Journal, 1991

24.05.1991

Today Daddy caught a fish and it got loose and got away so he didn't catch it. And Daddy gave Damien a lewer and Damien put it out on his fishing-line. Every day we see big fish jumping in the air very high and Daddy and Damien thinks that they are very large tuna.

30.05.1991

This morning I woke at the same time as Damien, when Daddy put the radio on at 6.30am, at 7.00am I came out of bed asking how did the cake come out, Daddy told us that it took 3 hours to cook it, it's a very nice cake with peanuts and chocolate. Also a flying fish landed on deck.

01.06.1991

Today I woke up and came outside, finding a big and stinking flying-fish that Damien found on deck this morning. When I went in the main cabin, Daddy told me to take the mattresses out to dry. This afternoon I saw a fishing float go by.

02.06.1991

This morning I woke up at 14.30 GMT time finding Daddy outside and the ocean had picked up, blowing 12-15 knots of wind. It was a murky morning till 19.00 GMT time, then we had to wake Daddy because we had been messing about with the sails down an hour before. Now, at 21.30 GMT time the ocean is not so bad a few big ones come along.

05.06.1991

I finished the book Fellowship of the Ring written by JRR Tolkien today in the morning. It is a murky day, squally weather and windy. In the afternoon it's a bit better, but very lumpy seas. Today we hit a turtle, that was sleeping on the surface. We also saw some fishing floats go by.

11.06.1991

Today I woke up to find that there wasn't any wind. It's a very sunny, hot day, and we have the hatch open. Mummy made some bread this morning, and we ate very nice lunch. Clear sky above with a few good weather-clouds about. Many high trade-wind cloud on top of us. Plenty of birds about.

13.06.1991

Today we are going at three knots, 3mph, with full Genoa and Mainsail, and we may go in 24 hours about 70 miles. It is so calm that we have the hatch open today again. I even slept last night with the hatch open, being a bit cool. A hot day, opposite to the way it is at night. We had the drifter up yesterday.

14.06.1991

This morning we were underneath a rainbow, and Damien put his silly old raincoat on only because Daddy put on his. The ocean is slight—a bit rolly—though we don't seen to mind. Mummy has baked the most beautiful bread in the world. We are going at 4 knots, 4mph, with full Genoa, its a very hot day.

17.06.1991

Today there isn't any wind and it is very hot. Daddy had put the engine on, making it hotter than it is. Mum made a very big, nice, spongy bread and it is delicious. Maybe tonight we will have more wind. I am beginning to have pimples—how horrible! And Daddy want's to squeeze them!

18.06.1991

Daddy put the engine off this morning, and put the sails back up. Mummy made the bread very early this morning being very hot. Going very slow, with no wind really made it hot. A bit of squally weather, coming from the south, big swell from the south, wind coming from there too.

19.06.1991

Last night I got soaked in the main cabin—with the hatch closed -- how I got wet I don't know. I didn't get a wink of sleep at all, and got up to the bucket, at 5.30am, finding Dad asleep and crept back to bed; Half an hour later I came out ranting and raving that I couldn't sleep. Bad morning, not so bad in the afternoon.

20.06.1991

This morning I got up and the big pest (Damien) told me that it is 100 miles to Nuku Hiva. I went and kneeled on Damiens bed and made a hole in my knee from a nail! This afternoon we can spot on the horizon the Marquesas! Now we are just right by the side of Huauca. If Daddy is right, we will arrive at dawn. How nice bread.

30.06.1991

Today it is rainy and windy. Yesterday was the same (in fact it was worse than today!) as today, only more windy. There is a bit more swell than the other days, and very cloudy. Waterfalls are visible on the mountains (only the high ones), they are quite large, from a distance, as well as you can see them from close. The sun is trying to peep out.

04.07.1991

Daniels bay is a nice place, a nice beach, coconut palms, plants and an abundance of water. There is a river here, and when we arrived, the waters colours was murky brown. There are huge jagged lava mountains and hills, many rocks also. It's a nice place—no swell compared to the last place.

05.07.1991

We have left Nuku Hiva in the direction of the Tuamotos, to go to Apataki. Not such a bad ride, anyway for now, out here. We have passed Va Poa, about 30 miles from Nuku Hiva, 10 miles away from us. We've departed with "Mr Walker" an Australian yacht. Apparently Daddy broke something to do with the sewing machine.

06.07.1991

Our friends on "Mr Walker" are always going about the place (using their windvane), while we are not. The weather is okay, the ocean is not so lumpy, and wind about 1o to 12 knots*. We are going at a good speed, about 5* knots, (which pleases Daddy very much.) that will take up to about 100-120* miles.

* you can't be so sure.

08.07.1991

Today on the horizon it is quite squally and is rather windy. A sunny day with scattered clouds, occasionally raining. We are rather close to the Tuamotos, and we might sight them at sunset. The wind is up the behind, and may stay like that all day. We have got our poles out. We'll arrive tomorrow.

11.07.1991 (on out way to Tahiti)

Yesterday there was an eclipse of the sun, at Hawaii, we didn't see it because we are too far south. We left the Tuamotos at about 9.00am* yesterday, we were there 2 days. We are on our way to Tahiti,—we have been out already one day—and we may arrive tomorrow in the morning or around noon. We are going about 5.3knots* , a nice speed, and it is terrific.

