Prins Henrik on the WWW and the seven seas

And that was our voyage..

2012-01-04T20:14:00.000Z

After 13.000 nautical miles our adventure has ended.
We are sad but alive, mourning but relieved..
..it's hard to describe.
Fare you well, our companions of the seven seas.
We'll see each other again!
So long!

Yours Rainer, Jochen and SY Prins Henrik

Last port of call

2010-10-16T03:50:00.001+01:00

We were towed into the tiny harbour on Aitutaki by a barge loading and unloading containers from a container cargo vessel anchored outside the reef.

Certainly one of the last fotos of our ship.

Aitutaki from the top.

Prins Henrik sold.

2010-10-14T22:22:00.001+01:00

Well, it is true.
We have had several damages in the recent time, which, in the long run, made us more than usual concerned about our safety, when being that far out on the open Ocean.
And without the trust in the boat, the only thing that is around you and keeps you up on top of the big waves to all sides, hundreds of miles from any shore, sailing is not fun any longer.
We sold her on Aitutaki to the mayor himself. And we are happy with the decision!
In a way, we have reached New Zealand anyhow, as the Cook Islands belong to New Zealand.

For about 20 years Rainer and I have crossed the oceans on this tiny type of boat. Many of our friends we have got to know by that. Part of our identity is connected to that.

In a way, an era is over for us. That gives space and energy for new projects, and together we will go for it.

You may expect some last pictures here on this site within the week to come.
We are looking forward to meeting all of you any time and any place in the world.

Regards from Rainer and Jochen

Brakers on the reef of Raiatea

2010-10-09T03:51:00.000+01:00

This passage through the reef was one of the most spectacular ones, I've ever tried!

The captain was scared!

Bora Bora

2010-10-09T03:44:00.000+01:00

At anchor on Bora Bora

Sailing and swimming in the Lagoon

A starphoto of Rainer and our Prince.

SPOT-position and the big trip

2010-10-07T20:48:00.000+01:00

In a few days we will start our big trip over the southern Pacific. Possibly we will be able to get ashore on 2 islands:
Aitutki after 500 nautical miles and then Rauol Island after ca. 1.600 nautical mile. Under many usual weather- and seaconditions it is hardly possible, but we might we lucky anyhow.

New Zealand lies 2.350 autical miles from here, but we have got the most favourable months of the year now. So, things should work out fine.

I'm not sure, if anybody will be able to find or recieve our position on the Pacific, while we are out. Neither the figuration of the transmitter, nor the coverage is entirely clear yet.

We will send and hope, that the positons will get through. Tahiti is not covered.
Possibly the position can be found on this site under: My complete profile.

And once more in German:

Weiterhin ist mir nicht klar, ob diese Positions-sende-geschichte klappen wird. Es scheint, als wären wir hier in der Gegend von Tahiti noch immer nicht im Empfangsbereich für unseren GPS-position-sender, genannt SPOT.
Wir werden das also irgendwann, wenn es zur grossen Tour losgeht, anfangen, und erst wenn wir in Neu Seeland ankommen, herausfinden, ob auch nur eine position weitergeleitet ist. Möglicherweise findet man die ja dann auch hier auf unserem Blogger www.prinshenrik.blogspot.com wo jetzt ja nur ein paar Inselbilder liegen.

Unter Umständen werden wir an 2 Inseln landen können, wo das aber alles andere als wahrscheinlich ist, bei normalen Wetter- und Seebedingungen: Aitutki nach 500 Seemeilen und dann Rauol Island nach ca. 1.600 Seemeilen.

Neu Seeland liegt 2.350 Seemeilen von hier bummelig nach west-süd-west, und wir haben für diese Passage die am besten geeigneten Monate erwischt. So sollte alles wohl fein klappen.

R&J

Raiatea

2010-10-07T19:42:00.000+01:00

We are still finding and catching gekkos from Apataki on deck of our Prince. They hide, we don't know where and survive the waves, washing the deck, and winds and rain.

We made it from Tahiti to Raiatea and are considering to continue to Bora Bora either today or tomorrow.

Here a sunset in Papete Marina Taina.

Moorea, where a Cruiseliner has found itself a spectakular bay to anchor.

The entrance of Raiatea from the inside lagoon. (Maybe the automatic colour adjust is exaggerating a bit?)

We got our Zarpe!

2010-10-05T08:57:00.001+01:00

It took its time, and the usual chauvinistic office desk generals had nearly overstressed some of our crews impressing temper, but we won at last!
Even though we did not get back our own ships papers (they were possibly lost in some beurocratic back door chambers) we have, what we need, to clear in in New Zealand. (we do have different ships papers issued in Denmark AND in Germany).

Now the way is open for us to Bora Bora, Raiatea, maybe Rauol Island, (try to GOOGLE that!) and then New Zealand.

Best whishes
Rainer & Jochen

The crossing from Apataki to Tahiti

2010-10-04T09:16:00.000+01:00

Our first reunion with gusts and squalls.

Briefly before our departure from Apataki.

Prins Henrik back on the Sea again

2010-10-04T08:54:00.001+01:00

Prins Henrik is back in her element. We came by air, even the last few hundred miles from Tahiti to Apataki.

Landed on apataki.

