Sunday morning we were up early and by eight we were underway heading to the lagoon on the windward side of Bora Bora. The weather, of course, decided not to cooperate so we had 20+ knots of wind and grey skies – not what you need when you are planning on eyeball navigation!   Anyway….we worked our way around the corner and thankfully the skies cleared a bit…so we had some visibility when we needed it most to get through the chicanes of channel and cardinal markers.  You can see we did a 360 at one point to allow another boat to come through as there wasn’t room for us both to navigate through the cut.   It was pretty tricky and we had only 5 feet under our keel at times going across shallow stretches but the most nerve-wracking part was going through a very narrow cut in the reef.

We made it unscathed and continued to work our way down to Motu Pitiaau where we eyeballed our way in through numerous coral bombies and dropped the hook in the most beautiful blue water over sand.  Perfect!   We relaxed a bit and had something to eat before getting our diving gear together.

We got in dink and motored up the coast in very shallow water towards the Intercontinental Hotel. We found a place on the jetty to tie up dink, located the dive centre and sat and waited for the boat…..chatting for a while to one of the jetski instructors…..and admired the views across to Bora Bora from the resort.

It wasn’t long before we were on board the dive boat heading up the coast to the Four Seasons to pick up some more guests and another instructor who was taking a couple of tourists on a “Introduction to Diving” dive. We arrived quickly at the manta ray dive site but the visibility was zero due to the amount of plankton in the water – great for mantas as it is gives them something to eat but rubbish if we can’t see them! So the dive leaders decided to take us further along the canyon near the reef where the beginners could play around in shallow water while we could head off down the walls. We were both excited about this dive, especially as it was only us and the dive leader, with the possibility of seeing mantas so were surprised when we submerged. The coral was tired, dreary and broken…..little colour….with very few fish around. The visibility was rubbish and we had to stay pretty close to each other and of course no rays. I managed to find a few bits of coral to photograph but that’s about it sadly. We spent almost an hour underwater for very little reward other than getting wet. We returned to Morphie disappointed but at least we had tried. We both decided that was probably the worst (and most expensive) dive we had ever been on together!!!

We had a quiet night on board enjoying the anchorage although it was quite chilly. We have noticed that it is much colder at night now and I guess this will continue to be a theme as we move further west and south. It might be time to break out the fleeces.

Monday morning we were up early and checked out the weather forecast as we were looking at passage weather for our departure from French Polynesia. The weather window keeps moving on us but it was looking good for a departure this week. So we picked up anchor and worked our way – again in 20+ knots of breeze – through the reef system back to the Bora Bora Yacht Club. We had intended to go closer to Vaitape but with the wind still blowing we decided to seek shelter behind the mountain again. We were pleasantly surprised that the ball we had vacated the day before was still vacant.

We got ourselves secured and rang Dolly our favourite Bora Bora taxi driver.

Dolly picked us up and we went into town to see the gendarmes. We were there for about an hour or so filling in five separate forms which all covered pretty much the same information. Oh well….never mind…. Surprisingly they said we could get the papers done in 24 hours – rather than the three days we had been told – so we said ‘yes please’ to a Tuesday departure date. We now feel ready to leave French Polynesia behind us and move onto the next adventure.

After leaving the gendarmes we went into a café for a light lunch and then returned to the yacht club. Back on board we wrote up a list of things we needed to do before we leave and spent some time doing our passage planning including looking at an alternative destination if the weather deteriorates significantly on us during the passage. Once we’d done this to our satisfaction and the waypoints / routing had been checked for hazards – Richard got on with his boat jobs including engine checks and making a new (temporary) lifting bridle for dink which we’ll need later on. I got on with computer-related stuff.

The forecast had brisk and feisty conditions (25 knots) and the wind should be on our port quarter to a beam reach rather than dead downwind (fingers crossed). The wind should ease as we arrive at our preferred destination Palmerston Island a passage of around 660 miles – so based on our normal average passage speed of five knots we are expecting to be at sea for about five and a half days. The mooring balls (which are compulsory as anchoring is not possible here) are outside of the reef so any north or west winds make this stop untenable. We will continue to monitor the weather closely and adapt our sailing plan to suit.

Palmerston is unique in that it is owned and exclusively populated by the descendants of Bill Marsters, the ship’s carpenter from HMS Bounty (think Mutiny!). He married three Polynesian women and then went on to produce 28 children – and they are the only families that continue to live there to this day. Apart from the obligatory entry / exit fees (in New Zealand dollars) we will have to trade goods for their hospitality and services and it is so remote the supply ship only visits every four months.

Our back-up plan if the conditions do deteriorate – this area is called the Dangerous Middle for a reason – is to pull into Aitutak instead, which is about 200 miles before Palmerston.

Monday evening we went into the yacht club for a couple of sundowners, enjoyed the sunset and watching the local guys practising in their long boat, before having an early night on board.

Tuesday morning we downloaded the weather again – and the conditions had deteriorated significantly already with 30 knot winds forecast. So we want to revert to a Thursday departure. We went to the gendarmes and told them – they weren’t happy as they had to amend the documentation. They refuse to give any leeway for weather delays so the day you get your exit papers is the day you have to leave the territory for your passage. So we put our heads above the parapet and agreed on a Thursday departure and had fingers crossed that the forecast would remain favourable.

We got back to Morphie and got on with more jobs on the list….my main task was to defrost the freezer and cook passage food. Richard got in the water and cleaned the hull again. The new antifoul we had applied in Guatemala is not up to the job here in the South Pacific as the marine-friendly product we used – which is approved by both New Zealand and Australia – doesn’t really repel growth. Oh well perhaps we’ll have to think again for the next time. Maybe a hard paint rather than ablative might suit better…we’ll see.

Tuesday night we went ashore for sundowners and got on with more computer jobs and had a ‘tapas’ plate to give me a night off from the galley after spending all afternoon slaving over it LOL. We watched two catamarans come too close again – the mooring balls were really not spaced with 55+ foot charter cats in mind – and to avoid a collision they ended up tying a line ashore to the restaurant so we had to do the limbo in dink to get back to Morphie later on LOL.

This morning, Wednesday, we were up early. Richard went back in the water to finish cleaning the hull, cooked lunch and did the laundry while I cleaned the stainless steel. You see we swapped blue and pink jobs around today LOL. I’m now blogging and expect to go ashore later to get it published. We are also having dinner out at the yacht club tonight as it is our last night here in French Polynesia and we anticipate being at sea for our 21^st wedding anniversary on 2 September as we are not allowed to stay in Palmerston for more than three days apparently.

Tomorrow morning, Thursday, we’ll return to the gendarmes, pick up our exit papers, and then come back on board – put dink on the bow and the outboard on the rail and then we’ll be ready to go. We expect to pull out around 4pm to get through the pass while the sun remains relatively high in the sky. We anticipate arriving in Palmerston at sunrise on Wednesday morning although we may need to slow down to arrive in daylight hours but we’ll see. I’ll blog from the passage using our satellite system – so it will be without photos – and will let you know when we have arrived and when we get back online.

Bye for now

Jan

Sunday afternoon the weather picked up so we decided to go and have a look behind the nearest motu for an anchoring spot.  We went up and down the channel but couldn’t find a suitable spot as there were quite a few boats already there and, if we had to anchor close to the reef to find good holding in sand then we were going to be quite exposed. So we decided to return to the Bora Bora Yacht Club. It was quite choppy going across the pass which made us realise just how sheltered the bay near the yacht club was so we felt much happier about returning and picking up a mooring ball. Later on we went ashore for sundowners and enjoyed watching the sun go down surprised by the dilapidated conditions of the hotel rooms….

