Check out the latest adventures aboard 'Vaihere' as they sail the world in comfort and style!
We picked up our Nautitech 44 Open in October 2023. A retired Surgeon with a lot of aviation experience with little experience in boats, and a partner from Cowra who knew little about sailing but knew how to make an Aperol Spritz.. Our intention was to sail the world. How hard can it be? We decided on a 44 Open. Why? I thought the Nautitech was the right compromise of speed and comfort, and it came from the design board of Marc Lombard, a legendary French designer. Nine months after ordering our new boat, we were dockside in La Rochelle doing a handover.
Vaihere in Moorea
Our delivery voyage entailed securing a skipper from the UK, as everything was new to us and we were departing La Rochelle to cross the Bay of Biscay at the beginning of winter. We planned our inaugural voyage heading South down the coast of Spain and Portugal, through the Straits of Gibraltar, and then up the Mediterranean coast of Spain to La Rapita. We left Vaihere in a Marina over winter and then returned in April the following year to start our voyage around the Med. Over the next 6 months we circumnavigated the Med travelling some 2000nm visiting the Balearics, Sardinia, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Corsica, France, Spain, arriving back at Gibraltar in late October.
Polynesian sunset and Maupiti, French Polynesia
We had decided during this time to undertake the ARC+ rally starting in November in Grand Canary. This involved considerable time and cost in preparation, but with the benefit of hindsight was a good decision. We set sail with 98 other boats in the rally in November and proceeded south to Cape Verde and then a week later began the crossing of the Atlantic to Grenada. 2400nm later we arrived in the Caribbean. It was a great adventure but with the safety net of the Rally behind you, not to mention making a lot of like minded friends from all over the world.
We then headed up the Caribbean coast as far as Dominica cruising in company with our new buddies. In late February we departed south to Bonaire and Columbia, the San Blas islands and Panama. All were amazing stops. Then the crossing of the Panama Canal, a bucket list thing, to arrive on the pacific side of Panama. In March we set off for the Galápagos Islands via the las Perlas islands. Galapagos was an amazing experience. Simply breathtaking. After 2 weeks in the Galapagos we set sail across the Pacific. The reality of crossing over 3000nm of ocean was somewhat daunting but the ARC had prepared us well. 18 days later we arrived in the fabled Marquesas. Land never smelt so good. The highlight was definitely visiting Fatu Hiva and observing schools of giant manta rays and spinner dolphins.
Three days sail and we arrived in the amazing Tuamotus. Our favourite was Fakarava, a biosphere preserve, with spectacular diving. We arrived in Tahiti at the end of May and set about getting some necessary work done. Friends then came and joined us for an exploration of the Society Islands. French Polynesia is both vast and spectacular. The experience was simply awesome. 15000nm later, we are now preparing to cross to Tonga and then Fiji, Vanuatu, Noumea, and finally the Bay of Islands in NZ. Then for a break back home and next year the Solomons, Raja Umpat and Indonesia. Thereafter who nows. Be careful or you may get lost wandering forever.