SAILING NOTES FROM THE SOUTH PACIFIC FOR OCEAN VOYAGERS

Sailing Notes from the South Pacific for Ocean Voyagers

Geologically young and dramatically, steep, mountainous Marquesan islands jut skyward out of the Southern Pacific Ocean. Tikis and coconut palms look out to sea.
The Ocean Posse is working to bring three posses together: the Atlantic posse, the Panama posse and the Pacific Posse so that we will have better overlap to share information and benefits across the oceans that we sail.  Some have crossed oceans that others are considering crossing.  Here, I will share notes from the South Pacific for people considering sailing to the South Pacific, or for those that just want to vicariously enjoy the cerulean blues, coconut palms, island communities spread throughout the South Pacific.
Presently, SV WHILRWND is underway in the Tuamotus, the second of five island groups in French Polynesian that we have visited since making landfall from Panama in May 2024. The Tuamotus, are sometimes referred to as ‘the dangerous islands’ for all the low lying fringing coral reefs boats can and have run aground on which require careful navigation.  So far, with a person on bow watch, the charts on Navionics, and multiple satellite overlays in OPEN CPN navigating the Tuamotus has been very fun.  There is a timing element one must consider when entering and exiting the atolls, between atolls we are sailing in the open ocean with ocean swell instantly, and within the atolls we are sailing in lagoons with little to no waves navigating coral bommies looking for a calm spot in the sand to drop our anchor.
So many different shades of blue in the Tuamotus atoll lagoons.
Slivers of fringing reef encircle blue lagoons studded with coral heads called "bommies"
Over the past two months, We have had the good fortune to see an abundance of coral and undersea life, more blue hues than I knew existed, and a few of the Southern Hemisphere Humpback whales that come annually to the oceanic islands of the South Pacific to breed and calf.  According to a cruising marine biologist friend the Southern Hemisphere Humpback whales will be turning back towards their summer feeding grounds off Antarctica in the next few weeks. There is a singular raised atoll in the NW part of the Tuamotus called Makatea where, in settled conditions, one can anchor outside the atoll on the leeward side and possibly see whales this time of year.  Looking at the weather with this possibility in mind we saw a sweet weather window that looked perfect for an adventure: two days of downwind sailing from Fakarava to Makatea in time for the wind to die off for three calm days anchored in the lee of the island, followed by wind from the south to carry us north to Tikihau where there is a manta ray feeding station, and on Rangiroa the second larges atoll in the world.  We have friends coming in on October 11th and as all cruisers know this hard stop commitment presents an added element into every sailing schedule.  Guests visiting the Tuamotus fly into Tahiti and then take an inner island flight to the Tuamotus. Interestingly, many atolls have airports: Fakarava and Rangiroa being the two largest atolls have airports that are more frequented than others. So, (Option 1) we could stay in and around Fakarava until our guests come (very relaxing) or (Option 2) we could go on a little atoll tour and make our way to Rangiroa to meet them (an adventure). We decided that the weather window looked good for an adventure and the plan was sound.
Our 'plan' was to sail from Fakarava for two days, spend a few days on the leeward side of Makatea, then sail to Tikihau for a few days and around to Rangiroa to pick up our friends.
Downwind sailing with the mainsail, mizzen, and spinnaker
We weighed anchor in time to catch the high water slack and sail through the exit in the southern pass.  After exiting the atoll, one is in the ocean immediately and we noted a long slow 1m southerly swell. The conditions were great and we set our kite for a smooth downwind sail.  A few hours in our buddies received an email from a French weather service sending out an alert to all mariners of a significant southern swell developing and moving north into the Tuamotus. We pulled up the weather and, sure enough, although the wind was still forecast to be settled in a few days around Makatea the swell was going to be too big to comfortably anchor on the outside of the atoll much less enter through the pass of an atoll.  We decided to reroute to Tikihau and save Makatea for another time.
There is a 'plan' and then there is the reality that unfolds when new information comes to light, conditions change, and the route must change as well.
We arrived outside Tikihau in the night, hove to outside the entrance, and waited for the low slack at first light. Upon arriving in Tikihau the weather forecast changed multiple times over the course of the day. In the southern hemisphere winter has just turned to spring and now this northern hemisphere sailor can say the spring weather down here is as fickle as one might expect in the spring: changing so often it’s hard to hang you hat on much beyond the immediate conditions. There are significant blows coming in and out of the forecast and still a large swell coming with mixed forecasts on how long it will affect this part of the Tuamotus. Based on these changing forecasts and the expected conditions in the passes when the swell arrives we have now determined that today, seems to be the best day in the next ten (when our friends are to arrive) to make our way from Tikihau to Rangiroa, so we are underway once more.
No matter the ocean, the weather calls the shots.  So far, sailing in the South Pacific has been nothing short of a dynamic adventure demanding that we constantly keep an eye on the weather and a sharp lookout over the bow.  While on lookout this morning we saw manta rays entering the Pass into Tihihau and dolphins surfing our bow as we set out into the ocean to Rangiroa...and we still could see a whale.