Monday morning we spotted a boat leaving that had a ball in an even more sheltered spot so we quickly moved. We reckon we have the best spot in the house now LOL. We got all our dried and canned food out of the cupboards to do a check of our stores and made a shopping list. We didn’t need a huge amount just some staples really….. Later on we headed into the yacht club for a late lunch and then spent some time bobbing in the little sea pool they have created behind the restaurant. After a leisurely afternoon we returned to Morphie for a quiet night on board.

Tuesday morning and the wind had died down a little although it was a cloudy and drizzly type of day. We walked along the coast road towards Vaitape and were surprised to see that how poor the local housing was. Bearing in mind the huge cost of staying in the luxury resorts that inhabit the motus fringing Bora Bora’s lagoon it was a bit shocking to see so transparently that the wealth did not filter down with many locals still relying on fishing to supplement their diet.

As the weather improved we admired the lovely views out to the bay and had a quick look at the Maikai Yacht Club. Funny how they are all called yacht clubs when they are really just restaurants with mooring balls. We were surprised at the white caps and the wind howling through and were very grateful for the shelter we had found for Morphie.

After a hot and dusty walk dodging the traffic – there are no pavements here – we arrived at the SuperU supermarket so we picked up some shopping and fresh bread – and started the walk back. We were very grateful when a young lad – who works at the Intercontinental – offered us a lift back. We returned to Morphie, did some laundry and boat jobs, before going back out to the BBYC for sundowners and an internet fix.

Wednesday morning it was blowing really hard and then suddenly the superyacht Antares turned up – with a ripped genoa. Knew it was a bit lively out there LOL. The sail was making a huge racket but clearly they felt it too dangerous to send someone up the mast so they turned around in circles and tried to wrap the shredded sail best they could – it was successful for a little while but then the wind caught it again and pulled it back out.

We went ashore and started walking towards Vaitape. It took us almost an hour to get there and we saw a cruise ship was in town so there were quite a few tourists milling around aimlessly. The motoryacht Arctic was also anchored off – not every day you see an icebreaker ship in the tropics!

There really was very little to see other than a few stalls selling jewellery and the artisan centre selling handicrafts. The cruise ship passengers seemed a bit bemused by it all but they all seemed to have found something to buy from the pearl shops and French boutiques if the number of shopping bags was any indicator of consumer spending. We went to the tourist office and got ourselves a map of the island and were then entertained by a local band on the main pier as we took shelter from the sun. After a few hours we found a taxi and returned to the yacht club.

In the afternoon we did some laundry and Richard did engine checks. We were sitting in the cockpit trying to make sure that our washing didn’t fly off in the strong wind and were amazed to see a manta ray alongside us going under dink. He wasn’t huge – about a 5 foot wingspan – but big enough and we were stunned to see him. Amazing!!!

Later on we went ashore for sundowners and another internet fix and then returned to Morphie. Sitting in the cockpit in the dark we heard a huge crunch and a scream and couldn’t work out what the noise was. It turned out that two catamarans had collided – we had commented earlier that they looked too large to swing around on the balls they had picked up – oops! Anyway the crewed Moorings charter boat moved off and ended up anchoring in deep water in the bay for the rest of the night. Bet that was fun especially as it was raining by then….

Thursday morning we returned to SuperU for our provisioning run so walked one way, got some drinking vouchers from the ATM, and then got a taxi back. It was blowing old boots when we got onboard and we recorded 27 knots in our protected spot as we watched huge whitecaps out in the channel. We were going to clean the hull in the afternoon but were put off by the huge numbers of tiny jellyfish in the water – they sting and can cause a nasty rash so we decided that job could wait for another day.

Friday morning we were up bright and early and headed over to the yacht club. At 9.15 our little boat turned up – full of honeymooners from Greece, Italy and the US. Many of them were talking about the cost of the food in their hotels slightly shocked at the £40 (equivalent) cost of a salad lunch!!! So the trip – which included lunch – at only £60 a head for the whole day seemed like a real bargain.

We were introduced to all the family members of the tour company and they proceeded to entertain us with some great ukulele playing and drumming…. They sang an eclectic mix of songs from local Polynesian through to some popular (and annoying!) international tunes that everyone sang along to.

First stop was to the Conrad Hotel to collect a couple more guests and then we went through the channel out onto the reef. We got our snorkelling gear on and did a back roll off the side much to the surprise of the rest of the boat LOL. We immediately swam into loads of trigger fish and black tip sharks. Noho was in the water and started feeding the sharks and then he swam down about 30 feet to the bottom to encourage the much larger lemon sharks to come up to the surface – well he was like the pied piper – they followed him up and then were rewarded with a bit of fish and a pat. There were lots of sharks around and we thoroughly enjoyed being in the water with them although a few came a bit closer than I would have preferred LOL.

Oh yes and Noho could hold his breath for ever….here he is 30 feet down blowing bubbles!!!!

Back on board and the frigate birds came down to see whether there was any food left for them.

Shark feeding over we headed back inside the lagoon and worked our way through the very shallow water around the Matira Point….so shallow that the engine had to be partially raised to clear the bottom less than two feet below us. We admired the beautiful colours of the water out to the reef….not to mention the stunning island of Bora Bora itself.

We then moved on and loved the beautiful hotel rooms set over the stunning water. There didn’t seem to be that many people around though despite the sizes of some of these resorts.

We then went to another spot inside the lagoon to feed the stingrays.  Well…there were lots of them….and they are obviously used to being handled in return for food. The favourite of Noho was called Juliette and he spent most of his time cuddling her. So, of course, we had a go too and even gave her a kiss. But at least there were no tongues involved unlike Noho!

There were loads of rays in the water circling plus the odd shark or two and some of the girls in the group were quite freaked out when the rays brushed up too close looking for a cuddle – so lots of shrieking going on. And of course the new husbands were determined to show they weren’t scared but you could tell there were some nerves there too LOL.

After the ray feeding it was time to move on to the coral garden where we went snorkelling. The coral was actually a bit disappointing but there were some fantastic clams there and some fish just lazing around on the bottom. To make it a bit more interesting there were a few bits of art created by the tour guides.

Then we spotted an octopus. What happened afterwards I wasn’t happy with – the guides dug the octopus out of his hiding place using their snorkels, presumably to avoid his sharp beak. Then they swam away with him while he inked like crazy…. Finally he seemed calmer – or just frightened to death not sure which – and Noho put him on his back and walked around with him. Hmmmm…… I know this is about entertaining his guests but I felt really sorry for the treatment of this beautiful creature although at least they put him back in a hole with a fish for his troubles! If he has any sense he’ll find another place to call home…

Moving on we arrived at a lovely beach surrounded by the shallowest water ever….so shallow that the guys had to walk the boat as the engine could not be deployed. We went ashore – met more family members including Noho’s mum – and had a nice lunch.

After lunch we had a coconut shucking competition which I’m pleased to say that both Richard and I were victorious in our heats before moving onto coconut shell cracking and making milk. Was quite competitive between the Italians and the Greeks LOL.

After a really fun day it was time to speed back to the yacht club.  We quickly went aboard Morphie, got cleaned up, and then returned to the club for sundowners and caught up with Chris who we hadn’t seen for a few days.