Rainer is waiting on the pier of Apataki for the people who would take us the remaining 12 miles to our Prince, lying in the other corner of the atoll.

The boat was in good shape, overpopulatet by thousands of tiny bills, filling every cupboard and spimply any spacce below deck, digesting whatever was left on board, and there was a lot.

No hungry bugs on Prins Henrik!

Even a Gekko family and their eggs followed us to Thahiti, where we released them in thier new biotop.

We have already tried our first seasick period and lots of squalls, and are bach in Papete, now with our boat. Tomorrow we will do the customs and check out for Raiatea and Bora Bora.

Prins Henrik on the hard

2009-09-03T16:24:00.002+01:00

Some months after we left her on Apataki, our Prince has got hauled out abd put on the hard between huts and palmtrees.

We are leaving Prins Henrik on Apataki

2009-04-30T21:50:00.008+01:00

We will have to leave for Europe. Rainer's father is not well and we feel it is the best if Rainer is around his parent's home in the time to come. With no internet access on Apataki and only a poor telephone connection, we could not book our flight from there. However, two days after our arrival at the boatyard we got the possibility to get on the mailboat. It will take us 2½ days to get to Papeete by that means. From there we can take an international flight but before that we had to prepare the Prince for the one and a half year on Apataki where it will be dug down into the coral sand.

Apataki Carenage

2009-04-30T21:41:00.005+01:00

An exotic, warm and welcoming place. The carenage has not opened offically because the travellift has still to arrive and the bar is not built yet but we were accepted anyway. We have a good feeling. The owners and staff are very nice. This boatyard may become an attractive alternative to Raiatea or Papete for any skipper who will have to get his or her yacht on the hard, be it just for some days or for a long term storage. The Apataki Carenage lies on S 015 33,5 and W 146 14,5. Contact us or call the Carenage on (689) 311 036 (some French an asset but not necessary) if you are interested in further information.

Apataki

2009-04-30T21:37:00.004+01:00

The following day we set our course across the unsurveyed atoll for some 17 miles. We had to progress whith great caution, one of us eyeballing from the bow in order to avoid pearl farms and coral banks.

Apatki, northern entrance

2009-04-30T21:27:00.003+01:00

With light winds we drifted from Manihi to Apataki. And again we were lucky: We found the tide nearly at slack when we entered. Most of the time the currents in these atolls are outgoing on the western, the leeward part of the atoll.
The anchorage on the norther side of Apataki is shown in different publications, protected from the wind by a huge reef area. In reality this protecting reef does not exist, nore does the annchorage. Again we had to search for acceptable depths very close to the coral shore. But there we found a lovely spot of the world in calm conditions and surrounded by marvellous snorkeling sites.

Manihi again

2009-04-30T21:21:00.001+01:00

First night we went to an anchorage, where we anchored in some 36 feet of water and where we were surrounded by stonehard coralheads, which had grown up to just below the surface.
Later we were towed into the tiny harbour, where we met Roland and his family. At his house we could get access to the internet. People are friendly here and children love to drop by for a “chat”, a cup of juice or some bisquits.
When leaving the atoll, nobody could tell us, at what time we could expect slack, so later we found us stuck for more than 1 hour in the counter current of the raising tide, until a friendly soul tugged us out.

Manihi atoll on the Tuamotus

2009-04-30T21:14:00.002+01:00

Our first atoll to visit was Manihi. The entrance into a atoll on the Tuamotus is often tricky and sometimes hazardous. Sailboats without an engine have to proceed with extra caution and best with local assistance. At the same time we did not even know when the tide would go in or out when we arrived, but we were lucky. On the fotos you can see the entrance in calm conditions. On the chart sketch everything looks so easy but currents can run at up to 6 knots in the entrance and, once inside, one has to watch out for coralheads, lingering just below the surface. The average depth inside the atoll is about 16 fathoms, corresponding to about 30 meters, even at the anchorages.

Passage from Hiva Oa to Manihi, Tuamotu

2009-04-24T03:17:00.002+01:00

Mid april we arrived on the Marquesas, that is on the Hiva Oa. Because of Easter hollidays we had to wait a bit until we could clear in, but when the Gendarmeri finally opened, it was a pleasure! No more corrupt Port Captains, on more greedy agents or allmighty Officers of any kind. The french gendarme behind the counter was efficent, friendly, polite and smiling. Thus it took us less than 15 minutes to have the paperworks done, with no fees of any kind.
We explored the region close by the harbour, which was in walking distance. The artists Paul Gauguin and Jaques Brel ended their lives here and we visited their graves. On an other ancient graveyard we found a historic tiki. Those tikis have some common roots with the statues on the Easter Island, which we missed, by choosing this route over the Pacific Ocean.
The hills of Hiva Oa are covered by a tropical forrrest. Lots of trees carry a heavy burdon of exotic fruits, one of them beeing the huge mangotree. The delicious fruits cover many a roadside.
But we did not stay long. In a familiar matter Rainer will possibly have to fly back to Europe before time and we would like to be on the Tuamotu Archipel by that time. So we left Hiva Oa only four days after our arrival, at first only for Tahuata, a smal island just a few miles to the south, for some snorkeling. But then, less than 24 hours later we left again. This time for the Tuamous, some 500 miles further to the west.

