In a 2014 passage I found that I needed to go as far as 48 degrees south in order to find reliable westerlies. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Glad you asked cause weve got the answers! A storm holds a captivating spot in our psyche and for good reason. Passages between the islands are mostly clear and well-charted, but potentially windy. The Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is 2 million square kilometres! Beveridge Reef is a sunken atoll with not a skerrick of land awash at low tide, yet it offers anchorable depths within. Knowing yourself and what you are capable of as a sailor is alluring though. A successful Pacific passage will rely on meticulous planning, based on current information tempered with flexibility, because, by nature, cruising has it vagaries. But managing dynamics in close confines, far away from any time out spaces, is key. Sailing through Fiji is a reminder that the Pacific is as complex as the rest of the world it just has more white sand beaches! Lets face it, theres nothing quite like fresh ceviche!
Even with the best of modern navigational equipment and weather forecasting, they demand the mariners absolute vigilance regarding watchkeeping, entry and exit from atoll passes, and anchoring techniques.
Favorable winds mean speed, and the extra distance in search of them is usually well rewarded. Date of member's last visit to Trans-Pacific Passage - West to East and this page's details validated: /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BSydney.5D.5D.2C_.5B.5BAustralia.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BBrisbane.5D.5D.2C_.5B.5BAustralia.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BAuckland.5D.5D.2C_.5B.5BNew_Zealand.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BNew_Caledonia.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BVanuatu.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BFiji.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BCook_Islands.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BFrench_Polynesia.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BCape_Horn.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BPanama.5D.5D, /wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East#.5B.5BCalifornia.5D.5D.2C_.5B.5BUnited_States.5D.5D, List links external to the wiki such as in, Coral Sea Passage Cairns to New Guinea/Louisiades, https://www.cruiserswiki.org/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Passage_-_West_to_East. On another Pacific passage, I chose to head south for Bahia de Caraquez in Ecuador. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Bureaucrats love the pomp and splendor of shiny paper, and your precious original boat documents can stay safely on the vessel. Another who pickled their own foods. Keeping up your health and sanity when youre halfway between nowhere and nowhere is a far bigger hurdle in my opinion.If you can heave-to during a storm, know how to fix the worst of what can break, and eat plenty of citrus you should be on the right track! singlehanded transpacific Others soak up the rare opportunity to commune deeply with nature, and experience a rare solitude and reaffirming self-reliance, which I believe to be the core virtues of bluewater sailing. This route takes you up through South East Asia and into the North Pacific. The biggest hurdle to solo sailing is standing watches. Regardless of ones plan for the western Pacific, this route passes by or through the Galpagos Islands, the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Islands (Tahiti). My missus travels with all her clothes in ziplock bags:dont be like my missus. The kiwis are pretty comfortable with their status as a Pacific Island. You will also avoid the cyclone season of the Caribbean. Its good to get lost sometimes, but its also good not to get too lost. Historically, they were known as the dangerous archipelago, and rightfully so due to a baffling maze of poorly charted reefs, low-lying islands and diabolically unpredictable currents. Not only was the cruise down the Ecuadorian coast fascinating, the passage to the Galpagos from Salinas provided steadier winds than had we departed directly from the canal. The anchorages tend to be open roadsteads, so anti-roll tactics and equipment come in handy. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); And for transparencys sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That pun didnt really work in the third person, but were rolling with it. The main disadvantage of this route is that it is primarily in high latitudes. There is some cheeky hunting and epic hiking here, as well as cheap baguettes. A Bonnier LLC Company. This is how I remember sailing across the Pacific Ocean. Here's how to add a credit card surcharge, A Floriade river cruise grows in the Netherlands, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Papeete, Society Islands, French Polynesia, Royal Caribbean Group scraps Covid testing requirement for short cruises, Busy cruise pier in Skagway closes due to rockslide risk, FAA proposes long-awaited rule requiring second cockpit door on new planes. From a sailors point of view, excluding landlocked bodies of water, the rest of the brine is a contiguous path to glorious global adventure. The definitions and delineations of a sea versus an ocean are complex, contested and best left to the learned geographers to debate. Theres one travel insurance provider The Broke Backpacker trusts for all his wildest shenanigans World Nomads! . The worlds best scuba diving, spearfishing, and lazy hammock days are your juicy reward for crossing the worlds greatest ocean! I would recommend downloading podcasts, music, and books GALORE. If we look at a map of the Pacific Ocean, youll notice its mostly blue. Dammit New Zealand, youre pretty freaking sweet! This section describes the passage across the Pacific Ocean - West to East.