Sailing to Rangiroa: the second largest atoll in the world.
For cruisers looking to the South Pacific for adventure; crossing the ocean to get here is an epic adventure in and of itself.  Most people set sail for the South Pacific from points west in the late winter/early spring.  Presently, many cruisers are beginning to rub their palms together, eyeing up routes and weather patterns, running through their inventory of parts and spares, making lists, reading about storm tactics and high sea debacles, and/or taking care of a host or pre-departure maintenance or upgrades.  Shaking down our fears can also be a big part of mentally preparing for a ocean voyage.  Some, like my friend, may be wondering, "What were your scariest moments on the passage (to French Polynesia)?"
Taking a panoramic shot aboard SV WHIRLWIND out at sea while rocking and rolling.  Fear can feel like this: exaggerated and out of control.
In jest, my husband and our captain said, "the day we realized we didn't bring enough rum."  That was more sad really, but nothing we can't get over.
More sincerely, he said, "The day the autohelm and went a little wacky and (he) had visions of the rudder breaking loose."  Terrifying!  Indeed, one of our worst nightmares.  That 'wackiness' was rectified at sea with no major drama.  And we installed a back up autohelm before leaving Panama Bay.
In my most sincere and more lengthy response, I shared:  We spent 30 days at sea: they were both utterly glorious and unexpectedly difficult at times. A huge realization for me was that the infamous Coconut Milk Run starts west of French Polynesia….or maybe in French Polynesia…or maybe to the east...it’s the Eden out there somewhere, the Fair Winds and the Following Seas of every sailors dreams.  As we set out to cross the Pacific we actually thought we were on the Coconut Milk Run from Panama to the Marquesas.  So when we got out there and spent far longer in confused seas than we ever imagined could be part of a 'Coconut Milk Run' we joked, desperately at times while tossing chaotically in a confusion of seas and open sky, saying “this is coconut milk!? I imagined something sweet and smooth not a frothy mess" Or, "If this is coconut milk, I’ll stick to beer (or rum)!” Crossing the ocean can easily be romanticized…in my experience it is with the adventure ahead of me or behind me that I can romanticize really well about it.  When I am in it, it is usually....well...a Whirlwind of calm joy, uncertainty, chaos, thrill, or somehwere in between.
In preparation, I tried hard to be realistic, to plan for the worst and hope for the best, to be ready for the voyage and not simply long for the destination, to pack the boat full of provisions and spares, to check everything twice sometime thrice.  While the dream to cross the Pacific was years in the making for us and I had years to consider the magnitude of this voyage, still he scariest moment for me was somewhere SW of the Galapagos when I realized how far offshore we were, how much further we had to go, and that there would be no real rest until we were in French Polynesia.  It was nighttime and I woke out of a sleep to my husband, Mike, and our 13 year old son, Russell, reefing the main in sloppy seas and having a heck of a time.  I hopped up to help and the sky was SO big and SO black, spotted more stars than I had ever seen.  I could not immediately see Mike or Russell but somehow the wavetops were illuminated, so swift and heaving.  I was struck with a desperate feeling knowing there was no turning back, still so far to go, and only us to make that happen.  In that moment reefing the main felt goliath, possibly insurmountable, and I had to have a serious talk with myself!  I had to take the task at hand for just the task at hand, not the hundreds of miles we had come or the thousands of miles to go.  I had to just focus and reef the main.  'Stay calm.  Stay Steady.  We got this,' I reminded myself.  Finally, we prevailed.  For whatever reasons, reefing was more than difficult that night and with some mighty cursing and some steady determination we did it.  And then we just moved right along.  The boat settled nicely due to the reef, mind you the seas did not miraculously settle, but the motion certainly improved.  The boys went back on watch, and I to easily slipped back into bed.  For whatever reason, that was my scariest moment.  Basically, when the breadth of what we had set out to do actually hit me like it never quite had before - we were in the middle of the ocean and I felt like an absolute imbecile for only then realizing what I had gotten myself and my family into?!  I thought I had thought it through but in that moment I did not think I had.  I felt enormously overwhelmed by how easily we could get swallowed up.  I also felt that there was no turning back.  (Now in hindsight I know that is not entirely true, but it was certainly how I felt and continuing west was certainly the best option.)  Still, I felt I was stuck and incomprehensibly vulnerable which was truly scary.  The other side of these completely humbling feelings was how absolutely beautiful the stars, the ocean, and the sky were.  Steering away from the overwhelm of fear I definitely made a point to take comfort in the grandeur and holdfast.  It is wild when terrifying can also be infinitely impressive.  There is no doubt the ocean is mighty!  The colors and the expansiveness are nothing short of awe-inspiring making the trials of the adventures worth it....especially when I am on the other side of that particular part of this adventure and can romanticize all about it.
Romantic and Real: Tuamotu sunset.
Lagoon sailing can be exceptionally pleasant.