Hiva Oa again

2009-04-24T03:04:00.002+01:00

Hiva Oa

2009-04-24T02:57:00.001+01:00

A hiking tour in the mountains of Hiva Oa, Marquesas.

Hiva Oa, the first photos

2009-04-14T20:26:00.002+01:00

After 30 days and 4 hours at sea we are finally anchored again: A bit rolly but wonderfully situated.

We will provide more fotos within the days to come.

Pacific passage 3

2009-04-14T03:00:00.005+01:00

There were some repairs to do on the passage. One of them was our Windpilot windvane.
We had some animal passangers: Shells on the hull, which reduced our speed conciderably and a little crab, which lived in the drain of the cockpit.

Pacific passage 2

2009-04-14T02:40:00.004+01:00

At times we had wind and rain, at times we had no wind at all. Often we were followed by schools of dolphins which displayed stuntshows of the thrilling type.
There was much time to do nothing. Luckily we had lots of books as well as audiobooks with us, but the best thing of all was Rainer reading out for the skipper at night before bunktime.

Pacific passage

2009-04-14T02:21:00.002+01:00

Westward bound for days and days.

After a grand provisioning we left Galapagos, 31 days ago. The bananas we bought for 5 dollars (see picture) contained except a whole lot of bananas at least 3 huge cockroaches and monsterspider, which luckily fled jumping at incredible speed.

Galapagos

2009-03-12T16:14:00.008Z

97% of the area of these islands are National Park area. Seaiguanas, bluefooted boobies? turtoise and turtles are to be seen from close distance.
In heavy sweel close to the rocks we snorkeled with sealions, which really mostly look like seals, but behaved very playful.
Its quite an experience, but we will have to continue anyhow within a short time. The following leg will be our longest ever, and there is a chance of several days without or just a little wind. This passage to French Polynesia, Marquesas Islands, might take up to 45 days or more. We hope though to make it in 30 - 38 days.
At any time our familly will know how far we have reached day by day as we dayly send noon positions. We feel very content at sea and are looking forward to the journey.
Well then, have a nice march (and april?) until we update this site next time.

Galapagos

2009-03-10T16:46:00.004Z

First Pacific leg is accomplished.
Yesterday, Monday 9. of march we reached Santa Cruz, Galapgos.
We have not seen much yet, so here only some foto impressions of the harbour. This post will be updated within the days to come.

Equator

2009-03-10T16:27:00.002Z

This is the seccond post relating to our equator crossing on 89* 13 degrees west. You can find more text in the post below.

Equator

2009-03-10T16:20:00.003Z

On the 8. day after departure from Balboa, Panama we crossed the magic line in a calm. Well, it had been calm for a while then and winds were weak for several days. So we more drifted over than sailed over.
Peparations had been made the day befor: Champagne had been cooled and certificates drawn.
At 03:21 hours the GPS changed from north to south lattitudes. We offered some Champagne in hope of favourable winds, drank the rest, took down the sails and went to bed.

Balboa, Panama West Coast

2009-02-27T00:55:00.003Z

So we are about to be as ready as we can get. All anxiety we felt before leaving Colón not knowing wether or not we could accomplish the passage through the canal has gone. Now we are sailing.
We have all the neccessary stamps, clearances and provisions. Tomorrow, 5 pm local time, we will be leaving for las Perlas which lie some 50 miles from here. Then we are headed for the Galapagos and nobody can tell when we will reach them (however you can follow our progress: check the details of our profile to see how). All depends on the variable winds in this region.
We are looking forward to it.
Ohoi again!

el pacifico!

2009-02-23T20:11:00.010Z

Finally the Pacific Ocean! The last port is opening, salt- and freshwater is mixing and creating some turbulences and a strong current. And then the sight is free towards the west!
The transit was done in two days. We were moored in the Gatun Lake in the jungle, where sometimes the apes shouted in waves, like a choir reaching a crescendo, awaking everybody on board. Our pilot was an extremely broadminded, friendly, unassuming and competent young man. Thanks to him and particularly thanks to our three linehandlers, who generously spent two days together with us on board our tiny spartanic boat. We feel relieved and lucky having reached that far.

Our pilot at work.
All were concerned whether or not we would make it to the locks on the Pacific side in time. The outboard's 3 HP and a faint breeze is pushing our Prins at times to 5,5 knots.

More pictures of the prince leaving Colón on www.desaudade.nl/Fotos/Panama Canal

Colón, still Colón

2009-02-19T18:59:00.003Z

Today we payed the fees. It may cost us an estimated US$ 1,000 to 2,000 to transit the canal.
We had to advance US$ 2,309. And we needed a toilet (which now we have - the bucket is still not installed on this picture)

Still in Colón

2009-02-18T01:09:00.004Z

Portauthorities, Inmigration, Customs, Canalauthorities with all their officers, traveladvisers, portcaptains...time here follows other rules than in Europe. Offices filled with people, moving slowly, very slowly back and forth, uttering or grunting a word now and then, mostly "no", but definitely not working in an European sence. There are always problems which make it impossible to satisfy a citicens or a customers requirements. Procedures nobody can decrypt, inclusive the employees or officers themselves.
Outside the offices we, the sailors, would convene like the accused in court discussing our chances by greasing an officers hand or just by mere chance the following day or the day after. What a frustrating spoil of time, resources and money.
On the foto you can see the loosers of a preliminary adjudication, who try to convalesce.

