Boat #5 - Pincoya

Name(s): Gene and Gloria
Boat Name: Pincoya
Home Port: Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)
Date of Acceptance: End of June 2010
Place of Acceptance: Pape'ete, Tahiti (French Polynesia)

Our decision to go to sea was made in 2008. A year later we bought Pincoya, a 1995 44-foot Island Packet, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Pincoya's name stands for a Chilean Sea Goddess of Fertility). In March 2010, we headed to the South Pacific, after never having spent more than 1 or 2 nights at sea.

After spending 6 weeks in the Marquesas and a month in the Tuamotos, we picked up the Little Pea Green Book in Pape'ete Tahiti (S17°32'06" W149°34'11"). By the time we left French Polynesia, we had spent 4-1/2 months there.

We never had planned or thought we would be living this kind of adventure. Gene and I had spent much of our prior life whitewater rafting, canyoneering, backpacking, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing. While we had adventures and exciting times, it does not compare to what we have experienced and enjoyed in the South Seas. Adventures like...

During the crossing, our spinnaker wrapped, our genoa needed repair, and our gooseneck came loose from the mast. Gene had to go overboard at sea to cut loose fishing line from the propeller. In 25-knot winds from Hiva Oa to Fatu Hiva, our furler screws came out and we could not reel in the genoa.

In Makemo (S16°33'545" W143°42'257"), we had our first scare of our life when we almost hit a coral head and later Gene had to dive 60 feet to retrieve our anchor wrapped around a coral head. We experienced going through surf waves in the narrow passé Teavamoa at the SE end of Raiatea (S16°55' W151°25') and landed Pincoya on a coral reef shelf in Baie Hotopuu.

In Tahaa (S16°36' W151°30'), we anchored on 20 feet and swung over the 8-foot coral reef in high winds. As we left Bora Bora (S16°30'015" W151°44'294") to head for Suwarrow, we had our most exciting time when winds reached 52 knots with rain coming down in dumpsters! Even though we dropped sails, we had 3 tattered sails to repair in Suwarrow (S13°16' W163°06').

September 4, 2010, we anchored in Suwarrow, the most wonderful place we have been thus far, a Disneyland for cruisers. Suwarrow is a national park under the control of the Cook Islands and this is where we passed off the Little Pea Green Book.

James and Apii are the caretakers who have taken the cruisers fishing, spear fishing, coconut crab hunting, and lobster gathering followed by potlucks to eat the catch of the day or night. And the snorkelling is great here. We are having the time of our life enjoying all the islands and atolls with Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand still in sight for this season.

We have met so many fellow cruisers and made friends on other sailboats...where else can you have your neighbours and friends move with you!

For sailing adventures and photos of Gene and Gloria on SV Pincoya, visit their blog at www.sailblogs.com/member/smilin1.