SY WHIRLWIND 🇺🇸 Maurisa, Mike, Russell & Josea – Alajuela 48’

WHIRLWINDWHIRLWINDWHIRLWINDWHIRLWIND


EXPANDING POSSE PERKS: YACHT PORT CARTAGENA, SPAIN💰 Save real money at Marinas with discounts

ANNOUNCING: NEW MARINAS SIGNING ON WITH THE OCEAN POSSE

EXPANDING POSSE PERK:💰 Save real money at Marinas with discounts

Ocean Posse's new cruiser friendly and liveaboard friendly sponsorship marina in Cartagena Spain 🇪🇸
Dietmar tending bar. Thanks Flor de Cana! The 12 year old rum was a hit!!!

SV QUESO GRANDE II and Captain Dietmar kicked off the first Ocean Posse event in Yacht Port Cartagena, Spain!

Dietmar says: Thank you Sherri for all the event support and promotion to the international cruisers who came! AND THANK YOU LANCE FOR SOME SUCCULENT RIBS !!!

Sherri from SV QUESO GRANDE II says: Great fun, great cruisers, and great grilled meat by my darling husband Lance.  

Thank you for securing the Cartagena, Spain marina. We loved it so much, SV PATHFINDER

Currently, the Ocean Posse has ????some number of marinas in ????some number of countries bla bla bla.  This represents great savings bla bla bla

 


TRIP REPORT: COLUMBIA INLAND

TRIP REPORT: COLUMBIA INLAND

WITH MV NEXT CHAPTER

MV NEXT CHAPTER sailed from Shelter Bay Marina in August to Cartagena, Colombia.  They explored the city and then travelled inland off the boat.  Their photos and enthusiastic report of their time so far in Colombia follows:

After leaving Panama it is time to raise the Colombian flag

Colombia exceeded our expectations in every way! We weren’t 100% sure what to expect but what we found was incredible people, safe walkable cities, delicious food and affordable prices for work and goods.

Cartagena, Colombia
That's Right.
Fruit Vendor on the street in Cartagena, Colombia
Taking a horse drawn carriage ride through the narrow streets of Cartagena, Colombia.

We stayed at Club de Pesca (they are a posse sponsor and a great marina) if you message their WhatsApp, Maricela Speaks great English and can help with your reservations) book very early as their marina is small and space fills up quickly.

Also at Club de Pesca is phenomenal workers! We had our bright work completely redone, some small fiberglass repairs, a wash and wax. Javier and his team were the best we have ever worked with! If you are stopping there and want his contact info I would be happy to pass it along

We also took side trips (it’s super affordable to fly within Colombia) to Medellín and Bogota. Both cities were incredible, rich culture so much to see and do!

Checking into the city/country was also pretty easy- Jose our agent was $300 and handled all of our paperwork and brought the officials to our boat, applied for our cruising permit and TIP.  You have to check into and out of every major port in Colombia but it’s pretty quick and easy.

Tram in Medellín, Colombia
Palace of Culture in Medellín, Colombia
Shawna and Lexi loving Colombia.
Fernando Botero's Woman on a Bull in Medellin.

Hope this helps other boaters feel comfortable stopping into Colombia! It’s in my opinion and must see country.

Presently, MV NEXT CHAPTER is underway to Santa Marta, Columbia.

MY NEXT CHAPTER 🇺🇸 Chris & Shawna & crew - Selene 59′

  Fair winds MV NEXT CHAPTER, thank you for sharing your inland adventures!

 SHARING YOUR ADVENTURES  
is the heart and soul of the Ocean Posse 

Please share pictures of your adventures, your award entries, your breathtaking sunsets, and picturesque anchorages on our group communications platform for others to enjoy in real time and/or email Maurisa at editor@oceanposse.com to share in the upcoming newsletter.  Maurisa is a sailor among us.  She is part of the Ocean Posse crew and enjoys writing fun and helpful updates to the Ocean Posse.


OVERSEAS AND ONLINE: PASSPORT RENEWAL & VOTING

OVERSEAS AND ONLINE: USA PASSPORT RENEWAL & VOTING

As a US citizen, passports and voting rights are very important.  Both can be kept up to date from afar...here's how:

After a two month beta trial, The United States Department of State has recently announced that Americans can now renew their passports online.   This is new and additional staff has been hired to process the online system.  The two caveats are for using this service: You must be located in the United States and your passport may not be expired by over 5 years.  As of now, it is unclear if this new avenue of renewal will speed up the process overall or not.  We will have to wait and see.

 

Americans have elections coming up locally and nationally.  Are you registered to vote?  Do you know that US Citizens living abroad can register to vote from overseas?

There are several online resource to help US citizens understand how to register to vote and vote from wherever they are when the time comes.  Some useful sites include:

YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE

POSSE PERK: 🗺️3 DAYS OF LEARNING SEMINARS

POSSE PERK: 🗺️3 DAYS OF LEARNING SEMINARS

INCLUDED WITH OCEAN POSSE SIGN UPS

coming up in Safe Harbor, San Diego

October 23-25, 2024 @ Safe Harbor South Bay, San Diego

 

https://oceanposse.com/events/san-diego-seminar-series/

Sneak a Peak at the Seminars and Schedule...

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23rd, 2024 ● SEMINARS
$ 45 per person x day or FREE
FOR OCEAN 
° PANAMA ° SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE PARTICIPANTS

09:00
Cruising down Pacific Mexico
Sea of Cortez

10:00
Water Makers + Plumbing in Paradise
Plumbing in Paradise

11:30
Diesel Engines  & Generators and preventative Maintenance
Smoky engine


12:30 LUNCH
Open CPN – installation and integration (PC + MAC )

Open Cpn with Satelit Images

14:00
Rigging 101 Standing and Running

Rigging


15:30
Weather Weather Weather – planning – routing – underway
Weather


16:30
Crew the good the bad and the ugly
CRew

17:00
Destination Costa Rica and Nicaragua

 


THURSDAY OCTOBER 24th, 2024 ● SEMINARS

09:00
South Pacific  – French Polynesia – Cook Islands – Tonga &  Fiji
SPP


10:00
Safety Security and Emergencies  outside the US and what to expect


11:00
Electrical Systems – Batteries, Chargers, Alternators, Solar Panels

batteries

12:30 LUNCH
Cruising in Panama + the Panama Canal
SAN BLAS


14:00
Where and how to repair boats outside the US

Repairs


15:30
The tropics – Refrigeration, AC, Shading,  Airflow + other ways to stay cool
AC


17:00
Destination Colombia, Jamaica & Bay of Islands Honduras
ROATAN

 


FRIDAY OCTOBER 25th, 2024 ● SEMINARS + PARTY

09:00
Destination Belize & Rio Dulce Guatemala
Blue Hole Belize Cruising Ground and how to get there