pacific trans east passage west sailing cruising Every boat Ive been on has had its own take on the one-pot curry. Vessels head out to the east from as far south as Tauranga hoping to catch the northerly limits of the westerlies until they fetch the longitude of the Austral Islands, then turn north for Tahiti. Each boat will have different capabilities when it comes to storage and fridge capacity, so fresh food may last better on some boats than others. transpac unleashed race second Are you most comfortable as part of a rally, with a buddy boat or as a lone wolf? Y cuidado con los monstruos! Its the first voice youve heard in over nine days that didnt originate from you or your crew. There are variations on this Coconut Milk Run. Albeit increasingly expensive, cruising permits are normally obtainable upon arrival, but check the cruising websites and forums for current and accurate information. To cross the Pacific Ocean by sailboat represents an accomplishment that no one can take from you. maru hikawa ssmaritime hikawamaru sixties We bring you epic FREE content!Find out how YOU can help support us. And then theres the Northern Route. Even with a limited stay and restricted access, we were treated to one of Earths most unique and fascinating natural habitats. crossing atlantic sailing stad vacations amsterdam I guess you have to have a certain cognitive dissonance to cast off and not see land for over a month! But, when youre in a small sailboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you may not want to hear about the apocalypse for the twelfth time in as many days while watching food entirely miss their mouth. For example, departing New Zealand this route can be used to reach the Cook Islands or French Polynesia instead of a complete Trans-Pacific passage if that is your intention. Find the pack that suits YOU. There are countless permutations of a westward passage, but the path dubbed the Milk Run is the most popular. Island time becomes more prominent the further away from continents you get. Contributing editor, Alvah Simon, and his wife, Diana, are presently sailing New Zealand waters on their cutter Roger Henry, with occasional voyages to the South Pacific islands. Far less dangerous than driving a car or riding a motorbike. CL example: This page was last modified on 22 August 2018, at 10:17. The other advantage of this route is that it can be taken as a partial passage. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. frank Food is fuel and a happy gut makes for a happy mind. A couple of books good for the mind at sea are: You pop your email here, and we promise to send you only travel content thats actually relevant sounds like a pretty good deal to us! Throughout the Cook Islands, a slow tempo to living is the norm. Just a good floating tin can with some sails and enough coffee to kill a bear. When on land you notice that they chew with their mouth open and sometimes like to rant about how the world is going to end in the next ten years. There is the northern route, for those planning to cross through the Torres Strait or into the Northern Hemisphere for the coming cyclone season, and the southern route, for those dropping south of the danger into New Zealand. Nevertheless, those planning to sail directly through Torres Strait into the Indian Ocean cannot afford to dally. Sailing Across The Pacific: The ULTIMATE Sailboat Adventure! In Tahiti, the Milk Run divides into myriad possibilities. Avast and fair winds, fellow sailors. What might be an over-the-counter medication in one country can be highly prohibitedin another. So when is it best to sail across the Pacific Ocean? There are three main groups of islands. Guess youll just have to click the button to find out. Expect to chat lots with strangers, explore uninhabited islands, and wonder why youd ever return to normal life. Can advisors add a surcharge to cover credit card fees? ooil profits sees oocl skyrocket sailings mbf boxship On from Tahiti, sailors have many choices when deciding where to go next. I paid for this foolishness by spinning in lazy circles for five excruciatingly long days. A popular alternative is to pass south to a good cyclone hole on the Australian coast, such as Cairns or Port Douglas, and backtrack up to the Torres Strait at the beginning of the next safe season. In addition this ensures that the cyclone prone regions of the South Pacific will be reached after the end of the cyclone season. Buy an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure dont be daft! Its worth remembering that your boat is probably stronger than you. But if youve got a well-prepared boat and well-prepared crew it can be fast and exhilarating. Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Although Norfolk Island is not a fully protected anchorage, many vessels that find themselves west of the rhumb line with foul forecasts to the south will shelter here until conditions improve. Crossing the Pacific Ocean can be dangerous, but you can mitigate those risks. The sailor knows that there is no point fighting the wind. Basically, this is several smaller passages up through the Coral Sea, through Southeast Asia and Japan, and then across the Northern Pacific. I reckon you could get lost in the Tuamotus for a lifetime as long as the freshwater doesnt run out. Crossing an ocean by sailboat is no small feat. The CDC dropped its Covid cruise rules. Thank you for your support . The main disadvantage of this is that it is the longest route across the Pacific, covering the most ocean miles. (see link for requirements). Be sure to have clear doctors prescriptions for every drug in the ships medical kit. As you continue your westward sailing across the Pacific, you will probably make a stopover and stay in Fiji. Yes with several caveats. They are all lush, high and ringed by azure seas. (2022), I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. Unanimous acclaim for the beauty of the northern Tongan groups of Niua, Vavau and Haapai makes some time here mandatory, which harks back to my original advice to head out of Panama as early as safely possible. The details of a canal transit are complex enough to warrant an article of their own, but relevant here is do not assume a quick passage, because during peak periods there can be several weeks of delay. There is only one shoal area along the route, which is well-charted (8 degrees 5 minutes N and 139 degrees 35 minutes W), and the islands are high and easily sighted from afar. The other disadvantage is that it is a long way from landfall, any assistance, and involves long passages at sea, perhaps upwards of 40 or 50 days. It is something quite spectacular to crack a beer on the other side of the Pacific knowing that those nautical miles were earned. Road tripping around New Zealand is bloody dreamy: the hiking and the mountains are off the charts, and the people are just so friendly! But some, such as Australia, will hit you with a hefty fine for showing up without one. Waves lap against the hull, and thats about the only sound you hear. The pass is challenging, as is the anchoring. A freshly caught tuna sizzles in sesame oil. But if you can hunt around for the right latitude, its downwind sailing (yay)! 2022, The Broke Backpacker. The Marquesas are epic volcanic islands that tower over deep waters. From there, they follow the route as previously described. And now, as only a seasoned mariner can, you truly understand why they call it the Big Blue. I once circumnavigated by passing north of Papua New Guinea, avoiding the Southern Hemisphere cyclone season, taking in Palau, the Philippines, and Borneo before dropping back into the Southern Hemisphere for the Indian Ocean passage to southern Africa. You crossed the Pacific freaking Ocean fuck yeah! Ill see you somewhere in the South Pacific! Wherever your starting point is in the east, you will spend a month (give or take) without seeing land. The list of interesting stops from here west includes Tonga, Wallis and Futuna, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. They dont ask about keeping healthy while travelling, breakdowns at sea, or navigation nearly as often. You can set off from Mexico or Ecuador, for example. But every mammoth task is made up of smaller puzzle pieces that come together. The principal difference between an adventurer and a suicide is that the adventurer leaves himself a margin of escape. Tom Robbins. A look at what went into Scenic Group's planning and execution of the sailings that include a visit to the Floriade flower show Summer reading assignment: Autobiographies by Chris Blackwell and J. Robert Harris reveal as much about the world as any travel Like the rest of Europe, Portugal is baking right now. Any destination north of 10 degrees south latitude will keep you out of harms way, albeit without the steady assist of those lovely trade winds. Gone are the whimsical days of letting the winds blow you where they may.
So by the time you get to Palermston Atoll, you can throw your watch overboard! List links external to the wiki such as in Wikipedia & Wikivoyage. Be sure to carry light-wind sails for the early portions of this journey, and equipment and sails suitable for downwind situations. All rights reserved. Commercial diver slash editor slash taco connoisseur - yep, thats Indigo! oocl sailings expanded maiden unveils trans pacific asia portcalls overseas orient expansion container released trade network america north line its If early in the season, all are worth visiting. pacific jump puddle trans sailing larger Diana Simon takes in the view from the bow of. Whats important is that you keep your mind occupied. But scattered across this great blue spectacular, are various incarnations of paradise on Earth.Oh, the Pacific Islands! Just you in your tiny boat-universe traversing the sea and the stars. Next is the paper chase. You cant expect to know this series of islands intimately in just one visit. Along with the first real supermarkets on this side of the Pacific, there are familiar smatterings of Polynesian culture. Typically trolling while underway is the method cruisers go for.
