- The end?
2nd November 2024 Neiafu, Vava’u, Tonga – Marsden Cove, New Zealand When we sail offshore we are always prepared to arrive with less than we left with. As we sail for days food will be consumed, diesel will be burnt and there are the inevitable things that get dropped overboard. Sailing from Tonga to New … Read more - The shock of Samoa.
20th August 2024 Apia, Samoa We’re used to entering new countries. New countries give us the opportunity to explore new cultures, discover amazing landscapes, and, as usual for Ruffian, fix the boat in exotic locations. Usually that change is gradual, but the difference between French Polynesia with its endless beaches, uninhabited islands, and lack of … Read more - So much owed by so many to so few.
11th August 2024 Haamena Bay, Ta’haa, French Polynesia – Apia, Samoa via Suwarrow, Cook Islands. 84 years ago (almost to the day) Winston Churchill said ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few’. On Ruffian we have fought our own battle where ‘Never have the miles … Read more - Circumnavigators
31st July 2024 Haamena Bay, Ta’haa, French Polynesia – Haamena Bay, Ta’haa, French Polynesia via Uturoa, Raiatea, & Baie Tapuamu, Ta’haa Circumnavigators are a special breed. They spend many hours looking at blue water, have to navigate bureaucracy in foreign languages, experience amazing sea-life, change course depending the weather and finally, victoriously, they close the … Read more - Fixing, fettling and finally fitting.
17th July 2024 Fare, Huahine, French Polynesia – Haamena Bay, Tahaa, French Polynesia via Pointe Tenape, Baie Faaroa, Uturoa Town, Tapuamu & Pointe Tenape, Raiatea & Tahaa, French Polynesia When people reach retirement age they are usually ready for it. After 35 years of hard graft their bodies have started to wear out and intellectually … Read more - Surprise, surprise.
7th July 2024 Opunohu Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia – Fare, Huahine, French Polynesia via Hana Iti, Huahine, French Polynesia Some surprises are good, some are bad. We like good surprises and do everything we can to avoid the bad. Continuing our push to the west, our lives have been full of both good and bad … Read more - Walking our socks off.
1st July 2024 Opunohu Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia The Rias of Spain are famed for their culture and food; and we hiked. The Balearic Islands are known for their blue water and raucous partying; and we hiked. The eastern Caribbean is famous for its European and African roots and epic sea battles; and we hiked. … Read more - Rallies and Riggers
26th June May 2024* Carrefour Bay, Tahiti, French Polynesia – Opunohu Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia via Opunohu Bay, Moorea, Moorea, French Polynesia & Airpoirt Anchorage, Tahiti, French Polynesia Rallies and riggers both have bad names within the cruising community. Rallies take away your freedom to wander and can remove your independence. Riggers seem to climb … Read more - The Bounty.
20th June 2024 Rotoava, Fakarava, Tuamotus, French Polynesia – Carrefour Bay, Tahiti, French Polynesia via Venus Point & Airpoirt Anchorage, Tahiti, French Polynesia In 1776 Captain Bligh and his trusty crew left London on ‘The Bounty’ with a mission to make landfall in Tahiti. The Captain hoped to find both fame and a land of … Read more - Fakarava Philharmonic.
14th June May 2024 Punaruku, Makemo, Tuamotus, French Polynesia – Rotoava, Fakarava, Tuamotus, French Polynesia via South Pass & Hirifa, Fakarava, Tuamotus, French Polynesia Philharmonic orchestras are made up of many sections that all come together to create a great performance. You have the strings section crammed with violins and violas, the brass section gleams … Read more