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Specifications
Sannu II - Haida 26 Hull #5 - Built in Victoria by Mayhew and Strutt in 1969.
Fibreglass hull, wood deck, cast iron keel, aluminum mast and boom.
5 HP Mercury outboard.
Extensive renovations
Sannu II came out of the water in December ‘96 and was moved to Blackline Marine in Sidney. Extensive renovations include: removing and strengthening keel; reducing the size of the cockpit; filling in outboard motor well; installing 2 - 20 gallon water tanks under the cockpit; rewiring; replumbing; rebedding deck fastenings and strengthening chain plates; installing new standing rigging; adding roller furling and new boom. Also installed Cape Horn self-steering vane and push-pit mounted solar panel. Extensive renovations to the interior to accomodate additional storage. Ground tackle includes: 25lb C.Q.R. with 200’ of 5/16” chain; 25lb Danforth with 40’ of 3/8” chain and 200’ of 5/8” braid and a folding anchor with 20’ of chain and 150’of road, 6’ diameter para anchor. Sannu II carried a 6-person liferaft, an 8’ Zodiac with a 5 hp outboard. Sail inventory included 2 spinnakers, 2 mains, a 100% jib, 120 % jib and a storm jib.
Going Solo
On May 11, 1997 Glenn left R.V.Y.C. and sailed 42 days single-handed to the Marquesas Islands, a distance of approximately 5000 nautical miles. Arrived in Taihoa Bay on Nuku Hiva on June 21st. Fair passage, mainly light air.
Joined by Campbell Black of Blackline Marine at the end of June. Sailed another 1000 nautical miles from Nuku Hiva to Tahiti stopping at Rangiroa in the Tuomoto Islands. Boistrous, strong head winds and periods of calm throughout the passage. Arrived in Baie de Cook on Moorea July 10.
French Polynesia
July 14, 1997 - Joined by my wife Marylou and daughters Claire (12) and Nicola (9) in Papeete, Tahiti. Spent 10 days on Moorea “aclimatizing” to Tahitian way of life. All sailed from Moorea to Raiatea and on to Bora Bora in French Polynesia. Sailed with a French family with 3 children on board a 42’ catamaran “Wahoo” with whom we would sail together over the next 3 months and with whom we remain in contact to this day.
July 26 - Sailed into the spectcular lagoon on Bora Bora accompanied by a school of 50 dolphins. Exquisite reef snorkelling, shell seeking and cycling around the island. One evening at The Sunset Bar at the Bora Bora Hotel. August 6th - Glenn turns 47 - We celebrate with friends on board Wahoo with good food, good wine and a rather memorable location known locally as “three palm trees”.
Cook Islands
August 9 - All sail from Bora Bora to the island of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands. A tropical storm lasting three days during which Sannu II is hove to for a 24 hour period makes for an uncomfortable 6-day passage.
Because of severe storm conditions caused by El Nino, Marylou and the 2 girls leave Sannu II and fly several legs of the journey.
Marylou and the girls stay on Aitutaki for another 7 days.Island children teach us about local dances, frangipani leis, tiare maori, ghekos, and tarrot root. We introduce them to grilled cheese sandwiches and card games. The three of us fly to Rarotonga, complete the 5-hr. cross-island trek to the top of “the needle”, learn about the black pearl industry and fly on to Fiji and finally to Niue.
Niue
August 20 - Sannu II makes a 7-day passage to the island of Niue, a protectorate of New Zealand. More tropical storms.
Family is reunited on Niue. Enjoy the spectacular natural pools carved out of the coral shelf surrounding the island. Days spent swimming, snorkelling in water crystal clear to 100’. Attend a local boy’s “coming of age” ceremony. Gifts include money, tarrot root, black marlin, tuna, baskets, carvings etc. Attended a local “fia fia” (feast ceremony) and indulged in marinated raw fish, wahoo, paw paw (papaya) coconut crab, roasted chicken, tarrot root. Children danced and locals played ukeleles and sang. Sannu II with a crew of local children takes 1st place in a yacht race organized by the Niue Yacht Club. Nicola clebrates her 10th birthday on Niue. Meet Escapade - 52’ custom Alden from Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Wakefield family appears on local television station relating personal stories of “the best of Niue’ and thanking locals for their warm hospitality.
Tonga
September 17 - Family makes 2 day passage in stormy weather to Vava’u Group of Islands in Tonga. Spend 4 weeks sailing through the island archipelago enjoying time with friends and locals. Abundance of fresh lobster, snorkelling on magnificent coral walls, adding to shell collection.
October 4 - Sannu II sails south through Ha’apai Group to Tongatapu and provisions for trip to New Zealand. Marylou and the girls fly to Auckland, New Zealand and then on to Keri Keri in the Bay of Islands.
New Zealand
October 10 - Sannu II departs Tongatapu and makes an 18 day passage to New Zealand. Encounters Cyclone Lucy on day 6. Sannu II broaches, Glenn suffers broken ribs.
October 28 - Reunited with Marylou and girls in Bay of Islands. Sail throughout the islands visiting Russel, Pahai, Opua. Spend time with friends Deb and Mike Carrere from Keri Keri. Spend a day on board Gunga.
November 1 - Left Bay of Islands en route to Whangerei stopping at Urupukapuka, and Tutukaka. Fantastic reunion in Whangerei with Wahoo, Escapade, and other boats from French Polynesia, Cook Islands and Tonga. Time has come to swallow the anchor.
November 27th - sold Sannu II to Kiwi bloke who cruised the South Pacific.
Travelling by car
December/January - Travelled about 10,000 km by car the length and breadth of New Zealand from Cape Reinga on the North Island to Stewart Island off the south coast of the South Island camping on wind swept beaches, in forested mountains, along the rugged west coast, along the Banks and Otago peninsulas, the coves and inlets of Queen Charlotte Sound, and on the shores of the Abel Tasman. Spend 5 days trekking the World Heritage Milford Track on spectacular Milford Sound. Saw a rare live kiwi in the wild.
Australia
January/February/March - Travelled about 13,000 km in our Ford Falcon station wagon named “the Millenium Falcon” around Australia, camping along the way. Arrived in Sydney and travelled south along the coast; into Snowy River high country to Melbourne and Canberra then back to Sydney. Travelled north to the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Islands, as far as Townsville and then inland through the desert to Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock) then south to Adelaide in the Barossa Valley; west along the Nullarbor Plain to Perth on the west coast.
South Africa
Family flies to Johannesburg, South Africa.
Return to Victoria March 30, 1998.