10:00
Communications onboard, underway and on shore
STARLINK

11:30
The fundamentals of wires, connectors and fuses
GROUND


12:30 LUNCH
Open CPN – Satellite Charts – Use Cases and Satellite Chart creation


14:00
Chart Accuracy, Navigation Trips and Tricks & Tracking
CHART ACCURACY


15:30
Provisioning, Propane and Fuel – where to replenish
PROVISIONS


17:00 – 21:00  
PPPPARTY
SOUTH BAY SAFE HARBOR


UPCOMING PREDICTWIND SEMINARS

UPCOMING PREDICTWIND SEMINARS

PredictWind began sponsoring the Panama Posse in 2021.  As of Season 8 PredictWind is extending their sponsorship to the entire Ocean Posse and is offering four seminars over the next 6 months.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE UPCOMING SEMINARS

The upcoming seminar dates are as follows:

  • WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23rd, 2024     @ 15:30  US PACIFIC TIME
  • THURSDAY DECEMBER 5,  2024           @  14:30 US PACIFIC TIME
  • MONDAY FEB 2, 2025                           @ 14:30  US PACIFIC TIME
  • MONDAY MARCH 17 2025                  @ 14:30   US PACIFC TIME

PredictWind supports the Ocean Posse with free tracking and a 20 % Discount off our pro packages – to claim your discount please login and email support@predictwind.com asking for your Ocean Posse discount.  Please include your vessel name and email address.  The discount will be credited back.


MUST SEE: 🇵🇫 Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia

MUST SEE: 🇵🇫 Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia

in 2017 UNESCO named Taputapuātea on Ra’iātea Island, French Polynesia a world heritage site for its outstanding universal value, exceptional testimony to 1,000 years of pre-colonial mā'ohi civilization, and central location in the 'Polynesian Triangle'.  The 'points' on the Polynesian triangle are New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui.  Taputapuātea is in the very center of this triangle of oceanic islands.  Both the cultural landscape and seascape on Ra’iātea make this a unique and remarkable place one must see.  Taputapuātea is an area that goes from the mountains through forested valleys spanning across a portion of lagoon and coral reef and a strip of open ocean.  In the center is the Marae of Taputapuātea.

The dark rectangular stone space is part of the Taputapuātea Marae complex: a political, ceremonial and funerary center on the edge of the lagoon surrounding the island. photo credit: P.F. Amar

The Marae of Taputapuātea is considered to be the most sacred pre-colonial Polynesian archeological sites in French Polynesia. UNESCO describes this site as:

"dedicated to the god ‘Oro and the place where the world of the living (Te Ao) intersects the world of the ancestors and gods (Te Po). It also expresses political power and relationships. The rise in the importance of Taputapuātea among the marae on Raiatea and in the wider region is linked to the line of Tamatoa ari’i (chiefs) and the expansion of their power. Taputapuātea was the centre of a political alliance that brought together two widespread regions encompassing most of Polynesia. The alliance was maintained by regular gatherings of chiefs, warriors and priests who came from the other islands to meet at Taputapuātea. The building of outrigger canoes and ocean navigation were key skills in maintaining this network.

A traditional landscape surrounds both sides of the Taputapuātea marae complex. The marae complex looks out to Te Ava Mo'a, a sacred pass in the reef that bounds the lagoon. Atāra motu is an islet in the reef and a habitat for seabirds. Ocean-going arrivals waited here before being led through the sacred pass and formally welcomed at Taputapuātea. On the landward side, ’Ōpo’a and Hotopu’u are forested valleys ringed by ridges and the sacred mountain of Tea’etapu. The upland portions of the valleys feature older marae, such as marae Vaeāra’i and marae Taumariari, agricultural terraces, archaeological traces of habitations and named features related to traditions of gods and ancestors. Vegetation in the valleys is a mix of species, some endemic to Raiatea, some common to other Polynesian islands and some imported food species brought by ancient Polynesians for cultivation. Together, the attributes of the property form an outstanding relict and associative cultural landscape and seascape."

Throughout Polynesia the Marae are communal or sacred sites in village life. In order to build a marae in another location, it is said that one must start with a stone from Taputapuātea.  The marae are places with different functions.   They are places where the world of the living intersected with the world of village ancestors and Polynesian gods.  They are places where people gather for ceremony, dance, connecting with the past and with community.

People gather in the Taputapuatea marae for ceremony.  photo credit GIE Tourisme

This video is a product of the cumulative effort of cultural and historical groups presenting the significance of Taputapuātea in the past, the present, and for the future.

https://youtu.be/wXbJXHR8-3g?t=391

People navigated to and from Taputapuatea in the past and continue today.  photo credit GIE Tourisme
Fishing in the waters of Taputapuatea is a part of traditional life.  photo credit: A. Wickel
Marine biodiverity in Taputapuatea photo credit: D. Hazama
Coral shelf surrounding Taputapuatea photo credit: D. Hazama

 

Mountains of Taputapuatea photo credit: P.F. Amar

SAFEFTY AND SECURITY: REDUCING FIRE RISK

SAFEFTY AND SECURITY: REDUCING FIRE RISK WITH SMART PLUGS

 

Many members of the Ocean Posse are tied to a dock either presently, have been, or will be at some point along the way.  If and when one decides to 'Plug In' it is important to know the risks and available safer options available today.

A significant risk when plugging one boat in to shore power is fire risk.  The power to the pedestals along a dock may not be consistent.  There may be surges, outages and or just regularly inconsistent flow of power.  This variability can pose a risk within the pedestal and worse it can pose a risk aboard ones vessel at the connection.

