In November, we hand over CanKata to a new owner. Darrel has written a summary of our adventures with her, and Loretta selected some photos to highlight how much beauty the adventures added to our lives.
2002/2003
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Our first visit to what was then called "Camcat".
Loretta is trying to figure out if we can afford her. |
We purchased CanKata in Florida in February, 2002.
We sailed CanKata up the East coast of United States
with one short leg up the international waterway. We entered the Hudson River
at New York and transited the Erie
and Oswego canals into Lake Ontario.
We kept CanKata is this area to fit her up for long distance cruising and to get
accustomed to sailing her.
2004
In September, 2004 we left Canada and returned south through the Oswego and Erie canals,
down the Hudson River to New York and then sailed
offshore to Cape May. From there we went up
the Delaware Bay and through the canal into Chesapeake Bay.
After cruising down Chesapeake Bay we joined the West Marine 1500 Rally in Norfolk, Virginia from
which we left on our first long offshore voyage down to the British Virgin
Islands in the Caribbean. We cruised the BVI’s
and the US Virgin Islands for a month and then moved south to St.
Martin.
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| Chesapeake Bay |
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| The Rally heading off to the BVIs |
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On our trip to the BVIs, flying fish often landed on the boat.
We didn't really eat them. |
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| In the BVIs |
2005
We sailed through the Caribbean Islands (St.
Martin, Sint Maarten, Saint Barts, Saba, St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, Montserrat,
Guadeloupe, Marie Galante, Isles des Saintes, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia,
St. Vincent, Canouan, Mayreau, Union Island, Bequia, Grenadines, Carriacou,
Grenada) down to Trinidad for hurricane season and then later in the year back
up into the Caribbean Islands for another season.
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This was a big dream of ours ... to anchor in this bay in
St. Martin and eat at this fabulous restaurant. |
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| Anchoring at Tintamarre |
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| Tintamarre, St. Martin |
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| St. Martin |
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| Caribbean sunset |
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| Martinique |
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| Oops - this cat had a bad landing. |
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| Hauled in Trinidad |
2006
We spent the non-hurricane season in the Caribbean Islands
and returned to Trinidad for the hurricane
season where we did final preparations on CanKata to commence our
circumnavigation. In October we headed west towards Panama
with stops in Los Testigos, Blanquilla, Los Roques, Las Aves, Bonair, Curacao, Aruba and the San Blas Islands. We transited the Panama
Canal leaving to our stern the Atlantic Ocean and entering the Pacific Ocean at the end of December.
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| Again at Tintamarre, St. Martin |
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| Anchored at Forchue, near St. Barts |
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| A "jump up" in St. Martin |
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| Walking the beach at Tintamarre |
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| A rugged shoreline at Tintamarre |
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| A sand spit at St. Martin |
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| A Caribbean sunset |
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| Could never get enough of these: Playful Dolphins |
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| A double rainbow (the double barely visible, but there, in reverse) |
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| We never ever lost appreciation for the beautiful skies of the Caribbean |
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| A photogenic local boat |
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| A typical beautiful Caribbean beach |
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| Fishing was good! |
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| Walking the beach ... a favorite activity. |
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| A "squid" getting a well-deserved rest. |
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| The swallows in Trinidad loved our fishing rod |
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| The anchorage in Trinidad - commercial but lovely nonetheless. |
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| Bad weather coming! |
Photos of the islands north of Venezuela and the ABC islands:
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| Las Aves - town council? |
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| Las Aves - mama and baby |
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| Darrel scuba diving in Bonaire. |
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| Loretta snorkelling in Bonaire. |
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| The beautiful colours of Bonaire. |
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| Downtown Bonaire. |
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| Curaçao |
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| Curaçao |
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| San Blas islands |
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| Fruit vendors in San Blas |
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| A hand-crafted "mola" from San Blas |
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| Crabs were plentiful in the San Blas islands. |
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There's always work to do on CanKata, even in the San Blas.
(Bow seats, before and after). |
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| Another island in the San Blas. |
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| The perfect back rest. |
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| Another back rest starting to grow. |
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| Local boats in the San Blas. |
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| A beautiful shoreline in the San Blas. |
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Leaving the Caribbean - an emotional moment -
and preparing to transit the Panama Canal. |
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| First - Christmas in the Chagres River. |
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| All set for a turkey dinner in the Chagres River, Panama. |
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| Old tires to protect CanKata while going through the Panama locks. |
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| CanKata and another cat going through the Panama locks. |
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| Into the Pacific Ocean! |
2007
We left Panama on March
8th to begin our longest passage, i.e., 4100 nautical miles – 36 days, to the
French Marquesas in the South Pacific. After
visiting the French Marquesas (Hiva Oa, Atuona, Hanamoenoa, Fatu Hiva) we
stopped in the Tuamotus (Ahe Atoll, Rangiroa Atoll) and then into Tahiti. From
there we then cruised through Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora,
Rarotonga, Niue, Tonga (Neiafu, Vakaeitu, Kapa Island,
Pangai Island, Euakafa Island, Mala Islet), Fiji (Savu Savu, Makogai,
Naigani Island, Nananu, Nukuivovo, Lautoka, Malolo Lailai, Musket Cove,
Beachcomber Island, Namotu, Momi Bay), and New Caledonia and its Isle of Pines.
