Noonsite January Sailing News & Updates | |
Into the Wind
Cruising into the New Year we bring you more great stories from sailors adventuring around the world. This month we have reports from Fiji, French Polynesia, Philippines, Singapore and Namibia plus widespread comments posted from Mexico to Indonesia. Formalities continue to change for long-distance cruisers with higher Immigration fees in the Galapagos, stricter biofouling management in Australia and a new Thai e-visa. Plus we give you numerous useful links to articles of interest around the web, details of free webinars and podcasts for cruisers, and much more! Enjoy our first newsletter of the year and we look forward to hearing about your cruising adventures in 2025.
Sue, Lynda and Megan – the Noonsite Team
For information on sending feedback and cruising reports to Noonsite - see here.
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Cruisers Report . . .
Our thanks to all Noonsite users who took time to send in their cruising reports and post valuable feedback on the site this month.
Cuba: Great feedback from Patrick Catellani currently cruising Cuba. He reports a very friendly welcome from officials and approximate entry costs for a crew of 5 coming to US$550. Read more in his comment.
Fiji Intrusive Customs Searches : Entering a new country by sea is part and parcel of the cruising life with authorities often coming onboard to carry out customs, immigration and quarantine formalities. But for the skipper and crew of SV Cream Puff, what they experienced from officials while in Savusavu, on the Fijian island of Vanua Levu, left them vowing never to return to the country. Read their report.
Indonesia: Some great feedback (click on the speech bubble icon) has been posted about a yacht agent in Tual (Kai Islands). These sorts of recommendations are invaluable for those following in your wake. Please take just a few minutes to post a comment on Noonsite when you’ve found someone reliable who offers a good service to cruisers.
Namibia: Intrepid regular contributors to Noonsite, Brent Crack and Mary Bevan, are on the homeward path of their circumnavigation having now made it to Namibia after a festive season in South Africa. Here they report on their experience on the “Skeleton Coast”.
Passage Planning SE Asia to Tahiti: Long-term Belgian cruiser Luc Callebaut is currently in the Philippines - wanting to sail to Tahiti. Having considered all the traditional routes, he has decided to take the least traveled path: going back the way he originally crossed the South Pacific from Panama to Vanuatu. Planning to document the whole passage to help others contemplating a similar "wrong way" route, this is this first video on passage planning.
Singapore: After sailing through Indonesia on their slow circumnavigation adventure, regular Noonsite contributors Maria and Allen Wadsworth experienced an efficient and easy arrival into Singapore, where they left their yacht "Jamala" for several weeks while they did some land-based exploring. Read their report here.
Suriname: Having been dismasted en-route to Suriname after leaving French Guyana, cruisers Brent Grimbeek and Ana Hill not only encountered difficulties on arrival and a lack of useful marine repair services, but also experienced problems while moored in Domburg due to debris in the river. Be aware that Suriname does not have the yachting infrastructure like Trinidad or Grenada, plus a berth in a marina in Suriname is always safer than on a mooring or at anchor.
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Formalities Worldwide
What's new for yacht arrivals this month?
Australia: The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are working towards improving guidance for visiting yachts on Biofouling Management (i.e. what’s growing below your waterline) so that yacht owners can manage the risks before coming to Australia. DAFF are particularly concerned that the guidelines need to be as easy as possible for boat owners to be compliant, and for this they need your feedback and suggestions. As part of their research, they will be launching a survey on February 6th, intended to gather data from yacht owners that have been to Australia in the last 3 years as well as more general feedback from any long-distance cruisers. Feedback on biofouling management on board is primarily what DAFF are looking for and all survey responses are anonymous. All registered Noonsite users will receive the survey by email on February 6th and it will be live for two weeks. Your co-operation in providing information is appreciated.
Bahamas: Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos is again a Port of Entry for the Bahamas. Customs/Immigration staff are on site at the Green Turtle Club Resort and Marina in White Sound. Check in was reported to be quick and easy, as of January 2025.
Croatia: Navigation Permits / Vignettes issued last year expired on December 31, 2024. If you're planning to sail in Croatia, it's essential to have a valid yacht permit. Find out the details on Noonsite.
Dominica: While the new Online Embarkation/Disembarkation (ED) Card System introduced in October 2024 first focused on airport, cruise ship and ferry travelers, it is expected that this will soon be required for yacht arrivals. It should be noted, however, that this does not replace SailClear, which remains in place as a clearance portal for yachts. Find our more at Dominica's clearance page on Noonsite.