Although the official window for departures from Panama extends from February all the way to June, the trade winds tend to stabilize and strengthen as the year progresses. Or, yknow you can stick to ziplock bags. After adding up the extras, are budget airlines the lowest-cost option. Sailing Totem: Downsizing Your Life To Live On a Boat, Engine Maintenance: Top Ways to Keep Your Exhaust Systems Water Out of the Engine, Sailing Totem: Favorite Instant-Pot Recipes for Cruising, How To Get the Most Out of Your Spinnaker, Connecting to the Natural World Through Rare Shells, The VOYAGE 590: Best Charter Boat of the Year, Cyclone Area: south of 10 S; west of 140 W, Distance: Panama to Australia 8,000 nautical miles, Cultural Areas: Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, Australia/New Zealand, Atlas of Pilot Charts South Pacific, DMA/NOAA, Southbound Evening Net: 6516 kHz at 0100 UTC, Namba/Sheila Net: 8101 kHz at UTC plus 11 hours, Gulf Harbor Radio: 8116 kHz at 0715 local New Zealand time, (There is a host of smaller and temporary VHF and SSB nets throughout the Pacific. What kind of maniac dreams of sailing across the Pacific? SafetyWing is convenient, cheap, and trouble-free Insurance was never this easy! The Pacific Ocean has been singing a siren song promising palm trees, balmy weather, and peaceful winds for centuries. Your trip can begin with a little visit to Panama, heading south to charge through the notorious ICTZ, and riding the south-easterly trades all the way to French Polynesia. Having said that, we do have our favorites. Your first port of call after the big crossing is likely going to be the Marquesas. But what does it look like to be prepared? From this point west, both the northern and southern fleet enter into the South Pacific convergence zone, a dangling arm of the intertropical convergence zone that extends from the Solomon Islands in an east-southeast direction. Generally, it is an area of enhanced convection resulting in a frustrating mix of cloud cover, line squalls and calms. Does the voyage rely on a financial structure subject to change? If I ever end up on the run, dont go looking for me (or my mermaid look-alike) in the Cook Islands! There are three possible options for this route, which are: Each of these routes has their advantages and (many) disadvantages, as discussed below. As an admittedly stubborn form of protest, I sailed right by them on two different occasions. Packing cubes for the globetrotters and compression sacks for thereal adventurers these babies are a travellers best kept secret. There are many good books to read while travelling. So do your stem to stern inspection, steel your nerves, and cast off to sail across the Pacific Ocean. You must press on to the Tuamotus and Society Islands for that. You shouldnt get into your life raft until you are stepping up into your life raft. For every system on the boat, you need tools to maintain and repair it. hydroptere If departing directly from U.S. waters, be aware that U.S. Customs does not normally issue a zarpe, or outbound clearance papers, yet these are required for entry into nearly any other nation. It is indeed an adventure of epic proportions. Preparing systems and the backup systems to backup systems is all part of your preparation. If the early Polynesian navigators can do it, though, so can you and your tin can. For Wikipedia you can use the Wikipedia template & for the Wikivoyage the Wikivoyage template. Theres no point fighting the winds, man! It can be hard to sleep at the best of times on a boat, but it can be done.Might just be me, but the sea monsters are kinda scarier when you sail alone too. A way to supplement your supplies and provide some entertainment is to fish while underway. Fiji is a bit of a crossroads within the Pacific. Even between fixing and tinkering things, there is a lot of time when you sail across the pacific.
But anyone with a little preparation and a bit of know-how can leave themselves a margin of escape. Again, thank you! But before one gets into the minutia of details, they should first step back and consider the bigger picture of sailing across the Pacific. .
Things like lemons that keep well for weeks become a godsend. You might not leave port knowing how to sew anything more than a button to your pants. Adequate sleep is a severely underappreciated necessity! Vanlife has a reputation for making or breaking relationships. This truncates the time to linger in favorite anchorages or tend to inevitable breakdowns and delays. Next, list every country that you may wish to stop in and those in peripheral waters. Some choose to slow down and spend a season working or exploring New Zealand. Nothing is ever impossible, but youve got to have some patience with the winds to sail across the Pacific Ocean from west to east. After travelling Panama, or elsewhere in the Americas, youll likely arrive in French Polynesia.
