Enroute to NZ!

It's so strange,when you are conscious of an anticipated journey of all sorts,and - voila- its here,your living it now...we are actually ,right now,motoring out of a reefy pass ,we've checked out of the beautiful darling Fiji,heading out for the final passage to NewZealand. Final passage that is,of our first leg in this intension to circumnavigate. 1100 miles to go ...we have all the chart and weather information technically and humanly possible to buoy the skipper and thus this crew for a safe and informed passage.
David has done a fine job,he has choreographed the trip,we work well at this point as a team,Joey,the second mate,primed after his 18 th birthday Sunday ,has preformed handy magic with the main sail winches, they were full of salt ,now spin mellifluously. Olivia went to town with David to do the last minuet market corral. She has drafted a schedule for our night shifts. Yesterday I walked part way from Vuda Point Marina to Lautoka,"sugar city"with Wendy to do the big last shop..And to devour the oozing essence of a city that, at least fifty percent of the population - is joyously preparing for the Hindu Diwali: festival of lights tomorrow. I just loved..the shops! So much alluring colour and titillating Indian music . So Fun!! Its been a long long time,shopping for unnecessities ,that is... one of those things I hate/ love ,therefore,miss/ don't miss.
We had a final dinner at the marina aboard,Beyond,our good Kiwi friends who completed a five year circumnavigation in Lautoka. I just love their boat,she is the proverbial wee yacht,like, a nautical, " little engine that could" -blue water worthy,aesthetically quaint and steely noble.
It is HOT ,so very hot.While David and Olivia went to check out I went for a swim in the 98.6 degree water,I was disgusted to see that when I came back aboard,every hair on my body was accentuated in a fine black soot..the town processes both pine and sugarcane but,ewwww...
Once we get through-out the tricky reef strung pass,the last detail: we must all dive in to clean the hull,the barnacles ,they slow us down..we unanimously hate this job...hate it!

ahem...
6days later
SOG 8.1( speed over ground )
31degrees28.274south
174degrees.53.783east
224 miles to go

"Now",is a very etherial concept,for just before completion of this note ..a note to inform,the skipper became agitated - overwhelmed,and Ive been there before,I'm sure you have to- you know when you try to be cool and level headed to the point where you just didn't rally with enough force and there is that pivot when the mind abruptly changes channels ,sees it all anew and panic obliterates the resolve. To put it simply,the skipper said," What the hell I need help! I'm starving!Stop writing that no longer important email!!"

Therefore,
The now was then and my *now is still in turbulent seas,and this won't be sent until our now is in NZ....
* this passage has been a washing machine but fast, it's a port tac beam reach at60 degrees..bumpy nauseating.. and Its getting colder and colder as we sail south!! How weird is that?? I'm wearing a big Canadian Roots sweat shirt- from Goodwill ,which I miss.Last 2 nights Ive used a fleece blanket!! So odd after months of what feels like perpetual hot flash
I could go on but it will make me queasiest .I'm sure you've got a lot to do. You may even
be doing three other things while reading this,you may be skimming and once you caught the drift of my digressive ramble stopped altogether...that's OK ,I remember..
If you receive this we will be safe and landed and doing loads of laundry and hunting for our buried cold weather cloths...help me God...I haven't put that one pair of jeans on for 1 year this Nov.6,last run ,Nov.7
Miss you
Peg

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Fwd: Fiji newsflash

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Peggy Hill <peghill6@gmail.com>
Date: October 18, 2011 3:12:16 PM GMT+13:00
To: "hilljeremy8@gmail.com" <hilljeremy8@gmail.com>
Cc: jdaziz@dophes.com
Subject: Fiji newsflash

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Ferocious Island Rain on Canadian Thanksgiving

