Into the South Pacific Ocean

Our last story was about our final weeks in Patagonia and getting ready to explore the vast Pacific Ocean. We had spent over a year in Chile including Antarctica but now it was time for something completely different. 

Approaching Robinson Crusoe Island

The Pacific Ocean and Polynesia in particular is probably the ultimate dream destination for the majority of cruisers. Whether you come from Europe or America it doesn’t matter. You have probably already read tons of books and cruising guides about this area long before you even set out on the journey you always dreamt about.   

Well, our story about Polynesia may be a little bit different but I hope you will enjoy it nevertheless and maybe it will be food for thought. 

For you who hasn’t followed us from the start we set out from Sweden 2017 and in contradiction to tradition we set course north instead of south. We sailed up the coast of Norway and then to Iceland before we finally turned around and set course south for the common trail to the Caribbean. Now, six years later we are finally in the South Pacific. We took off from Puerto Montt in Chile in January 2023 and set course for the Robinson Crusoe Island 370 nm due west of Valparaiso and 540 nm north west of Puerto Montt. When leaving Puerto Montt, you have to negotiate the just over a mile wide Canal Chacao between Isla Chiloe in the south and the mainland in the north, with tidal currents setting up to 9 knots at times, so you better plan your departure carefully. When finally in the open ocean and turning northward you will be in the cold Humboldt current pushing you exactly where you want to go. The winds are normally also from the south, at least if you have planned your departure right, so you will have a nice and fast ride up to the Juan Fernandez archipelago where you find the Robinson Crusoe Island. 

Robinson Crusoe Island

As the name suggest the island has an intriguing history but the often strong winds in combination with the high mountains can make landfall difficult. We waited for three days but finally had to give up as we did not feel comfortable leaving the boat in winds gusting to 60 knots every 30 minutes. We could have waited for a few more days as a calm was expected but then instead, we would have a no wind when we wanted to leave. So, we weighed anchor and took off with only a reefed main sail under a bright sunshine, blue sky and ferocious wind that came screaming down the mountain sides as to say goodbye.  A few miles north the gusting diminished and we could roll out and pole out the genoa, set the windvane steering and just go with the flow to Easter Island. 

Leaving Robinson Crusoe Island

This means that you normally sail in a loop going north and slowly turning westward around the more or less stationary south pacific high-pressure system. If your lucky you will reach Easter Island without even so much as touching the windvane steering. We were lucky this time and arrived Easter Island 14 days later on February 17. Yippee, we have reached our first Polynesian island. Easter Island or Rapa Nui according to the native language is the south eastern corner of the Polynesian triangle with Hawaii in the north and New Zealand in the south west. This vast area has to some extent common roots and culture. Easter Island however belongs to Chile and Spanish is the official language but the native language is something completely different. The climate is also very different from what we have become accustomed to. Now it’s time for swim shorts and bikinis again and no more than a t-shirt. The water temperature is around 25 C and the air is about the same. Not bad. We were extremely lucky as we could stay in the main town Hanga Roa anchorage with hardly no wind for a week. The problem here is that there are no safe anchorages around the island as the weather and sea state can change fast and all the anchorages are exposed to the ocean and the holding is generally bad. 

The always friendly Chilean armada meet us when we arrive to Easter Island 

We absolutely loved Easter Island. It has an extraordinary history and the name Rapa Nui means “the nave of the world” in the native tongue. It’s also one of the most isolated islands in the world. Surfing is a big sport here and has long history. In the breakers on the reef, outside the little harbor for small local boats, people of all ages and genders are waiting on their surfboards to catch the right wave. 

Coming with your dinghy you really have to watch out and time your approach right. Going out in the dark is an even more nerve-racking experience and we had a close call when we had to do a 180 degree turn at full speed on the front of a wave and race back in to the shelter of the harbor to wait for the next opportunity. 

Hanga Roa anchorage

Other than dingy surfing we went for quiet walks and a horseback ride in the evening sun to the highest peak 508 m. It was spectacular.  As Easter Island is a popular tourist destination with famous archeological sites etc. organized and guided tours are expensive but there is much to see and do without paying a fortune. Just arriving to easter Island on your own boat is worth the effort. 

On top of Maunga Terevaka 508 meters

Sunset over Hanga Roa

Getting a traditional Polynesian tatoo.

We left the island after a week when a good weather window was starting to materialize.  Our next destination was Pitcairn Island. Again, an island full of exiting history but with tricky anchorages not suitable for bad weather and wind from the wrong direction. I.e., particularly from the north. That was unfortunately exactly what happened. The weather changed and a front with strong northerlies was approaching so we decided to skip Pitcairn and instead keep as much north as possible so that we could reach the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia without too much tacking in high seas. Before the strong northerlies hit us we were at times running under our asymmetric spinnaker in very light winds. Unfortunately one day we were hit by a squall and could not get the sock down fast enough and it totally blew it out from the luffs. Lucky enough we have a sewing machine onboard and after a lot of work cutting the ripped cloth to a nice shape we finally could sew on the luff tape with about 100 metes of zigzag stitching. 

Nice sailing on the South Pacific Ocean

After a squall the spinnaker needs repairing. 

March 8, 16 days after leaving Easter Island we arrive to Rikitea, the capital of the Gambier Islands. After three days of pretty nasty weather and tacking the last day in strong head winds we finally came in through the south east passage in the huge ring reef surrounding the Gambier islands. The oncoming waves were steep and we often took water over the entire deck and in to the cockpit. When the emergency bilge pump started with a screaming alarm we realized our almost new primary electric bilge pump was not working. It’s always something, isn’t it? 

At anchor in the Gambiers

Our favorit motu Tauna

Taking a stroll on Tauna

The Gambiers are interesting as it’s four larger islands and some smaller ones surrounded by a ring reef. It’s like a miniature Marquesas inside a large Tuamotus atoll. A little bit of everything in other words. This archipelago offers something for everyone and it’s no more than a few hours, or less, to the next anchorage. You can anchor in a bay surrounded by high mountains and lush rain forest or find your own spot behind a small motu (a small island on the reef). The only town is Rikitea on the main island Mangareva. That’s where you find the few stores available in the Gambiers. But don’t expect a Carrefour, Lider or Hyper Dino. These ae small family run shops, “magazine” in French and as the islands are so remote there will be weeks between the supply ships that provides everything people here need. The prices are very high, as everywhere in French Polynesia, but the locals are friendly if you are and we got a lot of breadfruit, bananas and pamplemousse etc. for free so you will not starve. 

Locals on the dock waiting for the supply boat.

Where is my bag of onions?

On the island Taravai south west of Rikitea there’s a lovely local couple (Herve and Valerie) who hosts a pot luck barbeque every Sunday for visiting yachts. Absolutely worth a visit. 

On the island Taravai Valerie is greating us to her BBQ

Susanne’s daughter Saga arrived with a flight from Paris via Papeete on Tahiti on April 4 and we spent another few weeks exploring the islands, hiking and snorkling, before it was time to set sail to the Marquesas islands 800 nm NNW of the Gambier. 

To be continued…..