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 Iain & Fiona Lewis  March 4, 2020

sy_ruffian
New blog! 7th July 2024 "Surprise, surprise." O New blog! 7th July 2024 "Surprise, surprise." 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 surprises. Leaving Moorea and our new found friends behind us we were in for our first surprise. Usually the sun just sinks into the sea beaming its last rays and is replaced by twinkling stars or bright planets. Tonight was different. For what felt like an eternity, the sun, that was already below the horizon, lit up the underside of the clouds that floated above us, and we were ensconced in a world of red. Those red clouds were then reflected in the sea and turned Ruffian’s sails a shade of pink. Heading west we’ve seen many 100’s of sunsets but this was a really nice surprise.... To read the rest of this blog, and to see more pictures from our travels find the link in our bio @sy_ruffian
New blog! 1st July 2024 "Hiking our socks off." New blog! 1st July 2024 "Hiking our socks off." 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. Moorea, in the Society Islands is no different. Everyone is wowed by the blue translucent waters, the abundant sea life and its majestic peaks and so……. we hiked.... To read the rest of this blog, and to see more pictures from our travels find the link in our bio @sy_ruffian
New blog! 26th June 2024 Carrefour Bay, Tahiti, F New blog! 26th June 2024 Carrefour Bay, Tahiti, French Polynesia – Opunohu Bay, Moorea, French Polynesia via Opunohu Bay, Moorea, Moorea, French Polynesia & Airport 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 your mast, give you a big bill, and it’s not until 1000’s of miles later you realise the predicament they’ve left you in. Our experience in Tahiti and Moorea has turned the aforementioned reputation of both rallies and riggers upside down... To read the rest of this blog, and to see more pictures from our travels find the link in our bio @sy_ruffian
New blog! 14th June May 2024 "Fakarava Philharmoni New blog! 14th June May 2024 "Fakarava Philharmonic. " 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 after lots of elbow grease, the percussion sits behind the scenes driving the tempo and sometimes a choir complements all the instruments. Finally, there can be a soloist that shines alone, but at the same time pulls everyone together creating an unforgettable crescendo. This has been Fakarava for Ruffian.... To read the rest of this blog, and to see more pictures from our travels find the link in our bio @sy_ruffian #fakaravasouthpass #fakaravawallofsharks
New blog! 4th June 2024 Kon Tiki, Raroia, Tuamot New blog! 4th June 2024 Kon Tiki, Raroia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia – Punaruku, Makemo, Tuamotus, French Polynesia "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" Tales of floating our anchor chain and holding an IT clinic. To read this blog and see more images from our travels, follow the link in our bio @sy_ruffian.
New blog! "We're all going on a summer holiday" 2 New blog! "We're all going on a summer holiday" 28th May 2024 Kon Tiki, Raroia, Tuamotus, French Polynesia Cliff Richard sung a great yarn about ‘Going on a summer holiday’, apparently there would be ‘No work for a week or two’ and along the way, knowing his wild ways, there would be lashings of fun with friends, excursions to local attractions, extravagant meals in amazing venues and adventures galore. If these were Cliff’s ingredients for a summer holiday then in Raroia we’ve been on a summer holiday.... To read the rest of this blog and to see more pictures from our travels, follow the link in our bio @sy_ruffian @sailingblownaway @browncouncill @simoncurrin
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New blog! Our first taste of the South Pacific 6th New blog! Our first taste of the South Pacific 6th April 2024 "Fixing the boat. Getting off the boat." To read the blog and see lots of pictures from our first adventures ashore follow the link in our bio
New blog catch up! The last episode from our Pacif New blog catch up! The last episode from our Pacific Crossing "Baited Breath" 1st April 2024 Has now been published. To see more photos and to read the blog, follow the link in our bio.
Fourth instalment (of 5) of our Pacific Odyssey. Fourth instalment (of 5) of our Pacific Odyssey. Iain says: "It's not often that I get scared on a boat, but in the middle of the Pacific, 1000's of miles from land, I wasn't scared; I was petrified. " The Pacific is a pretty big empty ocean, and as we found that our rigging was failing, it felt much bigger and much emptier. To read the blog and see more photos, follow the link in our bio @sy_ruffian
Bye bye Tahuata. Bye bye Tahuata.
The same three manta rays came unto the anchorage The same three manta rays came unto the anchorage again today. This photo shows just how close they come to us, and give some perspective as to how big they are.
Pre breakfast swim with not one, not two, but thre Pre breakfast swim with not one, not two, but three manta rays! No zoom, no cropping, just a filter to adjust the colour. These huge guys kept coming so close it was difficult not to flinch.
Part 4 of our Pacific Odyssey is now online. We Part 4 of our Pacific Odyssey is now online. We carry on pushing our way across the Pacific. Crikey its a big ocean. To read more, and see lots more photos, follow the link in our bio @sy_ruffian
Part two of our Pacific Odyssey is now online. T Part two of our Pacific Odyssey is now online. To read the blog and see more photos, please follow the link in our bio.
Friendships are.... Sailing friendships are somet Friendships are.... Sailing friendships are something special. Mention to someone that you are not relishing handwashing many weeks of bed linen, and they instantly offer to not only collect the necessary rain water, and wash all your bed linen in their big washing machine, but they dry and fold it too! Thank you @sailingblownaway
The first (of 4) instalments about our epic Pacifi The first (of 4) instalments about our epic Pacific Crossing. To read all about it and to see more photos, please follow the link in our bio. #pacificcrossing #longdistancecruising #crossingtheequator #saddlebacks
Another monster blog update with lots of photos, l Another monster blog update with lots of photos, lots of bullet points, and not much prose. https://ruffian.uk/2024/02/finally/ https://ruffian.uk/2024/02/ruffian-rally-rescue-rendezvous/ https://ruffian.uk/2024/01/escaping-the-inferno/ https://ruffian.uk/2024/01/dr-who-and-his-protective-tardis/ Sorry that Insta doesn't work well with hyperlinks, but you can find all our blogs by following the link from our bio.
Super cool pre-breakfast swim. #mantaray #french Super cool pre-breakfast swim. #mantaray #frenchpolynesia #sailingfrenchpolynesia
Another blog catchup day. When we left the UK to Another blog catchup day. When we left the UK to go sailing some people thought that we were sailing off the end of the world. In the Darian River, which creates the drug and murder filled Darian Gap, we literally fall off the edge of the map. https://ruffian.uk/2024/01/filling-in-voids/ https://ruffian.uk/2024/01/pearls-in-the-perlas/ https://ruffian.uk/2024/01/transport/ To see more pictures, and read all our blogs, use the link in our bio.
Bit of a blog update blast today. We made a deci Bit of a blog update blast today. We made a decision as to where to head, we work on Ruffian and cross into a new ocean. All very exciting. https://ruffian.uk/2023/12/one-ocean-to-another/ https://ruffian.uk/2023/12/peter-the-pilot/ https://ruffian.uk/2023/11/the-new-normal/ Hyperlinks don't work great in insta but you can follow the link in our bio and catch up on our blogs from there.
Jungle adventure with @sailingblownaway to seek ou Jungle adventure with @sailingblownaway to seek out the Polynesian petroglyphs. Great to stretch our legs, and rebalance ourselves after so long at sea. The variety of flowers and fruits was astonishing. The petroglyphs themselves were unique, some completely unrecognisable, others... could it be a turtle, an octopus, a bird.... Whatever, we had a blast.
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