After eight months of cruising through the South Pacific we arrived in Brisbane,
Australia in October just before the southern hemisphere’s hurricane season
began.
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| Panama, Pacific side. |
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| We shared the anchorage with lots of big ships. |
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| We went to Las Perlas, and visitors flew in to meet us. |
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| A Las Perlas beach. |
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| A Las Perlas sunset. |
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| Snorkelling in Las Perlas. That's not CanKata. |
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| Las Perlas anchorage ... I think CanKata is in there somewhere. |
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| A beach fire in Las Perlas. |
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| Rhythm pals. |
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| Always good - food that comes with its own dish. |
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| A creation by Dawn (Darrel's sister). |
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| Crossing the equator! |
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| Proof. |
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| It was a calm, slow crossing, so we put up another sail to catch more wind. |
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| It was so slow and calm, we were able to "drag" for a quick cool-down. |
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Sunrises and sunsets were unobstructed (except for the odd cloud)
when we crossed from Panama to the Marquesas. |
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| LAND AFTER 36 DAYS AT SEA! |
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| Laundry - just sarongs. |
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| Yeah - fresh fruit. |
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| A Polynesian beach. |
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| Waiting to hitch a ride into town. |
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| A Polynesian beach. |
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| The only dinghy on the beach. It was a gentle landing. |
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| Breath-taking shorelines. |
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| A much-appreciated shop. Not many around the small islands. |
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| We visited a pearl farm (they are in abundance). See the pearl? |
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| A pearl farm. |
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| Beach combing in Polynesia - for pearls maybe? |
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| A calm Polynesian anchorage. |
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| Beautiful Tahiti. |
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| Rugged Polynesian skyline. |
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| A river cruise. |
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| There was never a shortage of flowers for her hair. |
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| Loretta and Lynn admiring a Polynesian view. |
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| Graceful Polynesian dancers. |
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| Beach-combing with friends. |
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| Local children watching the boat races. |
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| The winners. |
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| CanKata, with Bora Bora in the background. |
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| Bananas were in abundance. |
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| The locals let Loretta try on a traditional costume.. |
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| A Polynesian beach and a threatening sky. Time to get back to the boat! |
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| Dance competition. |
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| An anchorage close to a luxury resort. |
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These cost a pretty penny to rent.
Just ask Tom Cruise. |
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| The rugged little island of Niue. |
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| Always appreciated - an ice cream stop. |
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| Canadians helped fund a school in Niue. |
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| A whale - perhaps trying to make friends with SY Talerra? |
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| It was a challenge to hike along the rugged shore. |
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| We found a little oasis. |
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| Climbing out of the oasis. |
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| Carefully trying to find a path along the shore. |
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| Moonscape on Niue. |
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| Rarotonga |
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| We hiked up a mountain in Rarotonga for a fantastic view. |
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| We rented a bike to tour the island and search for an ice cream stop. |
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Our first time to moor this way.
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| A basket from Tonga. |
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| A sunset in Tonga. |
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Yikes - we were very worried that this worker might fall.
He didn't. |
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| Yeah - another ice cream stop. |
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| Local transportation in Tonga. |
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| Putting in our order. |
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| School uniforms in Tonga - very traditional. |
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| Beach combing in Tonga. |
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| A lovely little resort in Tonga. |
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| A friendly anchorage. |
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We hiked for a view.
This night, we heard the whale songs. |
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| Our first anchorage in Fiji. |
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| A common sighting in Fiji - a Tiki. |
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| We took a scenic bus ride in Fiji. |
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| No problem landing the dinghy. |
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| CanKata at anchor in Fiji |
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| Checking out a beach in Fiji |
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| Local talent |
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| Fiji race week - we joined this boat. |
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| Darrel joined the kayak race. |
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| New Caledonia |
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| Tricky to get into this anchorage in Isles des pins - but worth it! |
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| Perfect - a safe landing, only one there. |
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| Gunkholing in the dinghy in a New Caledonia lagoon. |
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| Wonder why they call this "Iles des pins"? |
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| At a waterfall in New Cal |
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| We took a river cruise in New Cal with the dinghy |
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| ARRIVING IN AUSTRALIA |
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| Waiting for Customs, Immigration and Quarantine inspections |
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| Exploring an Australian beach |
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| Low tide |
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| Soooooo different from the South Pacific |
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| Our first exposure to a multi-didgeridoo player |
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| First time for a lorikeet to land on our boat |
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| Sooooo different from the South Pacific |
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| Getting ready to anchor in Brisbane |
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| The mimic |
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| We're not really that tall, or that slim. |
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| Our first "Beach Closed" sign |
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| A lively Australian market |
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| Costumes quite different from those in the South Pacific |
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| Not CanKata. Soooo different from the South Pacific. |
CONTINUED IN NEXT BLOG ENTRY ...