Can't talk on all the phone calls David avidly makes.
Nothing upbeat to say,and I should have chapters of ' thrill ' to narrate...
Is it the rain?
Is it me?
We are staying up the hill, in a B and B,follow me here,up the road from the Fiji town ,Savu Savu and away from The Copper Shed Marina where Rhythm is mooring ...
David met Rod at the upholsterer in town.Rod is from Australia and has this shiny new house overlooking the sea. We are enjoying the mammoth space; kitchen with a multitude of appliances,a large oven,fridge,the works. Washer dryer,hot water showers,solid earth beneath our beds . Why can't this make me happy?
We had a fun evening last night,Sunday here,we initiated a pot luck for our thanksgiving ceremony.I made an island version of pumpkin pie- added shredded coconut,don't worry..Olivia made a traditional one too. We cooked a big chicken and David dressed it and made a hearty gravy. We taxied to the marina where Rhythm and our sailing community were awash in rain.The crews and skippers trickled in and we toasted and feasted. We turned to the Rugby world cup and cheered along side our South African,Australian friends present in team shirts. Olivia has become very entranced with the game,proud to know her bro Jeremy played and keen to learn every rule. We taxied back,up past where the pavement ends ,along the red running dirt road to Rods.
Today,early rise and yoga on the spacious deck right out our bedroom. Cooking here is a pleasure. We made use of what food stuffs we brought. I cooked scrambled eggs and tossed into a spicy cabbage salad...I had a craving. Yesterday I went solo on a cathartic walk along the beach ,the beach was the first of this trip with the grand birth of a very low tide..Today David and walked,but it was brief and very wet.I had a hot shower,i got into my jammies...I did laundry.I made daal. Joey made choc.chip cookies with coconut oil,borrowing Rods sugar. Joey nurses his necrosis..well,it looks very deathly,his athletes foot has turned rotten,oozing,open sores red and frightening looking. it's so very good that he is off the perpetually wet boat.Tomorrow,Tuesday,shops reopen after a holiday Monday and we will take him to the clinic.
Olivia does math.David writes a long long long letter Joey floats Rod floats,I am on the fringe
As usual.
Thinking of Jeremy and Philippa and glad David is so so so good at calling them ,he being always happy and cheery.
Hopefully ,more exuberant descriptive reporting will come to you soon
..whoever actually reads this...hopefully not my Happy Class teacher,Id be failing,
sadly

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Fwd: Goodbye Summer....

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Begin forwarded message:

From: Antoinette Ridout <antoinette.ridout@gmail.com>
Date: September 24, 2011 5:29:19 PM GMT-11:00
To: Peggy Hill <peghill6@gmail.com>
Subject: Goodbye Summer....

Thinking of you on Satday night.

I declare,I Love Tonga

I declare,I Love Tonga
Joey is back aboard!
One week ago,
O.K, two weeks ago
we arrived to the aftermath of the full moon party we were bound from American Samoa to join. Many sailing friends were here for the local regatta, sailboat races, ridiculous races,parties,games,all proceeds for the enhancement of the local education . Early that Sunday morning,coming into the green,flat topped hilly islands we were initiated into Tongas splendor ,astounded by the presence and arc of a humpback whale.I cannot find the words to express the feeling it invoked in me.
We moored at Niafu ,the town where immigration checks us into The Vava' U group of the 170 Tongan islands.We choose a mooring,advised by friends who have been amongst the large group participating in the towns regatta. A sailing race had taken many to a beach at the far end and they were sailing back Monday morning . Don Quixote,Discovery,Salamander,Steel Sapphire,Julianno2 ,Top Secret,Yaringa,Narama -and long anticipated,Wendy on Beyond all here .Over the weeks more friends from longer ago and further away , trickle back into our GPS.New friends merge,moving with us through and passed new places.
We moored and Joey and Olivia vamoosed to Kirks boat Discovery to join Don Quixote and others who were seeking a quiet anchorage to hang over for a night.
David and I went to track down Beyond ,anchored at the races end,a beach a car ride away.
We had an exuberant visit with John and Wendy,two dinners and a party BBQ for the regatta awards.A great band satisfied my enduring longing to get up and dance,like a tribal claim. They left for Fiji last week, completing a five year circumnavigation. WOW! We will meet them before our final leg to NewZealand .
In the Vava' U there are 42 numbered anchorages,the names too difficult to pronounce.We have been to two so far,#7 and # 17. Peaceful,easy,temperate with rain,caves that take you out of your comfort zone..,outrageous coral- seen from my kayak and through mask. swimming- so healing and comforting,despite the odd jelly fish....
Today,Sunday morning,peaceful,early is Mums Birthday.So strange to think we are a day ahead of our home Canada. On Thursday David,Joey and Olivia choreographed. a perfect birthday for me. David arranged with the locals at anchorage17 to have a Tongan feast,a " porker party" with fish salad,roast spuds ,grilled fish and all our neighbors in the anchorage.It poured rain but we got close on the porch of the local one room school house .We sat and ate our abundantly full plates at small wood desks established with Tongan names written in each right hand corner and English words taped to the backs of things . It would have been a perfect day if I could have had Jeremy and Philippa and all my loves from home walk with David and I that morning on a big lonely beach and share the sight - a spout of exclaim from a far off whale. The funny part,with all the nice to Peg for a day slogans,when I woke the next morning I found that I could use the worlds rotation to declare that in Canada,it was in fact still my birthday! despite my huge surprise of a new computer(!!) I haven't been able to get to face book and have only had a few exchanges via our ocens satellite email account.I sooo look forward to notes from home .
Today we are going to church,with our appropriate length dresses and most certainly a camera in hand," Sunday best" here in the islands is extreme,colorful and delightful.

