Just like the birds, cruising yachts have their migration seasons and May is a pretty big one covering all points of the compass globally. There are yachts passaging NORTH from NZ and Australia to the South Pacific; SOUTH from North Europe to the Mediterranean; EAST from the Caribbean to Europe; and WEST from Panama through the Pacific ocean islands.

Halfway across the Pacific, we make our landfall in the Marquesas – May 2021.

Our track across the Pacific from Panama to Cairns. (click to enlarge)

You may recall from our Pacific crossing posts, that we asked Bob McDavitt from New Zealand to do our weather routing over this vast stretch of ocean. We receive Bob’s weekly “Weathergram” on Sunday nights, and the 14th May edition had an interesting article which he calls “The Autumn Flush”, or the annual migration of yachts from NZ to Fiji. To quote Bob, he explains this as follows:

When a cold showery southerly outbreak rattles the windows in Auckland and Northland in May, tons of yachts take that as their signal and head off for the tropics.

1. 1. There has been a blocking High east of NZ.
   2. Then along comes a kicker of a Low.
   3. The SW flow and incoming High that follow is “just right” for sailing from NZ to the tropics.
   4. The New Zealand weather clusters the yachts together and this makes an interesting spectacle on the marine traffic maps:

Yachts (pink) heading from NZ to the tropics – their AIS positions picked up on Marine Traffic.

There is also the rush of yachts from the East, lighting up the entire South Pacific.

Yachts in pink, from Panama to French Polynesia and from NZ to Fiji

It may be only 5% or so of the traffic on the planet, but these pink yachts do stand out.

We were planning to sail to Fiji in early May, but we will not be joining all these pink yachts on the tracking pages, because my final prostate cancer PET scan will only be done on the 21st June 2023, hopefully confirming the end of the cancer. On a more mundane level:

In Australia, when you reach the age of 75, you have to get an annual “Fitness to Drive” assessment by your doctor to determine your medical fitness and competency to drive a vehicle. I had this done before the deadline on the 1st May and was told that a drivers test will be required every five years after the age of 80. I can’t believe this stage of my life has arrived! Fortunately, my sailing activities aren’t subject to these sensible requirements!

Sydney Modern: Insignificant entrance lacks a sense of arrival.

We have had more visitors: My new brother in law, Eugene and his partner Adelaide came down from Newcastle for our date to experience the new “Sydney Modern”. This new $366 million extension of the NSW Art Gallery was recently completed next to the 1909 gallery and has met with mixed reviews. We also felt ambivalent about the new gallery.

Vast areas with floor to ceiling glazing.

The most obvious feature of Sydney Modern is its failure to address the local climate and sustainability. On the north, east and west, the floor-to-ceiling glazing is unprotected. Sydney, experiences hot humid summers and intense sunlight. This will result in huge air conditioning running costs and won’t remotely qualify the building for a Green Star rating.

Spaces and more spaces – where does the paintings go?

The shortcomings of Sydney Modern are obvious: it lacks a sense of arrival, is far too big, once inside, the open space is too high and lacks definition, the space for paintings is inadequate,  An unexpected bonus is a new recognition of how accomplished and technically refined Vernon’s 1909 building for the Art Gallery of New South Wales is by comparison. Its precise classical details and the stone craftsmanship are wonderful in the light of Sydney Modern’s failures.

Adelaide, Annie and Eugene in the entrance lobby of the 1909 gallery.

Reini and Lynne Adelbert from Cape Town visited their two sons and two grandchildren in Sydney and we caught up with them during their visit. We attended two music events with them: The first, a 75th birthday bash at the State Theatre of Leo Sayer and Joe Camilleri, courtesy of our friend Jim Petrie.

The poster for the Leo & Joe concert.

Annie, Reini, Lynne and Dirk at the grand old state theatre.

The second was dinner and a concert at the Dee Why RSL with Ron and Michelle Watson featuring the music of the Commitments. As is usual for the RSL, a fun night for all.

The Commitments in full flight.

In the meantime, the upgrading of sails, canvas covers and electronic systems on Esprit was completed. We had a diver clean the hull, keel and rudder and then took all the superfluous equipment, not necessary for coastal cruising, off the boat and sold it, raising $16,000 for the upgrades. It also decreased the waterline of Esprit by about a 100mm and weight by 700kg!

Our 65 nm sail south to the Jeanneau Rendezvous in Shellharbour in mid May was cancelled due to bad weather, but we are now poised to sail north to Port Stephens, when a suitable weather window presents itself.

Towards the end of May we attended a presentation by Lisa Blair at the Hunters Hill Sailing Club. She is the determined and tough  Aussie sailor who got dismasted a 1,000 nm south of Cape Town on her first attempt to circumnavigate  Antarctica. Undeterred, she rebuilt her 50 ft sloop, “Climate Action Now” and made a second attempt last year. She set a new record for a solo nonstop circumnavigation of Antarctica. Her moniker “The Ice Lady” is fitting.

Circumnavigators, Annie and Lisa.

I must admit, our preference is for sailing in warmer climes around the equator. Right now, at the end of May, we have clear skies with unseasonal cold weather at night and below average daytime temperatures. On that chilly note, and while waiting for the winter solstice in June, we say cheers for now.

Annie & Dirk