Calling Gaualofa (Notes of a jealous supporter at home)

Okay, let's skype San Diego and see how everyone's doing on their third day back at it!

John answers the phone. I hear slamming doors, phones ringing, caughing, talking, rummaging. A bustling atmosphere. I start wondering how big the room is and check it out online: Vagabond + Scott Ave + San Diego. I see pictures of a motel, the typical ad-serenity of catalogue-order-rooms: two doubles with color-coded linen and curtains, and a view onto the kidneyshaped pool laying right next to the path to the reception.

"Where are you guys?" I ask John. "I can see the entrance."

If there was a webcam outside the motel this would be even cooler.

"We're facing the street. It's pretty noisy."

Ah, so basically I am staring at a still of their window right now.

"What's going on?"
"Well, we're busy getting everything together. Stuff out of the storage, stuff we need for the boat."
"What she look like? Can anyone send a picture?"
"I don't know, Ang. We're all on the go all day. I'll ask around."
"K. No worries."

I'm thinking: I'll sure find pictures on Facebook. With over 4,000 followers for the Pacific Voyagers it's hard to miss a beat of what's going on with "her", Gaualofa.

"So, what's the plan for the next days?"
"We're - HI ANG, HOW ARE YOU?!" The phone changes hands.
"I'm alright, how ar-"
"Where are you right now? In Auckland?"
"Yes."
"How's the weather there? It's freeeezing here."
"It's-"
"Are we going to see you on the way?"
"Maybe, I'm thinking Samoa."
"I gotta go now but good to hear from you, here's Fani."

I think everyone's running on too much sugar or caffeine or both. Sigh. Or, it's simply a natural high doing one of the most amazing things one can think of doing... Anyone as envious as I am right now?

"Hey Ang, long time no hear. How're you holding up?"
Was about to ask you the same but seems hard to get a word in with any of you right now. So, just roll with it, girl.
"Are you still working at Uni, how's that going? Hope to catch up with you somewhere along the trip. Are you coming to Samoa for the Independence Celebrations? Should be good."
Yes, should be.
"K, I'm gonna give you back to John. I'll send you stuff for the blog soon, promise! Take care!"

Cheering, laughter, door slamming. Silence.

"Hello?" Nothing. Did they just throw the phone somewhere and leave? "Hello? John?"
"Yes, I'm here. They're all out again."
"Sounds like everyone is pretty excited."
"Yep." He's yawning.
"Tired?"
"A little."
"Big day tomorrow?"
"Hm-mmh."
"Nice of everyone to say 'hello'."

Silence. Another yawn. Right.

"I should let you go. Get some rest and be ready for the next round, aye?"
"Hm. Yea. We're supposed to have Thursday off and Saturday we're doing a day-sail. And there's a fundraiser. I'll send you texts about what's going on as often as I can. Okay?"
"Yea, don't stress. Have a good night now."
Silence.
"You know you're with us, aye."
"Yeeah, I know. It's okay. I'll live. Just collect some details for me. Snapshots. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Bye now."
"Fa."
"Fa."
"Fa."

Tofa Soifua, Gaualofa. Be safe!

Off the Boat

What do Samoan Voyagers do when they're not on the boat? Well, they get involved in their communities! This is a report by Ame talking about our crew, busy to spread the word about how to be good to the environment we all depend on and planting trees.










It was a successful morning, of September 30th, 2011.
We've managed to plant 100 native trees, including fetau, filimoto and leva.
Now it's a matter of keeping them alive and we will continue to work together with the MNRE maintenance team.
It looks good so far, and am sure the new conservation park in two to five years time will be the Vaatele Gaualofas contribution by reducing polution at the Vaitele industrial zone.
While you're in Samoa, it would be great to see you during the watering sessions, don't forget to bring few gallons with you.
Manuia!