Recently, Posse members aboard SV SERENITY shared their experience with this risk on the Posse Line Ap.  It is a shout out to other member to be aware and check their power cords:

For those of you with 30 or 50 Amp power that get close to it’s limit on a continuous basis (e.g. running AC while cooking with electric).  For the second time in two years, our standard cable and socket shorted. This time, the insulation in the socket between hot and neutral melted and the wires actually touched. It’s worth the investment to prevent a fire hazard.

evidence of high heat
Insulation inside the socket melted

The only place one can control is where and how the power comes aboard their boat is one their boat.  Serenity has now installed a 'Smart Plug'.  This is a branded receptacle and plug for the boat side of the 'Plug In' process.  The Smart Plug is a huge help AND one still needs to check it for damage regularly as seen above!

With the Smart Plug one can replace the power inlet onboard.
One can also have a modified cord that plugs into the modified power inlet. This combination reduces the fire risk greatly.

SV SERENITY was lucky.  They lost a cord and a plug, but did not sustain any damage to their boat.  Years ago Posse Member, Rob Murray on SV AVANT, saw smoke billowing out of the stern of a neighboring vessel.  The fire had started at the cord inlet.  He acted fast and doused the fire before any help even arrived.  Here he shows a concise visual on the steps he took to get the fire out fast:

SYSERENITY 🇺🇸 Mark & Kathryn – Antares 44′ & SY AVANT 🇨🇦 Rob & Debra – Beneteau 43.5

THANK YOU FOR SHARING MARK AND ROB!


FIJIAN CULTURE AND THE SEVUSEVU PROCESS

FIJI: THE SEVUSEVU PROCESS

In traditional villages in Fiji Sevusevu is and has been the central component of all life-cycle rituals, social gatherings, healing ceremonies and community meetings.  Significant and ancient in Fiji, the “sevusevu” also marks the time and place for visitors to seek acceptance into a Fijian village.

In more formal settings, Sevusevu includes a complete performance where each male from the village has a specific role to play. Traditional attire is worn with pride, collected rain water is poured from bamboo shafts, pounded kava is strained through hibiscus bark and each bilo (drinking bowl from the half-shell of a coconut) is delivered deliberately and seriously in absolute silence (aside from the sound of deep ‘Cobo’ claps in acceptance and thanks of each ‘bilo’)

Every Sevusevu is not as formal as pictured above however there is a distinct and courteous process visitors must follow.  Further, understanding the significance of Sevusevu, respecting, and adhering to the tradition of this process helps to keep this aspect of Fijian Culture strong.

Longtime Ocean Posse member Chris on SV SEAGLUB has been living in Fiji for several years.   He shares the following about his experience with the Sevesevu:

In Fiji, when visiting smaller settlements, a visitor must seek out the village chief and present him with a small token or gift as a sign of respect and to ask permission to visit. This not only gives visitors permission to interact with the villagers but also to stay in the town and to visit any local scenery (such as beaches, waterfalls etc). Not doing so shows disrespect for their culture, but is also the equivalent of trespassing – for example pitching a tent in someone's backyard without permission.

‘Sevusevu’ is the name given to the actual gift or token that visitors present the chief with, most commonly a half-kilo bumdle of waka (kava root).  When arriving in the village, visitors should ask for the Turaga ni Koro (pronounced as too-ranga nee koro) or the village headman, as they usually have good English skills and will help with the translations. The headman will take visitors to the chief’s house for introduction. Remember no hats are to be worn once in the village and you should take your shoes off at the door before entering houses. Sitting cross legged on the floor, the kava root is then presented to the chief.

To ensure you are respectful of this important tradition, there are a few points of etiquette to follow. Firstly, everyone at the ceremony should dress in a sulu, which is a Fijian skirt regarded as their national dress. Women should also cover their shoulders. Men should sit cross-legged, ensuring that their sulu covers their knees, and women should sit with knees and feet together. Do not take photographs or videos throughout the ceremony, until the Turaga ni Koro lets you know that it’s okay to do so. Silence during the ceremony itself is crucial.

The ceremony itself is poignant. Afterwards you'll be welcomed as nothing less than family.

SV SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris -Hylas 46'

 

Anchorage in Fulaga, Fiji

 


First Aid Kit(s) for Cruising

First Aid Kit(s) for Cruising

Courtesy of  Rob Murray from SV AVANT

When we prepared Avant for offshore six years ago,  we looked carefully at what we would pack for first aid preparedness. We could easily imagine a wide range of scenarios where one or the other of us, or another cruiser or local, was injured (grievously), and needed first aid in an inconvenient, remote location. You know, unconscious bleeding from a compound fracture surrounded by crocodiles while darkness falls in some mangrove swamp, or something like that. We determined that:

  1. We needed to be able to react to a broad variety of potential medical emergencies quickly and comprehensively;
  2. That we would likely be short handed in responding (so the response would have to be easily transported by one person);
  3. That the emergency may happen aboard Avant, aboard another vessel, or ashore so we would need to be able to move the appropriate materials for response to the injured person, and then move the injured person from the site of the incident back to Avant or from the site of the incident to another place for treatment or evacuation;
  4. That we would be at least hours, and might be days or even weeks from professional medical facilities and professional medical help (so we would need enough supplies to treat issues for a prolonged period with instructions on how to use them);
  5. That there were ‘levels’ of response that would be appropriate, so segregating supplies into appropriate kits suited to different levels of response would make sense; and
  6. We would need reference materials suited to the kind of ‘medicine’ we would be practicing.

