First thing we did after arrival was putting a priority list together. The radio was working with a poor range. The Aries needed some TLC and the radar suddenly stopped working after a seagull size XXL spent the night on it. The port motor controller was defect and the tablet we use for navigation could need a check.
A damaged radio cable in the mast
The part of the radio cable that was in the mast, was not working OK. Lucky us, the people here were very helpful and 3 days later there was a crane on a truck and we improvised a way to get the Ya close to the shore. Here the mast hangs in the crane.
This tiny damage to the cable was enough to diminish the range of the radio to about 5 miles. A new cable through the mast solved the problem.
Tablet repair
This is how a tablet looks on the inside. They found the broken part. But… there is no spare part in Papua New Guinea, because this tablet is 4 years old and that is too new. Lucky us they are very creative to make something of nothing so we have a sort of fixed tablet now.
Motor and Hall sensor
Whatever a Hall sensor is, it is a circuit board thing and needs to be well adjusted. The technician of Etech gave all instructions to do so.
Tooth
Meanwhile Peter broke a complete tooth crown. The dentist fixed it for 250 Kina (about 50 Euro).
Enjoying Papua culture
Geerhard went to the Highlands, some 300 km into the high mountains. He enjoyed the hospitality of the Papua tribes while the Papuas enjoyed their traditions as well as Geerhard.
The tale is that the big monster (next to Geerhard) attacks the people but leaves the skeletons in peace. So everybody is dressed and painted as skeletons.
To Indonesia through the Strait of Torres
When you read this, we are on our way to Kupang, West Timor, Indonesia. That will be a journey of about 1500 nautical miles, so some weeks again. We will go for 1 ½ day through the corals of the Great Barrier reef and finally find our way through the Strait of Torres. All this is on a plateau, where the bottom of the Pacific Ocean rises from two or three thousand meters to 20 meters. This implies strong currents. Also there is plenty of wind expected, so It is a challenging navigation.
Our 3 weeks voyage on the ocean had ups and downs. On our last day we got a beautiful up, with a gift from the ocean. Waiting for the authorities and then a warm welcome at the Royal Papua Yacht Club.
The Ya just entered the welcoming Royal Papua Yacht Club
A goodbye gift from the ocean
Sat May 23 2026
It is the morning of our last day on the ocean. We heard kggg-kgggk-. That is the mill of the fishing rod! We ran to it, Geerhard took the rod, gave a hit to hook the fish in, and from then he had to put his thumb firmly on the mill, to prevent the line getting out to fast. A big one!. Too big? His thumb became hot. He didn’t let go. Hotter. The fish didn’t give up, went deep in the water, to the right, the left, and then he jumped, came out in the air… and suddenly no resistance on the rod, because it has freed itself. We felt disappointed. Geerhard had put ice on his burnt thumb. A sad atmosphere at the Ya. Peter tried to comfort our blues with frying a huge bacon-and-eggs-and-cheese-and-tomato thing. Just as he was serving the biggest plate one can ever eat, we heard kggg-gkkggg again! Again a quick jump to the rod, try to hook the fish in, and fight. This time Geerhard won and he reeled a dorade into the cockpit. A beaurty. A male. Blue on one side, gold on the other. Not too big, just enough for us to eat in two meals. We finished our enormous bacon and eggs lunch, but two hours later already we ate the tale part of the dorade tale, ‘cooked’ with some herbs and a carrot in pure lemon juice. And tonight a fried chunk in lemon butter sauce. Already looking forward to tomorrow. Not because of the visits of the authorities to get the paperwork done, but for the Dorade chunk. Dorade, we love you.
Ocean, we thank you for this goodbye gift. With respect.