Press Release: Samoa’s “Gaualofa” crew prepare to depart on 20,000 km journey across the Pacific

The Patron of Aiga Folau o Samoa (Samoa Voyaging Society), His Highness the Head of State, Afioga Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi and the Honorable Prime Minister of Samoa, Susuga Tuilaepa Fatialofa Lupesoliai Aiono Sa’ilele Malielegaoi will receive courtesy farewell visits from the crew of Samoa’s va’atele (ocean going traditional canoe) “Gaualofa” on Tuesday 10th January 2012.

The crew of Gaualofa are busy preparing for a 20,000km long voyage across the Pacific from California departing on January 23, 2012. Gaualofa, along with voyaging canoes from other Pacific islands including Fiji, the Cook Islands and New Zealand, is currently in San Diego, their final port of call after last year's voyage across the Pacific from Samoa to Auckland, Tahiti, Hawaii and on to North America.

The main purpose of the voyage is to raise environmental awareness on the fragility of the Pacific Ocean and to revive traditional navigation and sailing techniques in the Pacific. The voyaging fleet, called “Te Mana o Te Moana” (Spirit of the Ocean) will make the following stops on the journey from San Diego - Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) - Cocos Islands (Costa Rica) - Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) - French Polynesia - Cook Islands - Tonga - Samoa - Fiji - Vanuatu ending with the Pacific Arts Festival in Honiara, Solomon Islands in July 2012.

The seven traditional voyaging canoes are planning to time their visit to Samoa to participate in the 50th Independence Celebrations in early June, on their way to the Solomon Islands. From the Solomon Islands Gaualofa will return to Samoa, arriving in August 2012 and the other va’a will also return to their home ports.

You can follow Gaualofa’s journey on this blogsite:http://samoavoyagingsociety.blogspot.com/

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government and people of Samoa for all your support and in particular for your prayers for the safe return of our crew to Samoa.

E momoli atu le agaga faafetai tele i le malo ma le mamalu o le tatou atunuu i le tou lagalagosua mai.

Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale

President

Aiga Folau o Samoa (Samoa Voyaging Society)

Tel: (685) 7773949

18. August, 2011

Talofa lava,

Last evening was the first time since we left San Francisco that we've seen the stars and what a sight it is. We sighted Te ma tau a maui, Le manu ( Cassiopeia), the Big dipper and now Orion it being almost 5 in the morning.

The smell of the oil rig is still strong. The unpleasantness of it is getting to the crew, some of them are feeling dizzy and nauseous. It's amazing that right off the Californian coast you have these structures at the same time that the coastal area is renowned for its large marine mammals, which come through here feeding off the rich plankton. To have structures that cause such high pollution to the environment in this area - or any area for that matter - is mind boggling.

The names given to a couple of the oil rigs we passed were “Harmony” and “Heritage” - who named these things????

It's Thursday afternoon and great news: the sun's out!!! And it actually came out during the morning!!! How beautiful is that? It's heatwave of 20 degrees in the sun... and in the shade it's back down just a couple of notches.

So we have the whole va'a sunning and drying out their wet clothes. It looks like a traveling flea market. The boys are wearing their lavalavas once again. And even better: Lole already has lunch prepped!

We are still circa 55 nautical miles away from our point of destination - Paradise Cove, Malibu. We hope to arrive tomorrow Friday 19 2011.

Just received a couple of messages from our aiga in San Francisco sending their alofa - o lafo atu faafetai ole au va'a mo le taupuaiga o le folauga.

We'd like to send our alofa to our sisters and brothers on Uto ni Yalo, it's a relief to hear that no one was hurt during the mast incident. Our prayers are with you and trust repairs can be made in due time so we're able to continue and close this part of our story, our voyage.

To our people at home: We're all smiling and healthy.

Soifua, FB
Gaualofa

Leaving Monterey

Talofa Samoa,

It's been sometime since our latest update. Events on this side of the Pacific Ocean occur very fast. There’s constant motion and the urgency of preparing events on this side requires everyone and their energy to make them happen.

We'd like to apologise for the lateness in this getting you and for any future tardiness in the blogs.

Today has been a VERY eventful day. Since we've left Monterey bay we've been under our traditional rig otherwise also known as the Crab Claw rig. The weather has been overcast with fog, not much of a sun nor a star to be seen and it's also been quite cold out here.

