Ship Logs

1st of January 2020, Te Ririki ae Boo “HAPPY NEW YEAR”, says helmsman Teitera when I step into the wheelhouse. We exchange best wishes and Carson asks our New Year resolutions. My watch-mate Tabura surprises us with his wish to go to Tarawa and finish his training at...

29th December 2019, Into deep waters again Bugs, bugs, everywhere I look there are Copra bugs. These tiny metallic beetle-like creatures wear hard hats with funny little antennas. They smell like their staple diet when you accidentally crush them. The familiar  sweet...

25th of December 2019, The spirit of Christmas In a prelude to the festivities we have been working our asses off during 12 hour workdays to get the cargo hold organized for the voyage back to Christmas Island and Honolulu. The efforts were rewarded because Kwai...

21st December 2019, The last run… Voyage 51 is coming to a conclusion after one more trip along the chain of Line islands. While in Christmas, on the jetty, I saw a foreigner taking measurements from the tidal-gauge and introduced myself. He, Jason, was an employee of...

14th of December 2019, Christmas Island It has been almost two months since the Kwai left Honolulu on her current voyage. I can tell because by this time the last of the shriveled potatoes in the almost empty provisions-net start drooling their fluids in my fresh cup...

10th of December 2019, Charismatic happenings It is 12 o’clock midnight. I’m not on watch anymore, but my bio-rithm wakes me up anyway. I find the stepping-on-crew preparing Cup-’O-Noodles in the galley and think to myself” “Oh well, Rome wasn’t build in one day”....

Takateke Rest In Peace, The inconceivable has not yet settled into our reality. Within a few weeks, another one of our crew members died on board of the Kwai. The 43 year old Tereitaki Reita (who we know as Takateke from Fanning Island) has suddenly departed last...

30th November 2019, Nassau and Pukapuka Like a huge swan spreading her wings, we unfurl our sails and start our last leg Southbound. For half of the 270nm leg we are actually able to shut down the engine and hover between wind and waves. Our destination is Nassau...

22nd of November 2019, Manihiki Island Blessed by three good catches of fish, Cook Arina asked me to prepare sushi for lunch. Soon I found myself rolling sticky rice, fish and veggies in Nori seaweed skin. Next to me, Teitera was preparing the Hawaiian version of the...

19th November 2019, Penrhyn Island "Ding, ding", the fishing bell goes crazy right after we leave the pass to Penrhyn lagoon. A beautiful four feet long Wahu (Te Para in Kiribati language) has consolidated the wish that has come true. Just five minutes before the...