Anchored Port Moresby Papua New Guinea
Sun May 24 2026
We arrived. We tried to time our arrival that way, that we could enter the passage between the coral heads in daylight. The wind should ease in the night, but no. Geerhard tried to slow down, but the wind even blew harder. So we had to sail up and down for some hours before the dawn. After a safe through the coral BAsislisk Passage we are on anchor now. The authorities take the Sunday off, so we have to wait a day. Time to look back on this trip. We sailed from May 3 to 24, so 3 weeks.We made 2380 nautical miles, so a near 110 miles a day. This is not bad for a short handed 10 meter cruiser. By the way, it is rare nowadays, but we sailed everything. So with sails, not on engine. One motor broke down. So we had an energy source less. So, this is one of the few times we didnot arrive with (nearly) full battery bank. We had luck that the wind generator could delliver well, because we had pretty much wind. The majority of the days it blew between 15 and 25 knots (Force 5 and 6). From Whangarei we had to motor some 5 hours till we could sail, so that took a big chunk of energy. Then, when one motor broke down, the batteries were on 60% and that level remained for the rest of the three weeks. So with stronger winds we stay energy neutral. The balance on the food was first estimated by AI. Geerhard lowered some numbers on the fresh food list before shopping and that was smart. Right now we have left 4 apples, 3 lemons and two old cucumbers. Only the number of unions and potatoes he didnot cut down and here we have 2 kilos left. We have pretty much of corn flakes and alcohol, but that is cheap in New Zealand and expensive in non-Western countries. We have some ounces of meat in the freezer, because we got fish in stead. Great that Geerhard took his fishing gear! He brought the ‘travel light’ version, and that made it extra difficult to keep the big fishes hooked that you get here. But out of 5 times a fish bit, we had one time a barracuda and yesterday one of the most delicious fishes of the ocean, the Dorade or Mahi-Mahi. Which we ate just now, with our last salad, together with a glass of wine (or two). Cheers!
Authorities… We’re in!
Mon May 25 2026 21:57:00 GMT+1000 (Papoea-Nieuw-Guineese tijd)
The whole Sunday on anchor and we we waited and were stand-by on the radio But no authorities showed up. Sunday is their day off. Isn’t that great? The whole import and export and travel industry of Papua New Guinea is just standing still for one day every week! It also seems to be on the formal free days throughout the year. But Monday morning also no sign . So we called the Royal Papua Yacht Club and we got a secretary who could perhaps help us. Standing by again. No answer. We called again. “Sorry, we asked Customs and also Immigration but no answer yet.”
Then, all of a sudden, the secretary called and said: “They are here now, how fast can you come with you boat?” Peter answered:”we lift anchor and are with you in some minutes” The clearing in was a pleasant process. One of the Customs really had the face of a Papua and Geerardt made a selfie with him. Fun. When they smile, you suddenly see the red teeth and gum. That is from the betelnut chewing. This makes one a bit high. So that’s why they were ‘easy’ on their appointments. Suddenly there also were two men of Immigration. Also with a red mouth of the betelnut. Also a pleaseant chat and 3 minutes later the passports were stamped. So we were cleared in within one and half day. That is better than the average in New Zealand. Long live Papua New Guinea!
A warm welcome at the Royal Papua Yacht Club
From the very moment we got contact with the Royal Papua Yacht Club, everything is warm and friendly. We are member now. We get discounts on everything. A heavy gourmet meal costs us (converted) 20 Euro, so we had a great dinner the first night. Later, we enjoyed watching the State Origin rugby match on a big flatscreen and that is like one big party, with food and snacks and everything. A warm bath.
And, most important, everybody here helps us with finding the things. And we do need finding things, because we have enough things to fix and repair. But that is for the next blog.
Last week, Ya experienced some though wind and waves. This week started more promising. At the moment of writing, Ya is almost there: Port Moresby is near. Ya’s crew caught some good fish, but also got caught by bad weather. Do they know the ropes? And why is that important? Read on!
Just like last week, when there’s weird differences between predicted and actual course, there’s usually some strong forces at work in wind or waves. Or both.
Last week Peter and Geerhard had a rolly ride. But on Saturday, speed was good and everything looked ok. Now they are halfway, but what’s with the washing machine, barracuda and smoke? Some tasty stories ahead, read on!