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Gypsies,Nomads,Sailors

Gypsies,Nomads,Sailors
On Suwarrow Cook Island Atoll

We attended our last shark feed and potluck dinner on Suwarrow last night. They are so very special. In the morning,James demonstrated how to make coconut pancakes by first collecting the sprouted coconut pod with no more than two to three leaves,inside, the coconut milk is solid ,spongy and sweet,the meat ,closest to the shell is at this stage,hard opaque and bland tasting,to be tossed. One grates the "pod" and then combines equal parts flour ,sugar to taste and then mix with enough fresh water to create a consistency like that of a cow pie. Then they are ready to deep fry. I recommend using coconut oil - just enough to coat the pan . It was special too as John had collected upon the reef many purple spined sea urchins. A delicacy ,one eats them freshly opened ,with condiments as one would dress oysters,I enhanced the slither with lime and hot sauce ,conscious of it's high price at restaurants world wide .I had to trust the park ranger in John in his call to share the creatures with us. I had just began to collect on the beach the washed up purple pencil shaped coral/ shells that were once the live spikes on the sea urchins body. I'm going to send them home for my girlfriends...The entire atoll is made up of coral of course and Ive been really disciplined about not bringing too much aboard. The evening was fun and entertaining as always . I really get a kick out of the two older American men solo sailing ,Kennedy,a lawyer from Alabama aboard FarStar and Jerry aboard Challenger,a North Carolina man who caught his first shark at age 12. Just to hear the two of them speak on the radio is a daily treat.Last night Kennedy commented on my dress,I like a lady who dresses up. Oh man! I couldn't measure up to the feminine glam of those southern gals. Oh yes ,practicing divorce law for27 years he confessed,displayed many a gilded woman...
To think I was forlorn and I was sad to see our new friends leave on Saturday and didn't think the " new fleet" would find me a friend,however,I find with yachties we nomads have a very strong bond in our common denominator. I met a woman last night,Jo,born in Canada,married Rob,an Aussie.His family are boat builders and while they were married and honeymooned in Bequia,they designed,BlueMoon before returning home to build her. They are now enroute back to NZ where they bought a fine strip of land on the north island where they plan on building an earth bound home. There is one powerboat among our fleet,a rarity and the couple,Adam and Eve are from Los Angeles ,the boat called...Eden! they seem so clean and fit and young and talk passionately about the tv series,she saying thats all there is to do.I suspect,I betchcha,that they've got a little gym aboard! I really enjoy Warren and Marie aboard,( I forget)Met them in Riatea. they are Dutch and I got all excited talking about Laura and Guppy and Jillian.( as I always do and realize I miss them both and often wonder how Laura is doing and where she is,Marie informed me that she is already entering the Torres Strait!! Almost clearing Australia!!)