Apart from that Colón decays and with it its houses and inhabitants. The Carnaval is cancelled due to the exploding numbers of murders in previous years. Lets hope we soon can get on, wheresoever, through the bloddy canal or northward towards civilisation.

Colón, Panama

2009-02-13T02:29:00.003Z

Getting closer to the Panama Canal also the traffic got denser.

An exeptional quick, though shaky, ride from Isla de Providencia to the eastern entrance of the Panama canal.
Now we are here, trying to figure out all those tricky rules, which apparently were made to prevent us from proceeding through the canal.

Isla de Providencia, Colombia

2009-02-06T16:03:00.003Z

Weather changes a lot in this western part of the Caribbean. We hope to be able to continue towards Panama within a few days.

The worst problem is not the wind, but the waves, that build up to huge heights and get nasty when the current is against.

Isla de Providencia

2009-02-04T17:24:00.005Z

Netxt step is taken. We wait for a front to pass on an island east of Nicaragua. It belongs to Colombia and is quite warm.

About 200 miles left to Panama.

Still the waves are too high, but they will decrease.

Jamaica, Port Antonio

2009-01-25T02:19:00.004Z

About 24 hours after leaving Cuba we arrived on Jamaica. On the passage we had seen a whale, but did not get close enough to be able to take some detailed fotos. Moreover Rainer had a hard time under the passage as he had to struggle with a severe diarrhea. Poor him couldn´t eat anything yet.

A nice refreshing chill in the evening of our first sticky day in Port Antonio, Jamaica.

Departure from the black city, Santiago de Cuba

2009-01-25T01:57:00.003Z

The pier in Santiago Marina is certainly not in the best shape,but for that pupose we always carry a fenderboard.

Worse is the heavy contamination which is ejected by a kind og a powerplant or refinery on the windward side of the marina, just behind a tiny hill.
Prins Henriks cabin and deck is no longer white, but stained in brown tittles.

It took us more than an hour to come free of the black clammy trail of smoke, which could we smelled even 10 miles out on the open sea.

Havanna

2009-01-25T01:35:00.004Z

We took to Havanna by bus because we did not want to take the boat so far to leeward as to the capital in the west of the island. It was a good decision: The bus ride of only 12 hours was a relatively comfortable and gave a wonderful impression of the beautiful landscape and life in the countryside of this vast island.

The poverty of the people everywhere is burdesome and can only partially be balanced by the same peoples vitality. In this context many revolutionary slogans appear ironic.
Anyhow, we found people openminded and sociable.

Shark: An old foto from Rum Cay on the Bahamas

2009-01-25T00:55:00.001Z

A little shark watching under the Prince.

Some old pictures from Great Inagua on the Bahamas

2009-01-25T00:41:00.004Z

Finally we had found a place where we could find wireless access.

A colony of Flamingos on Great Inagua.

And here our anchorage.

Santiago de Cuba

2009-01-22T17:05:00.008Z

It took us about 2 weeks to work us down the Bahamas towards windward and sail the final leg of about 180 miles around the south-eastern tip of the island to Santiago de Cuba. The US Coastguard checked our boat several times from the air and the sea before we were dismissed to the communists.

We had to struggle a bit with calm winds before our outboarder brought us safely into the bay of Santiago de Cuba. Clearing in was far less bureaucratic and cumbersome than expected. Everyone was friendly and we believe it helped that we are a small boat and that we speak Spanish.

A word from a guest on board:
I have been part of the Prins Henrik crew for almost three weeks, from Nassau to Santiago de Cuba. It was a great experience. The turquoise, shallow water and small islands of the Bahamas, the dolphins (see picture) and the buzzing towns of Cuba.

A special experience was the visits to the small societies at remote Bahamian islands. That was a quiet life. People were mostly just sitting and watching or moved around in slow-motion. In the case of Matthew Town, Great Inagua, we saw the impact of the hurricane Ike that hit the place last September. All houses were damaged with broken roofs or plates covering the windows. Tiles and construction debris were everywhere on the ground, and besides of the new communication antenna the old one was still standing, but totally crumpled up.

Cuba was very different with lots of people and activity everywhere. The houses were incredibly worn out, illustrating what many years without maintenance can do to a formerly beautiful town. The streets were still picturesque though, but with a depressing feeling of hopelessness.

During my whole stay, the most pleasing experience was the warm hospitality of Rainer and Jochen. Lacking sailing skills I was no help at all during the long days and nights on the tiny ship, but I still felt most welcome and well treated. I can highly recommend a visit!

Thank you very much, Rainer and Jochen.
Anders

Thunderball Cave Stanley

2009-01-11T16:34:00.004Z

Now we have made it all the way down to Great Inagua at the southern end of the Bahamas. Tomorrow we will leave for Santiago de Cuba.

Fantastic sailing, good seamanship and a nice crew.
Our mobile phones do not work, so if you want to contact us please send us an email.

The picture shows the world famous cave from the James Bond movie Thunderball.

