Blue water baby...

Finally Ravi's passport arrived on Friday. We'd applied for it when he was 5 days old at the end of September, now he's a chunky 2 ½ months. Much to every Fijians surprise a Fijian passport was never an option since neither of us have citizenship. Apart from being a little pedantic about the background of a photo which is supposed to show authorities what Ravi looks like up until he is five years old, the delays were numerous but mostly not to do with the UK passport authority. Once a countersigned photo and covering letters for all our irregularities were received, the passport was sent on the 21st November. It then proceeded to take 17 days to get here. That was on DHL expedited documents service which estimates 4-5 working days. Customs was the main problem in the UK, apparently they always sit on passports for a bit before worrying about looking at them and sending them on. At every stage it seemed to need chasing.

Anyhow back to Friday. We picked up the passport from the lovely marina ladies and then were sung out by an ad-hoc gang singing the Fijian farewell song ‘Ni Sa Lei...’ as we rowed back to Impetuous anchored outside. A sail north up to the port had us checking out just in time on a Friday afternoon... Or so we thought. 

We’d visited the port twice in the previous two days checking details would be ok for our imminent departure and enquiring about overtime fees in case we had to leave at the weekend. At neither of these visits had Peni the customs officer felt the urge to inform us that we had to add Ravi to our crew officially with immigration. Their office is in town and only open during office hours. We'd already been to see them that week to ask for a few days visa extension since we were now over the 6 months readily allowed, but no one at that time had mentioned the need for this extra form either. 

We quickly realised that we needed to stop arguing in frustration and find a taxi and get there, before the office closed in 15 minutes. We ooched and owed along the hot tarmac without shoes and flagged down the first taxi we saw. ‘Please straight to the immigration office and with the meter on please', there was no time for bargaining prices. For once no queue in immigration meant the simple and pathetically short form was filled and stamped in moments. Back at the port Peni was true to his word and waiting for us just past 4pm, his knocking off time, he didn't have the gall to charge us overtime and by half past we were free to leave. 

Smug in the knowledge that all the port officials were heading to a party so there was therefore not going to be anyone around to notice us taking a bit of time. We went into town to spend our last few Fijian dollars and back to get both dinghy's stowed away.

As dusk fell on Lautoka we pulled up the anchor and main sail waving ‘see you sometime' to friends on ‘Eos' and ‘au revoir' to this Western section of Fiji we have gotten to know quite well.

It was a gentle drift out towards the pass and a gentle drift once outside too. Still in the wind shadow of Viti Levu for many hours to come. A few squalls later then finally the SE trades graced us with their presence mid Saturday morning. Since then it has been a surprisingly rambunctious sail to New Caledonia. The forecast seemed to say 15-20 knots on the beam, ideal. However we've had the staysail stowed and the jib and main both double reefed getting sloshed by short steep waves until the last day when we've slowed ourselves to a gentle 6 knots with only double reefed jib. 

It took us just under 5 days to do just under 700 miles. Once inside the reef here in New Caledonia the sail round the island was a treat, 8 knots downwind sailing with just the jib and no more waves, Ravi enjoyed this all from his car seat. Until then we'd had to cower inside for fear of a frequent drenching from waves.

Like us all, Ravi has some places on Impetuous he loves to inhabit when on passage. Sprawled out on the leeward bunk, like everybody else is high up on the list. Fortunately he isn't too big so as not to share it. However, sharing a Lee bunk with a small baby isn't as regenerative as not sharing it; oweing to what we call the squish factor.

On passage we still sleep in the bow more often than not. Indeed with a fan on either side it's quite a pleasant place to read a book. So despite all the sloshing of the boisterous sail Ravi spent a fair amount of time in the bow. With the simple addition of his dancing birdies mobile he can spend hours orchestrating them as they sway to the rock of the boat and he rolls from pillow to pillow.

We've jammed in a spare wind vane to the side of the pilot berth, covered with a sarong and padded by a blanket it makes a great leeboard. A neat addition to what has become his bunk; with his mobile frame at one end over his quilt and an enormous pile of nappies at the other. But on passage it wasn't where he wanted to be. As the occasional wave slammed in to the hull side cascading itself across the boat Ravi would be awoken; startled, from his slumber. We call it starfish baby. Arms and legs spring out as does a certain aura of panic. Ravi didn't spend much time in his bunk.

Perhaps his favourite place is his car seat that we've bungied on to the boat. From there he can truly embrace the wonder of sailing. Smiles always abound when he is placed in it, A happiness we're keen to foster. It won't be much longer before his wriggling turns to crawling and the car seat has buckles that still work, despite the salty years of service it provided for our friends on Eos II. We haven’t told him this yet.

All in all Ravi has taken the whole experience in his stride; noticing only that whilst at sea there's always someone awake to give his head a stroke should he open his eyes when a noise disturbs him. Also at sea his dangling toys never stop dancing!

So we’re now in new Caledonia enjoying all the culinary delights a French country has to offer. The plan is to feast on baguettes, pate', cheese and wine for a few days before heading off to Australia. It will be Ravi's second blue water passage; they say that we can only dream of experiences we have already enjoyed, we often see Ravi dreaming of drinking as he sleeps. But now when he closes his eyes he has one more experience to dream of. Dreaming of blue water sailing.

Impetuous three...

Once upon a time in a land very far away there lived a handsome young(ish) man named Duncan who dreamed of setting to sea.  He bought a little boat and repaired all the old wooden parts so that he might have many adventures and learn about the ways of the sea in the great Mediterranean.

