Cruising

Yachts

• Kindred Spirit, A 38 Ft

ketch with skipper Bruce Taver.netti, crewman Atillio Grille and ship’s cat Neko, anchored in Truk lagoon f(US TT) in March after sailing from Ponape. Neko is successor to Billi kins, an old sea dog of a cat which fell overboard last November and iwas lost (PIM, Jan, p 83). Four Peace Corps workers, who boarded Kindred Spirit at Ponape, “jumped” ship at Truk after spending a seasick week en route despite what Atillio [described as “fair weather”. • WANDERER, a 40 ft double »e.nder ketch and an old-timer around [Guam, is now dry-docked there. A gasoline explosion damaged her insides and broke some ribs in the hull. Extensive repairs are anticipated.

• ALLURE, a schooner from Hawaii, was in Guam in mid-March getting ready for a non-stop sail home. • KUAN YIN (Chinese Goddess of Mercy), a Canadian yacht, left Ontario 2i years ago sailing along the East Coast of United States, down to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Panama, Galapagos, Mar quesas, Tuamotu Islands, Papeete, Rarotonga, and Fiji and has now dropped anchor at Cammeray Marina at Sydney’s Folly Point. She is owned by Roger Clancy and wife Sheila.

They plan to sail back home via the Great Barrier Reef, New Guinea, Indian Ocean, and Africa. Kuan Yin was in Fiji in October with the ketch, BEBINKA, when hurricane Bebe struck the islands, but they were lucky to shelter up the Tamavua River and escaped damage. • BEBINKA, 30 ft fibreglass ketch from New York, arrived in Sydney last month from Panama, Galapagos, Tahiti, Rarotonga, Niue, Vavau in Tonga, Fiji and New Zea land. The ketch is owned by Scott G. Kuhner and his wife Kathleen.

They started their cruise in New York last October with the intention of circumnavigating the globe. They

are now at the half-way mark. They plan to visit the Great Barrier Reef, the Solomons, New Hebrides and hope to come back to Sydney for the opening of the Opera House in Oc tober, before returning to New York in November via Africa. • Pete and Sandy Oehman, who have been cruising around the South Pacific in Freyja have had a few things to say about the reception they got at some of their calling places.

Writing in the Seve.n Seas Cruising Association’s Commodores’ Bulletin, they handed out a bouquet to Suva’s port officials, who were “the most efficient and courteous we have found anywhere. . . . The Royal Suva Yacht Club has excellent facilities—hot showers, laundry tub, very nice bar and Chinese restaurant, just generally opens its doors to cruising yachts.”

A brickbat went to Western Samoa where “we waited for six hours before anyone showed up, and found the officials somewhat arrogant and surly”. They were pleasantly surprised with Pago Pago “after many bad rumours about the place”. Vavau in Tonga got another bouquet, Pete and Sandy finding the officials friendly and helpful and Vavau “a beautiful, gorgeous spot; we could have stayed forever.”