Back in the water

2008-12-30T00:34:00.005Z

She´s in her right element again!
Wow!

Our short term plans:
As soon as our outboard is repaired we will leave for Nassau where we shall meet a friend from Copenhagen. He will spend some weeks with us, sailing to Cuba.

Back on Her Majesty P. Henrik

2008-12-30T00:24:00.004Z

After short stopover in New York, where we spent lillejuleaften together with a friend, we arrived on Christmas eve in deep darkness on the boatyard where she stood on land. The two fragile solar panels had survived the trip in the baggage of the aeroplanes which brought us to the Abacos / Bahamas.

The first 4 days we had to live aboard the boat standing on land. She resembled a working site, leaving little space for us to sleep below deck. Luckily Rainer noticed a crack in the forefinn of the rudder, a damage we must have had since we hit the shore back in Spain in December 2006. Before leaving the boat here in spring this year, we had noticed that the rudder had some backlash. Now we hope to have found a temporary solution for that problem.

Hurricane Hanna

2008-09-03T20:25:00.003+01:00

This Hurricanes eye passes directly along the Abacco Cays.
...and "Ike" is following. Lets cross fingers.

Prins Henrik stands in a wide space on land.

Long-term storage on the Bahamas

2008-03-26T11:18:00.003Z

The boatyard is a very nice, warm and friendly place for Her to stay over the summer.

Last preparations before haul

2008-03-26T11:11:00.008Z

Well, here we are: Abaco Cays, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco Yacht Service.

Last preparations for the dry storage.

Friends aboard Prins Henrik on "Man Of War Cay"

2008-03-26T11:04:00.008Z

From starboard: Rainer, Dennis, Judy, Carol, Barnacle and Tom.

UNSCC

2008-03-26T10:35:00.002Z

Flying the UNSCC pendant and the Bahamas courtesy flag.

Waiting for better weather

2008-03-17T22:28:00.004Z

Although sailing can be like on the seccond picture sometimes, while a front is passing, we have to wait for more favourable winds.

Abaco Cays

2008-03-08T16:21:00.004Z

For the time being we awaut some cold fronts to pass by.
Therefor we have to ancor in a narrow sound, where we cannot use our ususal big restroom. (the one you can see Rainer use on this picture)
Still, we are enjoying the time and looking forward to another 3 weeks in the warmth of the Bahamas.

Green Turtle Cay

2008-03-06T20:24:00.002Z

We have finally found a place where the boat can stay during summer. Will be back in Europe as of 27 March. Looking forward to seeing you again.

Little Harbour - Abaco

2008-03-02T00:24:00.003Z

After a rough passage we arrived yesterday on Abaco where we anchored in Little Harbour.

Nassau and Green Turtle Cay

2008-02-25T21:43:00.006Z

Our research in Nassau regarding long-term storage did not give any positive results. So as of tomorrow we are heading for Green Turtle Cay on Abacos Island. The pictures show the high bridge over Nassau harbour to Paradise Island.

Exuma Cays National Park

2008-02-23T23:47:00.006Z

For a day we were working as voluntary wokers helping to distinguish the unwanted Austalian Pine from one of the Cays noth of Wild Tamarind Cay in the Exumas.

Sampson Cay 2

2008-02-23T23:28:00.006Z

Working on a friends new boat.

And here she is.

Sampson Cay

2008-02-17T15:03:00.003Z

No words needed.

Map of the latest passages

2008-02-14T00:02:00.002Z

Exuma Cays

2008-02-13T22:16:00.004Z

From Clarence Town we went as planned along the windward side of L.I. However, the winds were so much stronger than predicted that the master, in particular, at times was fearing for the mast. Pic 1 displays a mate still amazed (smiling) after hours of much and very much rain. From Cape Sta. Maria onwards we spent a rolly night with only the storm jib set and entered the Exuma Cays through the Big Rock Cut (Stanley Cay). We will have to get re-accustomed to eye-balling navigation to say the least... Finally we met Dragan (pic 2 with Rainer, Dragan and his new boat) and Dragan's boyfriend, family and friends.

Bound for Wild Tamarind Cay

2008-02-10T15:46:00.001Z

From Matthew Town we set course to Hogsty Reef. However, the anchorage there proved to be untenable (pic 1) so we continued to Clarence Town on Long Island. Here we are in a lovely anchorage (pic 2 & 3) with free wireless internet access. We will stay until tomorrow and then continue to the northern tip of this long island (which may explain its name) and drop anchor in lee of Cape Sta. Maria. We plan to stay there for the night and following day. In the evening we shall then continue to the Exuma Cays in order to meet Dragan, a friend we first met on our first trip in Gibraltar back in 1993.

Cascades in Dom Rep & on to the Bahamas

2008-02-07T17:21:00.000Z

After an exciting trip to the Lemon waterfalls in a two-stroke-Rikshaw we left Sta. Barbara de Samana and moved on to Great Inagua on the Bahamas. Taxi prices here are considerably higher than in the DR :((. Ask for our account nos. if you want to support us...

