 Pic Du Jour: -
'Hell in the Pacific'
The cook's life is one long grind of neverending
mealtimes- here Squizzy meets the challenge in Vanuatu:
Friday 3rd November 2001
Soren Larsen is back home in Auckland, alongside Princes Wharf in the Maritime Museum
basin, downtown. Capt. Marti Woods brought the ship in to her berth last Saturday,
exactly on time, to complete her 19th month, 30,00 mile Global Odyssey.
Pictures of the morning click HERE
NEW - Mate Barry
Nisbett's own account of the last leg of the voyage from New Caledonia:
8th October 2001 Noumea New Caledonia
"With our last set of voyage crew aboard (including returners Stinge and Mary) we
left Noumea for the Isle of Pines, motoring South and then East through the reefs passages
just off the New Caledonia south coast. We passed through the beautiful Woodin Channel
with steep tree lined hills rising up on both sides of the ship and the sun picking out
the nickel-mining scars on the mainland.....
MORE HERE
NEW -
Thank you to Sarah Scott who has sent some pictures of her Vanuatu
- New Caledonia trip . Click HERE
Friday 26th October 2001
 Soren Larsen has been at Great Barrier island in the Hauraki Gulf
and is now just 24 hours days away from her homecoming to Auckland. Fresh south
westerlies made for a boisterous sail from the Bay of Islands and the wind is due go north
west for the final run home.
Soren Larsen will be met at the entrance to the Waitemata
Harbour by the sailing vessels Breese and Ted Ashley from the National Maritime Museum and
escorted to her berth at Princes Wharf west. Marti will aim to dock the ship at 11am
this Saturday to conclude her 35,000 nautical mile, 19 month Global Odyssey!!
MEDIA RELEASE - HERE
NEW
HERE - Pictures from Marc &
Sheryl from the Vila to Noumea.
Saturday 20th October 2001
Soren Larsen has made landfall on the New Zealand coast!
Capt. Marti Woods brought the ship in to the Bay of Islands this morning to clear customs
and immigration at Opua.
They will then motor around to Roberton Island, home of Capt. Jim Cottier, tonight.
 Jim and Terri plan to put on a
BBQ for the ship if the weather allows.
Fresh northerlies have allowed the ship to reach the Bay a little earlier and will allow
the ship a week to cruise south via the islands of the Hauraki Gulf to their final
destination in Auckland on Saturday 27th.
Monday 15th October 2001
Soren Larsen is now at Norfolk Island - half way to New Zealand. They have had all sail
set in light airs as they slowly sailed south. 
For more about Norfolk Island see http://www.norfolkisland.com.au
The ship will arrive in NZ at Opua in the Bay of Islands
and then spend the last few days of the voyage sailing down the coast to Auckland. Her eta
at Princes Wharf is 11am Saturday 27th October.
NEW See VC Rosie's Pictures and
comments of Fiji-Vanautu: HERE
 8th October 2001
Noumea, New Caledonia.
Today Soren Larsen boards new voyage crew for the last
leg of the Global Odyssey Voyage to New Zealand! Captain Marty Woods intends to
sails via the Iles de Pins on the way south from Noumea.
Previous trip Pt Vila to Noumea:
Fi, our assistant cook, has written
her account of the trip HERE.
1st October 2001
Arrived Noumea 0715 Sunday 30th. Following from Capt Marty Woods: -
When the ship sailed from Port Vila and we managed a stop in Erromango on the way
down to Tanna, which was a new port of call for the vessel.
Tanna was magic even though the volcano is quite quiet at the moment. Since our last visit
here a few years ago the volcanic lake is now empty following volcanic activity and
landslips and at Port Resolution the dougong that lived there and regularly terrorised
visitors swimming at the anchorage is sadly dead.  We had a fantastic traditional feast at the
village and the dance by the John Frum cult topped it off.
Great sail here to New Caledonia, saw Pilot whales on the way and finally motored the last
few hours in to port this morning.
We shall now spent the next 3 days exploring the many beautiful
islands that are outlying from Noumea and return here late Wednesday. 
Wednesday 26th September 2001
On Monday our new Voyage Crew arrived for V152 to Noumea. After our normal
introductions and safety briefing the ship sailed around to spend a day at a snorkelling
location within Vila harbour. Yesterday the captain finally obtained permission to sail
via Tanna island to the south east and the ship has set out on the 30 hour passage
to Port Resolution.
We welcome back Marti & Lisa on this voyage - Captain
Marty Woods takes over from Tony as skipper for the completion of the Global Odyssey
voyages home to Auckland.
Friday 21 September 2001
Soren Larsen has  spent the last week in Port Vila, Vanuatu's capital catching up on some
maintenance and allowing the crew a few days break before the start of the next voyage to
New Caledonia. The first half of the week was rainy and it was frustrating not to get more
painting done on deck.
The last trip from Santo south to Vila was the first
voyage for our new Cook No.2 Fiona - here is Fi's impression of Vanuatu's islands:
"We left the waters of
Aore, off Espiritu Santo on 3rd September for an overnight passage to Maewo
island. We anchored in the beautiful bay surrounding Asanvari village and the crew
snorkelled above the coral reef and some were lucky to swim with a sea turtle.  On
Wednesday, Chief Nelson presented an evening of kastom dancing, a feast of roast pig &
yam and the South Sea intoxicant of choice: kava. It is made from the roots of the Piper
methysticum shrub and is a murky, muddy blue colour with a slight aniseed taste; quite
revolting to drink but considered rude to refuse!