Before you carry on reading, please note that we’re over prepared. Period!

First, we looked for organizations that had worked systematically to solve this set of problems so we could emulate their methods and techniques. The military immediately came to mind, as they have applied science and rigour to responding to emergency medical situations in rustic locations (although they admittedly seem to focus on gunshot wounds and extreme blunt force trauma as the primary sources of injury). We also read up on mountaineering and other wilderness response experiences, and found the ‘prepper’ community had many guidelines, tips and resources that seemed useful. The Ministry of Transport in the UK also had relevant resources. While many sources suggested that buying supplies separately would be cheaper than buying a kit, we found the reverse to be true, and that the kits we looked at offered value as well as convenience.

So after our obsessive research, we equipped ourselves with a simple ‘boo-boo kit’ for day to day stuff.

Sample first aid kit.

This is the type of kit you see in a larger drug store, Costco, Walmart, or some other big box store. You can buy them online at Canadian Safety Supplies. They are also available from the Red Cross, St Johns Ambulance or similar organizations online. It’s portable, so we don’t have to drip blood on the way to the bandaids; soft sided so it’s easy to store, and reasonably comprehensive for small injuries. It unzips and flops open to display the contents when in use. There is plenty of room in the carry bag to augment the contents.

Kit Supplies

Supplies in this type of kit are usually similar to a list like this:

  • 12 plastic bandages, 1.9 cm x 7.6 cm (0.75 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 10 junior plastic bandages, 1 cm x 3.8 cm (0.4 in. x 1.5 in.)
  • 6 fabric bandages, 2.2 cm x 7.6 cm (0.9 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 2 large fabric bandages, 5.1 cm x 7.6 cm (2.0 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 3 knuckle fabric bandages, 3.8 cm x 7.6 cm (1.5 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 3 fingertip fabric bandages, 4.4 cm x 7.6 cm (1.7 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 5 butterfly skin closures, 1 cm x 4.4 cm  (0.4 in. x 1.7 in.)
  • 4 sterile gauze pads, 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3.0 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 2 sterile non-woven sponges, 7.6 cm x 7.6 cm (3.0 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 1 sterile abdominal pad 12.7 cm x 22.9 cm (5.0 in. x 9.0 in.)
  • 2 sterile Telfa, non-adherent pads, 5.1 cm x 7.6 cm (2.0 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 1 roll conforming stretch bandage, 5.1 cm x 180 cm (2.0 in. x 70.8 in.)
  • 1 roll conforming stretch bandage, 7.6 cm x 180 cm (3.0 in. x 70.8 in.)
  • 1 compress bandage, 10.2 cm x 10.2 cm (4 in. x 4 in.)
  • 1 Woundseal topical powder
  • 1 non-compressed, triangular bandage, 101.6 cm x 101.6 cm x 142.2 cm (40 in. x 40 in. x 56 in.)
  • 1 package of assorted safety pins
  • 4 sterile cotton-tipped applicators, 7.6 cm (3.0 in.)
  • 2 individually wrapped tongue depressors, 1.9 cm x 15.2 cm (0.7 in. x 6.0 in.)
  • 1 roll clear plastic tape, 2.5 cm x 140 cm (1 in. x 55.1 in.)
  • 1 roll elastic compression bandage, 7.6 cm x 170 cm (3.0 in. x 66.9 in.)
  • 16 antiseptic towelettes
  • 12 alcohol antiseptic swabs
  • 3 Bacitracin antibiotic ointment, 1 g (0.04 oz.) each
  • 2 Water-Jel, 3.5 g (0.12 oz.) each
  • 1 eye dressing pad
  • 1 large instant cold pack
  • 3 After Bite treatment swabs
  • 1 St. John’s Ambulance pocket guide, bilingual
  • 1 paramedic scissors
  • 1 pair of nickel-plated, blunt end splinter forceps
  • 1 package of splinter out
  • 2 Nitrile, medical examination gloves
  • 1 CPR face shield with filtered valve
  • 2 antimicrobial hand towelettes
  • 6 hand cleansing moist towelettes
  • Hand sanitizer
  • 1 infectious waste bag
  • 2 thermometers
  • 1 foil/Mylar emergency blanket, 142.2 cm x 203.2 cm (56 in. x 80 in.)
  • 2 candles
  • Waterproof tipped matches
  • Purified drinking water, 125 ml (4.3 oz.)
  • 2 plastic bandages, 1.9 cm x 7.6 cm (0.75 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 5 junior plastic bandages, 1 cm x 3.8 cm (0.4 in. x 1.5 in.)
  • 2 fabric bandages, 2.2 cm x 7.6 cm (0.9 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 1 knuckle fabric bandage, 3.8 cm x 7.6 cm (1.5 in. x 3.0 in.)
  • 1 fingertip fabric bandage, 4.4 cm x 5.1 cm (1.7 in. x 2.0 in.)
  • 2 sterile gauze pads, 5.1 cm x 5.1 cm (2.0 in. x 2.0 in.)
  • 2 antiseptic towelettes
  • 2 alcohol antiseptic swabs
  • 1 Bacitracin antibiotic ointment, 1 g (0.04 oz.)
  • 2 After Bite treatment swabs
  • 1 fist aid response card, bilingual
  • 2 hand cleansing moist towelettes

We added to the kit with:

  • Some tincture of Benzoin for pre swabbing where you want Bandaids to stick (that stuff is magic),
  • A big box of assorted Bandaids,
  • Extra medical tape, various widths,
  • Quality tweezers for dealing with slivers,
  • Extra antiseptic wipes,
  • Extra gloves,
  • Extra antibiotic ointment,
  • Saline and syringes for wound washing,
  • Eyedroppers.

