Been in Noumea, New Caledonia for past few days after a mixed bag of a 6 day passage from Southport. 1st half saw very frequent squalls, with winds into the 40's from all directions. Then decent trade wind sailing for last couple of days. Very frustrating though, with 1.5-3.0 knot current against us nearly the whole way! Happy to be here, Another baguette with roquefort??? Oui, merci !!!

one mile from the first buoy to enter Brisbane channel. Busy avoiding a LOT of traffic

120nm to Brisbane which is good as bravo is throwing hissy fits. The autopilot is now working but there is a leak in the Hydraulics so a new backstay is on the job and there is no headsail use. Also a puzzling clunking noise indicates they may have hit something. They will be pleased to arrive!

Murphy has struck. Usually they fit the hydrovane before a passage, but this was a short one - right? The autopilot has never missed a beat prior to this but !!!! So they are hand steering to Brisbane.

A beautiful day in Chesterfield reef . Six boats here. Will leave after the weekend whn wx is good to get to Coffs.

about 20nm to Chesterfield. Will have even more birds to add to the poop collected on passage

160 to Chesterfield Reef

Left Luganville, Vanuatu, bound for Australia via Chesterfield Reef. Been working to slow Bravo down to allow arrival in daylight in 2 more days. Now down to #2 reef in main, reefed staysail, still too fast, will likely heave to tomorrow night. A fast, though rolly sail so far! All well aboard

Will leave tomorrow for Chesterfield and meet up with navigator1

Likely to depart Luganville on saturday for Newcastle via a stop at Chesterfield.

Luganville preparing for departure to Aus

This anchorage is on the N part of Maewo and they will be going south to Asanvari soon. It is slightly rolly but great people so had lots of visitors yesterday. Boats dont often go this far north.

Enjoying mooring at Aore Isl resort, easy ride across bay to Luganville. New owner is very cruiser friendly. Water maker repair a success!!! Diving is the agenda for this week.

bright glow in night sky from Ambrym volcano

about 7miles from port Vila so good conditions for entry

Will leave Erromango tomorrow and head north.

having a very social time in Tanna but will move on tomorrow to Erromango

spectacular trip to volcano last night as mostly clear.

Por Resolution. It was a bumpy ride with confused seas. There are 5 yachts there - and two dug out canoes. They get up early!

This is the little protected flat anchorage at the top of Aneityum. It is a good one for staging to go north which Bravo will do today to Tanna

really enjoying life at Aneityum. Had a tour through a plantation yesterdaya in the mountains. taking some boat fixing fibreglass in today and will likely, maybe, possibly, leave tomorrow for Tanna.

legacy arrived yesterday so they have caught up with them and will move North soon. yeah right! Might have to clean the bottom after such a long stay at anchor!

bumpy nite and even the flopper stopper line snapped!

Rolly due to the west swell and no wind to hold them into it. Maybe time to leave for Tanna?

really enjoying the friendly people and the beautiful island

4miles from entering Aneityum. Sailing. can fully check in there now.

24hrs to go so will need to slow down a bit to enter in the dawn light

290nm to Aneityum. Last night for about 20min had a huge school of fish between 40-90' depth. habe trouble with invertor charger so will have a fixing job on arrival.

Have been motoring for 2.5days so happy to hear about more wind. All well

Still motoring, little wind today above 5knts. Possible breeze tomorrow morning, fingers crossed. Only have about 2 days of fuel left!!! Had a bit of a scare today. We usually rev the engine every several hours of run time to clean out any carbon out of the turbo. Well, this time it started to die, then quit completely. A genuine "ruh row" moment. Couldn`t get it to run, so called in the McGiver team. Turned out there is a little valve in the engine compartment used to transfer (or "polish") fuel, which is normally left closed. Well, it was open, and sucking air. "There's yer problem, maam". Bled the lines, and we're back in business..." Fish report: Freezer finally emptied enough to toss the lines out this afternoon, but nothing to show....hopefully catch dinner tomorrow. Cindi baked an amazing banana bread this afternoon...tasty business!!! Cheers all. (Just passing the 1/2 point to Vanuatu now, about 500 miles left to go.)

all well. Thanks to Trevor on Villamee for relay

all well. This via relay

Good night of sailing. Wind continues to back around, now we´re nearly dead downwind after a jibe....slow and lumpy, will likely jibe back and heat up a bit in a while. But all fine aboard, had 2 albatrosses play with us at dawn.

Yeeee-hah!!! Bravo leaving Marsden Cove, NZ today, bound for Aneityum, Vanuatu

Bravo still at Marsden Cove, waiting for a better weather forecast for the passage route to Vanuatu. Very unsettled at this point.

Still chilling at Marsden Cove waiting for a better weather window, as leaving today appeared to be a motor boat ride for the 1st couple of days. At this point, a Tuesday departure looks promising.

Looks like a somewhat confused but hopefully decent weather window for departure tomorrow (Sunday). Will clear out of Marsden in the morning, bound for Aneityum, Vanuatu.

In Marsden Cove marina, fueled, provisioned, and awaiting a weather window for departure to Vanuatu

Fighting off mechanical gremlins on several fronts, think we've nailed the bulk of the rascals, and finally have Bravo ready for the passage to Vanuatu. Will head out to Marsden Cove on Monday 5/29 to await the next weather window.

Fingers crossed for a possible Sunday 5/28 departure for Vanuatu.

Back in the water at last! Wrapping up projects before awaiting weather window to Vanuatu

relay from Roundabout

a great radio and thks for relays

eta Whangarei on Monday

all well on board

all good

Awesome sailing for departure from Suva to NZ