Our sailing home takes us, Scott and Kathy Erwin to travel the world one island at a time. Come along on this adventure to learn, or join Kathy’s Yoga, and explore and see the world.
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.
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!
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.
After two weeks on the docks, outfitting the boat and exploring the city life, we threw off the dock lines and headed out on our maiden voyage on Kalea! We sailed off to the islands for Christmas, just Scott and I, but so grateful for Starlink for those face time calls to our kids and parents. Follow our boat on NOFOREIGNLAND: https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/4847252013056000
Looks like a power boats wake.
Such a rush to be sailing on a catamaran, after 6 years on our beloved Sea Bella Monohull. Kalea is swift, light, and very responsive. She moves so quickly with just a tiny little breeze. I feel like we are back on our Hobie 20, but dry and comfy this time. The two types of boats are totally different; the feel, the sound, the winds, the wake, so different. It’s great to be out here in New Zealand’s Islands. Our first choice of islands is Waiheke, a bit touristy but beautiful. Wild blue and white agapanthus grow on the steep hillsides. We are so blessed to have life give us this turn of events with this marvelous boat.
Regalvanizing the chain was needed. Of course Yoga!Marianne and Michael, Elvira
We had tried a different domain for our BLOG, but was disappointed in the style and features. So, we moved back! Please bookmark this site for future posts pictures and videos. In addition, we have many fun sailing, scuba, yoga and travel videos on our YouTube channel.
Good friends of ours Warren and Erica on the Sailboat Va, are well known for their YouTube sailing Channel We Sail. we met them in the Makemo Blow (see past post) and were friends ever since.
Warren and Erica, fun yoga friends!Tahanea Yoga Studio, for the week
The first 5 minutes of this weeks episode from We Sail was a fun walk down memory lane, when we were back in the Marquesas Islanda. Tahuata has the only few sandy beaches in all of the Marquesas due to their tall volcanic rocky nature. The waters surrounding these islands are quite deep and steep, without much coral, so sand is a rare sight for Kathy and her beach Yoga. Below, Candice and Jason, good friends on Deguello did a fun time lapse for water yoga at Taha’a, Society Islands.
What’s in a Polynesian Island? THIS is what we envisioned from the beginning and sums up the amazing beauty of French Polynesia.
This Society island is definitely on the fringe of this “French” nation but represents the epitome of the bedroom culture in this Society archipelago. The locals share the French language and a bit of French culture but definitely have much more of a welcoming spirit than what we’ve seen in the other Society Islands. We could be here for weeks longer. When you watch the video, you will see happy local people and beautiful scenery. All the locals have boats, bikes and big smiles. If you need a ride on land they will happily loan you their bike. If you need bananas, they will take you all over the village until they find what you need. One of our friends boats “Captain Musick” has been recruited to take supplies to Maupiti’s sister island Maupihaa, which is 100 miles away and hasn’t seen a supply ship in six months. 🫨 It has 20 people on the island and have very little! OMG this boat is packed with stuff. lol
So onward we go. Sea Bella is jumping Tuesday to Beveridge Reef (a sunk island) 900 miles westward to a reef that doesn’t even break the water. Google it! This should be interesting and the sharks are supposed to be super interested in all comers. Ha We have a reservation in Niue (smallest Island Country in the World, also a raised coral island) on the 13th, weather dependent, but that seems so far away. Sheesh. Lots of sailing to do…. We’ll check in next week.
Thanks to all the Friends that are sailing with us. Deguello, Captain Musick, Hooligan, Scout and Side Two.
While we waited out the summer storm season (Nov- Mar) in our safe haven, beautiful home of the Marquesan Islands, we researched, planned, discussed, read, yes played and put a plan loosely together for the next sailing season. Weather is the primary factor while we research. Our cruising buddies’ plans are also a factor. It’s important for Scott and I to have a friend group to sail nearby. If this doesn’t happen, we meet new cruisers within a day or two, as like minded people are easy to meet. We also experience these remote islands and the unique flora and fauna of land, sea and air. We also participate and explore the local culture, traditions and cuisine.
As you may recall, we are on a slow westward path, enjoying as much LIFE as possible. A Sailing Adventure continues to be our theme, so we headed to the Southern islands of Marquesas. April we visited the Society Islands (Huahine, Bora Bora and Maupiti) and then left French Polynesia by our visa expiration date. We may stop at Niue Island, adventure around the islands of Tonga, sail toward Fiji, first stopping at the amazing dive spot called Beveridge, and end up in September in Fiji.
“Then what??” The Pacific Ocean is too large for Sea Bella to cross in one season (unless we don’t stop much) So she needs to stay in and around Fiji for the next cyclone season Nov-Mar. Fiji has safe harbor marinas, if needed, and 500ish, pristine islands to cruise around. Looking forward to it all! Stay tuned…
You never know who you will meet out at quiet and remote anchorages. When in Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, one hot and humid day, I got a floaty and a beer and I drifted awhile around the small bay.
