Date: 17 November 2023 Sailing from: Luganville, Vanuatu Bound towards: Bali, Indonesia Noon position: 15°26.4’S 164°09’E Course: WxN Speed: 3.7 knots Wind force and direction: Force 1 SSE Seas/swell: 1m SE Barometer: 1017 Rising Sky: 3/8 cu, Suuny and hot Water temperature: 79°F Distance made good in 24 hours: 89nm Passage log: 172nm Voyage log: […]

Date: 16 November 2023 Sailing from: Luganville, Vanuatu Bound towards: Bali, Indonesia Noon position: 15°36.6’S 165°39.1’W Course: W1/2N Speed: 4.6 knots Wind force and direction: Force 2 SxW Seas/swell: 1-2m SSE Barometer: 1015 Steady Sky: Clear and sunny sky, 1/8 ci Water temperature: 79.3°F Distance made good in 24 hours: 83.4 nm Passage log: 83.4nm

Picton Castle’s trading day was viewed by the villagers of Banam Bay, and a few more nearby villages besides, as a grand thing. Much excitement and anticipation on all our parts. So, what is this trading business in a remote village on a jungle island anyway? Well, its not haggling or scowling at what is

From Fiji, Picton Castle had another fine passage under sail to Vanuatu. Truly sweet tradewinds. One could almost get used to this! We anchored off Port Vila, Efate, Vanuatu after six days under sail from Suva, Fiji. As we approached the bay at dawn a big cruise ship overtook us, so we followed this ship

We had a fine visit at Suva, Fiji. After an excellent sailing passage from Tonga with a great pilot taking us up the channel into Suva, we anchored the Picton Castle at Walu Bay which is the industrial corner of Suva Harbour. From here we were welcomed at the Royal Suva Yacht Club (RSYC) as

Maggie here, in Picton Castle’s shore office in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Looking out my window, I see that it’s overcast, windy and it looks like it might rain later today.  We changed our clocks to Standard Time this past weekend so it’s now dark at the end of my work day.  It’s times like

Date: 28 October 2023 Sailing from:  Suva, Fiji Bound towards: Port Vila, Vanuatu Noon position: 18°17’S 174°33.5’E Course: W Speed: 4.4 knots Wind force and direction: Force 3 NxE Seas/swell:  1m ESE Barometer: 1017 Steady Sky: 2/8 cu, Sunny and warm Water temperature: 77.2°F Distance made good in 24 hours: 105nm Passage log: 233nm Voyage

Date: 30 October 2023 Sailing from: Suva, Fiji Bound towards: Port Vila, Vanuatu Noon position: 18°20.4’S 171°00’E Course: West Speed: 5.5 knots Wind force and direction: Force 3 SWxS Seas/swell: 2m SxW Barometer: 1018 Steady Sky: 6/8 cu, ac Water temperature: 78°F Distance made good in 24 hours: 133nm Passage log: 573nm Voyage log: 11536nm

Date:  29 October 2023 Sailing from: Suva, Fiji Bound towards: Port Vila, Vanuatu Noon position: 18°37.3’S 173°14.7’E Course: W1/2S Speed: 3.3 knots Wind force and direction: Force 3 NNW Seas/swell: 2m NE Barometer: 1016 Steady Sky: 3/8 ,ac Water temperature: 77.5°F Distance made good in 24 hours: 79nm Passage log: 440nm Voyage log: 11403nm Distance

Barque Picton Castle, at anchor at Walu Bay, Suva, Fiji The Picton Castle and her outstanding crew enjoyed a classic, even ideal, ocean passage from Tonga to Fiji. Four days of perfect South Pacific trade wind sailing. We all loved it. Now Wednesday morning, as dawn is breaking, the anchor watch is checking lines, slacking