While we were sitting there chatting over a beer a guy was rushed in by his friend to the dock asking for urgent medical assistance as he had sliced an artery!!! We paid our bills and left the staff to deal with it. Hopefully he’s alright although I guess that’s his sailing holiday ruined….

Today, Saturday, and I blogged while Richard was in the water cleaning Morphie’s hull and then we came ashore to get internet access. The wind has reduced significantly so we have booked a manta ray dive for tomorrow afternoon – but first we have to move Morphie around the lagoon to the windward side of the island near to the Intercontinental Hotel where the dive centre is located as they will not come and collect us from here. Fingers crossed the mantas will be in residence and we’ll get to see these beautiful creatures up close so we are really looking forward to that.

Bye for now

Jan

Monday morning it was very squally, raining hard, and the wind direction was making our position less than ideal.   So we decided to run across the lagoon eight miles to tuck into Haamene Bay, Tahaa, to get better shelter from the southerlies.   We waited until one major squall and whiteout went through and then headed towards Tahaa working our way through the reef and the numerous cardinal markers.  

We had rain on and off throughout our short passage so we were extra cautious and vigilant going very slowly as it was impossible to read the colour of the water under the heavy cloud-laden sky.   Just as we entered Haamene there was another whiteout so we stooged around until the weather cleared enough for us to see the markers.  

We navigated the channel chicane and ended up quite close to the village at the top of the bay and dropped our hook in 40 feet and got a good set in the mud.    It rained and rained and rained all day…so we didn’t do anything other than keep warm and stay dry…and watch the anchorage turn brown with run off as the rain eased. 

Tuesday morning and it was a bit brighter so we headed ashore. 

First of all, though, we stopped at Sea Bear to see how he was doing.    Last time we saw Chris he had a New Zealand woman on board as crew – well, she had clearly overstated her sailing experience and it hadn’t worked out so he was going to dump her stuff on the dinghy dock.   She had headed off the day before and hadn’t returned overnight – for a backpacker she sure had a lot of stuff!   So we helped take some of her luggage over to the dock to be met by a gendarme who was looking for Chris.     He came ashore – the backpacker turned up looking like she might have slept rough – and we left them to it.  

We found a surprisingly large supermarket in this sleepy village and then sat inside the Post Office – to escape the rain – and got online using their wifi hotspot so we managed to catch up with some emails.   Heading up the street we came across a couple of cows picking through rubbish that was being burnt…..thought they would have been nervous of the flames?!? 

Later on we headed into the snack bar where we found Chris and were relieved to hear that the gendarme had been friendly and there had been no problems – he was very relieved that she had been evicted!    We had a coffee and decided to try the quiche but it was made with some sort of fish.  It was all very strange but not as weird as the chow mein baguettes that were on offer and were selling fast LOL.   We headed back to Morphie and spent the rest of the day on board.   I cooked and did a bit of cleaning as Chris came over for dinner in the evening and we had a nice time catching up.

Wednesday morning as the weather had cleared we could enjoy the sights of this beautiful anchorage.  We decided to move on leaving Chris behind as we had identified a ‘Coral Garden’ on the west side of Tahaa close to an anchorage in Tapuama Bay.    We picked up our anchor, exited the bay, and turned left to go across the top of the island.    It was surprisingly windy out there…..with a lot of chop inside the lagoon……but we enjoyed looking at the different motus, the colours of the water, and the fancy hotel sitting over the reef with Bora Bora behind.   

We looked at the shallow sandy anchorage for the Coral Gardens and decided not to drop the hook as the angle of the wind at this point meant that the reef would be a lee shore and that isn’t something we’d ever do out of choice.   So we moved on to Tapuamu Bay and were hopeful of getting a mooring ball there as the anchorage is 100+ foot deep and the bottom is solid rock.    Sadly there were only three balls which were all taken – and the supply ship was in – so we carried on exploring the coast.  

Around 2ish we finally pulled into Hurepiti Bay and picked up a mooring there which belonged to Vanilla Tours.  According to our guide we can stay on these overnight for a price or for free if we took the plantation tour.   So, being good law-abiding citizens, we radioed them once we were settled and told them we were there.   They told us straight away to move and refused us permission to stay on the ball overnight.   Damn!!!!   

We checked out the rest of the bay but the holding was poor with lots of rocks in mud so we carried on….after letting the huge motorboat Plan B with his helicopter go by first…… 

By now we were heading towards the bottom of Tahaa having virtually circumnavigated the whole island.  Not what we had planned when we set out in the morning that’s for sure.  But never mind we had enjoyed the views – including our first sight of Bora Bora – and were delighted to find a mooring ball free in Apu Bay.   We picked it up and got settled again.  We telephoned the restaurant ashore to find that they were doing a typical Polynesian dinner buffet with a show for £50 a head but sadly they weren’t open for sundowners.  We decided not to partake and had a quiet evening on board instead.

Thursday morning and the wind was still blowing at 25+ knots so we decided not to head to Bora Bora – we could see the huge waves breaking over the reef and the disturbed conditions in the passes.   We were nodding a bit in the fetch so picked up another mooring ball closer to shore which gave us more protection.   It wasn’t a totally lazy day on board as we did manage to do the laundry and Richard patched dink yet again….

Later on in the afternoon a skiff came by….and it was the owner of the mooring ball which belonged to a local pearl farm.  We asked him how much we owed him and he was happy for us to stay for free but asked that we vacate by the morning as he had guests coming.  No worries…..thank you.   We had a quiet night on board and were disappointed by the next weather download as the expected lull was moving further away.  Chris had also joined us by now as the anchorage in Haamene had turned nasty…….

Friday morning and the wind was blowing old boots again and had swung more easterly so we needed to find another spot with more protection.  So we dropped the mooring ball and had a feisty sail in 25 knots of breeze across the lagoon and returned to Apooiti Bay, Raiatea.   This got us out of the fetch and put us in close proximity to another pass through the reef.  

The difference in the day was stunning!  

We decided to go ashore and walked towards the airport – trying to hitch a ride but no-one stopped for us.  We arrived at the airport and found a taxi which then took us into the main town of Utora.   We wandered around this small town and admired the colonial-style properties and the waterfront area.   We found a bar / restaurant called Cubana and enjoyed a few hours having lunch and listening to the great live music 

We then went shopping in the large Champion supermarket as it was across the way, hopped into another taxi, and returned to Morphie.   Chris told us, on our return, that the harbour master had been looking for us to pay for the mooring but, of course, he had now gone home for the evening.  Oh well….    We had a nice evening in the cockpit and an early night.

We got up really early on Saturday morning, delighted that the conditions had calmed down, and prepared ourselves to leave for Bora Bora.   Richard decided to go ashore to pay for the mooring ball so slipped the cash in an envelope under the harbour master’s door….  We could easily have left without paying but the gendarmes don’t have much to do here and the last thing we needed was someone waiting to give us grief in Bora Bora for the sake of £14! 

By 8 am we had dropped the mooring ball and motored out towards the pass….we got through easily although were amazed by the size of the rollers coming in despite the eased conditions.   Can’t imagine what it would have been like earlier in the week! 

The 29 mile passage to Bora Bora was disappointing….very rolly and swelly….with very light airs and really not enough wind to get us sailing properly.  We decided to motorsail under a full genoa and make water at the same time.   By now we could see Sea Bear ahead of us and we were gaining ground on him – he had three full sails up and was going along quite nicely considering the wind speeds.   Took a while to get this photo though as he kept disappearing into the swell LOL.

