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Old 07-09-2016, 14:22   #1
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How do you decide?

I say this with a light-hearted smiling attitude ... how the hell do you decide where to go and what to do? There are so many choices.

Let's assume Pacific, but the same can be said for the Bahamas/Carribean/South America ... so ... South Pacific it is. I know you can't arrive too early and have to be out by November.

How do you decide where to go in the Marquesas? Which islands? Which inlets? How long do you stay?

Where do you go from there? French Polynesia? Which islands? Which inlets? How long do you stay?

Gambier islands? Easter Island? Galapagos? Cook Islands? (Not in traveling order)

I hear Vanautu Islands are great ... ok, but how do you decide which ones?

Lots of rambling, but that is kind of the point. I look at everything, follow blogs, videos, etc. It all looks awesome. Well aware that you can always go back for a 2nd, or 3rd season too.

Again, just meant to be a light-hearted question.
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Old 07-09-2016, 16:11   #2
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Re: How do you decide?

It's like being at a really good restaurant, you can't have everything on the menu. And who wants to order their meal 2 days in advance only to find they aren't in the mood for that dish when they get there.

In the case of cruising weather patterns will dictate a lot of you decisions.

I planned on a trip to New Zealand and back from San Diego.

Because of cyclone seasons I knew when I needed to leave SD and when I needed to be in NZ.

I set up a spreadsheet with distances and average speeds with times listed for departure based a lot on notes from Jimmy Cornell's "World Cruising Routes"

In general I wanted to be at least a week ahead of the latest recommended departure dates so if there were hangups along the line I had a cushion built in. Some of the later stops forced earlier departures at earlier stops.

Beacause I was doing a loop I knew I could hit the Marquesas outbound and Tahiti returning. Doing them in that order avoided the Tuamotus.

Since I wanted to go thru American Samoa to reprovision in US territory that set my general outbound route as a northern approach to NZ. Because of political instability in Fiji I chose Tonga as the next major stop and last one before NZ.

In between major stops I researched minor islands along the way looking for good harbors at places that were occupied and picked a few that peaked my interest. The expectation was to spend 1-3d at minor stops with options to bypass in bad weather at arrival or stay longer if bad weather hit while at anchor. If any place really enchanted us we could stay longer at the expense of later minor stops or our cushion if we were right before a major stop.

At major stops I planned for 3-4 weeks which would give time to refit the boat and then goof around. I specifically didn't plan those stops so that we could just follow our whim and the recommendations we got from locals or other cruisers already there. That meant when we ran out of time it didn't matter if we'd seen all we wanted to, it became a matter of safety down the road to leave then. So we'd hit a port of entry to check out and head along to minor stops we'd planned.

For NZ we planned 4 months to sit out cyclone season, do a serious refit and do some traveling away from the coast. I planned a few major stops in NZ but didn't fill in all details for these.


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Old 07-09-2016, 19:42   #3
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Re: How do you decide?

clbegis,

With 3 posts, you're new here, so Welcome Aboard CF.

"So many islands, so little time." Very true, even if trite.

We usually have had cruising guides to areas, also, other cruisers mention places; further, sometimes it's good to go where others do not seem to. Sometimes we learned places to not go, via ham radio. Sometimes you avoid the anchor symbol because it's too crowded there. Learn as you go. We used the Lonely Planet Guides a lot, as well. ....And, let the natives teach you, too.

We have been open ended without time constraints since 1989, therefore, less structured than Adelie. However, that said, cyclone seasons really determine for you where you do not want to be, or at least, this has been so, for us. Cruising is highly individual, and eccentric.

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Old 07-09-2016, 19:47   #4
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Re: How do you decide?

clbegis -

Posts #2&3 may be two of the best answers you will ever get on this forum (or any other).
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Old 08-09-2016, 18:09   #5
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Re: How do you decide?

I have a very well travelled Japanese friend who selects her destinations by a system of prayers (Shinto, I think), and a scatter of a large number of selected pages cut from a travel atlas (only the impossible destinations removed) spread on the carpet, a blindfold, and a long cooking chopstick as a pointer.

Last destination, she was hoping for a coastal village in Spain, but got Wellington, NZ. She has stuck to what her travel gods told her, but the jury is still out as to whether or not the system is working.

Once en-route, how about taking the strong opinion of the last bar fly you had a strong drink with, and just do exactly the opposite or what they say.
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Old 08-09-2016, 19:10   #6
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Re: How do you decide?

It is quite easy if you plan a rtw.

It is a bit more complicated if you spend just one winter in the West Indies.

On short stunts (6 to 8 months) we try to be in at least one place we like and know well, one place that is a leftover from our past adventures, and one place that is all new to us.

Last time we explored Antigua/Barbuda.

This time we may explore Montserrat. Etc.

What seems to help heaps is we already have a long list of places we never want to see again ...

b.
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Old 08-09-2016, 20:31   #7
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Re: How do you decide?

I'd like to add, here, that whatever the things that you like are also informs what is attractive to you in cruising locations. I think how high on the hog you like to live has a huge impact. It can affect onshore travel, too. Be that as it may, you and whoever you go with, if anyone, will feel like doing *something*, and you never know exactly where that will take you, and what it will lead to.

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Old 09-09-2016, 00:11   #8
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Re: How do you decide?

..well you lucky bugger ! what a lovely dilemma...like looking down your finger into a big box of chocolates, and if you pick a soft pink one by mistake you can just keep picking until you get the perfect one with the nutty bits, I'm nv us...
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Old 09-09-2016, 08:01   #9
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Re: How do you decide?

cruising guides, wind patterns and currents all make a difference-- you get there, where you going to go once you decide to leave-- winds currents and cruising guides. and jimmy cornells world cruising routes or whatever the name of that cumbersome book is.. i used it long before i decided on where to cruise. i had all kindsa huge eyes and ideas-- but the reality came down to where does the boat want to go. ok. we doing that..
must be flexible, as sometimes you cannot get what you want, but you get what you need.
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Old 09-09-2016, 08:04   #10
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Re: How do you decide?

winds and currents and jimmy cornells world cruising routes..and cruising guides. i had huge eyes when i first bought boat and started planning--yes plans come with new boats..
mine came down to where does the boat wish to go to be repaired. h ah aha ha
must be flexible.
the most dangerous item on any boat is a schedule.
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Old 09-09-2016, 14:26   #11
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Re: How do you decide?

Quote:
Originally Posted by zeehag View Post
winds and currents and jimmy cornells world cruising routes..and cruising guides. i had huge eyes when i first bought boat and started planning--yes plans come with new boats..
mine came down to where does the boat wish to go to be repaired. h ah aha ha
must be flexible.
the most dangerous item on any boat is a schedule.
Oh, I dunno about that, zee, isn't it the nut behind the wheel? Just smarting off.

A.
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Old 09-09-2016, 16:38   #12
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Re: How do you decide?

The closer you get the more you get the detail of the next place.
You get to Panama and lear how to get to the Galapagos. When in Galapagos you learn theres 2 entry ports in Marquesas. When you clear in in Hiva Oa you learn which other bays to go.

Just go. The knowledge comes.
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Old 09-09-2016, 16:45   #13
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Re: How do you decide?

The Lovin' Spoonful

Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Pick up on one and leave the other one behind
It's not often easy, and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?
Did you ever have to finally decide?
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes, and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide?
Sometimes there's one with deep blue eyes, cute as a bunny
With hair down to here, and plenty of money
And just when you think she's that one in the world
Your heart gets stolen by some mousy little girl
And then you know you better make up your mind
Pick up on one and leave the other one behind
It's not often easy, and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind?



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