May 23rd – Voyage to the Duff Islands

The reef islands: forested and heavily populated islands with several lagoons to go exploring...

After a fast sail to the Reef islands, some low-laying coral atolls displaying some limestone cliffs, we anchored the Kuna on a shallow bommie with the intention of only staying for a few hours. Sadly, because this island group would be great kayaking country! I had to go ashore to sched with Taumako island, our filming destination, 70 miles further east. So the easy way was to just launch one half kayak, which paddled quite well despite being a bit unstable.

The face of people looking at me landing with HALF a canoe is always funny. Not only it is bright yellow, made of plastic but it takes unusual shapes too!!



A day later, we arrived on Taumako island, we were received with traditional dances, flowers and speeches. And the Komodo of course got quite a bit of attention!




Due to lack of time (yes, filming deadlines!) it was easier to transport the komodo two halves in the motor canoe to get to the island. I later assembled it to return to the KUNA.




I deployed my komodo sail and was able to sail around the island in the 1m meter deep lagoon. Great sailing on flat waters and the front of the canoes was used to carry various cargo: bananas and a fishing buoy which I later used as an anchor buoy for the Kuna. The self tacking sail was brilliant: I did not need to control it from the back cockpit. And when it was time to pack up I just luffed into the wind and crawled at the front to retrieve it!

Better than the local traditional sail made of one coconut branch!!!


Our aim on Taumako was to film the Te Puke canoes, traditional sailing canoes that the islanders used to navigate between islands. They are rigged with an amazing claw shape sail made out of pandanis fibers weaved together by hand.

We also got the chance to shoot a little bit of kayaking underwater video!

Komodo sniffing in the mangroves

May 10th, Nukufero Village



The Komodo fits quite nicely on the foredeck, split in two part and there is still enough room to move and pull up anchor comfortably. At first, we launched the two half separately and paddled them ashore, one each. It was kind of fun paddling backwards!!!! After experimenting, we have found a great way to assemble the two halves canoes from the boat: easy as lego, standing on both parts, we clip them together in the water and paddle ashore (hoping to put some video on the web!) and then place the bolts and plates to secure them.

The Komodo always gets quite a bit of attention from the locals whenever we pull in on the beach. They are quite interested on how it breaks down in four parts. Some think it is a racing canoe (because of the color maybe) but we just tell them it is just our custom Australian canoe, just made of plastic!


Looking around filming crocs in the Russel islands, we were relieved to have a 7 meter long canoe, as it was most likely to be longer than a crocodile. The locals reported to have seen some large ones (see www.kunayacht.blogspot.com for details on Liapare Island). On the other side of Nukufero, the village where we pulled in, a young man diving for fish got eaten by a crocodile just last week, suggesting this danger is very real. Crocodile populations have certainly been increasing in the solomons as they are not hunted anymore and meanwhile, population has been increasing with new settlements and people impending on the crocodile habitat.
While we were paddling deep in a mangrove river, a local coming back from its garden, warned us not to go to close to the banks because of crocs…


The kayak was the perfect working platform to get low angle tracking shots of the mangrove, getting really close to the network of tree roots, all in silence to not frighten the bird life. One person on camera and one person at the rudder, lining the shots and paddling at the right speed.

Out she comes!

Anchored in Gizo Harbour
OUr track tot he Solomons

Deck hatch..
Assembling the komodo on deck

Extracting the Komodo out of the cabins

After 8 days passage in the Coral Sea ( see http://www.kunayacht.blogspot.com/ for diary), the KUNA arrived safely in Gizo and it is time for the Komodo tobecome operational. Ever wonderd how to fit a 7 meter double kayak inside an 11 meter yacht ? Breakdown is the secret! In order to have the decks clear during a very windy passage, 3 of the four part of the kayak were stored in the cabins down below. The stern was kept on deck as a convenient storage hatch for sail straps and ropes.

Now, safely anchored in harbour, we assembled the Komodo for use as a tender. Good way to mix with the locals, as it looks like a custom canoe, except for the color!! We loaded her with fruit and veg and refueled the boat: discovered one can store a 20L jerrican in the front and aft hatch, very useful in this country!!

the komodo is being carried around in the coral sea

Position 4pm:
S 18º43.5
E 148º37.3'
15 knots winds increasing

On way to Townsville, weirdly enough via the OUTSIDE of the GBR! Great ride
downwind once the wind started (went from a 50 knots storm yesterday to nil this
morning but SE have pickep up again pushing Kuna at 6 knots along the 250 miles
ride to Towsville. The idea of tacking ones way through the Hydrographers
passage to cross the barrier reef (passage to get to Mackay) at night in high
winds was rather unpleasant, as large ships also manoeuver in this narrow
passage. While the Kuna was poorly heaving to near the pilot boarding station
(pilots get dropped by helicopter outside the GBR to guide the ships in) we
heard the russian captain records of winds speeds 45 to 55 knots, prior to the
helicopter landing!
After being quite tired by 12 hours of tring to stay stationary in the storm
yesterday, it felt much easier running to Townsville when the winds abated,
though it brings us westwards and 200 miles further from the Solomons, adding
200 more miles to the crossing!!

24 hours to go now. Spent most of the day cleaning the engine room from the oil
spilled and looking for cause of problem that will have to get fixed, changed
oil and tidied up the boat from the storm!

By the way, anyone has suggestions on how to COMPLETELY stop forward speed on a
fin keel Adams while heaving to ? First storm test didn't quite make it! Need to
dom some research

Cheers
fred

It fits!

Preparing our pacific filming expedition involved a long list of boat maintenance jobs which always remind us how easy it is to maintain a plastic kayak! But the list is nearly completed and we are about to set to sea, off Yeppoon on the Capricorn coast.

Today we loaded the Komodo on the Kuna! They seem to get along well together (!): the Komodo breaks down into four parts, two cockpits and two points, which snugly fitted in the fore and aft cabins. It will be great to be able to safely transport it below deck during our open ocean passage.

Later, when we are just island hopping, we'll be able to assemble it and keep it on deck.

Here Wade is testing the theory