We passed Chris and headed towards Bora Bora and, at one point, we took the sail down and then suddenly we got 15 knots so we pulled it back out and sped away.    We followed the contour of the reef to the outer marker and turned towards the entrance.   We edged in gently aided by the sun high in the sky so we could see the shallows and cleared into the lagoon.    

The Bora Bora Yacht Club was just to our left so we made our way there and picked up a mooring ball.  It is too deep to anchor here in over 150 feet of water just off the shore line…..   We got dink down from the davits and reinstalled his motor and watched Chris arriving through the pass being chased down by a huge catamaran – so Richard went to the last mooring ball and held onto it – the catamaran thankfully took off in the other direction and Richard helped Chris tie up.   Great all secure…..and despite some wake from fast ferries and fishing boats….the water is lovely and flat. 

Later on we headed into the Bora Bora Yacht Club and had a look around.    Chris joined us and we had a few beers.  We were going to eat dinner ashore but the restaurant over the waterfront was more of a fine dining experience than we had anticipated and, although we will eat there at some point, we really wanted something simple to soak up the beer.  So we returned to Morphie and ate on board. 

This morning, Sunday, and we are having a lazy start.    The weather forecast is depressing reading so, after a nice night here, it looks like we’ll be moving on behind a motu today to try and get some protection from the high winds expected tomorrow for about a week.   Looking forward to exploring Bora Bora properly once the weather calms down – I particularly want to see the manta rays.   So feel quite excited to be here.

Bye for now

Jan     

Wednesday early evening we picked up Chris from Sea Bear and went ashore for a beer….which turned into a bit of a session…and we returned quite late.  It was really nice to catch up and have an evening off the boat.

Thursday we started later than planned and really couldn’t get into it – so jumped into the water for a swim to liven ourselves up.  Whilst there we decided to give the hull a clean so spent an hour or so doing that.  Later on Richard ran ashore to arrange for a hire car for Friday and to buy some petrol for the generator while I stayed put.   We followed up a lazy day with a nice evening listening to tunes and relaxing on board.

Friday morning we were up early, collected Chris, and headed into town to pick up the car.  By 9.30 am it was all ours…a little Ford Fiesta….and Richard had to remember how to drive a manual gearbox again LOL.     

We set off around Huahine Nui (the big island) in a clockwise direction on surprisingly good roads and first stop was the archaeological sites which had been discovered, destroyed in a cyclone in the early 90s, and rebuilt.   Were the biggest examples we had seen on this trip so far and the little museum was pretty interesting – my favourite was the ancient fishing hooks made out of mother of pearl. 

Moving on we drove along the shore of Lake Fauna Nui and admired the fish traps which are used to trap the fish in the lagoon by the rise and fall of the tide.   Then we headed to see the Art Gallery which was run by an American called Melanie although all of her subjects were locals – I loved the amazing faces with the full crowns of flowers and some of the less staged pieces of art.  Sadly not really practical to buy during this type of journey but we certainly enjoyed our visit to the gallery.

We then continued inland to Faie where we saw the sacred eels – these are black with blue eyes – and actually look a bit evil LOL.   They are living in a sort of culvert which has water running through all the time but there really isn’t much water for them to live in as you can see by the pictures – kind of interesting that they stay and breed here.   Some of them were huge!

Continuing around the big island we went up in the hills and came across a view point – Belvedere de Maroe – and enjoyed the sights across Maroe Bay towards Huahine Iti (the small island).    We then crossed over a bridge and headed around to another view point looking across the ocean at the different colours.  

Whilst driving around we came across some fishermen who had just come back with their catch – so had a chat with them – and saw that they really just eat anything that comes out of the sea.  They had caught some parrots, some triggers, other reef fish and a good supply of conch.   We realised they were feeding the fish scraps to a pig tethered in the water – I asked if they were fattening him up for food and they were shocked!   “No, he is domesticated like our dogs, he is a pet.  We would not eat him.”   And just to prove it they gave him a bath in the sea and then took him home on a lead LOL.

Moving on we went to the Pareo House where they showed us how they made the cloths that they use for sarong-type dresses here – was interesting and I liked some of the designs – but thought that the prices were a bit steep.   We then went to Avea Bay and saw the wrecked catamaran still sitting there on the reef getting bashed by the waves.  

We headed into the hotel to check out the beach restaurant but the guests looked us up and down like something they had trodden in so we decided against staying for lunch – it felt very unwelcoming – despite the lovely surroundings.

We then headed to Chez Tara Restaurant which came highly recommended by Parker on our boat tour the other day to find that it was closed because of a family bereavement.   So we headed back towards the top of the small island and took a detour to Haapu where we found a small local restaurant where we had lunch.  My plate of tuna could easily have fed two people.   It was absolutely delicious.

Heading back towards Fare we still had time to spare so headed into another hotel to check it out – it was very fancy with a nice pool and great views over the anchorage.  And, unlike the other one, it was very welcoming and we were able to wander at will.   Afterwards we went to the shell museum which was a local guy’s own collection.  Was really interesting with a huge variety of all shapes and sizes and certainly educational as there was one shell which is a common sight here which we didn’t know carries a critter that has enough toxin in its spike to kill you….and it doesn’t hurt apparently when you get pricked either.   Will definitely not be picking up any shells in the shallows any time soon!

Back to Fare and we returned the car…..we did a bit of shopping….and the returned to Morphie.  We got cleaned up and headed back to the Yacht Club as there was supposed to be live music.  We enjoyed happy hour and another spectacular sunset but the band never showed so we gave up around 7.30.

Saturday morning we picked up anchor.  It was quite difficult as it had got wrapped around a rock but the water was so clear I was able to direct Richard at the helm and we got it back on the bow without having to resort to jumping in the water.   We headed out through the pass and said goodbye to Huahine and had the most wonderful passage of 24 miles on a beam reach in 12 knots of breeze under a blue sky…..    We both really enjoyed it.

We arrived at the outside reef at Raiatea and worked our way through the pass and headed into Faaroa Bay and found a spot to anchor in about 50 feet.   This was another lovely mountainous anchorage and flat calm so we enjoyed the rest of the day on board.

Sunday morning we took off in dink up the Aoppomau River – which was lovely although a tad shallow in places.  

Absolutely stunning scenery although very little in the way of bird life which surprised us. We had read lots about this place and, apparently, most people get a tour from a local guy who then supplies them with copious amounts of fruits and vegetables.  Well, of course, he wasn’t there today – perhaps in church? – so we navigated as far as we could and then returned to Morphie without any goodies.   Despite the absence of the tour it was a lovely little excursion.

On our return we picked up anchor and headed off out of the bay. 

We planned to stop at Uturoa – the main town on the island – but couldn’t find a suitable shallow enough spot to drop the hook and didn’t want to go into the marina or pick up their mooring balls – so continued on through the lagoon towing dink behind us.    The scenery here in the lagoon is just spectacular!

We then looked at the Carenage area where there are haul out and boat facilities – with the fuel polishing idea in mind – but the anchorage was full of derelict boats and after our experience in Key West we’re a little wary of them.    So we turned around and headed back towards Apooiti which is the marina home of the Moorings fleet.   We picked up one of their mooring balls and enjoyed having internet access again via a hotspot – despite its terrible speed!