These were served in half coconut shells in either ‘tide-in’ (full) or
‘tide-out’ (half) sizes. Although your mind is fully intact, it felt initially
like a massive body shot of happy dental anaesthetic and before long everyone was up and
dancing with the local kids to the stringband. It was a great evening and George, a
retired doctor and our oldest member of the voyage crew, reckoned it was the best night
he’d had since medical school!
From
Maewo, we headed to Ambrym island, home to 2 volcanoes, Mt Marum and Mt Benbow. Friday was
a marathon 10 hour day spent walking from Ranvetlam village through the jungle, up onto
the ash plain and a steep climb of the lava slopes to the rim of Mt Marum. There below us
at 1000m was the wild erupting explosions of the earth's core - it was an amazing sight to
watch, if petrifying. In true style, Lucy’s canvas hat blew out from under her bag
and into the volcano.
 Ambrym is
famous for its tamtams (a kind of drum with stylised faces and big eyes reminiscent of the
Easter island statues) and carvings of which most of us purchased at least one, either in
the village or when local men in dugout canoes came out to the ship. Our young guide to
the volcano, Leah explained that these carvings were once believed to come alive at night
and scared away invading cannibalistic neighbours.
Saturday 8th we anchored in Bangan Pt Bay,
Malekula island where the local chief organised a kastom dance of the Small Nambas. Both
Big and Small Namba men of Malekula wear pandanus fibre penis sheaths and as far as I
know, the Big and Small relates only to the size of the sheath!
As Sunday is a very
quiet day in Vanuatu, most of us went snorkelling off Sakote island in the Maskelyne
islands. Tiny electric blue fish danced with rainbow coloured beauties while pale sky blue
tiddlers hovered above pink coral. Absolute heaven! PC Dave caught a very ugly looking
barracuda that night and it found its fate in a plate of fresh coconut cream and lime
juice.
 At Lamen Bay, Epi island, we went
snorkelling in the hope of meeting the resident dugong but unfortunately there was no
sighting. However later as we prepared dinner, a group of dolphin passed by the Soren and
we watched as they jumped and played off into the distant sunset.
An overnight passage brought us to Mele Bay by midday
where Tony informed us of the terrorist attacks in the US. A real contrast to an idyllic
10 day voyage.
Thursday 20th
September
We’ve now been anchored at Port Vila for almost a week for maintenance. One of the
highlights of going ashore has been the market on the waterfront. Ladies in colourful
Mother Hubbard dresses sit quietly by the sides selling their fruit and vegetables on
trestle tables or displayed on patterned cloth. Quite different to the weekly shop back
home!
There's much provisioning to be done before the new Voyage Crew arrive on Monday for the
next trip to Tanna and New Caledonia..."
 Friday 6th September
2001 - Ambrym
See Captain Tony's report from Ambrym , half way through the
passage: "Sailed Monday p.m. from Aore, Santo
and proceeded over night north of Ambae to Maewo with fine weather
light winds under half sail/ motor... More
HERE
++
Party Pictures Page: It is always a dilemma  whether to publish images of Soren deck parties
that may alarm the uninitiated, however as it was Don's birthday ...
Warning! Contains un-adult themes
and scenes from the dressing up bag which may disturb. If you
are over 18 years AND have been a Soren Voyage Crew before -
click HERE
++
Read Voyage Crew Ruth Okey's account
of Tonga - Fiji HERE.
"I arrived on Tongatapu
the main island of Tonga, tired and apprehensive on Saturday
after a long flight from England. I managed to meet several
of the other voyage crew (VC) that evening and we all had dinner
together and discussed or imminent adventure......."
 Voyage Crew Monica
Halvorson's account of FIJI on the voyage from Tonga:
As we entered
Fiji’s waters, we were once again following in Captain
Bligh’s footsteps. As it turns out, Bligh and the other
17 men who were sailing across the Pacific Ocean following the
mutiny on the HMS Bounty were in fact the first Europeans to
truly "discover" Fiji. CONTINED HERE.....
+++
Voyage Crew Monica Halverson recounts their voyage from
Nuku'alofa through the Kingdom of Tonga.
 TONGA:
Having spent four full days in Tongatapu enjoying the King’s
birthday celebration, tasting the infamous kava and local foods,
swimming in a cave by candlelight, watching the sunset over
a coastline of blowholes, and listening to the loud and harmonious
singing from the ubiquitous churches, it was time to set sail
again....
MORE HERE
[For Tonga Part 2 Click here
]
V146
: see pictures - on deck through French Polynesia! Here.
(A word about Crew
Mail here.)
++++++
VOYAGE CREW RETURNING HOME: Scan and email
or post your pictures of your voyage! If you have an account of your trip or a special
moment then let us a know. Your tales can be included in the Voyage Log!
Email to escape%40sorenlarsen%2eco%2enz
(send max 4 or 5 picture per email)
Soren Larsen Voyagers Log: P.O.Box 310 Kumeu,
Auckland 1250 New Zealand
For a Feedback form to give us your thoughts and
suggestions on the voyage click here.
Contact our Auckland HQ:
Phone 00 649 411 8755
Fax 00 649 4118484
Email : escape%40sorenlarsen%2eco%2enz
Postal address P.O.Box 310 Kumeu
Auckland 1250 New Zealand |