Yesterday I thought,if I can see something even a little thrilling of nature daily and talk to someone I've just met,daily I think this trip is indeed healthy and bountiful. However,not complete,even Eli says ,one needs a hobby. Ive tried to engage Olivia in some sewing,the machine is poised and if we cant sew in Suwarrow,we never will!!...? The last few days I've struggled with that pull between the frenetic life I've left behind and living so very close to nature at a pace that is,at present not very demanding. I'm reading and swimming daily,cooking and being a little social.David today seems happy and proud as he just cooked his first loaf of bread.I've decided we all need to take turns ,I made the one white loaf underway,Olivia spent. A day making traditional boiled and baked bagels and next will be Eli who wants to make Naan ,Indian bread.

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Blog Adrift

Blog Adrift
I've tried,honestly,Ive tried to catch up and blog about the last8 weeks. Or more?It's just so daunting and the attempts are like a reef wreckage.
I can only begin here and now to save the day.
We are anchored in the inner waters of the island of Suwarrow. It's almost been two weeks since we entered into the dreamy serenity of this Cook Island Atoll. We swiftly entered the pass and rounded into the quiet waters where all the boats were nestled , we wove through ,sleepy from our shared night shifts,motoring into the fold of the twenty-something boats in the harbor. A reunion ,like a warm breast,with many familiar yachts .Finally we caught up with Salamander! There was Gromit ,new Canadian friends we met in Huahine and there is Steel Sapphire. Waved beneath white sassy shades revealed David, he and Kendra from TopSecret ,now aboard "This Side up " We anchored with a clear and perfect view of the island and a swimmy-welcome from 3 black tipped sharks,plentiful and curious but not aggressive.
We are Eli,Olivia ,David and I.
We are in a whole new world here,so at variance to the rowdydow of our crossing from Galapagos,the darling and social hubbub of The Trifon Romance,the arrival of Eli and the departure of Joey and the arrival of Rob,Squeak,Charlie and Brooke.
The deeply committed and successful cultivation of our own working structures for living in harmony together aboard Rhythm....The Spanish to French cultures we attempted ;explored,shopped,photographed and the islands and waters we submerged ourselves into together. It was full and rich with a forever lasting connected memoir .
Whole ,New- This was weighty for me personally . It was particular to my longings as longing relates to my faith in this voyage . During our passage we "celebrated" ,meaning we said out loud, Today,Aug 5th,marks 1 year aboard Rhythm. I attempted to process this,or actually more like judge that. This or that- where was I at ?Suwarrow delivers the island dream,the desert island with real sharks,aqua marine waters,no shops,English speaking,it resembles camp as the island is park land .We adore the two Cook Island tattooed park wardens ,men with large hearts and the spirituality of true indigenous people with deep connections to the preservation of nature .James and John host regular potlucks,take us on reef walks ,welcome anniversary and birthday celebrations in the club house or on the beach. Eli has fished with John , catching grouper,barracuda,cod. John has husked coconuts for me and given me a reflexology foot massage.John grows lettuce and bok choy .
The Yachties ! What a fabulous group of people. We all share the cosy dreamy response to this island,This is what all our efforts have been about. Like the title to Tom Neals book,based on Suvarov,as he spells it,"An Island To Ones own. "We are,however,so very together here.
David and Eli went out,under the light and lure of the full moon on three different occasions to hunt for lobsters . We feasted aboard rhythm with Salamader after the first score .We celebrated next with Yaringa and Narama after more "bug"were brought back in the surreal light of the bright night. I slept on the bow,there is very little rain and a heaven full of sultry cool night breeze.Mmmmmm
We are now running low on fresh stores,still have lots of flour and rice,however,we are on the last dried fruit,a tub full of diced veggies ,enhanced with canned asparagus and hearts of palm marinating in the fridge- I long for and passionately crave these southern Ontario treasures: peaches,blueberries,strawberries,raspberries,watermelon, cantaloupes ,corn on the cob,beef steak tomatoes,rock hard apples...last night I was dying,dying as I ate abundantly from a bag of dried apricots and a pack of sugar finger cookies- yetch...
We will soon set sail for American Samoa,where Eli will depart and Joey will arrive. Joey will have two more grade 12 credits in his back pocket.
Next stop is Tonga where we languorously waylay our sojourns to destination NewZealand.

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