The Dominican Republic

2008-02-01T16:09:00.000Z

Our transit from the British Virgin Islands to the Dominican Repulic was a bit tricky because of some unexpected weather with winds from the north.
In the end, anyhow, we were compensated by meeting 2 Humpback Whales close by the ship. Everyone who has ever tried to shoot a foto of any animal from aboard a tiny ship in heavy swell will confirm, that you, when screenig the pictures after safely having reached the harbour, mostly will find pictures of water.
On this foto you will propably find a tiny part of this Whale.

We are now ancored in Santa Barbara de Samaná, have survived the clearence procedure and are now taking the first steps in this New World.

Tortola, Peter Island and Just van Dyke

2008-02-01T15:49:00.000Z

After a little week on the British Virgin Islands we found it too complicated to obtain a US visum and therefor we continued straight towards The Dominican Republic, leaving the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico towards leeward.
We found the Virgin Islands to be a wonderful crusing area, but unfortunately heavily dominated by the Tourist Industry. Many of the silent ancorages, which we still knew from 15 years ago, were now crowded with Charter Yachts.

Anyhow, snorkeling was still a unique experience.

Farvel St. Marteen, hej Virgin Gorda

2008-01-23T15:39:00.000Z

Today we are moving on to the British Virgins Islands. On St. Marteen the skipper finished the work on a new ice box and following the departure of our foldable bikes further space was gained by selling out equipment on a fleamarket. The picture displays some of the items as we beach the island.

Sint Maarten

2008-01-17T23:31:00.000Z

Yesterday we arrived at the island Sint Maarten which supposedly is governed by Dutch and French authorities. The Dutch part, however, reminds much more of the US than of NL. The passage from Ste. Anne took about five days (with stopovers in St. Pierre, Les Saints and St. Barth). Currently we are enjoying our time together with old friends (Thora 2 and Bananas) and Jochen is energetically working on a conversion of our sink into a cooling compartment...

Guadeloupe is calling

2008-01-11T17:06:00.000Z

After four days on land Prins Henrik has returned to the seven seas and is continuing her voyage to the north. During the stay on land we cleaned the hull and gave it a new layer of antifouling. Also, we replaced a sea-valve and did some minor repairs. The hull did not bear worrying visible damages that could have been caused by the incident in Sancti Petri...

Next stop will be Guadeloupe.

Voilà Martinique

2008-01-05T00:13:00.000Z

Miraculously, we did not get lost on our travel by plane to St. Lucia although one of the security assistants in Heathrow noted that Jochen looked lost...

Back at the Waterside Landings, Les had looked carefully after the boat so it survived the hurricane Dean. However, the UV-radiation had at the time of our arrival decomposed our newly acquired ropes to mere dust. When Rainer pulled the boat for easier boarding one rope simply broke (Rainer claims it's his strength).

After New Years we moved to Le Marin on Martinique where we today had the boat hauled onto land for inspection, cleaning and painting. When we are finished with this work we hope to continue to Guadeloupe, then possibly Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Panama. We reckon to arrive in Panama end of March.

Don't miss out any of the forthcoming issues.

No damages on her Highness PH

2007-08-26T19:58:00.000+01:00

Relief
In a telephone contact with Less from the "Waterside Landings" he confirmed that our boat still is in good shape and safely tied up in the little marina in Rodney Bay lagoon.

Hurricane!

2007-08-16T13:20:00.000+01:00

Below this text you will find the forecast diagram for tomorrow, friday, 17/8, 6 pm European time. The Prince lies in the water on St. Lucia, a little island just south of Martinique, the huge island a bit south of the center of the Hurrican.

Try this link to see the actual sittuation:
http://magicseaweed.com/Windward-Islands-MSW-Surf-Charts/40/wind/in/

"MIAMI - Hurricane Dean formed in the open Atlantic early Thursday and headed toward the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, forecasters said.

Hurricane warnings were issued for the islands of Dominica and St. Lucia by their local governments. "

Back in Europe

2007-04-29T20:25:00.000+01:00

After a short final trip from Martinique to St. Lucia we we left the boat 2 days ago in Rodney Bay, in the water in a little Marina.
6 wonderful months have gone and we will not be back on the boat until the end of this year to continue the voyage. We hope you enjoyed following us here on this site.

Last anchorage on southern Martinique

2007-04-29T14:07:00.000+01:00

After checking out in Le Marin we anchored for the last time at our favourite beach close to the salines on the south coast of Martinique.

Sailing with a friend

2007-04-21T01:45:00.000+01:00

Today we sailed with a friend, Jean Poul.

Jean Poul

Rainer took the fotos from our dinghi.

Exploring Martinique by car.

2007-04-18T14:59:00.000+01:00

A bath after a hard day of mountain hiking.

Another bath after a hard day of mountain hiking.

We climbed the highest mountain on Martinique, Mount Pele, which exploded in 1902 and destroyed the prosperous capital St. Pierre. It can quickly get very cloudy on top.

A kolibri just close by our path.

You find Heliconiae everywhere along the hiking paths.

Huge trees, here a certain fig, which grows around other trees, a house or something else, which would keep it up.

A few places water was transported by those canals to the sugar cane mills. Now the edges of those canals serve as hiking trails.

There are many bananaplantations here on Martinique, and there is water and warmth enough.

Rum on Martinique

2007-04-18T14:48:00.000+01:00

Barrels of rum in the plantation of St. Clement, our favourite rum.

