Category: adventure

Life on a Sailboat, Year 4 Begins

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Sailing

The trade-offs for this amazing experience: smaller spaces, fewer conveniences, missing family and a level of unpredictability most people would never sign up for.

My life on a boat; the highs, lows and a few other oddities. It’s probably often that you see sailing posts and YouTube stories about all the glamorous aspects of sailing. But it’s important to know that it’s not all champagne sailing nor is it all that it seems to be. It’s tough at times. This month had amazing highs for me, but did have lows, and some tough lessons that I am grateful to have learned.

Most of you know me, I am an optimist. I trust the universe. I have conquered fear (to date, anyway). I don’t like to complain or be negative, ever! I look for the good in every tricky or uncomfortable situation. And, I always remind myself that 4 years ago I “chose” to live on a boat.

Life is a choice. So I will start with the lows, but painfully: Since we chose to visit the very remote Lau group of islands in Fiji, we chose to have 0 amenities off the boat. 0 restaurants, 0 stores, 0 taxis, 0 resources, and 0 gas stations….for 6 weeks. I am so grateful that Kalea provided so much comfort and safety, because the feeling of isolation, without any other option, does creep in. Cooking 3 meals a day x 42 days is 126 meals, straight.

Thats one thing, but food management is another. So I have to make my own yogurt, bread and grow sprouts. We also got quite low on dingy fuel, which created more time on the boat and less adventuring. We didn’t catch any fish. And lastly, we got attacked by mosquitoes and no see ums both in the jungle and on the boat. Enough of that! On to the highs!

Too many to count….The stunning beauty. The amazing friendships. My bread machine. The friendly Fijians. The clearests waters. Shell searching. Very little humidity. Yoga. My amazing husband. South beach Ogea. My best girlfriend, Candice. Bugspray, bug couls and bug screens. Happy hour with friends. Sprouts. Cookies. Adventuring. Sailing. Cruising with Sea Bella. Wingfoiling. Playing with the local children. Jokers and marbles. Helping fix the villagers sewing machine and generator. Bonfires. And lastly; KALEA!

This life isn’t about escape. It’s about alignment. It’s learning what really matters and building a life around that. And, I am so grateful cuz it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

We now head back into civilization again. A quick stop at Kadavu for some world class diving. Then to Musket Cove. Fiji. I am excited to say we fly to California soon for Montana’s wedding. This October we head to Vanuatu, December New Zealand, March Australia, June Indonesia. (Loose plans for now)

Fiji Villages, Customs, Chiefs and the Simple Life. (New video below)

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Travel

Sailing to the outer islands of Fiji, we experience an entirely different way of life. The simple life. We get to participate in the Sevusevu experience with the village chief and spokesman. Typically, as we first anchor down our Catamaran in their lovely atoll bay, we pull the dingy up the beach to look around. In these outer barely populated islands, we are greeted by a village spokesperson. He reminds us of the proper clothing attire (Sulu skirt, no hats or sunglasses, and women are dressed covering to the elbows and knees. (We later learned that Christianity introduced this) 😊

Here in Faluga, we are directly escorted to the chiefs home. This is usually a simple hut, with tin sides, a woven coconut frond mat on the floor for sitting, open air windows, and a twin bed in the room. Kitchens and bathrooms are outdoors and often a shared area. We go inside, barefooted to see the Chief sitting cross legged on the floor. We show respect with an introduction. We give him a bundle of Kava root and the chief then gives us a blessing to stay in the bay as long as we wish and be part of the village. We all clap three times, I guess to seal the deal. We may also give some small items like reading glasses, a few clothes, or a simple sturdy toy for the children. He invites us to share ideas, local news and stories while we sit in a circle on the floor. We learn some facts about their village culture and history. We get to fish his waters, take coconuts, walk his beaches and explore the rain forest. 😊

