Greenwich to the Dateline: Bluewater Cruising to the Caribbean and Pacific - Softcover

Burke, Rory

Softcover

ISBN 10: 062016557X ISBN 13: 9780620165570

Publisher: Burke Pub, 2001

Synopsis

Greenwich to the Dateline: Sit back with a sundowner and be inspired by Rory and Sandra s bluewater cruise to the Caribbean and Pacific Islands in their Nichloson 35. The book is a catalogue of rewarding experiences from swimming with Darwin's seals in the Galapagos to feeding the stingrays in Bora Bora. The History Channel comes alive as they follow Columbus' and Cook's voyages of discovery. This turns out to be one of the most rewarding periods of their lives.

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Greenwich to the Dateline

Excerpt from Chapter 30, Bora Bora:

17th September (Saturday): Log book: chart 1107, Bora Bora (scale 1:25,000). After waiting five days for wind we now have a gentle breeze to blow us across to Bora Bora. 09:00 leave harbour and sail towards the pass accompanied by a number of other yachts that have also been waiting for the wind. Shortly a small armada of cruisers are sailing the 20 miles to Bora Bora.

As we make landfall at the southern end of Bora Bora's reef, we ease around the coast until we reach the only pass - Passe Teavanui. A school of dolphins escorts us through the channel. "They must be working for the tourist board." The pass could not be more straight forward, no rocks, and no strong currents. We find a good spot to anchor between the west island, Toopua, and the outer reef. I pick an area, which looks free of coral heads and put out three anchors to hold us in position.

Tim (Casimer), sailing single-handed, arrives first again and does his usual dash to buy a sack of fresh French bread for his mates, this time from Vaitape the main town on the island. It is our turn to host our neighbours for dinner tonight. I braai filleted mai mai, while Sandra prepares a potato salad, green salad, a lemon meringue pie for dessert, and a rum punch from a packet of grapefruit tang, pineapple juice, rum and water. That night, as we drift off to sleep, we can hear the thunder of the waves pounding on the distant coral reef.

18th September (Sunday): According to David Stanley's, South Pacific Handbook, this is one of the best snorkelling areas in the world and a shell collector s paradise. Sandra is now hooked into the excitement of finding unusual and native specimens in the water. She has a good mentor - Brenda (Ashymakaihken), who is on her third trip round the world. We have a small shell collectors guide, but a larger more detailed handbook would be useful.

There are many shells on the shorelines but the best shells are found when snorkelling near the reef. We motor out towards the reef with Brenda and Tim. The flat sandy sea-bed before the reef is the hiding place for a group of stingrays camouflaging themselves in the sand. Nearer the reef, amongst the coral, the water is like a marine motorway with parrot fish, butterfly fish, saddlebacks, tiger fish, and yellow and black striped angel fish all going somewhere. The water is a dazzling kaleidoscope of aquamarines, swarming with amazing, colourful tropical fish; it is so alive it is like jumping into a giant aquarium. In contrast, on the sea-bed, it is as if time has stopped for the sea cucumbers, sea stars and octopuses.

After a refreshing shower back on Pacific Voyager Sandra plays scrabble with Brenda and Tim for the grand prize of the Scrabble Crown, a cardboard crown Sandra picked up from the Burger King in Gibraltar. This crown has changed hands many times - which just shows how trivial life can get in the tropics!

Edition details

• Publisher: Burke Pub
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 062016557X
• ISBN 13: 9780620165570
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 340