A "modern" sugar cane mill.

Sugar cane harvest machine.

After the harvest they are transported to sugarcane mills.

There are huge plantations of sugarcane everywhere on Martinique.

Exploring the southern Martinique

2007-04-10T17:01:00.000+01:00

Rainer, hunting hummingbirds, crabs and all kind of animals with his camera on our hikingtour yesterday.

One of Rainers crabs.

After sunset, with the "Diamond" in the back-ground, seen from the Prince.

The anchorage by day.

Local regatta in Ste Anne, Martinique

2007-04-10T16:56:00.000+01:00

Back on Martinique

2007-04-07T16:23:00.000+01:00

After two short overnight stops (on St. Vincent at the Rockside Cafe moorings and on St. Lucia in Rodney Bay) we are now on Martinique again. Unfortunately our flight tickets have not arrived at the TO representation in Anse Mitan.

Prins Henrik on a shopping and blogging mission in Le Marin before Her return to Ste. Anne.

Passing les Pitons.

Rainer reading out loudly from Long John Silver by Björn Larsson.

Bequia

2007-03-31T16:31:00.000+01:00

While we are waiting for more favourable winds...

Admirality Bay

Hope Beach

Rainer at Hope Beach

Carriacou, Union Island and now Bequia

2007-03-29T23:00:00.000+01:00

This is the bar, connected to the representation of the German Trans Ocean sailing association, overlooking the harbour of Clifton on Union Island.
As told before, we are heading north, slowly, with sailing distances of 10 to 20 miles. We expect to be back on Martinique within a week.

Can you spot our boat?

Charleston Bay on Canouan which lies a bit north of Union Island and south of Bequia.
Our anchorage on Canouan

Grenada

2007-03-26T04:14:00.000+01:00

We went to Grenada for a couple of days and hiked through the tropical rain forest and swam in and jumped into a pool fed by waterfalls.

This waterfall, one of the "Seven Falls" we actually jumed down, after our guide had lead us to the place of no return, on top of it.

On our way back to Cariacou we
encountered a whale of a species we have not determined yet.

From St. Lucia to Carriacou / Grenada

2007-03-21T17:41:00.000Z

Now we have reached the southernmost location of our journey so far: Carriacou. This island is really still a paradise. Furtherdown there is a picture of the anchorage in Hillsborough. No problem, easygoing. Have not quite decided yet whether we will go further south or return slowly to Martinique. Weather still too hot. There must be something about this climate change or maybe we have chosen the wrong destination.

When crossing from St. Lucia to Carriacou we were followed by a giant turtle which we believed was a whale until she rose her head to breathe...

St. Lucia

2007-03-13T21:46:00.000Z

We have now arrived on St. Lucia and decided to leave the boat here for the hurricane season. We will return to Europe and of April and during the remaining time sail further down to Grenada. Looking forward to a more moderate spring climate in Denmark...

Ste. Anne

2007-03-08T17:32:00.000Z

Still on Matininique and still researching possibilyties to leave the boat somewhere here in the Caribic.

Martinique, St. Pierre

2007-03-03T00:02:00.000Z

Prins Henrik at the anchorage of St. Pièrre. Having been through a rollercoaster of feelings after the successful crossing the crew is now considering a longer stay on Martinique in order to do some in-depth hiking, hot spring bathing, scuba diving and the like. We are also investigating the best place for storing the boat during the hurricane season and have requested quotes from several businesses in Venezuela, Trinidad, Grenada, St. Lucia and Martinique.

From Fort de France to Ste-Anne, Martinique

2007-02-26T21:59:00.000Z

Carneval continues

2007-02-22T15:22:00.000Z

Yesterday was the last day of carneval. Dresscode black and white...

Carneval 2007 Fort-de-France

2007-02-21T16:30:00.000Z

Carneval these days!
Dresscode red and black.

More words needed!?

Martinique!

2007-02-15T19:17:00.000Z

Hello again!
After having spent 17 days at sea we arrived yesterday at the anchorage of Bridgetown/Barbados. However, we were not thrilled by the atmosphere so instead of dropping the anchor there we decided to continue to Martinique where we arrived this morning.

We did not go straight to Fort-de-France but made our first stop in Le Marin, a pittoresque natural harbour. Captain an crew are doing fine the only complaint being the hot climate.

Brava - die Tapfere

2007-01-28T13:33:00.000Z

After two days with little wind we have now arrived at our last port before the crossing: Furna on the island Brava, the smallest inhabited one of the Cabo Verde Archipelago.

We will only stay for one day and make some more provisions of fresh fruit, vegetables and water. Next expected destination is Barbados where we hope to call in 16 days (the optimist version).

Still on Sal

2007-01-25T12:46:00.000Z

Yesterday evening, just before leaving the island, we met a friend from Germany, who is here on holydays. Then, in the early morning hours we woke up because heavy swell was rolling into the bay. Quickly we put sails, pulled up the anchor and left. But unfortunately we found out that neither of our 2 GPS did work, so we had to turn around, find a somewhat better anchorage and try to solve this problem. On this island there is no shipchandler, so we possibly have to stay here for a while....