Since Fijians are so friendly, we chat with everyone in Faluga that walks by. Everyone is barefooted and casually busy with their chore of the week which is usually assigned by the chief. Afterschool, the children are eager to play and goof around with us. I give a little girl a lollipop and a deck of cards. It’s amazing to experience the innocence of their casual and simple lifestyle. REFRESHING. Only simple paths connect the tin open air houses, the one church is framed with stucco siding as a safe place for all to gather during a cyclone. There are no roads, since there are no vehicles. Sand paths connect all the homes and gardens. There aren’t any refrigerators or freezers, or washing machines. There are 2 generators for all to share or rent. Gas for their few longboats and food staples are delivered once a month for all to buy into. Villagers either pay a few dollars or trade with their personal goods (fish, lobster, clams, beans, kassava…)

Faluga is a unique island, as the chief decided to assign each sailboat to a host family for the entirety of the stay. We are treated as family and often share meals (called Lovo, served on the floor, no utensils, drinks or napkins). We exchange ideas, laugh at our commonalities, talk about each others history or politics. This special time is so endearing and educational for both parties. Together we hike, collect coconuts, weave mats, and search the beach for clams.

Tie is our host, we walk to gardens and we pick cabbage, kassava and beans. We later explore the trails, school, church, and any historical area of the cave of bones, high in the hill. Tie has also arranged for us to go out on a spearfishing adventure with his cousins. A kava night has been arranged. We see some his brothers canoe at a sailboat selling fish and fruit. Tie takes us to the ladies’ handicrafts for us to admire, purchase or trade. I have bought baskets, jewelry, and special shells.
Thank you for reading this review of a Fiji village, in October we say goodbye to Fiji and head west to Vanuatu.

Tricky Sailing & Navigating Fiji Waters

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure

Studying numerous charts, checking all our resources, discussing routes with other sailor friends and pulling anchor at 4am this morning, we are off!


From Nananu-i-Ra to Namena Island, (just) a 50 nm journey through unknown and difficult (to us) seas on our Kalea sailing adventure. Mega reefs, narrow passes, bommies, 100 foot tall pinnacles of coral, barely seen on our 3 charts, but we are ready for a big day of 110% attention to navigation.
Established just in 1997, Namena is the largest marine and bird reserve in Fiji. In the 80’s fishing this area was a booming business, but was diminishing the fish population. So, ten Fijian Chiefs from a nearby island gathered and established this area as a no-take preserve. Its 60 km encompasses a horseshoe-shaped barrier reef and a small uninhabited island. In 2016, Cyclone Winston passed directly over Namena destroying the one small diving resort in the strongest winds ever recorded in the southern hemisphere.
Why go? We are so excited to possibly see the red-footed booby birds that nest in the trees along the coast. Supposedly the adults rocket down at 60 mph to dive down 45 feet to catch their dinner. They have special airbags to protect their organs when they hit the water! Wouldn’t it be great fun to scuba dive to witness this wonder! Not to mention the thousands of fish and coral species, blue eel, seahorse, dolphin, manta and whale that visit this lagoon… and the nesting grounds of 4 marine turtles!!
Stay tuned for photos and videos!

Namena, Fiji

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/SV_Kalea/?useGoogle SV_Kalea

Fabulous Fiji

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Travel

I will admit, this is a photo dump of our fabulous time in Fiji! The locals are incredibly friendly and so honest. The weather has been perfect, not too humid this winter, so far. The views are beautiful, however we are on the western dry side of the islands lately. Meeting new cruising friends is always a bonus. And lastly, we are loving our boat, getting spoiled we are.

https://fb.watch/AmOmN5aUEJ/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Click the above to watch stunning drone photography of our last few months scenic anchorages. Don’t forget to unmute the music.

$250/night

Adventuring, sailing, diving, and living in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji.

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure

Watch these amazing underwater wonders and the villager childrens dances and smiles!

We sure loved the Yasawa Islands of Fiji. There are 15 words in the Fijian language meaning Heaven and ‘Yasawa’ is the first. We found this heaven underwater. The island chain is home to some of Fiji’s best snorkelling and diving spots, so take a look. Mostly volcanic islands, with white sandy beaches and healthy coral reefs a plenty. The diving was excellent! One anchorage had a huge limestone mountain with snorkeling caves below. The top hits were seeing numerous anemones with their clown fish, lion fish, cuttlefish, squid, giant mantas, eels, and unique colorful corals. Of course, there are plenty of other adventures to be had on land. Beachcoming, bonfires, sand bar yoga, finding unique shells, learning the local culture & meeting great people.