Later on we headed into the marina to have a look around.   The bar/restaurant on the map was derelict, the other bar/restaurant was closed until the 18 August, and the rest of the place was shut up too.    Hmmmm……Le Weekend strikes again!      Richard is going to try to talk to the guys in the Carenage and/or marina Monday about the fuel and, if we can’t get that organised, we’ll just move on.    According to the latest weather forecast, we shouldn’t continue moving west until next Tuesday at the earliest anyway.   

This morning – Monday – we were up early after a windy and slightly rolly night.   There is another island inside this huge lagoon, called Tahaa, which we will probably move to later on as we can get better protection from the weather there.   But  it looks pretty quiet – and Richard is getting a bit bored with the whole experience despite the obvious natural beauty and culture as there are very few opportunities to socialise outside of tours / hotels.   After Tahaa, Bora Bora is our final destination in the French Polynesian chain, so looking forward to seeing that iconic ‘jewel’ and, fingers crossed, maybe even getting a bit of diving and socialising in! 

Bye for now

Jan

Friday afternoon we had completed all our pre-passage checks and re-provisioned so we headed into the Bali Hai for a final bobbing session in the pool.   We then returned for an early night on board.

Saturday morning we had a late start – hoisted the outboard onto the rail and put dink on the bow – before eating an early dinner.   The wind had picked up, as forecast, and we were looking forward to a good overnight passage.   We picked up anchor around 5ish and headed out through the pass saying a sad farewell to Cook’s Bay and Mo’Orea.  

The winds were 15-20 knots on our starboard beam so we decided to sail under a reefed down genoa only….and glad we did as the wind then picked up to 30 knots and stayed that way for a while mostly dead downwind.   

The seas were large and confused and we were being bounced around again.  Oh well….then of course the heavens opened up with horizontal rain from behind, which we had no shelter from.   Nice sunset though despite the squally conditions.

We went into our shift patterns but neither of us slept very well – I think we were both slightly anxious to get this passage under our belt.    The Mayday Relay heard in the night didn’t alleviate anxiety levels either although the French language was spoken way too fast for us to understand….I worked out that the incident was nearby but that was about it.    The Coastguard had it under control so we weren’t unduly worried but it felt wrong to just listen as the drama unfolded.

As the sun came up Sunday morning we were still being pushed around by strong currents and could see the mountainous island of Huahine ahead.   This island is completely surrounded by reef and only has a few navigable passes and we were heading for the main one in the north west near the main settlement of Fare.    We stayed well offshore as we knew that the charts were inaccurate.   Finally we reached the entrance to the cut – although the markers are actually half way inside the channel rather than marking the edge – and worked out way into the anchorage.   We dropped anchor in 17 foot of pale blue water and got a good set straight away.   Yay!

Due to lack of sleep overnight we decided to stay put for the day and just enjoy the vista.   This island is mountainous and wild and has just the coast road running around it – with many communities accessible by boat only.   The water is crystal clear to the extent that we can see the anchor chain laying on the sand beneath us…….   We had an interesting afternoon on board with 30+ knot winds howling through followed by torrential rain which cleared up as quickly as it arrived.  Apparently the unsettled weather was due to this area being squashed between a front and the convergence zone.    Later on we went for a snorkel and showered off the back – and sat and watched the sun go down whilst having a couple of celebratory beers on board before having an early night.

Monday morning we got dink off the bow and the outboard reinstalled and then headed into Fare.  We tied up at the very nice dinghy dock and then wandered the town.  Well, it is tiny!   It has a couple of banks, a couple of restaurants, a public beach and a yacht club….  Plus a huge supermarket which must feed the whole island as it is so close to the main quay where the supply ships tie up. 

If you look at the mountains…..you will see it resembles a woman lying down….and this the island where the Disney film Moana’s ending is based upon.   We had a couple of beers in the yacht club at Happy Hour prices and then decided to stay for dinner.  We had some great food – steak for me, fish for Richard – and we loved the dauphinoise potatoes and green beans….just a shame that everything turned up tepid.  Oh well, never mind.    We watched the sun go down on a nice day and returned to Morphie for the night.

Tuesday morning we were up early and headed into the yacht club.  We had organised a boat trip out for the day.   Seemed a shame to pay for a boat tour but this takes us to places that are not navigable with Morphie or within range of dink so we are going to be tourists for the day!   The boat headed towards us….and it was a little outrigger…..and it was full of French tourists.   

They clearly weren’t going to speak English to communicate with us so they left it up to the captain Parker to make us welcome…..    As we were the last ones to board he took to his ukulele (which are made here in the islands) and sang us a nice song from the comfort of his captain’s seat.

We took off down the coast admiring the lush mountainous hills….the isolated motus (islands)…the occasional resort….and then turned towards the channel between the top island Huahine and the bottom island Huahine Iti.   We enjoyed the shallows and the views and went under the road bridge that joined the two together.   Then we headed to a small motu where we did some snorkelling.   The coral wasn’t very exciting and the fish were skittish but we enjoyed being in the water.

Back on board and we took off towards a pearl farm going past many isolated communities which are only accessible from the sea.   We had to navigate very carefully through the very shallow water….and eventually tied to the pearl farm’s dock.  

We had a wander around the shop and I was not tempted to purchase any pearls as I had already bought my lifetime’s allocation in Tahiti – or so Richard reckoned anyway LOL – and we were treated to an explanation of how pearls are made.   As there were only three English speakers in the group – the other being a Dutch guy – we had a good question and answer session.   Fascinating stuff……   Interesting facts – did you know that the mantle creates the mother of pearl inside the oyster shell?  And they have no control over the colour – each is unique to itself.   They carve a ball from an old oyster shell and then transplant that, and a piece of mantle, into the gonads (seriously that is what they call the reproductive organs!).  

The oyster then is put back in the water for 18 months and either turns the ball into a beautiful pearl or spits it out and rejects it.   The oysters that refuse to grow pearls have shell balls glued into their shell which, over time, become covered in mother-of-pearl and then are turned into shell jewellery. 

Many pearls end up misshapen with the rarest ones being those that are perfectly round and without imperfections.   This transplantation can happen up to four times so you can see that to make a large perfect pearl takes a lot of time and patience and a little luck!

We all got back on board the boat again and headed to another motu which was going to be our lunch destination….all kitted out with picnic benches in the water and umbrellas.   The beach itself was made of old coral rather than sand.   Great spot for lunch!  

We were surprised to find that beer was generously included in the day’s trip so we had a couple and watched Parker prepare Poisson Cru, the national dish of French Polynesia.  This is raw white tuna (can be any fish I think) which is first coated in lime juice.   Then you mix in carrots, cucumber and onions.   Then squeeze coconut milk from fresh grated coconut and give it a stir.  Voila!    The buffet also included some chicken, rice, salad, bread and copious amounts of fresh fruit.  Was a veritable feast and we thoroughly enjoyed it and a few cold ones while we chatted with the Dutch guy who was travelling alone and had been feeling a little bit fed up as the French wouldn’t speak to him either.

Oh yes…and we have found out that this is where the teletubbies come on holiday…think this might be Dipsy and LaLa LOL!!!!   

After a few hours, including some bobbing, we were royally entertained again before getting back onboard and continued towards the top of the island.  

We looked out to sea and ended up going past the wreck of our friends’ catamaran on the reef – what a sad end to a fine boat – and it looked OK despite the fact that we knew it was damaged beyond repair.   Shows the real dangers of navigating in this region at night….

