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Birgit

Author's details

Name: Birgit
Date registered: September 22, 2010
Jabber / Google Talk: admin

Latest posts

  1. Papatura Island — September 5, 2025
  2. Papatura Island — September 5, 2025
  3. An Santa Isabel entlang nordwärts — September 3, 2025
  4. Sailing up the coast of Santa Isabel — September 3, 2025
  5. Erster Jahrestag an Bord — August 28, 2025

Most commented posts

  1. The Matuku Marine Reserve and how it came into being — 11 comments
  2. Donations for the Marine Reserve in Matuku — 10 comments
  3. Hilfsprojekte für Matuku — 7 comments
  4. Leeloo 2000–2021 — 6 comments
  5. Survived! — 6 comments

Author's posts listings

2021
18
Oct

Arrived in Tikehau

We arrived 2 days ago in Tikehau after a rough last day with winds well above 20 knots (feels more when you’re bashing into it close-hauled), went through the pass with first daylight and were glad to have tracks inside the lagoon from a previous visit. That early in the morning with the sun low above the horizon it’s impossible to spot coral heads under… Continue reading »

2021
15
Oct

Slow start

We had slow start and the wind didn’t pick up until the evening, so we won’t make Makatea in daylight. We have therefore changed course towards Tikehau instead. The wind is now steady from the ESE and we’re doing 5 knots. 108 miles to go at 7:00 local time.

2021
14
Oct

Off to sea!

We’re finally off again! No more Facebook, no more i-net surfing, just emails and blog posts (which are automatically posted on FB) from now on AND lots of blue, turquoise, sharkies, fishies and hopefully some whales The little island of Makatea lies ahead, we should get there tomorrow.

2021
14
Oct

Velvet Paws available in the animal shelter Linz

The animal shelter of the city of Linz (Austria) is also putting our book about Leeloo on display, 5 Euros per book are dedicated to support their wonderful work. Thinking about all those abandoned velvet paws there who are waiting for a new family makes my heart ache… If you’re considering enriching your life with a pet, don’t buy a kitten or puppy from a… Continue reading »

2021
14
Oct

On Velvet Paws towards a good cause

Dr. Schneck, the vet in Graz (Austria) who helped us getting all our vaccinations, certificates and titer timings right, has agreed to put up “On Velvet Paws Towards the Horizon” in his veterinary clinic. 5 EUR per book go to a local animal protection organisation. Thanks Dr. Schneck! https://www.tierarzt-schneck.at/

2021
11
Oct

Leaving Tahiti

…just for Moorea, so not really a passage, but we had flat seas, a steady breeze and it was a nice sail! All the usually automatised moves took some remembering, but everything went well.

2021
11
Sep

Common sense

French Polynesia has been in a lock-down now for 2 weeks. Low vaccination rates led to an explosion in cases after the delta variant arrived and really made this lock-down necessary. We fully agree that measures were needed to limit the spreading of Covid here. Yes, it makes sense to prohibit sports events and group activities where people gather. But why harass surfers and paddlers… Continue reading »

2021
08
Sep

“On Velvet Paws Towards the Horizon” is now available as an e-book!!

Those of ship’s cat Leeloo’s fans who are roaming remote places can now get the kindle version of her adventurous life. Usually internet is way too pricey here in Fr. Poly to tackle big uploads, but Vini (mobile phone provider) gave out lock-down data presents and I used it all up to create an e-book! Available now on Amazon

2021
17
Aug

A book about our ship’s cat!

Our Leeloo was part of Pitufa’s crew from day one of our journey and left a gaping, cat-shaped hole when she died. Now we share our memories of 21 years and lots of cute photos with you! “On Velvet Paws Towards the Horizon” contains many anecdotes and tips for sailing/traveling with cats. It’s available on Amazon! Because of the colour print it turned out more… Continue reading »

2021
06
Aug

Covid wave in French Polynesia

489 new cases in the last 24 hours (with a population of only 270.000, 406 cases/100.000 in the last week), 1837 active cases and the ICU unit of the hospital in Papeete is full! During the first wave last year the numbers were low, then French Polynesia closed its borders and remained almost Covid-free for a long town. Now borders have been open again for… Continue reading »

2021
26
Jul

Another newspaper article (in German)

This one’s in a small, regional newspaper, but they got all the facts right Thanks a lot to the Bezirksrundschau

2021
15
Jul

Article in Austrian newspaper

Another article about us was published in an Austrian newspaper today. The “Krone” is Austria’s most read newspaper, but has a reputation for bad research. The numerous errors in the article are not due to faulty answers in the interview from our side E.g. our dear princess Leeloo was not a tomcat, but very much of a girly cat. They advertise our books, but wrongly… Continue reading »

2021
14
Jul

Exploring Tahiti for the first time

To us Tahiti usually just means repairs, shopping, doctor’s appointments and rushing off again as quickly as possible. This year we have decided to linger a bit longer. It’s winter now anyway, the mara’amu (southeasterly wind) brings cold air and it’s the perfect time of the year to hang out in the Society Islands (too cold for snorkeling in the Tuamotus and waaay too cold… Continue reading »

2021
14
Jul

Close Call

Wherever the reefs have died around here, the rocks are covered in coarse turbinaria algae. A depressing sight. In such areas large, floating patches of those ugly plants cover the sea. They are a constant nuisance when the outboard sucks them in. Today they brought Pitufa close to a major catastrophe: We were motoring to a new anchorage inside the lagoon, when Christian noticed that… Continue reading »

2021
11
Jun

Ten years!

Ten years ago we set out from Pula (Croatia). We didn’t know then whether we’d like this life, whether we’d be able to deal with all the challenges it poses. We were happy, but also quite anxious… On the one hand it feels like yesterday, on the other hand we have experienced and seen so much during those years that it seems like a lifetime…… Continue reading »

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