The Voyages of SV Island Time    

Plans;    

Well, we made it back to NZ, via the route we expected. Total voyage was approx 20,000 NM - just a bit short of a circumnavigation! (21,600 NM). It's nice to see the family again, but it may take some time to adjust back to the working life on land!

Once we have recovered our funds, it would be nice to complete the circumnavigation.....

16/10/2011 We have been in SE Asia  for a while now. Thailand, Malaysia , Cambodia , Vietnam  etc. We have enlisted for the Back to Downunder Rally starting from N Borneo in April 2012, and finishing at the Indonesian border with Papua New Ginea in june. Then it will most likely be PNG - Solomons - Vanuatu -New Caledonia -NZ or Ausy, depending on finances etc.

6/5/2011. Well, as they say, the gods laugh at the plans of men! We reached Sri Lanka, which we enjoyed, (see blog for details) and moved on to the Maldives. We had issues with the officials in the Maldives, and were eventually told to leave. We never intended to breach any of their regulations, but were put in a position where it was impossible not to. Again, if you are interested, please see the blog for details. Also, while in the Maldives, the decision was made NOT to proceed to the Red Sea, due to the political situation in several countries there, the reports of the yachts ahead of us, an the badly escalated Pirate issue this year. Of the ten yachts in front of us, the crew of the Quest were taken and killed, the crew of ING taken, and several other vessels having very close calls, including one (Capricorn) arriving in Sri Lanka with 27 bullet holes. Many yachts have now therefore chosen to be frieghted by ship. At around $30,000 USD this is not possible for us on our budget. We have returned to Malaysia, and then to Thailand. Our future plans are now unclear...    

Update; Its the new year, 2011. We reached the top of Malaysia (Langkawi, Rebak Island) early December, slipped the boat and re antifouled etc. Returned her to the water, and then went home to NZ for a month. We are back in Rebak now, leaving Malaysia tomorrow for Sri Lanka, about a 8-10 day sail. The Plan is still the Maldives after that, and Jo will return home to work for a few months. I have a couple of Crew joining me in The Maldives to take the boat across the Indian Ocean and up the Red Sea to the Med. Yes this is the area with the Pirates - that is partially why Jo is going home, but also she is not keen on long ocean passages. We have bought a green Laser in lieu of a firearm - supposed to be able to temp (at long range) or permanetly (short range) blind an assiliant, Hope it will not come to that!! We should reach the top of the Red Sea in April, god/Allah willing!! Read the Blog for Updates...

Our Home is in Wellington, New Zealand. Our home club is the Mana Cruising Club http://www.manacc.co.nz. We starting on our adventure on 4 April 2010.Matt took Island Time in the Fitzroy Yachts Solo Tasman single handed yacht race from New Plymouth to Mooloolaba (near Brisbane) in Australia. He was 3rd Monohull over the line, placing 2nd in class.

The race took 9 days 5 hours for 1384Nautical Miles.Further details can be found here www.solo-tasman.co.nz

Following that, Jo joined the boat in Mooloolaba, where we were stuck for a couple of extra weeks awaiting Ausy Customs to clear the race container, with our dingy, dive gear etc.

With the dealy due to Customs, we now had more limited time for cruising to Darwin, so the trip up to Darwin was a bit hectic. Read the blog if you would like further details. We proceeded up the Ausy coast to join the Indonesian sailing rally on 10 July 2010. Details of this rally can be found at www.sailindonesia.net , and we will follow that with the sail Malaysia rally www.sailmalaysia.net. That should see us in Kuala Lumpur around 20 Dec 2010. We might then come home for Christmas, then return and make the 1100 NM passage to Sri Lanka in late Jan/early Feb 2011.

From Sri Lanka, we'll go to the Maldives, then the passage across the Indian Ocean and up the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. Yes, this bit is passed the current problem area for pirates. We'll keep an eye on that situation - Jo is already saying she might fly that bit! I have a couple of friends that have expressed some interest in this crossing, so we'll probably do that bit fully crewed.

The plans now are very preliminary, but Turkey, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain, France, and possibly the canals of Europe - where we can with our draft of 1.78m. There will be some overland trips as well, possibly to the UK and more.