With Stacy Kimmy

Great cruiser friends: Kevin & Stacy on Flying Free from Paso Robles, Pierre & Marie on Viva from Quebec, and Thomas & Irene on Ananda from Australia. All will be planning a circumnavigation, some headed to Indonesia this year, some next year with us.

Yasawa gifts
Stunning

The children!

Tuna

Final days on the Big Seas, crossing the International dateline, twice.

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure

Definitely the gnarliest ocean passage to date, and someone asked me, “weren’t you scared?” Strange but no. I somehow have always had trust in the Universe. I have faith that I will be protected somehow, always. My whole life I’ve had a strong sense of adventure, but in this ocean passage, from NZ to Fiji, I never felt like I was risking my life. The big, wide ocean doesn’t scare me. It’s immense, dark, loud, looming and very angry at times, but I chose this life. It’s a BIG life, that’s for sure, but I chose to sail the world.

I, and my strong stead of a captain/husband, are living our fullest lives possible and have no regrets. We plan, prep, research, and prepare for this sport, mentally and physically, and strongly feel that we can handle the very worst. Not always champagne sunsets, but we are suited well for it. Yes, of course there are moments of weakness, fatigue, chaos and doubt, but never fear. Scott and I try to take the calm approach when the seas and tasks get gnarly. We are an amazing team out here, I am so proud of that!! And now, on our new performance catamaran, Kalea, we choose to play an entire new game. A fast one and in big seas. It’s difficult to describe. The sounds are like riding a wagon train with an 8 horse team at the helm. It feels like we are in a washing machine. With an occasional salty spray coming into the cockpit. The sights are also unimaginable. Laying here cozily in our salon, with a cup of herbal tea, I write these words. I watch the rainy horizon go up and down, from pure grey sky to pure grey ocean. The swells behind us feel like massive monsters, but Kalea surfs smoothly down the hill, quickly going from 9 to 18 knots, then she slows down again. I think she likes it fast. Scott makes a few adjustments, tapping the autopilot up or down 2 degrees or winching in just 6 inches of a sheet. Now she is even happier, flatter, smoother and quieter. And so are we.

A highlight of this adventure passage has been us 5 catamarans sailing side by side headed to Fiji. 2 boats are previous cruiser fun friends, 1 boat is a Swiss family of 4 we just met on the charts, and lastly, sailing a Gunboat 48, is John John Florence. We amazingly all are staying within 14 miles of each other. We chat on the vhf, spy on each on the B & G, and occasionally a photo sent via starlink. The giant Mahi Mahi that Thomas caught shocked us all, imagine cleaning it in these seas! His Outremer 55 has big back decks!

We head to calm seas on the Lee side to put the 3rd reef in.

Some of us send out screenshots of our instrument panels, bragging rights I guess. As for other daily chores and activities; it’s mainly taking watch, eating, napping, sail changes, 10 minutes of starlink for weather updates and a few chats home. Maybe we try to refuel the generator, due to no solar power (see video). Very rarely it’s cooking, showering, cleaning the mess, board games or reading. And, latest update, winds and seas are too big to head up to Savusavu, so we head to the South Island and into Port Denerau. So, with that, I sign off of FB and find a slip in a marina. Thank you reading!

Exploring the Bay of Islands, New Zealand-2025

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Sailing, Travel

We are so glad to be sailing back to these beautiful islands next November, as we have never seen such an amazing cruising grounds as the Bay of Islands (BOI). Take a look at our video, such beauty! What makes BOI so unique is there are so many places to tuck into and most of the islands are uninhabited, nature reserves. If I was planning a trip to the northlands of New Zealand, I would book an Airbnb in the darling town of Russell for a week, then take daily ferry trips out to these islands for hikes, beach walks, kayaking, swimming, paddle boarding and maybe even camping out on our favorite island; Urupukapuka. The views from all the well manicured hiking trails are spectacular. You can wander through the fields of sheep and signing birds, right down into a charming outdoor cafe for lunch and some live music. Since we are on a boat, this island gave us 6 beautiful anchorages to choose from, as the winds change directions nearly every week! The video says it all.