Back towards Fare we continued to admire the scenery and the face in the rock….and saw that Morphie was still happy on anchor.  

We went through the anchorage out towards the reef and tied up to an old boat anchored just inside the reef and got off onto a viewing platform.  Time to feed the sharks!   Well, actually, it is time for us tourists to watch the sharks getting fed and we were told to keep behind a roped off area….   Had never seen so many black-tipped reef sharks in one place and they were swimming around us, towards us and behind us.  But never really felt threatened…..  Was a great experience although some of the kids were freaked out by it LOL. 

Back to land and we were dropped off, we had a couple of beers in the Yacht Club watching a young girl – maybe six year’s old – going up and down on a wakeboard.   Future champion we reckon!!!   We had a lovely day.

This morning, Wednesday, we were up early….   We did all the laundry by hand – including the sheets this time – as I refuse to pay £20+ for one washing machine load plus more for drying!   So Morphie had washing hanging from every conceivable drying space.    Richard cleaned the racor fuel filter again…we have some sludge appearing each time we are in a big rolly sea….so think there must be sediment in the bottom of the tank.  We may try to get the fuel polished and the tank cleaned at our next island stop as they have facilities there….     Anyway, we’ve also made water, downloaded weather and other boat jobs.    Sea Bear has just arrived into the anchorage and we have arranged to have a beer with Chris later.   

Bye for now

Jan

Early Friday afternoon we headed over to James and Mary’s water bungalow for our final get together.   This was supposed to be a quick visit as they had to leave very early the following morning but, despite good intentions, we ended up staying out quite late and were also joined by their neighbours Bob and Anna.   At one point Richard even returned to Morphie to get more supplies and put anchor lights on.  Was a really good evening!   Shame they had to leave us, but I know we’ll see each other again some day. 

Oh yes, and remember the picture of me surrounded by giant ferns on our day out in Mo’Orea?   Well what we didn’t know at the time was that they are poisonous….and I got contact rashes on both of my arms.    My right arm is feeling a lot better now – thanks to James and Mary’s medical knowledge and potions – but still looks pretty awful even after 10 days!      

Saturday morning we were up at a reasonable hour and got on with preparations for the final varnish coat.  Finally, around 2pm, we had finished.   We will need to do the whole rail again in a few months but the keepers will definitely protect the wood for now….and the eyebrow and under the rail will probably be OK for the rest of the season.   During the afternoon it decided to rain quite hard but, luckily, the varnish had dried enough that it didn’t get ruined so remains nice and shiny.    The rest of the day we spent on board just chilling out.

Sunday morning and we decided to have a lazy start.    We did the laundry and generally just mooched around and had a quiet day.    We were upset to receive an update that our friend’s boat which hit the reef in Huahine had been deemed unrepairable and they are now going to have to pay to get her off, to be made safe in terms of pollutants/hazards, and then sunk 13 miles away in international waters.   They are not insured and this is their home so our hearts goes out to them – after paying heavily for this final act (think in the region of US $75k) they then need to relocate the family and start again.   What an absolute nightmare situation to be in.

Monday morning we were up early and walked to the supermarket feeling like poor relatives as no one walks anywhere here, unless they are hiking into the hills.  We needed to restock our beer supplies as the last few social evenings had made a dent in our provisions.   We walked for about 30 minutes to the supermarket which was surprisingly big and well stocked.  

We enjoyed the views of the bay from the road and Richard decided I had to recreate the shape of one of the mountains which the locals think is a woman looking up to god….not sure it was a great likeness LOL.  When we arrived we also spotted a nearby dinghy dock attached to a snack bar – doh!!!   That could have made a bit of a difference….

We staggered back heavily laden towards the hotel….returned to Morphie and put everything away.    Later on we took ourselves off for lunch at the hotel – where we were joined by Bob and Anna – and then went to the pool for a final bobbing session before an early night.

Tuesday morning we were up very early as we had decided to go back to the supermarket and get more supplies – so stopped at the nearby dinghy dock, had breakfast pastries in the attached snack bar and met this cute little puppy who we would have happily adopted!   

We picked up more beer and soft drink supplies plus some fresh bread and a roast chicken for tea.   By 10 am we had picked up and worked our way out through the reef saying goodbye to the spectacular anchorage of Cook’s Bay.  

The wind was on the nose when we got out through the cut and there with a big swell running but we were only going five miles around the corner into Opunohu Bay…so we just motored.    We spotted the channel markers – surprised that they were inside the cut and not marking the entrance – and made our way into the anchorage opposite the public beach.   

The water was a beautiful blue and it was great to be able to anchor on sand in only 25 feet of water.    Richard made the most of it and snorkelled the anchor to check the set and cleaned the hull whilst he was there….I got ourselves organised and reinstalled our canvas etc.   This bay is huge and even a cruise ship doesn’t take up too much room LOL.

Later on we headed out in dink towards the Moorea Beach Resort and Spa – a Hilton hotel – and we were amazed at the coral heads showing through the azure blue water as black marks.   

We had to reverse and do a few 180s to find our way through but eventually arrived.   We had a look around the resort and had a cold beer……nice looking place, however, after five years of cruising we’re not sure that this type of holiday would suit us anymore…..

We returned to Morphie, dinked across to the beach, and had a nice bobbing session in the sea whilst watching the light fade on a stormy night.  

Wednesday morning we were up early and worked our way around Morphie in the dink – I did the stainless cleaning whilst Richard worked on removing the salt from her hull.    Was a hard day’s work but she sure looked lovely – the ‘patches’ are water reflecting on the shiny hull by the way.  Still some stainless work to be done but it was nice to give Morphie some care and attention. 

Later in the afternoon we took dink out for a run through a narrow channel.   We passed the Intercontinental Hotel nearly running around near their confusing reef markers, and finally reached our destination.   This is a shallow sandy area where tour boats feed stingrays and sharks each day and we wanted to see if it is was feasible for us to do the trip independently.  It was a long way – almost 4 miles – but a nice trip nevertheless.   We returned to Morphie and had a quiet night on board.   During the evening we found an internet hotspot and purchased some online time but the speed was appalling and we barely got our emails sorted in the hour that we were connected.  Grrrr….

Thursday morning and we were up early, got some tuna out of the freezer, and took off in dink towards Stingray City.   We dropped our anchor and almost immediately dink was being assaulted by these huge stingrays  who had come to check out the food on offer.  

Richard fed a few of them by hand as they climbed up the side of the dinghy and then he jumped in, wearing his mask and snorkel, for a closer look. Well, it was like an attack force!!!   They surrounded him and climbed all over him….eventually he threw the tuna away to get them to leave him alone LOL.   Oh yes, and they feel like velvet…not slimy at all.

In the meantime I took advantage of the action elsewhere to get in the water….and found myself surrounded by sharks instead.    Was a fantastic experience and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.   Interestingly we found the stingrays more threatening than the sharks once we were in the water….

On the way back to Morphie we marvelled at the clarity of the water – absolutely stunning.  

We got back on board, cleaned up and had breakfast, and talked about what to do next.  Well….the beautiful isolation of this anchorage is great….but there are no services whatsoever.  Not even a place to go ashore really other than beaching dink.   So we decided to pick up anchor and return to Cook’s Bay.

We arrived back around 1.15 pm and dropped the hook opposite the Bali Hai Hotel.  We caught up with the internet and then Richard took himself off to the gas station for more petrol while I started downloading photos.  