Ilhas Cabo Verde - Sal - Palmeira

2007-01-23T19:02:00.000Z

We arrived on Sal on Saturday 20 January. The local people are very friendly and helpful and we are very happy that this time we did not miss this archipelago. We plan stay for a couple of days and hopelfully meet a friend from Germany. Then we will continue westwards.

El Hierro

2007-01-12T11:17:00.000Z

On Tuesday we arrived in La Restinga, the southern- and westernmost port of the Canaries. We are moored to the quay. A couple of tyres and some rubber fenders at the quayside make this possible in spite of some swell. Civilization as we know it is disappearing gradually. The harbour does not offer any electricity nor water let alone showers.

The island itself is yet pretty unspoiled by tourism. On our first excursion we have witnessed beautiful landscape and dramatic coastlines. Only some 8000 people inhabit El Hierro. However, German and other alternatives tourists seem to be discovering the spot and a lot of new buildings must have been built in recent years.

Yesterday night a boat full of refugees arrived while we were asleep. Apparently 200 people of unknown origin made it to the destination of their dreams on the blue boat in the background ot the photograph. Maybe we should seriously consider to support the development of their home countries more effectively. If people risk their lives on boats like that, there must be something terribly wrong.

We plan to stay here until Sunday and then to move further south.

Gomera

2007-01-07T23:18:00.000Z

We are still in San Sebastian de Gomera, maintaining the Prince, hiking in the mountains and just enjoying life on board and in the harbour in general.
By the way, we are on “Skype” now, so if you are interested in talking to us on the phone, just give us your Skypename and we might talk for free. I think our name is Prins.Henrik (or Rainer & Jochen?), something like that...

From Las Palmas to Gomera

2007-01-03T20:08:00.000Z

Well, we did not make it on the 31st but stayed until New Years in Las Palmas. Then early in the morning we left with strong easterly winds. After a stopover in Puerto de las Nieves we have today arrived in San Sebastion de la Gomera. On the picture with Jochen you can spot the lighthouse of San Sebastian. On the picture with Rainer you can amongst others see the remainders of our paraffin cooker (works well again). To be continued.

La Graciosa to Gran Canaria

2006-12-31T18:57:00.000Z

From Graciosa we continued via Lanzarote to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with an overnight stay at an anchorage close to Playa Blanca. In Las Palmas we stayed at the Marina in Puerto de la Luz and did some repairs and maintenance. We celebrated Christmas Eve together with friends in Las Palmas and fulfilled other social commitments. And we bought a pair of foldable bikes! Today, New Year’s Eve, we are leaving bound for Los Christianos, Tenerife, or San Sebastian, Gomera, depending on weather and crew conditions. Happy New Year!

Canary Islands / La Graciosa

2006-12-15T18:29:00.000Z

We left Barbate in Andalucia on 10 December, heading for Morocco.

Unfortunately we got into very heavy weather, actually worse than what weather reports had foreseen, with waves of 5m and wind, which I felt to be around at least 8 bft at times. That, and the experience we already had with river estuarys with bars and sandbanks just outside Sancti Petri, made that we changed our minds and stayed at sea, well, until 570 miles and 5 days later.

This morning we arrived on La Graciosa, one of the minor islands of the Canary Islands. We had nice sailing conditions after the storm and swell decreased day by day.

Now we are at ancor off the southern coast of that lovely island (the little white spot on the foto), where there are no cars except Land Rovers and no asphaltroads.

Andalucía

2006-12-09T10:49:00.000Z

We are still in Andalusia, south Spain. We had some trouble, kind of an accident, when we wanted to leave Sancti Petri, where we had spent some nice days together with Ika and Fred.

Actually we were very close to loosing the ship on a somewhat stony sandbank in the heavily breaking swell just outside the beach. We had left the harbour a bit upstream in low winds and obviously still too much current, which carried us on the sandbank south of the mouth of the river.

But we were lucky! After 1,5 hours of ancious holding fast to the boat beeing casted around, waiting and working we got out on deep water with comparatively small damages. Yesterday we bougth a new understay in Gibraltar and now we are ready to continue south towards Morocco with a boat totally restored, checked from the tip of the mast to the toe of the keel.

It is getting cold here, especially at night, so we are heading south with a good weatherforecast.

The journey continues

2006-12-03T20:49:00.000Z

Now, in December, both Rainer and me are back on the boat. It has been launched again, we sailed the short trip to Cadiz and 2 days later to Sancti Petri.

Here we are lying at a mooring in the mouth of a river and sleeping in real beds in the house of some friends of ours, Ika and Fred.

We are preparing for the trip to Africa.

How to read this site?

2006-10-10T22:53:00.000+01:00

Start rolling down a bit and choose the link on the right side Archives August 2006
Start from the bottom.

Keep in touch.

The Prince on land

2006-09-27T13:45:00.000+01:00

Well, this is the last post for about two months. By now, I am back in Copenhagen, back at work and in the cayak-club and reunited with Rainer.

My last, very short trip brought me to Puerto Sherry, a huge, ugly and anonimous, but professionally run parking-ground for yachts.

The price for 2 months on land is, anyhow, a lot higher than I had hoped. (500 Euros!) Actually even higher than in Cadiz, but now the Prince is here and I leave him here.

This morning they came an took my boat on the hook, or better into their arms...