What has kept us warm and in high spirits was the fact the crew constantly tells jokes, Lole’s cook-ups and the horde of chocolates that we enjoy on board. Well, and really, the majority of us feel that after San Francisco and Monterey we've made a positive impact on those areas.

People are now awake, more aware and actually interested in what we represent, not just the environmental message that we come with but also the cultural aspect.

...

We passed by 5 seen oil rigs today. The smell and the feeling going by them was a surreal. It being the first time the majority of the Gaualofa crew has seen such a structure their reaction was that it didn't look right.

We thought at first it was a ship of some sorts. Nick checked it out and came back and said it was an oil rig. After passing down-wind of these structures we were hit with such an overwhelming smell that we could barely concentrate on the current maneuver: a blend of oil and sewage, nice eh?

…

The night became even more eventful: Due to a sudden increase of winds form 13 knots to 25 knots we had to change our rig about 3 hours out from Santa Barbara light point. I have to say, we took our sweet time in changing the rig. Nick called all hands on deck to switch the rig. We did, and set a record: with 2 hours and 45 minutes the longest rig switch ever!!!

I put it down to the constant repartee being banded about while setting the rig up in winds of 25 knots and a new method of setting the sails up on the Bermuda booms before attaching them to the masts. Oh! and the factor that the topping lift line went flying out of someone's hand and came off the pulley… Faapau had to climb up the main mast and feed the topping lift thru again. All of this with 2 meter swells and winds of 25 knots.

After that bit of eventful time we had stir fry beef and veg for dinner. As I'm typing this up in the fale I can smell the oil that's coming off from one or possible all the oil rigs on our windward side close to land and it's about 2 miles north of our va'a. Its pungent smell brings nausea to the crew on watch.

…

The crew sends their alofa'aga and faafetai to all who have supported us on this long 5 month voyage. This voyage is just the start of many more to come. And judging by the smell right now, many more are needed.

Soifua,FB
Gaualofa.

Reflections form the Crew - Faapau

Talofa lava Samoa o a'u o Faapau Feliuai.

O le'a fai atu sau tala e uiga I le folauga mai NZ sei paia San Francisco .

Amata mai NZ ile malulu ae faaiu foi ile malulu,
Samoa e le faigofie folauga a tuaa i aso anamua.

O le taimi lenei ua mafana le mafutaga a tagata ole pasefika e afua mai i nei folauga.
E faaali ai tu ma aga faa-Samoa.

O lenei aso, o lo’o faatafafao tagata I luga o le vaa ma faamatala iai tu ma aga faa-Samoa.
Ia alofa le Atua vaelua tutusa so tatou manuia ma nofo tapuai mai pea ao alofaiva au tama fanau ile manava ole moana.
SOIFUA.

Faapau Faliuai

Gaualofa Crew Update - a message from the SVS President

Gaualofa’s crew has undergone some changes of late, possibly causing some confusion amongst onlookers and regular supporters. Our First Captain, Marc Gondard, who has ably steered Gaualofa from her construction through to recruiting and training our crew, made the difficult decision in Hawaii to take some time off the va’a and address some pressing land-based issues. He continues to be passionately involved in the Samoa Voyaging Society and our activities and we hope he will make the decision to return to Gaualofa in the not-too-distant future.

Marc was replaced by Jef Iken of Aotearoa for the 3-week journey from Kauai to San Francisco. We are grateful to Jef for stepping in at this time and are certain that he has enjoyed his stint as Captain of our beautiful va’a. Gaualofa is currently hosting Nick R.Henry as Captain. Nick is crew for Marumaru Atua, the Cook Islands va’a. He will be with Gaualofa until San Diego (early September), when all the va’a take a break for the Northern Hemisphere winter period. Crews will reform in January 2011 in readiness for their voyage through South America and back down to the South Pacific.

The Gaualofa crew is due to return to Samoa during the first week of September for their “winter” break.

Soifua.

Tuatagaloa Joe Annandale

President, SVS