S/V Toketie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRj5uPz22WU

.....if you enjoyed Toketie's approach to the equator.....you may like the dolphins that accompanied us for part of the journey...

Toketie on YouTube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR3KprDrxog

A short video taken when we were enroute from Mexico to the Marquesas!

longing....

I can almost see Fiji!

Vernal Equinox

Twice each year, when day and night are of equal length and the sun being vertically above a point on the equator we officially move into 'summer' in the Northern hemisphere!  In Victoria the event passed with sunshine and warming temperatures!

The Tayana refit project!

....some shots taken in the shed where they are re-glassing the sidedecks....horribly messy dusty environment...the whole boat is covered in plastic...we took the new bowsprit out to do a prefit and mark the holes for attaching it.....

Tayana bowsprit

...with floors attached...

Tayana Bowsprit details

The project takes shape with the tip shaped to which the crans or crance collar is attached to hold the rigging.  The notches will take the floors for the teak grating and pulpit!

Blog news!

This is a note to ask all you loyal Toketie blog followers to link our blog site to any other sites you might use, such as Facebook or Twitter or your own blog.  Seems the search engines like a blog to be active and the more active and connected it is, the better results you get when searching for it!  The whole google search business is a mystery to me and I guess that's the way they want it but I would like to at least get ours to the point where people can find it when they lose the direct link!!! Thank you

The 'DayDream' bowsprit (cont)

roughed out....beginning to take shape...

Update on the Toketie crew!

I guess we usually think of this blog as news for the people back home!  But along the way, we have made friends who may be curious to know how we are faring back in the land of 'plenty'!
Hard to imagine that over three months have gone by already!  Being back in Victoria and connecting with family and friends is wonderful.  The cyclone that hit the marina in Fiji in December caused some anxiety but hopefully no permanent damage to Toketie.
We have been and still are very busy here!  Linda has taken a six month contract with her old employer and David is helping a friend refit a Tayana 37.  The Tayana project is fairly extensive and is currently in a shed having the decks cut up to remove rot that has occurred over the years.  The chainplates are being replaced in preparation for the new rigging and all fittings topside have been removed.  We recently discovered the bowsprit was rotten so I am making a new one as well.
The Blue Water Cruising Association honoured us with an offshore award for our voyages across the Pacific.
But our minds, mine at least, are already beginning to turn to the future and I expect to book a return flight to Fiji in late April sometime with Linda following in June.  The suitcases are already overflowing with new instruments, blades for the wind generator and many other things difficult to find in Fiji.  Not sure where we are going from there!  Toketie has to leave Fiji by November when her visiting status expires.  We had thought of spending another season there but are now leaning towards carrying on West to Australia via New Caledonia and maybe Vanuatu.

In the words of the immortal Bob Marley..."every little thing gonna be all right"!

The Tayana Bowsprit project!

The old bowsprit with rot throughout the center section!

The Tayana Bowsprit project!

Clear, edge grain, quarter sawn old growth fir planks from a mill in Sooke!

The Tayana Bowsprit project!

Laminated with resorcinal to last a 100 years!

Happy 2010 everyone!

Victoria, BC and the year starts in a fog!

tis the season...

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

first reports from Vuda Point

Well, first reports are in from friends who rode out cyclone Mick on board their boats in Vuda Point Marina, Fiji.  Winds in excess of 100 kts were recorded in the marina and very heavy rains.  John and Renee on Scarlett O'Hara reported that it was like being at sea, the motion was so rough within the shelter of the marina.  But in spite of this, no obvious damage to any of the boats has been found.  We are having them check to see if any of the heavy rains found its way into the interior of Toketie!  Others apparently were not so lucky.  A cruise ship was blown ashore, two local fishermen never made it home and at least one sailboat in Musket Cove was blown onto the beach.  Another sailboat in the Yasawa Islands group was reported to be in trouble but we do not know which boat or what the outcome was.

Meanwhile, back in Victoria, we have both found employment and will try to top up the cruising kitty so we can carry on with the 'real' life!

And as a special surprise, the Blue Water Cruising Association honoured us at the monthly meeting with a beautiful plaque recognizing our Pacific Ocean crossing!

latest news...

and this just in....winds gusting to 130 kph......heavy rains and flooding....looks like an almost direct hit on Nadi Airport....Vuda Point Marina is very close.....

Tropical Cyclone 'Mick'

The first named storm of the season is now barrelling down on Fiji!  TC Mick with winds increasing to 55 kts or more is passing over Fiji on today.  

For a satellite image try http://www.met.gov.fj/aifs_prods/00sat.html  

Hopefully Toketie is securely tucked into the 'hole'!!!

The treadmill!

Well, we are back in Victoria, BC.  We both have found short term gainful employment so the cruising kitty will be replenished.  It has been below freezing for several nights now and they are forecasting snow this weekend.  The weeks are flying by with family and friends.  All is well and we miss our cruising buddies and lifestyle!  Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

brrrrrr!

Back in Victoria!  Caused quite a stir at airport security in my new duds.....they especially objected to my razor sharp samurai sword but I claimed religious freedom rights and threatened to cut off their heads.....currently hoping to make bail if any of my friends see this.....