We arrived back home on Thursday 2nd July on the French Navy Patrol Warship La Glorieuse, adding an unexpected but exciting end to our adventure from the children’s perspective. We’re sorry to have lost our beloved Carenza to the bottom of the sea, but grateful to have all our family safe and well.
Charles will post his report as to what happened and the damage caused to the bulkhead and keel, which resulted in him requesting for us to be taken off the vessel, once the insurance have finished with their assessment. In the meantime, check the media coverage via the internet links listed below.
We have to say that we never felt ‘terrified’, there were some scary moments, but we prayed together as a family and felt calm and protected at all times, and we could feel the prayers of others on our behalf.
Are we put off sailing? Absolutely not, we were managing fine in the storm, it was horrible weather, big seas, crashing waves and wet, but that’s all part of sailing; and we’ve had the most fantastic holiday and the adventure of a lifetime.
Hopefully we’ll soon be able to post some photos on the blog for you to see, now we’re back in the land of fast and working internet access!
A big thank you to all our family and friends for your support before our trip, during our time away (in the form of heartfelt prayers) and especially after it all went down. We are gradually picking up the pieces and returning to life as normal.
Joy
Here’s the hyperlinks, hope they still work, this is rapidly becoming old news (thank goodness!):
Josh & Tom’s interview:
http://www.3news.co.nz/TVShows/CampbellLive/Terrifying-three-days-on-the-high-seas/tabid/367/articleID/111045/cat/84/Default.aspx#video
Scoophttp://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0907/S00015.htm
TelevisionTV1http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvnz_smartphone_story_skin/2823543http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_video/windows/one_news/6pm_rescue_020709_128k.asxTV3articlehttp://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/NZ-family-rescued-by-French-warship-arrive-back-home/tabid/423/articleID/110945/cat/64/Default.aspxvideohttp://www.3news.co.nz/Video/National/tabid/309/articleID/110945/cat/64/Default.aspx#videoNZ Herald Tribune article http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10582223video http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/video.cfm?c_id=1&gal_objectid=10582223&gallery_id=106262Nelson Mailhttp://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/national-news/2560876/Homework-goes-to-bottom-of-the-sea-with-family-yachtyahoohttp://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/5694676/family-with-six-children-rescued-from-yacht/
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Day 61
Tuesday 30th June 2009
Position 30deg 57min South, 173deg 53min East
Boat speed 5-6kts, bearing 175deg true
Beating windward for 3 days in winds of 20-30 knots gusting 40plus, swells of 4 to 6 meters, have seen the odd ten meter one, waves continually breaking over and flooding the cockpit. Currently 360 Nautical Miles from Auckland, with the weather unlikely to change, we are all feeling sick, but surviving.
Josh
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Day 58
Saturday 27th June 2009
Position 26deg 05min South, 178deg 15min East
Winds 10 to 15kts North Easterly, heading 230 true at a boat speed of 5 to 6 kts. We�ve had a reasonable day with a few showers � somehow this time the trip feels a lot slower and we are keen to be home. It�s a long way. We are looking forward to a more northerly wind shift tomorrow and an increase in boat speed. This dead down wind sailing under head sail although easy has an unpleasant motion, and the kids have spent most of the day sleeping with the lethargy that comes with a bit of sea sickness. Skipper Its true time goes quite slowly, it seems there are only 3 things to do on board, sleep, stare aimlessly at the empty horizon or cough up your guts overboard. Not quite, but the days just seem to plod by. Dads been great, picking up our slack when we sleep, and is reading Ella Enchanted to keep us entertained. However it is frustrating to know we will only be home in a week. I�d better find something todo or I might loose my mind :P Missing home a lot, although it is good to be with my family. Josh (with Emma over my shoulder)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Day 57
Friday 26th June 2009
Position 24deg 23min South, 179deg 45min West
We�re nearly back in the Eastern Hemisphere. Made South Minerva at about 9.30 am winds were blowing a good 20 to 30kts with a lumpy sea. We dropped anchor and went for a swim and made the vessel shipshape. We changed the head sail from no 3 back to the number 2 and left by midday. It was great to show Josh this awesome spot albeit for only a short period. The weather however was not great and it was overcast but Josh enjoyed it. The wind has shifted to the North East and has slowed somewhat so the seas are not bad but we are presently under motor to try and keep our daily averages up. Mum took the opportunity to make dinner while in Minerva and we had a good breakfast of omelet sandwiches. We have been doing shift of 3 on 6 off but no one seems to be sleeping 6 hours so we will try 2 on 4 off tonight and see how it goes. The temperature has certainly dropped and the crew are wearing thermals under their wet weather gear. Boy are they in for a surprise in a few days time. Could just make out Black Adder on the radio � they are very nearly home. We also hear from Robin and Rick on Endangered species they are happily in Musket cove � wish we were too. It was also good to keep an all important sked with Sunstone this morning to discuss weather with Tom.- we essentially will have a low approach as we arrive north of New Zealand and the winds will turn westerly then south westerly � hopefully we will reach the top of the North Island in time. It might also require us to make for Opua instead of Auckland but we will know closer to the time.
Skipper
Day 56
Thursday 25th June 2009
Position: 23deg 49min South, 179deg 00min West
A lumpy day at sea for all of us. Tom and Emma were sick and all of us felt queasy. Making good time towards South Minerva. Made about 160nm in the last 24 hours.
Matt
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Day 55
Wednesday 24th June 2009
21deg 20min South, 175 deg 41min West
Final day � walk into town to immigration to have the passports stamped and fill in forms. Vatuni picked me as I was leaving and off to the Harbour Authority to pay money and get a receipt and then off to customs (yet another building) to show stamped passports receipt for harbour fees, and get our clearance certificate to show to customs in NZ. We filled the advance arrival form for NZ and asked Vatuni to fax for us. Sad goodbyes to Vatuni as he and his family have been very good to us. We cast off our stern lines and picked up our anchor and off we went to Pangimotu to anchor and swim and clean the hull. Josh and the kids went ashore to have one last tropical island experience (first for Josh) and we weighed anchor for the last time in Tonga 1:15pm (TST). The winds are South Easterly and the sea still rough with swells 4 to 6 meters with a few cross swells. The winds are 25 kts gusting over 30 and we have settled into the night with a triple reefed main and a storm jib making a good 6kts. We all feel a bit sea sick and so no dinner just something to drink and some snacks. We are aware of not so good weather up ahead � our plan is to go to Minerva to show Josh if we pass in daylight. Then make our way to a position 30South 172East above NZ and hopefully thereby be in a position to handle the Westerlies we are expecting (which no doubt will become Southerlies in due course)
Skipper
oh and thankyou grandad and granny jo for the caterpillar juice. its going down a treat. just what we needed.
Day 54
Tuesday 23rd June 2009
Nuku�alofa Harbour
Tuesday was spent doing some final shopping (everything is a mission), we even managed to squeeze in another 10liters of diesel. (Tongan diesel is a high sulpher diesel and realy smells). The weather is still overcast with the odd bit of rain � reflecting our mood about leaving. But we are all excited about picking Josh up from the airport. Vatuni arrived later in the afternoon and helped with some final stuff and off to the airport. A cold wind blew from the South and we were surprisingly cold. So much excitement to see Josh (who had left his booking till late and ended up getting a business class seat at my expense much to his delight and my ��) The children stayed up late into the night talking.
Skipper
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