French Polynesia: Recently there have been a number of changes made to the requirements and processes which need to be undertaken by cruisers who want to apply for a Long Stay Visa for French Polynesia. Read the latest report from long-term Noonsite contributor, Chuck Houlihan.
Galapagos: Fees continue to rise for visiting yachts. Immigration fees increased on 19 December 2024 from $15 to $32, and this month doubled again to $64 per vessel, payable on arrival and again on departure.
Malaysia: Be aware of bogus websites for the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) that are popping up ahead of the official government site and tricking people into paying to fill out the form. Filling out of the form online on the official Government website is free of charge. Find the Official Links on Noonsite.
New Zealand: Harbour Masters in the South Island are taking biosecurity very seriously this year. Cruisers report that many boats have been checked by active divers and where not complying, the boat is wrapped in a biosecurity 'blanket' and towed to Picton/Nelson and immediately lifted out and cleaned, all at the owner's expense. More at NZ Biosecurity.
St. Helena: Authorities in St. Helena are urging yacht crew to purchase medical insurance prior to arriving. Entry will be greatly delayed and possibly prohibited if arriving without it.
Thailand: As of 1 January 2025, visitors from any part of the world can now apply for a Thai e-Visa. If you obtain a 60-day visa (which can be extended for another 30 days) before you arrive in Thailand, however, life is more simple. Find out more on Noonsite.
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Helping Cruisers Explore Japan
Japan Cruising Support
Konpira Consulting helps cruisers explore Japan. We assist with the clear-in, get the necessary cruising permits, prepare passage plans, provide moorage recommendations, make marina reservations, arrange for repairs/haulouts, give emergency support, and much more.
Two Rallies to Explore Japan
We also organize yacht rallies. In 2025, we will organize the:
- Japan Yacht Rally – 10 weeks (March 14 to June 1) to take cruisers from Okinawa to Hokkaido;
- Setouchi Yacht Rally – 4 weeks (May 2 to 25) to explore the beautiful Seto Inland Sea.
From 2026, we will organize a 5-month Around Japan Rally to do a full circumnavigation of Japan’s four main islands.
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Pacific Ocean
Weather: Tropical cyclone Pita, which formed east of Fiji as a tropical depression in the first week of January, was the first named system for the South Pacific cyclone season. The storm passed over Niue and Cook Islands before being downgraded to a depression. Heavy rains caused flooding in Fiji and Samoa.
French Polynesia: Marquesan for All: Te 'Eo No Te Paotu, by Emily Donaldson, is a short, accessible and easy to use guide to the Marquesan language that transcends three languages - English, French, and Marquesan. Based on some 20 years of research, it compiles the local words and phrases you need to get around.
Kiribati: Formerly the Gilbert Islands, the Republic of Kiribati is a group of more than 30 islands situated in the centre of the Pacific Ocean around the point where the international dateline and the equator cross. Extremely isolated, its small islands spread out over more than one million square miles of ocean. Tourism remains limited in Kiribati, but nautical tourism provides an opportunity to increase visitors to Kiribati and diversify the economy according to the first independent economic assessment of Kiribati’s yachting industry. Read it here.
Tonga: The Government of Tonga has announced that it is granting Starlink a full operational license to provide high speed internet services to the country and the company will be allowed to operate normally with direct sales to the public and through authorised resellers. Yachting is a small, but growing, part of Tonga’s nautical tourism market and represents an important opportunity to diversify Tonga’s tourism sector, according to the results of the country’s first independent economic assessment of this sector. Read here.
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Crash gybing can jeopardise the integrity of the rigging and deck hardware, not to mention the physical wellbeing of any unfortunate crew member who gets in the way. A fresh breeze and wavy conditions can make downwind sailing with the mainsail boomed out a hazardous experience. | |
Boom Control Solutions
Jimmy Green can provide Boom Control Solutions in the shape of:
Boom Preventers: custom rigging kits made up to restrain the boom
Boom Brakes: to slow down and control the boom during gybing manoeuvres.
In addition to Walder and Wichard branded brake options, the Jimmy Green Rigging Team offers a range of Ready-Spliced Boom Preventers, all produced in-house. These lines are designed to control the boom and prevent it from unintentionally crashing over the centre line, ensuring you a smoother and safer downwind sailing experience.
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Indian Ocean
Yachts are now starting to make plans to move out from SE Asia and head in a westwards direction across the Indian Ocean. Two useful groups to join to glean info. from fellow cruisers planning the same are the “Crossing the Indian Ocean on Passage” Facebook group and the WhatsApp group "Sail to South Africa". To join send an e-mail to Sailingjenny@osasa.org.za with your boat name and WhatsApp number.
