Considering The Southern Pacific Route

[delatbabel]

I'm considering heading off from Sydney in a year or three and I'm trying to plan my outward voyage.

The idea of sailing around the islands of the Pacific and making the route from Panama -> Galapagos -> Marquesas -> Tahiti and so on back to Australia has much appeal to it, but of course I'm starting at the wrong side. The option to go around the world is there as well but for various reasons I'd like to be back in Sydney in about 18 months after setting off so I am considering just a lap around the Pacific before starting on an around the world leg.

One route that I've been considering is to start by heading across the southern Pacific, which might involve a bit of roaring forties sailing, then turning north up the coast of South America (following the winds and currents) and then to the Galapagos to start the Pacific journey proper. The first part would almost be a delivery run, with the aim to get to the Galapagos as quickly as possible along a fairly uninhabited route before starting the cruise.

Has anyone here done this or part of it? Recommendations?

I know the obvious -- summer months only, and it's a big heavy steel cruising boat so well founded for heavy seas (I've been in them before). The "Pacific Crossing Guide" describes this route as "Southern Ocean, and hence out of the scope of this book", which isn't as helpful as I'd hoped.

[Frank]

I did the run from Tauranga, NZ to S America in Jan Feb 2004. Went down to 50*S, had about a week of rough stuff out of 40 days ( averaged exactly 5.0 knots... 39 foot boat ) from East Cape to Boca de Guafo, Chile. Also a bit of fog, two days of calm,a bit of easterly, 2 x 24 hour spinnaker runs, and a lot of 15/20k NW with 1 to 2 metre sea and swell. Others I have known to do it have taken between 30 and 70 days. Slow runs were mainly people who stayed too far north. You could do it in winter but that would involve staying further north which means a longer total run and probably making landfall further north in Chile.

There is good short term cruising from Puerto Montt down to Laguna San Rafael and around Chiloe which makes the crossing worthwhile.

Them as I have known who have headed from there (Pto Montt) back across the Pacific normally first head for Isla Gambier in French Polynesia via Juan Fernandez.

I've known one boat to go from Chile to Panama so it is do-able and the run up the coast towards Arica would be straightforward.. after Peru I don't know.

I wish people wouldn't call the southern South Pacific the 'Southern Ocean'. The Southern Ocean starts at either 60*S or the convergence, take your pick... OK I know... I'm an old pedant.....

Hope this helps,

Cheers

Frank

[Estarzinger]

Originally Posted by delatbabel

One route that I've been considering is to start by heading across the southern Pacific, which might involve a bit of roaring forties sailing, then turning north up the coast of South America (following the winds and currents) and then to the Galapagos to start the Pacific journey proper. The first part would almost be a delivery run, with the aim to get to the Galapagos as quickly as possible along a fairly uninhabited route before starting the cruise.

We sailed from Duneden To Raivavae. Took 3 weeks. We pretty much sailed due east, just dodging a few lows, until south of Raivavae and then turned north. The passage was not especially pleasant but not so hard either - as you say pretty much a delivery. If I were you I would make this or the Gambier my landfall and head up to the Marqueses and turn west from there. The Galapagos is quite a bit further on and not so special these days.

We later sailed from Gambier to Puerto Montt Chile. The weather systems were more complex with the influence of the 'stationary' high and the Andes (blocking the path of the lows) but again a 'doable delivery'. The sail north up the coast is pretty easy and streightforward.

I actually think you get better westerlies either spring or fall. During the summer you can get quite some NE'lys along this route.

[Frank]

In the South Pacific you can choose a crossing latitude to take you between the highs and the lows - for most of the crossing.

My experience over the years in Bass Strait ( essentially right on 40*S ) was that winter was the most settled season, spring and autumn the windiest with spring ( Aug Sept ) usually the windiest ( ie often 1 or 2 weeks at a time of near gale or better ) of the two.

Summer is when you are most likely to get a storm - really seriously bad weather of one or 2 days duration- normally between early November ( (Coramba Gale of 1934 ) and the end of December ( think Sydney Hobart races). Storms aren't unknown in Jan and even Feb but are rare. Summer is also the season for easterlies.

I reckon this http://www.passageweather.com/ is a good site to watch to get a feel for what is happening out there.