May 16-21, 2015
Logbook – May 16, 2015 (South Minerva to North Minerva)
Passage Log Highlights
- 1227 Engines on
- 1248 Engines off. Main + genoa
- 1331 Main + genniker
- 1600 Engines on
- 1615 Engines off arrive N. Minerva
Daily Notes
- Wrapped a coral head while raising anchor
- Sailed through the pass at N. Minerva
- Lobster dinner
Logbook – May 17, 2015 (North Minerva)
Daily Notes
- Moved near lighthouse, much much better
- VHF call s/v Windstar – water tank leak, needs water. Responses by Caminante and Local Talent
- Boat with no mast – Tim watching Code Blue arrive via binoculars and notices a sailboat with not mast. s/v Malara dismasted just outside of N. Minerva. No one hurt. No assistance required. En route from Fiji to New Zealand, will now turn back to Fiji.
- Awesome potluck on Caminante with Field Trip, Lumbaz, and Et Voila. Kids perform play. Dress up.
Email to Family and Friends dated May 17, 2015
Subject: Exodus – North Minerva
We sailed from south to north Minerva yesterday afternoon, and it was a great day sail and we made good time. And since we had been here before and had our own track and waypoints and knew the anchorage, we sailed up to the pass, jibed, and then sailed on through. The conditions are pretty crappy now with 20 kt winds and a very bouncy anchorage. Yesterday, before we left S. Minerva Tim and Brenden went spearfishing with two of the other dads, and it was pretty funny that Brenden got the biggest fish. A whopping 31 lb. grouper. He could barely hold it up for the photo shots.
Our latest thinking is that we will depart here on Friday for a Monday arrival in Savusavu.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 18, 2015 (North Minerva)
Daily Notes
- T – Field Trip fix dive compressor
- T/Theo – Dive the pass, no fish
- Trip to “the beach”
- Alex tries kite surfer trainer with Gustav
- Happy hour on Et Voila
Logbook – May 19, 2015 (North Minerva)
Daily Notes
- T/B dive pass. B 16kg Almaco Jack. T rainbow runner
- A – snorkel with Jenny & Tina, play games with kids on Lumbaz
- Sashimi on Exodus with Caminante and Lumbaz
- B not feeling well
Email to Family and Friends dated May 19, 2015
Subject: Exodus – Beach Day
Here at North Minerva under normal conditions there is a beach that dries at low tide on the south end of the atoll, right in the vicinity of where we are anchored. However, we haven’t had normal conditions, we’ve had strong winds which push a lot more water than normal over the reef inside, and the beach isn’t quite drying out. But yesterday we had a couple of dry patches and we all headed to “shore” to enjoy some land for a change. We only had about an hour before the tide came back up, but it was a good hour. Alex had a great time, because he got to try out a kite surfer trainer. He did really well, and I feel a new hobby coming on…
Day before yesterday our friends on Code Blue arrived, and it’s always good to see them, since they are one of the few boats out here that we still know from our days back in The Sea of Cortez. Anyway, Tim had the binoculars out to watch them come through the pass, which had gotten a bit lively from all this wind, and then Tim noticed a boat near the pass inside with no mast. He got them on the radio, and it turns out they are a vessel that dismasted just outside the pass. No one was hurt, and they did not think they needed assistance, and they made their way over here to the anchorage to take stock. Very sad. They left yesterday morning to head back to Fiji.
We were hoping the conditions would be light enough to move back and anchor near the pass, but we’ll have to see how it goes.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – May 20, 2015 (North Minerva)
Daily Notes
- Moved back near the pass
- Heard Fluenta try to check in on Gulf Harbor Radio
- T – scuba, borrowed from Gustav
- Alex – paddle over to FT to play with the kids
- Field Trip – happy hour on Exodus, sashimi, sushi, fresh baked bread
Email to Family and Friends dated May 20, 2015
Subject: Exodus – Brenden’s White Whale
During our first stop here at North Minerva, you may recall that Brenden shot a huge Almaco Jack, they played a bit of tug o war with neither side gaining ground, and ultimately the fish got away with the spear. Tim even made a movie of it called “Brenden versus Fish” on our youtube page. Well, Brenden has talked about that fish ever since. Yesterday, he got his revenge. He speared a 16 kg Almaco Jack and fed the entire anchorage last night. He went to sleep very tired and very satisfied last night.
-D.
Logbook – May 21, 2015 (North Minerva to Fiji)
Daily Notes
- Family snorkel at pinnacle N. side of pass also with Judy (Code Blue), Lumbaz, and Caminante
Email to Family and Friends dated May 21, 2015
Subject: Exodus – Fiji Bound (Maybe)
Well, after studying and discussing weather this morning over breakfast, we’ve made the last minute decision to leave N. Minerva this afternoon. It will be a long, slow passage, but it should be comfortable, and that is preferable. We won’t have the pressure of having to keep our speed up like we did between NZ and here, so we shouldn’t have to run the engine too much. If we wait until Monday, we’ll be leaving right on the tail of a cold front so the seas will be a mess and the winds will be stronger. Of course, I’m downloading weather again now, so all of this could change…
P.S. Liz, I’m so sorry it was right after I sent you that email saying we were likely here until Monday that we looked ate weather again and decided to go. I hope we didn’t raise anyone’s hopes… We are very disappointed we will miss you guys.
Gresham Family Exodus 