Later on we headed across to the hotel and sat on the veranda for a couple of cold ones – from our supplies as the bar shuts here at 2pm – and then wandered down the street to a restaurant we had spotted a previous day.   The food was surprisingly good and we enjoyed this lovely end to what had been a great day.

This morning, Friday, and we are going to do more shopping and hopefully some pool bobbing later.   Providing the weather gods are kind to us we plan to leave Mo’Orea late Saturday afternoon for an overnight passage of about 80 miles to Huahine.   In view of what happened to our friends we will be staying a long way offshore and will be extra cautious until we are certain of our entry point through the reef to our destination.   Obviously the tracker will be active so you can keep up with our progress. 

Bye for now

Jan

Saturday morning we got up early, secured dink at the hotel, and wandered across the road to the tour operator to await our pick up.   The 4WD open-backed truck arrived and we took off – we were the last people to be collected so we said hi to the all English-speaking group (New Zealand, USA and UK).

We immediately headed around the island and up Magic Mountain.   The path was paved and it went straight up with very tight switchbacks and huge drop offs – it looked barely big enough to carry us.   Then we parked up and had to walk up a very steep footpath to get to the top but it was definitely worth the effort as the scenery was spectacular looking over the reef and out to the deep water beyond. 

We drove back down the mountain to our next stop at the pineapple plantation.   They are really small here and you can eat everything including the core, all of which is very sweet and soft.  I was interested to see that they plant citronella bushes amongst the pineapples to ward off bugs.  

We then went to the agricultural college area – admiring spectacular mountain scenery along the way – where there was a little shop which offered us free tastings of jams and marmalades made from local produce.   We absolutely loved the pineapple and vanilla jam so that was a welcome addition to our boat stores.    Oh yes and the vanilla ice cream was stunning too!

We then moved on to visit the black sand bay of Opunoho which is beautiful and definitely on our list of potential anchorages…..its backdrop is another spectacular volcanic crater. Interestingly there is a prawn/shrimp farm here which supplies the whole island.  

Back in our trusty truck we headed up to the Belvedere lookout where you get more beautiful views across mountains and down to the two main bays of the island.  

On the way down the mountain from the lookout we went to visit a Marae (a Polynesian temple) and listened to the tales of sacrifice and the communication with the gods of the earth, sky and sea before the people converted to Christianity on the arrival of the London Society missionaries.   We wandered around the site and enjoyed checking out the huge trees and ferns.

Next stop was the local distillery where we tried a variety of rum-based pre-mixed cocktails – and ended up buying two one-litre cartons to take back on board.   The one we preferred was made with pineapple, passion fruit, orange and pamplemousse (grapefruit) which kept it from being too sweet.  I wanted to try the local pineapple wine but they didn’t offer this at the tasting and, at £30 a bottle, was a little expensive when we were unsure of its taste…so we decided not to purchase any.  I’m hoping to come across it somewhere further in our travels so I can actually get to taste it.

The final part of the tour was to a pearl shop which was opposite the Bali Hai – so rather than continue in the truck which was only now going to drop off the other tourists at their hotels – we decided to leave the tour at this point.   We returned to Bali Hai for lunch which was OK but the average food was more than made up for by the surroundings….including the chicken waiting patiently for handouts.  Morphie loves this anchorage!

Later on we bobbed in the pool until some kids turned up and played tag….so then went into the sea and bobbed there instead from the little beach.  We were joined by an Australian couple called Mary and James who we had a laugh with….they were guests in the hotel…..and they bobbed with wine while we continued drinking our beer.   It had been a great day.

Quite late, just before dark, we returned to Morphie to find that our batteries were very low.   We decided to run the engine rather than the generator as the sound doesn’t carry so far and we didn’t want to annoy our neighbours.   The engine started great….and the batteries improved….but didn’t go as high as they should have.   We went to bed hoping that they would last through the night – and I changed the settings on the fridge and freezer to ensure that they wouldn’t draw too much power.

During the flat calm of the night – this anchorage is so amazing it feels like you are sleeping on land – we awoke a couple of times and checked the batteries.   Well, they were fading fast, so I ended up switching the fridge and freezer off so that the Lifeline AGM batteries – which have a memory – didn’t get too low and end up damaged.

Very early Sunday morning we started the engine again.  This time the batteries did not respond – clearly something had gone wrong with our alternator / charging system.   Mindful of a meat-filled freezer we decided to return to Tahiti so that we could plug into shore power in the marina whilst troubleshooting the problem.

Decision made we picked up our anchor….and it got stuck!    We manoeuvred around a bit and, eventually, it came up.  Phew….     We then motored out of the pass and the battery charger kicked in so looked like an intermittent issue – and just turned towards Tahiti (still motoring) when the fan belt broke!   Richard went down to install a new one while I kept watch as we were being swept closer to the reef – eventually I decided that the waves were growing and the wind wasn’t that strong – so pulled out the genoa, went 90 degrees to the coast and sailed away giving us more wiggle room.   Richard surfaced having put a new fan belt on, we restarted the engine, and turned back towards Tahiti.   Phew!

We arrived at the marina and Bill – surprised to see us again so soon – came down to help us tie up.   We checked in and agreed to meet him later for Happy Hour.  We got busy washing Morphie down and plugged her in.  We also arranged for Guy to come by on Monday morning to help Richard do the trouble shooting.   We stripped the bed – might as well make the most of the access to washing machines whilst in the marina – and eventually had an early dinner, got ourselves cleaned up and headed to the Bora Bora lounge.   We had a nice few hours there chatting…..

Monday morning and Guy was due to arrive so I took myself off to the cruisers lounge along with the laundry….and persevered with the rubbish internet….trying to get on top of a few things.    Guy and Richard, in the meantime, could not replicate the charging fault.   So they decided to swap the alternator out for a new one – seems like we have used pretty much every spare we brought with us this year LOL.   I gave up on the internet, returned with the laundry and then took myself off shopping….and got some fresh bread, fruit and vegetables from the market.   I also got out some more drinking vouchers from the ATM.

Returning to Morphie I was pleased to find that everything was working as it should and Guy headed off.   Whilst in the engine compartment, though, they had noticed that a diesel fuel line was getting a bit worn so Richard headed off to buy some more hose while I put things away and tidied up.    Richard came back, fitted the hose, and we’re good to go.   We headed to the 3 Brasseurs, caught up with some more people and had a chat, then headed over to the Roulettes for another Chinese!   Fantastic food…..

Tuesday morning and we were up early and pulled away from Papeete Marina, Tahiti, hopefully for the last time!    The trade winds decided to switch on us so we ended up motoring the 19 miles right into the wind getting rolled around by the swell……   But we were delighted to be back out there again.   We pulled into Cook’s Bay, anchored in 70 feet of water this time, and decided to go out in dink.   Here’s the view of the Bali Hai from the cockpit.

We explored the bay, checked out a couple of hotels and restaurants, and even went behind the reef around the corner to a little village but failed to find anywhere to tie up and go ashore.   So we poodled back to Morphie and had a quiet night on board.

Wednesday morning and we decided that as this anchorage is so calm – apart from when we get buzzed by tourists on jet skis – we will do our varnishing here.   So we spent the morning going around the rail looking for ‘keepers’ and taped up.   In the meantime someone is shouting and waving at us from one of the water bungalows and it is Mary….   So we took ourselves over to see her and made arrangements to return later.