He sailed his little boat far and wide through many different countries and across the great Mediterranean. He visited all kinds of lands and met lots of interesting people but always he felt a little bit lonely. When he looked up at the stars he wanted someone to share his marvel with and when he walked in the mountains he wondered if he’d find anyone who loved to travel as much as he did. When he discovered the delights of wonderful local markets he wondered if he would find anyone who enjoyed the simple pleasures of a really good meal and who would love drinking and being merry with as much gusto as himself.  He knew that not everyone likes to sail and that lots of people get frustrated with living in the small space which a sailing boat affords. He also knew it takes an unusual kind of person to be happy when you're always needing to fix things and make do with what is available in far flung lands.

Then one day he was chugging his canal boat up to a mooring spot and a young(ish) girl called Ruth bounded out of the boat next door to help him. He didn't need any help but was glad to meet an enthusiastic friendly boater.

He wasted no time in getting to know her and they discovered they had lots of things in common. Ruth had never been sailing but was very excited to find out all about it as she loved living on her narrowboat and relished the challenges and joys which that life gave. She'd traveled by land to many places but never dreamed that it would be possible for her to own a boat that could cross oceans. They started to dream of making a strong safe home together which could have the freedom to go wherever the wind would take them and stay as long as they liked in their own home.

They read lots of books and learned what they could but alas they had no such vessel to set to sea in. As luck would have it they heard of a boat that might suit in a far off land so they packed up some food and trudged off through the virgin snow that lay on the ground on the start of their journey to Impetuous.

When they found Impetuous it was very clear that she would need a lot of work before she could take them upon adventures on the high seas. Lichen and algae adorned her dulled hull.  A strong wicked wind called Ike had swept over where she lay and stolen much. They thought long and hard about whether all this work would be worth it and took themselves off to New Orleans to glean some wisdom from the wizards of Jazz. As the clarinet and trumpets weaved their positive notes through the afternoon sun they could see that though the journey would be arduous, Impetuous would indeed be worth it.

Undaunted over the next few years the industrious couple breathed life back in to Impetuous. With the help of a kindly man, an old wise man and the magical golden rasta. Every Sunday they listened to the wizards of jazz to help prevent their enthusiasm from waning. Like a flower in spring time she rewarded their toil by revealing her beauty once again until the day came when they finally moved her to the water. A few months later she finally got to sail once more and when the couple listened to Impetuous through the sounds of her lovely mast that they had built and shaped with their own hands they could hear that she was thrilled to be back where she belonged and she promised to take them far in safety in return for all the work they'd put into helping her.

They had a party to show people around and say thank you for all the help they'd been given by their neighbours and friends. Eventually all was ready and they set off upon their journey to explore the world in the only way they knew how. By boat, using the graceful power of the wind.

And so it came to pass that the couple went exploring. From their first big passage to the big blue, to the great sweetness and mountains of Guatemala they explored a corner of the Caribbean. Even once they had aventuras sin impetuous amongst the Mayan ruins at Tikal. A big highlight was when they visited Cuba, they learned much about different ways of finding happiness and heard much more heavenly music to spur them onwards. They lived their dream and Impetuous rewarded them with being a beautiful vessel that looked after them as the seas rose.

Before long both themselves and Impetuous felt as one and they were ready for adventures anew. And so they intended to pass through a narrow canal that separated the continent of the Americas into a different sea and venture again.

But there were trolls who guarded the entrance to the canal. They threatened to set loose the hungry crocodiles that patrolled the canal on anyone who didn't abide by their laws. Our impetuous travellers bargained with the trolls giving them pieces of gold and agreed to take three elves who had been stranded on the east coast. They also took a clever pilot who knew the deadliest stretches of the canal; past the Dungeons of Noriaga and the rapids where the two oceans meet. With the help of all four they weaved themselves through the canal pacific bound.

Once through the canal they set off on their Pacific crossing. For five whole weeks they sailed towards the setting sun with only themselves and their friends the stars for company. They caught fish to eat, listened to the wizards of Jazz on Sundays and were very very happy. They dreamed of the islands to come, scattered like their friends the stars above, throughout the Pacific, that they would visit.

Above the ocean spray the cliffs rose steeply and they realised that they had found their way across the biggest stretch of sea they might encounter. Eager to discover these beautiful wild new lands they meandered the Marquesas, Tuamotoes, Society islands and Tonga.

They knew there would be a time soon when a viscious wind would streak across the tropical isles and to escape from it they would have to venture south to a land of snow capped mountains and fjords where though it would be cold, they would also be safe. They looked around the beautiful bay of islands, visited a wise retired world sailor and celebrated the new year with many of the young adventurers they had met along their way who gathered together in Auckland.

But somehow Impetuous still whispered to them, her mast spoke of more adventure and the couple were not a bit tired. Down further and further they sailed deeper in to the roaring forties where the wind howled like an angry wolf and the sea boiled like a cauldron. But they were safe in Impetuous and she looked after them just as she'd promised.

Together they sailed all the way around New Zealand; visiting the magnificent Land of Fiords and Island of Stewart before they headed north again to tuck Impetuous up for a rest amongst the Great Sounds of Marlborough.

After some work and visiting their friends and family in England they were once more ready for more travels. Since they'd learned much during their adventures, they now knew that they needed less to carry on as long as they wanted. The time had now come when the two travelers were so happy with their lives on the ocean that they thought it would be fun to have a family on Impetuous.

The next time they saw one of their friends; a star, falling to earth, they made a wish upon it; that the last of its light might spark a new life with them. And do you know what, that's just what happened. So very soon there will be Impetuous three exploring the world.

To be continued...