This is stored within easy reach in the head, and we hope to never exceed the treatment these supplies will support.

This represents our first tier response. Small cut, burn, sliver, blister, ‘boo-boo’, something like that; everything we need to deal with it can be grabbed and delivered, to the person with the ouch, quickly.

Then, for when things get over the top, a major SHTF (SHTF is an acronym for ‘excrement – mechanized ventilator collision’) kit, similar to what you can purchase online at Live Action Safety, based on a medical bag designed and apparently used in the military. If you google for ‘m17 first aid kit’ or ‘fa110 first aid kit’ you will find something similar. Different vendors supply kits with different contents, so do shop around.

SHTF first aid kit

It can be carried by a shoulder strap or backpack style, and opens in three folds exposing six zippered compartments that allow access to contents in use. There is plenty of room in the carry bag to augment the contents. It’s about 13.5” long by 10”wide and 16” tall stowed or folded up for transport, and unfolded to expose the interior compartments, the bag measures about 36” long by 10” wide.

The contents of these typically look like this:

  • 5 – Bleed Stop Bandages
  • 4 – Sterile Pads, 4″x4″
  • 2 – Triangular Bandage
  • 2 – Ammonia Inhalants
  • 2 – Suture Sets
  • 2 – Stainless Steel hemostats
  • 1 – Tweezers
  • 10 – Abdominal Pads, 5″x9″
  • 2 – Airways
  • 10 – Butterfly Strips
  • 5 – Tape, Rolls, Adhesive, 1″
  • 1 – EMT Shears, 7.25″
  • 5 – Multi Trauma Dressings
  • 1 – EFA First Aid Book
  • 14 – Pain Relievers/Aspirin
  • 6 – Pairs Latex Examination Gloves
  • 15 – Antiseptic BZK Wipes
  • 2 – Burn Aid Packages
  • 15 – Iodine Wipes
  • 1 – Tourniquet (Basic Rubber Latex)
  • 12 – Elastic bandage 2”
  • 100 – Bandage Strips, 1”x3”
  • 2 – Elastic Bandages, 6″
  • 1 – Pen Light
  • 1 – CPR Mask
  • 1 – Hand Sanitizer 2 oz
  • 4 – Triple Antibiotic Packages
  • 1 – Scalpel Handle #3
  • 2 – Scalpel Blades
  • 2 – Eye Pads
  • 6 – Safety Pins
  • 1 – stethoscope
  • 1 -Skin and Eye Wash
  • 10 – Knuckle Bandages
  • 3 – Instant Ice Packs
  • 1 – Calamine Lotion, 6 oz.
  • 2 – Tongue Depressors
  • 6 – After Bite Wipes
  • 1 – SAM Type Universal Splint
  • 1 – Hand Soap
  • 15 – Alcohol Wipes
  • 10 – Sterile Pads, 2″x2″
  • 1 – Skin Probe
  • 1 – Burn Spray
  • 1 – Lip Treatment
  • 4 – First Aid Cream Packages
  • 3 – Petroleum jelly
  • 1 – Box of 100 Cotton Tips
  • 15 – Clean Wipes
  • 2 – Pill Bottles

We topped up/overfilled the kit with:

  • More gauze (lots more gauze),
  • More triangular bandages,
  • More safety pins (dollar store),
  • Extra medical tape, various widths,
  • More BZK and Alcohol wipes,
  • Package of ‘Wet-ones’ cleaning wipes (for cleaning around wounds),
  • Crazy glue (stitch substitute),
  • CAT tourniquet, similar to this one,
  • Several quick-clot stop bleeding bandages,
  • An extra SAM Splint,
  • A headlamp,
  • A flashlight,
  • Lots of extra gloves,
  • A couple of space blankets,
  • Duct tape (three or four 25’ lengths rolled on golf pencils),
  • Big orange garbage bags (ground cover/rain cover/blood catcher)
  • A few wound treatment/dressing change trays, similar to this one  (mostly for convenience, these are most everything you need for immediate treatment or re-dressing of a more than ‘boo boo’ issue in a single sterile kit, super easy to grab and use),
  • A couple of surgical staplers, similar to this one,
  • A ‘surgery’ kit, similar to this one,
  • Saline solution for wound cleaning,
  • Hydrogen peroxide,
  • 90% Isopropyl alcohol,
  • Syringes for wound cleaning,
  • Eyedroppers,
  • Eyewash bottle,
  • Cervical collar,
  • A selection of Catheters,
  • Some spray on ‘Bandage’ material,
  • Some ‘second skin’ for burns or blisters.
  • Finger splints,
  • Finger cots,
  • Other things we generally thought were a good idea while browsing in the first aid section.

All contents were repackaged as we saw appropriate in heavy duty Ziplock freezer bags. We made sure everything in the boo-boo kit was replicated in the SHTF list so we would not need to bring both.

We looked at the larger, upscale adventure medical kits and more current issue military kits (fa138 or fa140) for inspiration on what to add, although the price of these scared us off and there did not seem to be a huge difference in the actual supply of contents.

We also carry a couple of burn treatment kits like these ones you can get at Canadia Safety Supplies (two because they’re mostly consumables and the kits were cheaper than buying more of the contents). One in the SHTF kit, one in the head next to the boo-boo kit.