Urupukapuka Island

Our New Zealand travels comes to a close, time to sail up to Tonga!

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure

We have had an absolutely amazing half a year in New Zealand. About 3 months adventuring and sailing around Auckland and 2 months traveling up and around the beautiful Bay of Islands. Rumors of this place are right! What a great, clean, safe and friendly country with beautiful anchorages. Stay tuned for more stories of the Bay of islands. We are now planning our next half a year sail plan, which starts in just a few weeks. Cyclone season is over in NZ about May 1, so we can head north again and enjoy warmer weather, warmer water and swim in the beautiful South Pacific Islands. We are prepping the boat for the jump (or passage) to Tonga. This means a long list of “to-do’s” including check in and check out paperwork, filling the ditch bag, setting up the jack lines, doing a float plan, listing our 2 crew (Dave La Rue is joining us and a local Kiwi friend wants to hop aboard) updating the first aid kit, all system checks, buying flags and currency, completing oil changes, (that’s 2 since have 2 engines)…

On this passage, we hope to do a diving stopover in the famous Minerva Reef, which is about a 3 day passage, but as we always say, depends on the wind Gods! We will rest up, then set sail another 2 days to Tonga, hopefully also staying in the remote area of the Ha’apai island group. We will cruise new islands of Tonga for about 6 weeks, then our next passage will be about a 2 day sail to Fiji, planning for 8 weeks stay there. Last year, we were so busy prepping and selling Sea Bella, that we didn’t explore many spots in Fiji, so hope to include at least the northern Yasawas, and a month in the Lau group of islands. We still are hanging out with a few great friends from Mexico and have met a dozen new fun cruising friends here in BOI (Bay of Islands) who also are planning a similar route this season. It’s always good to meet new friends, typically quite international, now that are so far from the US. We will need to put Kalea on a mooring early September for our flight to California, as our daughter Montana is getting married. This is special news, and we will be able see all the family as well. Another big trip! This will be our only visit back this year and a rather short one, since last year was nearly 3 months and had many cherished memories with all!

The Lau Group, Fiji

We will then fly back in September and return to our new home on SVKalea. We are loving her and are relaxing into our new special place on the water. She is spacious, safe, and comfy both anchored and at sail, so no regrets. Happy Scott & Kathy! We soon will see how she is on overnight passages.

Our third passage will be to Vanuatu, our 8th country to sail to. We have heard amazing things and hope to adventure into the local people and culture. I believe a favorite TV show, Survivor, is filming there and they have blocked off a few islands. This happened years ago to some cruisers and local fishermen back in the Marquesas’, French Polynesia. Same show! No wonder I really liked that program! A little secret; I actually applied to be a participant in 1999! Another way for me to see the South Pacific I suppose.

For our next cyclone season, our Insurance company needs us out of the South Pacific again, so we aim to return to New Zealand for a few months then cross to Australia for the remainder of the season. We plan to head north and into Indonesia after that! Big Plans!

Auckland New Years Eve!

by Scott and Kathy Erwin, Sail the World, posted in adventure, Sailing

Staying in the biggest Marina in the Southern Hemisphere has its benefits! Views Galore! Parties Galore! Everyone on holiday for the month.

Us cruisers from Mexico having fun for New Years in Auckland New Zealand last night. We get to recover today and watch California celebrate at 9:00 tonight. Strange world. Strange time zones. The kids here are all on their 2 month summer vacation, picking berries and going swimming! Walking around the city I noticed the new architecture, clean streets and laid back attitude. Liking New Zealand a lot!

Maybe a bit too much fun! Pictured in this post is Michele and Michael on Elvira, the boat with the pole, and it is actually for sale now. Joanne and Scott on Fundango and Candice and Jason on Deguello.