JS on PB2 Blog 11

Downwind to the British Island. Where did all that weather come from?

Blog Post 11 by Jon Sanders: Downwind to the British Island

Perie Banou 2, with me, is tracking well. Going north-west to the British Island of Saint Helena.

After three days of very quiet – unusual – weather, I found the regular SE Trade Wind. (SE 18/22 kts).

Reef in mainsail and snippet of jib. My usual cruising rig downwind. Very comfortable.

Every now and again a rain squall. 25/30 kts (means knots or nautical miles). Does not last long. If it did, I would want to shorten sail more.

With the minor squalls often comes a temporary wind change. (40 degrees). The squalls last, maybe, half an hour. Mostly in the afternoon and night.

Did you read all that? Of course you did

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JS on PB2. Blog 10

High Seas, Good Trade Winds, Credit Cards & Currency Exchange

Blog Post 10 by Jon Sanders: Back on the high seas

Hi all. I am back on the high seas. (Not all that high). Bit flat in fact. Unusual.

Not so flat the other side of Africa. Cyclone in the Mozambique Channel. (With all that current too).

Anyway, there was not much wind when I left the Royal Cape Yacht Club at 2-15pm last Wed. 15 Feb 17. Motor sailed all that afternoon and night.

Fog first part of night. Very foggy and cold. (The cold current was cold) Read More

JS on BP2. Blog 7 & 8

Perie Banou 2 has passed south of Madagascar … non-stop route to Cape Town, South Africa.

Blog Post 7 & 8 by Jon Sanders: Christmas 2016

Bolg Post 7

Since last Wednesday Perie Banou 2 has passed south of Madagascar. Dipping down on an angle from the northeast; passed 100 nautical miles south of Madagascar on non-stop route to Cape Town, South Africa.

Approaching the southern part of Madagascar and to the south of – the sea was sloppy, even in zilch wind; in this region, ‘you get that’. Caused I suppose, by the very steep incline of the sea bottom, despite the favourable current. (Or the mountains under the sea).

It kinda makes this older specimen start getting younger and fitter!  Forced by the compulsory isometrics of the situation. (The yacht is going every which way). Interesting…

Long, long way elsewhere is Cape Horn at 56 degrees latitude south. I have cleared that Cape five times solo. Never in summer. (Nor in winter)

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JS on PB2 Blog 6

Five days behind me is the Isle de La Réunion. Obviously French. Very French.

Blog Post 6 by Jon Sanders: 19th December 2016

Five days behind me is the Isle de La Réunion. Obviously French. Very French.

Got a live volcano. 8000 ft high. (Americans understand feet and inches). There are mountains, awe-inspiring ravines, valleys.  Scenic.  Very scenic.

No one speaks English much. Just French. Bring a dictionary.

The principal harbour is in the industrial area – like the rest of the world. Not all of it is now used; so much of it has been converted to yacht marinas. (Power and sail) Read More

Jon Sanders on Perie Banou II. Blog 5

The west coast of Australia is now a long way behind…

Blog Post 5 by Jon Sanders: 29th November 2016

Hi all,
The west coast of Australia is now a long way behind. Then it was 3 reefs in the mainsail.  Windy.

A wind one gets in the region – history shows it has been the same over the past 400 years – Southerlies.

Soon the wind bends and we get the South East trades proper.

For the first 1,000 Nautical Miles, the Trades were what I expected. (What I had found in former years).

I.E.: very strong southerlies leaving the Australian shore (Shark Bay) and quickly becoming SE & ESE light and light moderate.

Half way across the Indian Ocean the winds became fresh, sometimes strong – near gale.  Rough ride

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Jon Sanders on Perie Banou II. Blog 4

I have sailed 2559 Nautical Miles (NM) with 751 NM to go to Le Port Reunion Island: French!

Blog Post 4 by Jon Sanders: 22nd November 2016

Hi all.

The B&G Chart Plotter tells me since leaving the pleasant mid-Western Australian town of Carnarvon (by world standards, an isolated town). I have sailed 2559 Nautical Miles (NM) with 751 NM to go to Le Port Reunion Island: French!

Reunion is a Suburb (department) of Paris. Population 844,000. Like the South Pacific, the southern Indian Ocean is my idea of a French lake. For example, going west and a little south of my own city of Perth and Fremantle state of Western Australia are the two Islands St Paul and Amsterdam. 1900 NM distant: French.

900 NM SW of those Islands (in the roaring forties) Kerguelen. Much fog and mist: French. 780 NM North West of Kerguelen are the Iles Crozet: French. 1500 north of the Crozets at 21 degrees S (tropical unless one is in the mountains) Isle de La Reunion (I am going there, just now, so I am): French.

780 NM North West of Reunion, (crossing over the northern part of Madagascar) is Mayotte. You guessed it: French.

From Mayotte going south in the Mozambique Channel are two Garrison held Islands Juan de Nova and Isla Europa: French.

Meantime, I bought a nice coffee mug in Woolworths Carnarvon, but now I cannot find it. I have looked everywhere! I could not have hidden it, or I would know where it is

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Jon Sanders on Perie Banou II. Blog 3

It is 0830 here. 1030 in Western Australia. Windy. Rather Windy.

Blog Post 3 by Jon Sanders: 16th November 2016

The wind over the last week has been quiet and mild. Trade winds from south-east and south-southeast. Barometer 1018 to 1020, whatever they are. Last night I tapped the barometer, and it sorta went oops. 1015. Blimey!

Looked outside. Nice mild 18 knot SSE. A bit of fleck on the modest wave top.

BUT, the word but usually means whatever you just said was a lie.

There was a new big swell from the south, with 3/8 of cumulus cloud.  The rest of the sky was blue.

The clouds were in a hurry going from south to north.  Hmmm, “think I will put a second reef in the mainsail”.  Which I did.

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Jon Sanders on Perie Banou II. Blog 1

This is day 7 (6 days) since leaving the coastal mid-West Australian town of Carnarvon

Blog Post 2 by Jon Sanders: 8th October 2016

Remote region. Beautiful town. Kept cooler by the strong south winds which make the trees bend and grow to the north. Carnarvon is nice.

Especially the months of September, October, November, December. The wind is strong. Often near gale with gale squalls and blue skies.

I sailed from Fremantle (superb) of Perth, the capital of the state of Western Australia. Perth population 1.3 million. Very modern. Clean and the most isolated major city on the planet.

Carnarvon is located in the northern portion of Shark Bay. A world heritage region.

We participated in the Fremantle to Shark Bay yacht race held to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the landing of Dutch navigator and Captain of the sailing ship “Eendracht” on Dirk Hartog Island.  Shark Bay. His name was Dirk Hartog.

He would never have know 400 years later the King and Queen of Holland would be in Perth as part of the celebration.

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