This is a recap I submitted to the Ventura Yacht Club’s, that they published in their newsletter, “The Forecast,” in its “Members on the Move” section. Leslie thought I should post it for all to read:

The Rigneys aboard their Tanaya 42, Kandu, made a soft start of their planned circumnavigation, taking full advantage of reciprocity to finish last minute items aboard Kandu.  They wonder if YELP should include reviews on the various yacht club showering facilities?  The clubs have been very accommodating, some more regulated than others.  Clubs visited in order of appearance: Del Rey, California, Alamitos Bay, Dana Point, Oceanside (Eric gave OYC his VYC presentation), Southwestern, San Diego, Silver Gate, Chula Vista, Coronado Cays, Navy (They honored reciprocity as well.  The Rigneys just needed a sponsor, which the Navy club provided), back to Silver Gate and Southwestern.  The new showering facilities at Silver Gate take first prize.

Ensenada brought the first international leg, and the boys responded well.  VYC members Bill Kohut and Joe Houska joined them for the border crossing. Eleven-year-old Trent was and remains bent on learning Spanish.  Bryce was mostly interested in skateboarding the streets and port of Ensenada, drinking Mexican Coke and drinking coconuts. Between Ventura and Puerto Vallarta, some problems arose aboard Kandu.  Debris from a dissolved inspection plate gasket blocked their fuel supply. The control unit of their windvane malfunctioned.  Hydraulic fluid leaked from the ram of their autopilot.  And the inside rigging of their extendable spinnaker pole gave way.  But nothing “mission critical” occurred that redundancy couldn’t circumvent.  The first overnight sails with watch schedules went well.  Thirteen-year-old Bryce has difficulty waking for the 10 p.m. to midnight watch, but is otherwise fine.  The confused seas, remnants of Hurricane Pam, didn’t make for comfortable initial crossings.  After two nights, Isla Cedros was their first landfall.  Then a surf stop at Isla Natividad on their way to Turtle Bay. Passage to Bahia Maria meant another two night sailing in confused seas.  Leslie questions going all the way to Easter Island, but will wait to see how the sail to the Galapagos goes this month.  They missed the Grey Whales in Mag Bay by a week (darn wind generator controller and fuel blockage!).  The four day passage to La Cruz, just outside Puerto Vallarta, provided two days of favorable seas and wind, which calmed to a day and half of low rpm motoring (tachometer quit, so they go by ear until Bill Kohut arrives with a new sender unit in a few days).  Bill Kohut is flying to meet them in Puerto Vallarta, bringing many requested parts and supplies.  Kandu is thoroughly shaken down and ready for her long upcoming passages: Galapagos, Easter Island (maybe), and French Polynesia.  Don’t forget to follow them on the website and subscribe to their blog feed at RigneysKandu.com.  It includes a map link that will track in real-time their passages.

Post script:  Easter Island and Pitcairn are off the list for now, due to time constraints surrounding our visa with French Polynesia. Maybe we’ll visit them on our return, after transiting the Panama Canal.  Today, April 30, after many false starts, we plan to leave the Puerto Vallarta area for the Galapagos.  It will take 15 days or more, before we arrive in Isla Isabela.