Looks can be deceiving: moderate wind, but killer waves that don’t show on the wind chart
Usually, when you see a predicted course that doesn’t seem logical, it’s best to stay alert.
Last preparations before leaving. Everything under control.What is Ya planning to do? Well, probably just staying safe in a choppy sea.6 kts speed, right direction: looking good! But, there’s still quite some miles to go.
The refit is complete, Ya is back in the water after the last repairs; Geerhard is on board and the weather is, well, the weather is as good as it will get, so it’s time to say goodbye to Whangarei!
Thank you Riverside drive Marina, for hosting Ya in a familiair atmosphere where yachties and staff look after each other!
Look at this spacious engine room, spic and span!
While Peter completed the refit, Geerhard made sure the boat is fully provisioned, so one of the most important aspects of safety is taken care of; good food, good mood!
Farewell-barbeque with fellow-yachties and staff in Whangarei.
Geerhard enjoys cooking ánd he’s a good cook so that’s one of the reasons Peter’s looking forward to sailing with him:).
Plenty to talk about and no leftovers.
Welcome on board; ready to rock and roll!
Which might well be the case; the triangles signal less favorable conditions like ‘roll’. But Peter and Geerhard are prepared to take good care of each other and Ya. We will keep you posted!
Ya is back in her habitat! Friday morning she went back in the water. What a relief for her and for Peter. It ended up in a launch party on board ‘Ya’ with fellow sailors.
Ya on her waynearly touching the watertouched the water and straight astern to her dockThere she is. You like her?
Water from the wrong way, no water from the right way
We discovered a tiny bit of water in the bilge…. from where? Peter tasted…Salt water.. so that’s water coming in from the wrong way.
Found the leak. The connection between the valve and the through hull fitting leaks. It is a tiny bit, but it leaks. Most probably the stuff between the threads has dried out and shrunk in the last 5 months. Now it will get wet and expand again and most probably it will stop leaking. But Peter doesnot take the risk, suppose it will start leaking again under the constant motion of the seas. So Ya has to be out of the water next week for a quick repair. All of a sudden the drinking water tap stopped. Cause: the water pump stopped. Cause? Even Peter (former plumber) couldn’t discover it. So he took the pump out, took it apart completely, couldnot find anything, screwed everything back together, and… it worked again! Peter concluded: Miraculous, I have golden hands!
Party!
The fellow skippers and wifes and crew endlessly working on their boats in the boatyard, could need a break. So last Saturday we organised a Splash Party on board the Ya. Adriana and her mother (just from Spain) made a great tortilla, Gara made cheese cookies, and big bowls of delicious salad made by Geerhard (fresh crew on board, next blog completely about him).
Everything starts getting back together into a ship. The rudders, the windvane back on the transom, the deck panels, wiring, painting, and the surprise of meeting old friends.
Rudders and Windvane steering back on the transom
Peter scrwes the big bolds of the windvane steering on this side of the transom……and on the other side neigbour Anna holds the nuts from turning.
The solar deck panels
The first panel is mounted.the second panel is mountedand nearly allTerry bends corners in the aluminium to make cable linesAdriana mounts the cable lines on deckthis is the result. We made pieces of Iroko over the cable connections to prevent them from breaking.
Surveyer
For the insurance the surveyer spent a day with looking, measuring, checking, and a lot of hammering on the hull.
the surveyer hammers on the hull and the tone of it will reveal if there are bad delaminated pieces. No worries, Ya is a solid yacht.
Wiring
What can we say about wiring? It is for the new solar panels on deck, for the new motor displays, the rewiring of the window solar panels. here a small impression.
Varnishing
Adriana manages to completely strip the stairs, only because of the constant support of her labrador Puku, who stands by her all the time.
we
Adriana just finished the second layer on the table.
Stig and Anna become neighbours!
We know Stig and Anna already from Gambier, or first Pacific island, where we made a great tour together. Now suddenly, we saw their boat being hauled on the boatyard. What a great surprise!