The Andaman Islands belong to India and lie about 450nm northwest of Phuket in the Bay of Bengal. They are a popular destination for boats on passage from Thailand to Sri Lanka or India, on their way to the Red Sea or across the Indian Ocean - even though the paperwork to visit is daunting. The best time to visit these islands is between December and February when the weather is most stable. It is an isolated spot with very little ashore, so visiting yachts should go prepared to be self-sufficient.
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Sailing the Galapagos Islands
Visiting the Galapagos Islands is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you should not miss a single moment because of paperwork or repair problems. Our local agents provide support, back-up and high-end quality yachting services so that you can have an unforgettable and stress-free cruise.
As a member of the South Pacific Sailing Network, Cruising Station Host for the Seven Seas Cruising Association and Port Officer for the Ocean Cruising Club, our mission is to ensure a reliable service, efficiency with clearance formalities and smooth entry into the Galapagos. We serve sailing vessels and yachts of any size.
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Atlantic Ocean
France/Spain/Portugal: Planning on cruising the Iberian Peninsula or Biscay next season? Don't miss this free CA webinar, "Understanding the threat of Orcas when sailing", on 11 February at 1930 hrs GMT. Read the CA's update on the on-going Orca Project around this coastline, here.
How Risky is Crossing the Atlantic?
Sailing across the Atlantic is the dream of many sailors. Why is that? Sam Jefferson for Sailing Today Magazine chatted to sailors freshly arrived in Grenada at the end of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers to find out. Read here.
Rally News: 2025 is shaping up as a memorable year for World Cruising Club, with the 2024-25 World ARC fleet setting sail from Cape Town, South Africa, the 2025-26 fleet now under way from Saint Lucia in the Caribbean and the 40th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers due to set sail in November.
Weather: The National Hurricane Center has completed and released a number of Tropical Cyclone Reports for the 2024 season, containing comprehensive information on each tropical cyclone, including synoptic history, meteorological statistics, casualties and damages, and the post-analysis best track (six-hourly positions and intensities). Of particular interest is the report on Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 hurricane of record in the Atlantic basin that caused major damage to the Caribbean Windward islands of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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Marine and Leisure Insurance
Topsail are delighted to be the Official Noonsite Insurance Partner.
Let us help with your Insurance needs for your boat or travel requirements.
Our customers love our service and products scoring us 4.9 out of 5 on Google reviews.
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Mediterranean Sea
Now the season in the Mediterranean is well and truly mothballed we’d love to get your feedback. Help us expand our Wintering in the Mediterranean report with details of where you have chosen to keep your boat in the off season. Plus share a report with us about last season's Med cruising - was it everything you had hoped for? SV Tranquility have a great blog post covering their 2nd season in the Med last year which they spent cruising Greece. They not only talk about the highs, but also discuss the lows of Med cruising. Some useful lessons to learn here.
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Cruising Knowledge
New Sailing and Cruising Lifestyle Podcast
Ahoy! is Cruising World Magazine's new podcast. Whether you're new to boating, dreaming of setting sail, or you’re an old salt with years on the water—this is a place where real boaters share stories, laughs, and lessons from the great life afloat with other real boaters. Listen here.
Free Webinars
The Cruising Association have two free webinars coming up: Understanding the Threat of Orcas in February and An Evening with RATS (Regulatory & Technical Services) in March, covering a range of topics including the Orca Project update; sailing with pets; low voltage electrics on small craft; and the impact of wave and tidal power generation. There is a 15% CA membership discount for those who register to attend both talks. The CA is also running a 5-part series of free Zoom talks hosted by their new Motorboat Section, including Adventures to the Med via the Donau/Danube and Black Sea and Motorcruising the Dutch Frisian Islands.
Cruising Medals:
The Cruising Club of America (CCA) has announced Leiv Poncet of the Falkland Islands as the 2024 Blue Water Medal winner, along with five other award winners, for their adventurous use of the seas.
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Join Noonsite
Noonsite has been helping cruisers by providing free information for over 20 years, but did you know that by becoming a member you can unlock unlimited access to the site for just $2.99 a month?
BASIC subscription: US$2.99 a month.
Unlimited access to the whole site without restrictions; no annoying membership pop-ups; use of the Noonsite map for ports of entry, marinas and boatyard info. plus recommended anchorages; post and read comments.
PREMIUM subscription: US$6.99 a month.
All of BASIC, plus download your choice of port, country and formalities information as a pdf for use offline, including business listings. Ideal if you are casting off for some extended long-distance cruising and want all that Noonsite has to offer at your fingertips.
Thank you for helping Noonsite stay on the web.
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