* you can't be so sure.

15.07.1991 (Tahiti, Papeete)

Daddy has phoned his friend Jean Claude (not mine nor Damiens because Daddy and mummy has been here in Tahiti in '79 when I wasn't born.) and has come to our boat and brought with him a stack of clothes (Ten T shirts to be exact) and four pens plus 3 cigarette lights plus four hats—2 green and 2 yellow.

27.07.1991 (Cooks Bay, Mourea)

Cooks bay is a pleasant place, quite shallow, for swimming, diving, snorkeling anything you like. Mummy has made a lovely swimming costume, and I am quite comfortable in it. I have outgrown my other one. I have been infested with pimples and acne, and have stopped eating sugar and oily foods. We are going to eat with Dave and Patsy on board "Mr Walker".

Cooks bay is quite calm, a bit windy sometimes, for a rather large place. It is a nice place for snorkeling, diving, swimming and fishing. A nice, quiet, anchorage for yachts and motorsailers. The skies have bright, merry kind of blue, with scattered clouds, and a very bright sun. It is very shallow in this spot about 2 to 3 metres in depth.

01.08.1991 (Raiatea)

This morning at 9.00am we left the Ile Huahine coming to Raiatea. We arrived here at about half past two. You can keep Tahiti and Marquesas to yourself, for here is far nicer than there. A breeze to cool here, with a nice amount of clouds, and plenty, talking about plenty, coconut palm (Mummy and Daddy mistook them for banana plants.).

03.08.1991 (Raiatea)

We have left our previous bay and came to another (still in Raiatea). A peaceful place, cars going past, calm but so deep that Daddy picked up a mooring. Dad told me that in this bay there are a stack of starfruit, and mum is going to shore. There is a river (or something) coming into this bay. Someone said the starfruit is sweet.

07.09.1991

East to North winds, about 10 to 15 knots. Scattered showers. Seas: medium seas.

08.09.1991

East winds, about 8 knots. Scattered showers. Slight to moderate seas.

13.09.1991 (Samoa)

We are about 30 miles from Western Samoa. A bright day, blue sky and trade wind clouds all over the place, nice wind and calm, deep blue ocean. Jib up, going fairly fast and comfortable. A very sunny, bright and luscious day. We have already past Tutuila, American Samoa, and waiting to arrive in Western Samoa.

14.09.1991 (Western Samoa, Fagaloa Bay, Village Lona)

We arrived yesterday at Western Samoa, Fagaloa Bay, Village Lona. A young guy, about 16, came here and his feet smelled absolutely awful. Damien and mummy went ashore, only to get kicked (on the backside) thrown stones at and laughed at.

Tomorrow we will get our legs into gear and start moving towards another anchorage. Damien, the possesor of (or rather King of the Legos) Legos, has been doing nothing else all day than play Legos. I have been trying codes, invisible writing and half letters in secret messages and have not succeeded anything.

16.09.1991

Yesterday we arrived in Apia, the Capital of Western Samoa. Today we shall clear the country. We are against a tug and it is very hot. 4 yachts—counting ourselves—are going to clear in and we are waiting for the authorities to come. A bright blue sky (which I have mentioned before). "Destiny", "Out to Lunch", "Mr Walker", "Rainbow", "Scaffy" and a couple of other yachts are here—same ones which have been in Bora Bora—are here.

19.09.1991 (Western Samoa, Apia)

Damien and I have visited the yacht "Rainbow". They gave Damien some modeling clay. We ate for lunch, rice, chicken, onion, beans, cucumber, lemon and tomato. All of us will go to visit "Rainbow" at 3.30pm (local time). I am writing a book named Sudden Squalls. I am on the 26th page, 5th chapter. Damien has been sailing in the sailing-dinghy.

20.09.1991

Mummy and Daddy went ashore today. Rather a windy day, but no rain and so far a good day. A good day for sailing, though outside it may be rough. A very sunny day, a nice, bright, luscious sun. We may leave tomorrow for Fiji. Today is Monday.

01.10.1991

We are very close to Fiji. We will arrive tomorrow. I am on 51st page of Sudden Squalls. No wind today. Very sunny and bright. A nice horizon. We are going to Suva. Damien has broken one of my kitchen dish toys. Silly Damien has been making sheet huts all day. He stuffed them with pillows and cushions. We are very far off our line and Daddy shall have to change course.

02.10.1991

This morning I awoke at about 3.00am. We were in a frenzy. Daddy had turned one wrong light and hit the reef. Later … we were leaking. The "Mr Walkers" came to rescue … now we are off the reef …

03.10.1991

Today we went to the town to anchor.

04.10.1991

Today is Damien's birthday. Mummy bought Damien a expensive calculator. We went to see "Ayla". Their names are: Alan, Liz, Dylan and Brooke. We ate a piece of cake and wheatgerm biscuits. We ate (when back home) a apple, greasy sausages and cold rice.

05.10.1991

We have left the

"What the—!!?"

09.10.1991

Damien and I went to play with Dylan and Brooke on their boat. We had a good time, but Damien was a little rough, and we made a cubby house on deck with the upside-down dinghy. Mummy and Daddy went to town. Dylan same over to play with us and he likes playing with Legos.