These contain burn specific treatments, usually a bill of materials something like this:

  • 1 Burn Dressing – 5.1 x 15.2 cm (2″ x 6″)
  • 1 Burn Dressing – 10.1 x 10.1 cm (4″ x 4″)
  • 1 Burn Gel Bottle 59gr (2 oz)
  • 6 Burn Gel Packet 3.5ml (1/8 oz)
  • 1 Conforming Stretch Gauze Bandage Roll – 10.1cm (4″)
  • 1 Vinyl Medical Examination Gloves, Powder Free (Pair)
  • 1 Paramedic Bandage Scissors 5.5″
  • 1 Roll of first aid tape – 1.25cm x 4.5m (1/2″ x 5yd)
  • 2 Cotton Tip Applicators, Sterile – 6″ [1]
  • 1 Nylon bag with carry handle

After getting the appropriate (we hope) response materials to the injured person, the problem then becomes getting the injured person to the appropriate place (aboard, ashore, whatever).

To solve this problem, we got a SKEDCO stretcher.  Basically a semi-flexible sheet of some kind of HDPE with straps that roll it over on the edges and foot to transform it into a surprisingly rigid stretcher that tightly controls and constrains the enclosed patient.

According to the Sked company, these are “equipped for horizontal hoisting by helicopter or vertical hoisting in caves or industrial confined spaces. When the patient is packaged, the stretcher becomes rigid. The durable plastic provides protection for the patient while allowing extrication through the most demanding confined spaces. The stretcher is rolled for storage in a tough cordura backpack, which is included with the system.” The design and materials allow it to be carried or dragged as terrain and personnel allow, and it stows in a very small space (about 30” long and 8” in diameter).

We packaged this with an Oregon Spine Splint (OSS). According to the company that makes it, the “OSS II provides for safe removal of patients from injury sites without doing further damage to the spine. The unique criss-crossing shoulder strap design provides superior immobilization without restricting breathing and, for clavical fractures, can be re-configured to retract and immobilize the shoulders. The OSS II is designed to provide easy access to the patient’s chest or abdominal area for treatment or diagnostic procedures. It can be used in place of a conventional short backboard and as a hip or leg splint.”

While these items cost a fortune new, they often show up as cheap army surplus on eBay. We got the Sked and OSS for less than ~$250 Canadian for the set on eBay. As an added bonus, the packaging was an attractive camouflage, and it was already dirty! The spine splint stores inside the stretcher. They are designed to be easy to transport when empty with a shoulder strap or backpack style and easy to carry or drag when loaded. We keep this stored under a berth.

We also considered modifying one or some of the under berth plywood supports to make traditional long boards and spine boards like those in the diagram, but decided to go the Sked route instead. (Pretty easy to do with a hole saw, jig saw, some epoxy and wood for the runners and time. Just add some straps and padding and you’re good to go. You can leave them wide as long as the holes for the straps are in the right places.)

So if we have to respond to an off-board emergency, everything is waterproof, floats, is man-portable and easy to transport. The Sked stretcher (with the Oregon Spine Splint inside) and SHTF kit carry bags also have six foot 1/2” three strand nylon lanyards and snaps spliced to them to augment their backpack style cases and shoulder straps for securing/transporting.

We don’t have a dedicated dental kit, but we do have OraGel topical painkiller, oil of cloves, 5 minute epoxy and crazy glue, so I think we can fake it. It’s stored in the head cabinet.

For medication, we have a list similar to what you see on the Safety and Seamanship Resources from the Cruising Club of America. We store it separately from the other stuff as it goes off after a few years and isn’t needed with the same urgency as, for example, a bandage or splint. I think you can always wait 30-60 min for antibiotics. We have found these types of antibiotic easily available over the counter and inexpensive in Mexico or other Central American countries. We don’t carry any serious pain killers, as opioids can cause trouble with customs. We’re strictly over the counter on pain medication.

While we have taken first aid courses over the years, they won’t have taught us everything we might need to know and we may have forgotten a few things over time, so we keep some reference materials at hand. We have e-copies of:

  • The Ship Captain’s Medical Guide
  • Where there is no doctor’,
  • Where there is no dentist’, and
  • a paper copy of ‘Marine Medicine, A Comprehensive Guide’, by Eric A. Weiss, M.D. and Michael Jacobs, M.D.
  • Military first aid manuals are surprisingly comprehensive, googling for the “Special Operations Forces Medical Handbook” or the “Ranger Medic Handbook” or similar titles can get you some very useful manuals that have comprehensive suggested packing lists for remote areas.

These are more suited to longer term or more remote care, as most first aid or medical books are written with the idea that you will be tended to by professionals within 20-30 minutes of injury. These books assume you’re under the care of your shipmates for hours or even days, and don’t assume a lot (or any) medical training.

Other goods we have now learned to carry include anti fungal creams (don’t ask, yes you want this aboard), a couple of extra litres of hydrogen peroxide and a couple of extra litres of 90% isopropyl alcohol for cleaning (while discredited in current practice as too aggressive, these traditional disinfectants work and have their place), iodine for disinfecting, and cortisone cream for bites/rashes.

Annual maintenance is simply changing the batteries in the flashlights and headlamps, and making sure nothing has burst or leaked. (Editors note: if using a zippered bag to store your first aid kit, clean and lube the zippers at least once a year.  Zippers tend to get crusty in the salty environment of your boat and the last thing you want is a first aid kit that won’t open when you need it).  While most supplies have expiry dates, on things like gauze, we ignore them, and on medication we are perhaps a bit liberal. We think that the efficacy of medication may decline a bit past the due date, but it doesn’t stop working, so we let most medications stay aboard longer than the best before dates suggest.

Worst problem so far? Pinched finger needing a bandaid. Ouch!