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Birgit

Author's details

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

Latest posts

  1. Wie man ein Krokodil hypnotisiert — October 23, 2025
  2. How to hypnotise a crocodile — October 23, 2025
  3. Kleiner Wadelbeisser — October 17, 2025
  4. Smurfy aka Pukpuk monster aka Komodo dragon monster — October 17, 2025
  5. Fotos von Buka, Bougainville — October 4, 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

2018
13
Apr

Lightning

by Birgit

With the prediction forecasting strong winds we buckled down when we reached a bank of dark clouds yesterday. Instead of the expected 20 knots we got no wind and gusts over 35 in between with lots of lightning. Not great. We ended up motoring for a few hours to get out of that soup and finally found the northeasterlies at midnight. Now we’re sailing along… Continue reading »

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2018
12
Apr

More wind

by Birgit

Last night the wind set in and we’re going fast and close-hauled in 15 to 20 knots now. The weatherforecast predicts rain and squalls, but it’s still sunny.

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2018
12
Apr

Slow start

by Birgit

We left the Gambier again today at noon, despite light northwesterly winds (yep, northwest is where we should actually sail). Our plan is to sail up north first and gain a headstart on a front that is supposed to arrive tomorrow with rain, squalls and northeasterly winds that should pick up and take us straight towards the Tuamotus. 655 nm to go to Tahanea (we’ll… Continue reading »

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2018
08
Apr

False start

by Birgit

Yesterday the weather looked squally, but the forecast seemed alright for a passage. We had already spent a day preparing the boat (it always takes us ages to get Pitufa into passage mode after such a long time), so we set out from the Gambier. We sailed out with a squall, but as soon as the black cloud had passed, it left us with no… Continue reading »

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2018
31
Mar

Late Summer

by Birgit

We’ve just spent two and a half rather frustrating weeks anchored off the main village Rikitea. When only one out of 3 internet sources shakily works from time to time (the vini spot for wifi seems to be down and the internet via mobile phone network only works occasionally) organising and ordering things becomes slightly tedious, but now we’ve got everything settled. On the positive… Continue reading »

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2018
14
Mar

Relaxed flying

by Birgit

Today my Mom had to start her return-journey to Austria. We anchored Pitufa just in front of the airport, took the dinghy into the little airport harbour, checked in the luggage, went all back to the boat, had lunch, went for a swim and only returned to the airport once the plane had landed. Security consists of a friendly lady asking the passenger whether they’ve… Continue reading »

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2018
06
Mar

Art gallery

by Birgit

Other mom’s may enjoy white, sandy beaches of the lagoon-side of motus, mine prefers the rough outer side facing the ocean. Yesterday we took a walk along eastern side of Puaumu (the motu in the north of the Gambier where we’re anchored now) where the ocean waves crash against the outer reef, which is strawn with big pieces of coral that were broken off and… Continue reading »

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2018
02
Mar

Mom’s visiting

by Birgit

I took the plane to Tahiti two weeks ago to pick up my Mom at the airport. After three days of intensive shopping (I hitched 10 rides in 3 days) we flew together back to the Gambier. After getting over the jetlag (a heat wave here in the Gambier didn’t exactly help with adjusting to the climate) my Mom has nicely settled in and enjoys… Continue reading »

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2018
10
Feb

Gorgeous summer weather

by Birgit

In the past two weeks the weather has shown once more that the Gambier are just the most pleasant place during the cyclone season. A convergence zone has been sitting west of us, bringing lows with nasty weather to the Cooks, the Societies, the Australs and even the Tuamotus. While the poor people there sit in strong winds and pouring rain we’ve had perfect summer… Continue reading »

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2018
20
Jan

Searching for the leak

by Birgit

When we were just outside the southern barrier reef outside the Gambier archipelago yesterday (all sails up, going 6 knots, 2 fishing lures out), suddenly the water alarm in the bilge went off. Rip out the floorboards–stick a finger in the brew–taste–freshwater–ooofff. So no immediate danger, but still not great to have the bilge full of water. We sailed up through the Southeastern barrier reef… Continue reading »

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2018
18
Jan

Close-hauled

by Birgit

The day before yesterday the northwesterly died down and then the wind set in again from the east instead of the promised southeast, so we’ve been fighting as close-hauled as it gets to hold our course to the Gambier. A rough end to a pleasant passage–we should arrive early afternoon.

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2018
16
Jan

Fish!

by Birgit

Usually we dread too little wind on passages, because that means rolling in confused seas and flapping seas. This time though, wind and seas gradually calmed down together, so this morning Pitufa is gliding over flat seas in only 8 knots of breeze. It’s sunny, no clouds in the sky and the sea has this peculiar shade of blue that is so dark it almost… Continue reading »

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2018
15
Jan

Northwesterly breeze

by Birgit

The northwesterly breeze keeps blowing us steadily on a comfy course towards the Gambier. Sunny skies, calm seas–we haven’t caught a fish yet, but apart from that this passage has been really perfect so far.

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2018
14
Jan

Comfy sailing

by Birgit

The wind has calmed down a bit, but we’re still sailing along with 4 knots, so we’re not complaining! 388 nm to go

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2018
13
Jan

Steady sailing

by Birgit

The wind is blowing steadily from the North, because a small low moves by west of us and has shifted the wind conveniently for us. 500 nm to go!

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