Iolea

Iolea

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We are an Australian couple (Paul Duncan & Kate Owen) who bought Iolea in Annapolis USA in 2010. Our cruising adventure started with a couple of years cruising the Caribbean. In 2013 we transited the Panama Canal and crossed the Pacific to NZ. For the past 3 years we have been cruising NZ (north and top of the south), Fiji and Vanuatu.  We arrived in the Solomon Islands early April following 6 months sailing through Kiribati, The Marshall Islands and a short stop in Kosrae.  This year we are heading back to Vanuatu and then on to New Caledonia before returning to NZ and preparing to head back across the Pacific in 2018.

Recent Updates

Iolea - July 1, 2018
Posted:
Motoring again in lazy 3 metre seas. Its very cold so might put on the diesel heater if the sun doesn't warm us up. Celery and potato soup has been helping. Gradually getting into the rhythm of ... Read More
Iolea - June 30, 2018
Posted:
Managed to keep sailing all day yesterday, most of which was pleasant sailing despite being somewhat boisterous last night and close hauled all the time. Our aim is to shoot along in between the ... Read More
Iolea - June 29, 2018
Posted:
Pleased to be sailing again, albeit wing-on-wing. General conditions haven't changed that much other than a little more wind, allowing us to turn off the motor for a change. We're currently doing 6 ... Read More
Iolea - June 28, 2018
Posted:

Started this passage mostly motor sailing in light 5-7 knot winds and relatively calm yet still somewhat confused seas, only managed to sail for 5hrs so far; hoping for more wind today.

Iolea - June 27, 2018
Posted:
Yes we are indeed casting off the dock lines this morning and setting sail to French Polynesia. Our intended port of entry is either Bora Bora or Raiatae; weather permitting. Expected passage time ... Read More
Iolea - June 25, 2018
Posted:

Final preparations for a Wednesday departure for French Polynesia.

Iolea - June 21, 2018
Posted:

Anchored around the corner from Russell. This is a test post as we search for a suitable weather window to sail to Bora Bora (French Polynesia).

Iolea - December 8, 2017
Posted:

Had a glorious sail down from Bay of Islands in a 10-15 knot ENE with a 1m swell from NE. As good as it ever gets in NZ. Will chill here a few days until we haul out at Norsand on the 12th.

Iolea - November 26, 2017
Posted:
Settled in at Opua Marina after one of our best passages to NZ. We arrived yesterday evening. Discovered our drift has an error of around 1 knot so some of those currents we were seeing were not ... Read More
Iolea - November 25, 2017
Posted:

The last 24hrs of sailing were as good as it ever gets, 10-15 knot easterly with virtually no swell, it was like sailing on a lake. Our ETA on the Q-Dock at Opua is 6pm this evening.

Iolea - November 24, 2017
Posted:
A glorious night of sailing in a 15 knot easterly with relatively settled seas. The persistent 2-3 knot drift to the west this passage due to west setting current and sea state prompted us to ... Read More
Iolea - November 23, 2017
Posted:

A boisterous night of sailing in 25 knots of E-ESE winds with crappy seas and that damn persistent 2-3 knots of west setting current. All is well aboard.

Iolea - November 22, 2017
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Spent the night motor sailing on a course of around 170T, very slow going, wind is in a horrible direction for getting to NZ, swell is no better, and of course there is that ever present west setting ... Read More
Iolea - November 21, 2017
Posted:

Got the date wrong of last post so reposting with today's date. Sea state has deteriorated, looks like rain coming, been motor sailing overnight, thinking about tacking south and sailing again soon..

Iolea - November 21, 2017
Posted:

Sea state has deteriorated, looks like rain coming, been motor sailing overnight, thinking about tacking south and sailing again soon..

Iolea - November 20, 2017
Posted:
Sea state has settled making for some lovely over night sailing, with winds generally ranging 8-12 knots, with no squalls. Not seen any traffic so far this voyage. All is well aboard. A cracked ... Read More
Iolea - November 19, 2017
Posted:

Usual first day. tiring but fine. Took NC a little too close to its eastern shelf and ran into 4knot current and nasty sea but ok. Just would give it a wider berth next time.

Iolea - November 17, 2017
Posted:

Ready to head to NZ tomorrow morning at last.

Iolea - November 8, 2017
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Waiting for a weather window to head to NZ but doesn't look likely for another week so enjoying the sunshine and doing boat jobs.

Iolea - September 3, 2017
Posted:

We arrived a week ago from Port Vila and are lapping up the wonderful food in restaurants and supermarkets. Noumea is like being in the eastern suburbs of Sydney but with a lovely French twist.

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