Author Archives: Mark
Suva – Part 2
I’ve been really looking forward to writing part 2 of this because some funny stuff happened in Suva. Here we go. In part 1, you learned our hotel didn’t have bedbugs. The real downside was it was up a hill (pun intended). At the end of the day spent walking up and down the […]
Suva – Part 1
We decided to go to Suva, the capital city of Fiji. Over the weekend, we talked to a couple of local people and mentioned we are heading to Suva. Our hope was they’d share some insight about what to see and do there. We both were a little surprised when we announced our intentions […]
Malolo Islands and Musket Cove
We recently visited the Malolo islands, specifically a place called Musket Cove. It felt a little bit strange actually sailing the Puffster without looking ahead to an overnight passage. Most of the places we’ve visited in the South Pacific require an overnight sail or longer. We can actually see the Malolo Islands as soon as […]
Fumbling Around Fiji – Part 2
Link to Part 1 When we left off last time, I was talking about fresh produce and Farm Boy. We made another discovery that involves farm-to-table. We first became familiar with the farm-to-table concept many years ago when in the US Virgin Islands. Simply put, the concept is fresh locally grown organic food is sourced […]
Fumbling Around Fiji – Part 1
The past few weeks we’ve been doing something we love to do. We’ve been exploring the island we’re on. We are currently on Viti Levu. This is Fiji’s main island and includes the capital city of Suva. I almost called this post Farting Around Fiji but decided to keep it G-rated instead. About 87% of […]
Finding Our Way Around Fiji
On the way to Fiji, we crossed the Anti-meridian line also known as the International Date Line (IDL). This completes the 4th hemisphere for us and the Puffster. We crossed the equator from the northern to the southern hemisphere on our way to Galapagos. And, now we have crossed from the western hemisphere to […]
What is it Like to Make an Ocean Passage?
Being at one with nature and the elements is remarkably calming and soothing. One feels a sense of peacefulness as the boat gently glides across the sea and rippling waves. We listen to Caribbean-style ska music or Jimmy Buffet and we sip rum concoctions in the evenings. During the day we bask in the […]
Bora Bora
We made it to Bora Bora. This will be our last stop in French Polynesia. There is a funny saying, I went to Bora Bora and left poorer poorer. And, this adage is justly due. This place is the world’s ultimate tourist’s trap. Personally, I think the real purpose of Bora Bora’s place in our […]
Hurry Up and Wait
(This post contains some of my favorite pictures taken while in French Polynesia) For the past couple of months, we’ve been trying to put Tahiti in the rearview mirror. First, we had to wait for a small health issue to clear up and now, the weather is uncooperative. Our next venture means sailing into more […]
Drug Trafficking, Cheers, and Lost Treasure
Drug Trafficking Every time we arrive in a new country, we are required to clear customs and immigration. For the most part, this is a pretty relaxed process and very rarely have customs officials set foot on the boat to inspect. We normally fill out their forms, go to their office and get official papers […]
Yikes! This Blog is Getting Rusty
Cindy has returned from an extended visit to her family – yay! Unfortunately, just like any other time we’ve traveled internationally by plane, she caught a cold on the return trip. Thankfully, it was on the return so as not to spoil her visit. However, we’ve passed this darn cold back and forth now for […]
Meanwhile, Back on Tahiti…
Something happened today that made me think, this is it – I’ve finally lost my mind. Several people have questioned whether I am of sound mind over the years. I’m not like normal people and I know that. But until this morning, I’ve never questioned myself regarding sanity. So, here’s what happened. I woke up […]
Fun in Fakarava – The South Pass
Usually, when a place is hyped by fellow cruisers, it is often a bit of a letdown due to high expectations. This was not the case with Fakarava’s south pass. We have now spent a couple of weeks here on a mooring ball and have had tons of time to explore. The first thing I […]
Fun and Fuel in Fakarava
To continue on with part three ( Part I – Part II): Sailing inside an atoll Yes, fuel is available in Fakarava. In fact, it couldn’t be easier. Once we dropped the anchor near the small village of Rotoava after dodging bommies and pearl farms on the way up, we could see the fuel pump near […]
Fun in Fakarava – Part II
I am picking up where we left off in Part I. Here is a video I wanted to attach to Part I but, with the ailing hamster situation, it wasn’t possible. We have moved a little and believe it or not we have 4G service. Or perhaps the hamster has been replaced with gerbils, four […]
