Bart's departure in pictures, May 15th 2014

All Pictures by Jean-Claude Desanti

Update from Bart, May15th 2015, 12:06pm

"Everything good, wind side/behind 15-20kts, weather clear, some sailing boats, seasickness ok, feel good...."

Bart is on his way, May 15th 2014

Today at 6:30am local time in Tahiti Bart left for his Polynesian Crossing.
Here are pictures where he is right now, as well as an overview of the Polynesian island chain showing Bora Bora in the upper left corner, 180sm to go. Go Bart Go.

Aloha from Maui, Dagmar

The French Polynesian Crossing just started, May 15th 2014

By the time you read this post,  I will be on my way on this French Polynesian Crossing. Starting in Tahiti paddling all the way to Bora Bora.

I will use a tracker, to follow my progress check this link https://share.delorme.com/BartdeZwartSUPCrossing 

Dagmar (my beautiful wife) also puts posts on the blog. I will be able to send small message via satellite to tell about the conditions.

Thanks everybody for all the nice messages. See you in a couple of days from Bora Bora.

Here is a peek at the new Starboard Expedition.

Many people ask if I anchor at night.  Well, since it is mostly 3000m (10.000ft) or more meters, no I don't. But if it is very windy and I drift a lot I use this sea anchor. It works as a parachute in the water.

Got the board and made it on the flight to Tahiti

After a stressful day which started at Korean Air this early morning at 6:30, right after I arrived in LA. They gave me the paperwork and sent me to Customs who told me to come back in 5 hrs.
After I came back in the afternoon customs said I normally need a couple of days and didn't know if it would work out today. But with a big smile and a lot of patience they released the board. A couple of hours later, I checked in with Air Tahiti Nui. Normally the allow only a max length of 8'5". I came with 2 bags and a 14'er.
Again with a big  smile and a  little magic at the counter, they checked me in. Tahiti here I come.

Weather looks good for the next week. Medium trades in Ok direction.
I can't wait to try out the board...

The gear, I bring on a crossing

Today I had to rearrange flights because my expedition board was not arriving on Maui in time for my flight to Tahiti. With a lot of support from Starboard, board was rerouted to Los Angeles. And found 2 new flights first  to LA and then  from there to Tahiti. Leaving on Sunday for LA and Monday for Tahiti

The gear for a multiple day crossing is a lot more than you would take on a rail tour,  a lot more.

Specially because this crossing is unsupported, I bring a lot of back up and extra gear, like a water maker. I will bring water for at least 5 days although I think I only need 3. Water is the single most important item on board without water you won't survive very long. Although it is a lot of work with a water maker I make drinking water from saltwater. About one liter in one hour of hand pumping.

I have 2 GPS's and a tracker system (INREACH) which sends a signal with my position  via satellite so very one can follow me.  The Inreach also serves as a emergency beacon in case of a life threatening situation. I also carry and epirb ( personal locator beacon) which I have on me day and night.  Below I have picture with all the electronics I bring.

Gear list

GOPRO Camera Hero 3

Small waterproof hand camera, Canon D10

2x GPS, Delorme and Garmin

Epirb, ACR

Tracker Delorme Inreach 

Iphone (for 2 way, short message communication via Inreach)

Hand watermaker, Katalyn

Compass

2x Headlamp

Strobe lamp

VHF radio (not in the picture)

Backup battery to charge cameras and iPhone

For the night I have a mattress where I build some side walls on so I don;t get too much waves in my face. I have to blow it up every night and strap it on the board. Many ask me if I use an anchor at night. Most places where I did crossings are between 300 and 4000 meters deep and impossible to anchor. If the wind is not in the right direction I set the sea anchor though, basically a parachute in the water which stops me from drifting to far in the wrong direction. And I use my back up paddle with 2 floaters in the night as small outriggers so the board is a little more stable. At night it does get very cold at sea specially when you are wet. That's why the drysuit with under layers under it will be a big upgrade from the Hawaiian Crossing when I only had a wetsuit and was very cold every night.

Here is the rest of my packing list

Expedition board with front rudder and grab line around the whole board to attached all gear to.

2 paddles

3 leashes (I always wear min. 2 at the same time)

Drysuit very advanced , light weight suit made by SUPSKIN
Sea anchor
Survival blanket a thick one with insulation works as a sleeping bag which can a and does get wet.

Clothing
SUPSKIN DrySuit
2 x underlayer pants, Patagonia
2x thin under layer shirt, Patagonia
2x warmunder layer shirt, Patagonia
1x thin down jacket, Patagonia
1x thin down body, Patagonia

3x warm socks
warm head (night)
sun head (day)
2x surfshorts
2x long arm lycra

Water (for 5 days 25l. +)
packed in several 2 or 4 liter  containers


Food (for 5 days)
Heed (Hammer) electrolyte powder
Perpethuem (Hammer), liquid bike food , Powder
Recoverite (Hammer), Protein recover drink for at night, powder
Muesli/oat breakfast with milk powder (just mix in water)
Dry freeze meals (mountain House)
Heat packs ( these packs react with water and warm up my meals)
Sport Bars
Nut and dry fruit mix
chocolate

Medicine package
Strong painkillers
2 x antibiotics
Tape
bandage
Sunscreen and blocker

Repair sack 
Dingstick
Epoxy
tools
rope
tape
tie reps
handy knife

Emergency
Flares
life vest
mirror
whistle
sea chart

Sleeping
Inflatable bed
small hand pump
straps

Every thing is packed in zip lock bags in dry bags.
All electronics are in small dry packs with small leashes attached to the grab line.

SUPSKIN drysuit arrived, almost ready to go

This week my SUPSKIN, drysuit arrived. This Expedition Suit is reenforced on the knees and back and a new easy zipper over the front.

Amazing piece of clothing. Super light and breathing. This suit will keep me dry and comfortable on the crossing. I will be wearing the suit mostly at night. Together with some comfortable clothing from Patagonia underneath I will have some good sleeps at sea. Apart from the half an hourly watches, waves and swell off course.  Big thank you to Wolfgang and Brigitte at SUPSKIN for world's best drysuit.

It was harder to get the board to Tahiti than I expected. Now Starboard will ship the board to Honolulu from where I will hand carry the board to Tahiti. In Tahiti I will take a few days to organize and test a few things. Then when the weather looks good I will start on the 3-4 day crossing.
I will leave for Tahiti on May 10. More updates to follow this week.
Next update, "What gear and equipment I take on board on a crossing "