Yachts are no longer required to rush to Tahiti to extend their initial 30-day visa. And thats where I come in! Sailing is the ultimate slow travel. You can go onwards to Australia and New Zealand, or get stuck in the South Pacific. People always ask me how bad the weather was at sea. I was going to answer this glibly we sail across oceans because land life got boring haha.But I think for every sailor who leaves port there is a different reason as to why they are doing it. The 3,000-mile passage from the Galpagos to the Marquesas will probably be the longest of your sailing career. These islands have been protected from rampant development by a crushing remoteness and therefore arguably remain the cultural heart of Polynesia. Sailors have done it before and theyll damn well do it again!The biggest challenge is making sure you get enough sleep while maintaining good watchkeeping. We dont ask for money, but if youd like to find out how you can help the site in more organic ways, click the button below. What is this forgotten essential of the backpacker-life? It is both Polynesian and Melanesian, and it is also home to a large Indian diaspora. Realistically, anyone who is prepared can take on sailing across the Pacific Ocean. The cost and conditions of a stay in the Galpagos are forever changing. An odyssey of mythical proportions lies ahead of the intrepid sailor who takes on such a crossing. Maybe you bypassed New Zealand and came straight across the Pacific to Australia. You can easily restock the cruising kitty for a season before continuing your sailing circumnavigation. The Society Islands are divided into two groups: the Windwards, including Tahiti and Moorea, and the Leewards, with Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa and, perhaps the most beautiful of them all, Bora Bora. woodford keith rocks partnership trans pacific sail caught says does american interest nz wants again fine he
All good boat plans are written in the sand at high tide, so of course, there are some deviations from the popular route. On one side is the Americas, and somewhere over there is Australia and New Zealand. Aside from adequate supplies, navigation and maintenance know-how, you need to have an adequately prepared crew. Theres also the added dynamic of captain vs crew. Thus, the usual advice is to fall off the southeast trades and make some westing in anticipation of that southwest-to-northwest change. Read the Cook Islands Backpacking Guide HERE! This is all good when you can leave the bar and have a break from them. The very size of the Pacific presents unique challenges, but so too do its strong currents, powerful storms, hazardous coral outcrops and remote low-lying islands. ). Those first stopping in Fatu Hiva have met with mixed results, ranging from spot fines to official clearance. ecoclipper singapura beda medcom pelabuhan maritim pedagang perbandingan pemerintahan businesstimes mldr Make very high-resolution photocopies of your passports and ships papers. Most sailboats tend to be dry while underway, so there arent too many opportunities for drug bending entertainment. Also, the point of cruising the Pacific is usually balmy weather. When you walk around your boat, ask yourself: how likely is this to break, and if this broke, could I fix it? Even with all the modern navigational conveniences, plotting a course through the Tuamotus requires extra vigilance and care. Although the majority of the South Pacific islands would remain unexplored, Tahiti is the earliest cutout for those needing to return to North America because its easterly location allows for a viable starboard tack through the southeast and northeast trades to Hawaii. But, there are still vague targets and timelines that guide your Pacific Crossing. challenger Its a long passage 40 to 50 days. What kind of person puts thousands of nautical miles between them and the nearest semblance of land? In addition, you need to be competent to undertake any repairs along the way, and then confident enough to be able to undertake them in a rolling sea. Sailing across the Pacific is made easier with good supplies and a creative touch in the galley! Your friend might be a perfectly competent sailor. The boat sinking storms are concentrated in hurricane or cyclone season. Close. With a little initiation into the trials and tribulations of boat life, a cornucopia of experience awaits the adventurer who sails across the Pacific. You also need to have sufficient supplies, spare parts, fuel and water to take on a passage of this length. But, come May, the odds drop to almost zero. As anchoring depths are prohibitive, deep moorings are available. Very few cruising guides discuss these routes, however World Cruising Routes (see References below), mentions 3 or 4 possible routes via the South Pacific Ocean in the section Routes from New Zealand. If you leave Panama around March, you will arrive in the South Pacific right at the beginning of the best cruising season. If you are considering this route, you need a boat that will be good upwind, and also be prepared to face large oncoming seas for most of the journey. I think I powered through close to forty books in the first Pacific passage I was on. There is one item every traveller NEEDS. (2022). Import duties, brokerage costs and currency exchange rates must be factored into this strategy. Those in a hurry to reach Tahiti tend to pass through the wider channels at the northern end of the chain, perhaps visiting Ahe, Manihi and the main center of Rangiroa. It tends to shift to the northeast in El Nio years and southwest in the La Nia phase. Some travellers dont even know they need it, but those travellers need it more than anyone. Its advisable to head slightly east of south when heading out of the Gulf; the western promontory is aptly named Punta Mala (Bad Point) due to its penchant for confused currents and squally weather. An EPIC bucket list adventure if I ever dreamed of one! sailings Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. If you plan to rent cars for touring, it is best to obtain an international drivers license before departure. This route can be fast, but also tiring and damaging to both boat and crew. The reputation of this leg has more bark than bite, but it cannot be denied that tropical weather events drifting down from the Coral Sea and cold fronts coming up from the Southern Ocean have dramatic potential.
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