Arrived to Vanuatu from Fiji in 5-days. Very rolly polly crossing with the wind dead aft @ 25-knots all the way with a big side-swell from some gale off New Zealand. So not exactly a warm tropical cruise for ISIS "the goddess of war" but rather a good baptism of fire for her preliminary test sail. It was allot like my crossing of the Indian Ocean with the constant cross-swells making life aboard something of an endurance contest. However- ISIS performed well and happily shunned aside the waves like slalom-board.
This is the 3rd time I've been to Port Villa, Vanuatu. The first was with my parents when I was like 14-years-old in 1990. Then again when I sailed solo round the world at age-19 in 2005, on what had been my first 'pit-stop' from Hawaii after 34-days. Now 19-years later, I have arrived double-handed with Australian Linda Pasquariello to find the very same Contessa 26 that I previously set the youngest record aboard here (Maimitivavau) with my mate James Finian! What a picture and how ironic. The world IS small.
Now, I'm waiting on word for another potential yacht delivery. That will help determine the upcoming course of action regarding the next port of call for ISIS, where to keep her for hurricane season which starts for the South Pacific in November & what will hopefully be a renewed cycle for my Mini Transat boat # 433 in France next summer...which will lead to an Open 60 for the Vendee Globe Race in 2013 or beyond like Hugo Boss in the illustrated picture. The dream I've had from age-14 while I was here the first time hasn't changed whatsoever - just the forks in the road getting there!
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