By Kate “Bob” Addison Well here we are in Huahine, just 100nm from Papetee, but worlds away from the bustle of the big city. Huahine is a large, volcanic island, which looks like a reclining pregnant lady if you stand on the dock at night and look back at the silhouette of the islands curving …
By Kate “Bob” Addison February 21st, 2013 Thursday lunchtime and we’re half way through our Tahiti sojourn – time is passing very quickly! Aboard ship we’ve been busy organizing provisions to feed us until Rarotonga, buying diesel, refilling propane cylinders, and getting all of our fire fighting equipment checked and re-certified. We had a few …
By Kate “Bob” Addison Everyone tells you that you should have been to Tahiti years ago, before it was spoiled and full of tourists, but it seems to me that if we had all been there then, then it would have been just as full of tourists back then as it is now! Captain says …
By Kate “Bob” Addison A few days ’till Papeete and all aboard are looking forward to the sophisticated delights of Tahiti and a proper Polynesian city – fine food, black pearls, movie theatres and pretty dresses will all seem even more luxurious after so much basic living aboard the ship and longboat camping expeditions from …
By Kate “Bob” Addison We re-join our sailors where we left them, standing on a perfect coral sand South Pacific beach, the boats secure and nothing to be done except set up a camp for the night… poor darlings. We rigged the big tarpaulins in a nice clearing between the trees for shelter just in …
By Kate “Bob” Addison The last log entry saw us setting off in small boats in search of unchartered islands, adventure, and marshmallows… here we re-join the crew of the Picton Castle as they take to the small boats: We had to row out a little to find the wind since the ship is anchored …
By Kate “Bob” Addison Well our Picton Castle gang is enjoying French Polynesia so far. The fresh baguettes from the bakery on the small round-island road and fresh tropical fruit (pamplemousse and papaye, grapefruit and papaya in French) every day don’t hurt, nor the incredible beauty of the coral lagoon surrounded by steep mountainous islands. …
Picton Castle is swinging at anchor in the lagoon of Rikitea, Mangareva, Gambier Islands of French Polynesia. The Gambier Islands consist of an outer ring atoll with big islands inside the reef about 300 miles NW of Pitcairn Island – truly one of the most beautiful settings in the South Pacific and, extra bonus, a …
By Kate “Bob” Addison “Pitcairn Island – wow!” That’s a pretty good one-line summary for someone who’s never been to Pitcairn, and “Wow!” is also the new name given to Dkembe on the island, because that was his response to so many things there… A new name is one thing you can expect to take …
By Kate “Bob” Addison January 21st, 2013 For the sixth time in her distinguished sail training career, barque Picton Castle is in sight of Pitcairn Island, which grows larger and more distinct as we draw closer. It is a perfect South Pacific afternoon, with sparkling blue seas and a bright blue sky as a backdrop …
