigShindig has arrived in Bora Bora. It was a great sail from Raiatea. 15 to 20 knots of wind on the aft quarter with a 1.5 meter swell. Checked out the 1/2 price happy hour at the famous Bloody Mary's. Made a reservation for dinner on Friday. Looks like they have some great options. I will be here for the next 10 days or so before returning to Raiatea to put the boat away for the off season.
over 6 years  agoShow

16º 44.052' S151º 29.238' WShindigShindig has been enjoying Bora Bora for the last two weeks. Enjoyed lots of snorkeling and several kite days in the SE corner of the lagoon. The path to the SE end has some skinny water but with the help of some other cruisers that have been there we found a safe path and did not touch bottom.

Now it is time to wrap up the season and put Shindig to bed in Raiatea. There are a lot of things to do to prepare the boat for the cyclone season and it will all be over by Friday when I fly home to Sonoma County.

I just pulled all the tracks off the plotter and we sailed 4388 miles since March. That is a lot!
over 6 years  agoShow


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