I hear a voice with a strong German accent “Kathy Erwin, hello there”. I drift over to a beautiful lady on a beautiful Amel Sailboat. She says you are Kathy on Sea Bella. I did a double take, confused how she knew me.
Jutta Birfelder
She introduced herself as Jutta, on SV Alila. She mentioned the cruising app called Noforeignland, and found Sea Bella and Scott and I. We chatted and instantly became friends. For the next 3 months we chatted, shared meals together with Scott and her fun partner Mike, went on hikes, enjoyed the cultural events of Mataava and yes, of course she came to my beach yoga sessions. What gems you meet out here! Plus the other fun people in the video, great new friends!
Making earrings
Turns out, Jutta is a YouTuber, conducting interviews of fellow cruisers all over the world. Next thing I know Scott and I are being interviewed. Take a look, enjoy a different side of our lives… maybe even like her channel.
By the way, I highly recommend the sailing app that I mentioned above to any sailor or future sailor wanting to connect with others, plus many other perks like hikes, locations of great snorkel spots, good shopping, gas and dingy docks… see below.
Scott was able to spend a week in Texas and a week and half in California. “Spending a fantastic Thanksgiving day with Family in Texas! Nothing like excellent family, food and wine! Anarchy Wine Co. (Darn cold here in the states) 😉
Happy Thanksgiving to all those missing Thanksgiving down under in the South Pacific and south of the border!!
California visit for Kathy was so, so special, two relaxing and perfect weeks. “I want to thank my family and friends for taking GREAT care of me and providing healthy land time. A much needed break from the rolly boat, heat and just missing my CA peeps. I did manage to get important check ups, select better sunglasses (and back ups) find essentials like Kirkland nuts and peanut butter, and basically enjoy normal life for awhile. I started in Santa Cruz on Christmas Day with a lovely time with Mom, Roland and my brothers’ family. I was lucky to borrow Mom’s car to drive to Fresno to couch it with my son. My daughter came over and we 3 headed to the Sierra foothills for a few days of R and R. Cooking amazing meals, singing on the Kareoke machine, silly card games, fun dance pad and mostly enjoying a large, flat, non moving home, lol. Some big hugs and a few tears later….”
I was off to San Luis Obispo to visit our rental and hang with great friends! My final 4 days I spent back at Mom’s in Santa Cruz with my Aunt, Uncle, Sister in Law and Dad. Overall, an action packed and special time for all. Soon, I make the 24 hour long journey (only an 8 hour flight over the great Pacific) returning to home on the water in Marquesas and best of all, back to my Hubby Scott.
But then, guess what happened?!.!?
Homeless Day in Tahiti
…and it sucked. I was grumpy. 😦I had hardly any sleep on the red eye, and our new foil board was not at baggage claim! It’s lost!😮Whine, whine, I know it. The nice, but French speaking attendant, insisted I report it right then, so it can hurry on the next the plane. But, it’s now 6am and I miss my connection flight to Nuku Hiva, by just 2 minutes. AAAH! 😱😱😱And still no board. 😡So, I book a new flight for 4:30 am tomorrow, book a close by lodge, and ditch my heavy bags in this sortof hotel (but-check in is at 4pm!) What to do allllll day???? Homeless for a day. I find a bus riding into downtown, mind you it only now 7:00am. 😳Searching for an open coffee shop like a homeless person, on very tired feet and sluggish mind, I sit for a needed Quiche Lorraine. Shoot!My phone doesn’t seem to have data or cellular and has only 35% battery. I tried plugging it in, but the outlets aren’t compatible! 😭NOT MY DAY! I wander from closed shop to closed shop and find the famous Papeete Market, but “closed on Tuesdays”, I mainly just wanted a bathroom. 😤UG. Getting a bit lost without any GPS, I find a park bench, to rest, feeling very homeless by now. I brushed my teeth in the public bathroom, thanking the French for having clean water. It’s 9am. 😖I only have 7 more hours to kill wandering aimlessly. I see a great book store, super right? I can sit and read for a few hours, but, no. Only French books here. 🤪Next stop, find the Air Tahiti office to file a claim. They send me to Air Tahiti Nui, 6 blocks away. Pointing a finger at each other I think. I would call… but no cell. It starts raining buckets, 🙈UG! One of those days! I am soaked within minutes, I hop on a bus to stay dry, head east, no clue where to. 😩I am kind of familiar with this city, thankfully. I explored around a favorite grocery store, bought some tops, and ate some yogurt and bananas. I managed to get my phone back running, after 45 minutes with TMobile. 😳I do have the time though, tons of time! I continued walking aimless about. (It’s, only noon) I will end this lengthy drama with a positive…you know me. I bought Scott some onions and potatoes, put them in my purse. Our anchorage town in Nuka Hiva is all out. (more heavy items for my carry on) grump, grump, grump 😁
(The next day)
When I go to check in at 4:00 am, the lost baggage office is open and there is our new Foil Board!
Our World Adventure 