Going on the hard was necessary, the barnacles are with that many, that it is senseless to scrape that off with a scraper. Stig uses a shovel!
Ya’s name back on
Now when Ya is formally Ya again, you can feel that she is smelling the water..
This curling mass of rain is a typical cyclone. This cyclone is called Vaianu and it travels with a speed of about 20 knots to the South. The red color means heavy rainfall. Here the winds are generally 50 knots, with gusts of about 80 knots. (resp. 95 and 150 km/hr). The more to the South, the colder the temperature of the sea so the lesser the winds. Vayanu becomes a tropical storm when it hits Ya in New Zealand.
This s a screenshot from Predict Wind. The red dot is where the Ya is right now. This is the picture of the very moment that this blog is written. The windmarks show 30 knots of wind, coming from the East, with severe gusts making the Ya tremble and shake all over. The Eastern wind builts up large and steep waves along the shore. If you are sailing along the coast now, you have a problem.
The continuous Eastern wind sweeps the water from the ocean up to the coast. The Ya is now in Whangarei. Normally when the flood turns to ebb, the water level will drop. But tomorrow morning, when it turns to ebb, it is expected that the water level will not fall, simply because the heavy winds have pushed the seawater level some 2 meters higher. So the water from the river will not be able to get out.
Some 6 hours later the eye of the cyclone will pass. The Ya is to the West of the eye of the cyclone. The wind will rapidly turn to South…
… and then to the West. Everything, all debris, that has first been blown to the West, will now be blown back to the East. At sea, the Western winds meet the West going waves. This creates hectic and unpredictable waves. No ship can handle these waves. This is when ships perish.
Lucky us, the Ya is in Whangarei on blocks, on the boatyard. The only water she will feel, is rain water soaking from her deck along the hull. And perhaps the bottom will feel a touch of river water when the water rises beyond the banks of the river. But, while writing this blog, she shakes and trembles all over. Respect for Mother Nature.
Wars are usually short-term, or at best medium-term, events. However, they can be incredibly effective in bringing about long-term changes, lasting for many decades, or centuries.
Some examples.
Industrialization and the emancipation of the working class into a middle class began even before the First World War. But immediately after the First World War, broad industrialization got underway. We see world leadership shifting from Great Britain to the United States. First in the United States, but soon also in Europe, we see the middle class growing strongly. The First World War resulted in 20 million deaths. The confrontation with so much violence, of such unprecedented massive scale, already led to a strong pacifism. The Second World War was the turning point for formulating policy based on this. The establishment of the United Nations is one example; the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (which was the first step towards the European Union) is another example of preventing war. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) is one. The subsequent European Convention on Human Rights (1958) contains concrete regulations to protect people against greater powers. For example, Chapter 8 regulates the protection of refugees. Each nation also enacted privacy legislation to prevent governments or large corporations from knowing too much about you and me.
The fossil free future
We now view sustainability as a new problem. Again, a long-term issue. As early as 1987, the UN Brundtland Commission concluded that sustainable development is necessary. Simply put, this is the development that does not compromise the lives of future generations. An example: we should cut down our CO2 emissions, because otherwise our lives will cease to exist in the future.
President Trump and President Putin (source: Foxnews.com)
Presidents Putin and President Trump have both started wars that are driving up oil an d gas prices significantly. Meanwhile, renewables can be manufactured much more cheaply. Fossil fuels still have the unique selling point that they can also be deployed when wind and solar power fail. But now that batteries are becoming increasingly cheaper and last longer (almost endlessly), that advantage is also short-lived. At this moment, the purchase of a battery bank is already at the break-even point. And to think that battery innovations in China, Europe and California continue to follow one another, while more and more second-hand batteries are coming out of vehicles that can still perform excellently at home for years to come.
President Putin and President Trump, the side effect of your wars may well be of great significance in pricing the use of fossil fuels out of the market for good. To a sustainable future.