At around 4pm we took dink over to their water bungalow and had a lovely time catching up with them.    They were very pleased to see us again and it was nice to have company after a day’s work in the sun.    We took our own beer but they provided nibbles – we had a really good laugh – and they invited us back for a bobbing session on Thursday afternoon once we had finished our chores.

Thursday morning we were up early and were horrified to read that the American family we had first met in Panama and had been bumping into regularly along the way had hit a reef hard in Huahine in the night and had to be airlifted off the boat.   At this moment their large catamaran is still on the uncharted reef being bashed by waves and they are trying to find out whether it is salvageable.   Our heart goes out to them about the potential loss of their boat but just grateful that all seven of them are safe and well.   Fingers crossed it can be recovered and repaired so that they can continue their journey around the world….

In a sombre mood, we got on with rubbing down – all of the wood under the rail, the eyebrows and keepers only on the main rail.    We got this done and then Richard went round and varnished while I chilled for a while.   Later on I made some nibbles and we headed over for a bobbing session with Mary and James.   We had another lovely evening…..and they had made us promise to return on Friday as it is their last day before they head over to Tahiti.   They have a week booked on a crewed catamaran after that so you never know, we might still bump into them again!    And we have promised to visit them when we reach Australia…..

Friday morning we were up really early and rubbed down again trying to do most of the hard graft before the sun is high in the sky.    Richard finished under the rail while I started blogging….we’ve just had breakfast….and now he is varnishing while I get this finished.   Later on we are going to say our farewells to Mary and James but will be back on board before dark tonight as they need to pack and get ready for a very early start to the airport in the morning.   

Saturday will be the final varnishing day for now and then, once we have removed the tape, I want to go round and give the stainless some attention.    Not sure yet what we’ll do next but probably move to another anchorage on this beautiful island of Mo’Orea (its Polynesian spelling).

Bye for now

Jan 

Saturday night we headed into town and were tempted by the sounds coming from 3 Brasseurs – there was a live band on so we found a table and settled down to watch their performance.  They were really good….singing a range of songs from local Tahitian through to reggae and hard rock.   Excellent!    The guy in the front of the photo, apparently, is a groupie that follows the band around and dances all night.  Bill had been to see the Heiva show and joined us later for a beer.   Was another fun night in Papeete.

Sunday we had a quiet day on board cleaning and tidying and didn’t venture out at all apart from to the marina lounge to catch up on emails etc.   Oh yes…and remember the heavily-armed gendarmes who were looking for GoldenAge in Hiva Oa??   Well, looks like the law caught up with them – the word on the street is that it is up for sale as it has been confiscated by the authorities!!!  

Monday morning and we hit the shops again.   First stop was the internet café where we managed to get our printing and copying done – hugely expensive – but we are set all the way to New Zealand now with just a few boxes to fill in by hand when they are known.    Relieved that is out of the way.    Oh yes and I bought some pearls!!!!!   Sadly couldn’t afford these amazing designs.   But Christmas is coming…..

Back on board Richard finished his anchor locker project – it looked really good.  In the afternoon we spent some time doing some navigation and weather studying in preparation for our future passages.  We’ve identified islands we fancy visiting including a couple of uninhabited reef atolls on the way.  Everything is weather dependent especially as we will be crossing the ‘Dangerous Middle’ which is subject to the vagaries of the South Pacific Convergence Zone which is a moving area full of high winds and thunderstorms.   The knack is to identify where it is….so we’ve been boning up on that as we get ready to start moving on again.

In the evening we went out with Bill for dinner at the 3 Brasseurs – great food – and huge pitchers of beers.    We had a fun time but managed to get Bill a bit tipsy and had to walk him back to his boat later.   Oops LOL!

Tuesday we had a quiet day on board after the partying of the last few days and did a few boat jobs before having a movie night.    Appropriately, considering where we are, we watched Walt Disney’s Moana.   It is a great animated film about the people of this region with recognisable dancing, hand movements and traditional songs.   The giant magic fish hook even appeared in one of the dances we saw at the Heiva….so well done Disney for authenticity.

Wednesday morning I did laundry and we went shopping for the final time.    Later on Richard went up the mast to install a new block for our safety line which we will also use to lift dink onto the bow and to check our rigging. 

All being well we then headed into town for a final bit of sightseeing.   We enjoyed the street art….

We also visited the Catholic Cathedral where the flowers were stunning….

Oh yes…did I tell you about the large numbers of homeless people sleeping rough in Papeete?  I think this local guy is just sleeping off his excesses though LOL.

Later on we headed over to the Bora Bora Lounge for a mini Island Packet rendezvous with Linus and Janet with their daughter Sophie, Bill and ourselves.   Later on we headed over to the Roulettes where we enjoyed our final Chinese meal and said our farewells to Bill.

Thursday morning we got up early and used the last of our credit on the dock to give Morphie a wash down.   At 10 am we slipped away from our slip towards Moorea having got clearance to exit through the Papeete Pass.   

We said our sad farewells to Tahiti and, once we had cleared the pass and were out in open water, we did a seatrial calibration of our autopilot.   So if you were wondered why our track was a little weird that’s why LOL.  

Was a little swelly out there…..here was another boat (coincidentally an Australian-registered Island Packet) coming towards us….watch him disappear…..

We admired the coastline of Moorea before heading through the reef into the bay.

Cook’s Bay  – named after Captain Cook who arrived here in his square rigger in 1777 – is absolutely spectacular!  

We motored around a bit looking for shallower water and eventually dropped our hook in 60 foot of water in the middle of the bay opposite the Bali Hai Hotel.   Richard’s project worked perfectly so thankfully no worries about the anchor chain hitting the windlass motor in future.   Good job!   We had a quiet afternoon and evening on board just enjoying the solitude and the peace and quiet after the noise of Papeete.

Friday morning we got dink off the bow, cleaned and pumped him up, got the outboard off the rail and reinstated it.    Everything worked as it should thankfully.   We headed across to the hotel – checked out the restaurant and the pool – and then wandered the street. 

We found a Chinese supermarket but were too late to get fresh bread this being a holiday – Bastille Day.   We enjoyed the view of the bay from the road and, having found a tour company, booked a 4WD tour into the mountains for tomorrow. 

We then returned to Morphie for a quiet afternoon on board.   We are very happy that, for the first time in a long while, we actually have free internet from the hotel as we are close enough to pick up the signal.   It is very slow and spotty but definitely an improvement LOL.

Morphie is happy here in this beautiful place…check out these photos of her at anchor.

We are planning an early night tonight in preparation for our day out tomorrow.   While I’m sitting in the cockpit typing this I can hear singing from shore where a choir are clearly practising for their slot in the Heiva competition.   What a lovely distraction!   

Bye for now

Jan

Sunday was boat cleaning day so we cleaned and tidied before heading out for Happy Hour.   Whilst there we caught up with a Swiss couple whom we had previously met in Hiva Oa – amazing stories from cruising Patagonia, Chile and Brazil – and they’ve only been out for three years!  We had a nice social evening.  

Monday morning we headed off to see our agent – who turned up late and had forgotten to get our inter-island clearance for us.   This is needed before we can leave to explore the other Society Islands.    Never mind – best laid plans and all that.   By this time it was late so our plans to head to the French restaurant near Carrefour for breakfast and internet had been thwarted.   So instead we headed to the municipal building armed with supplies from the supermarket along the way.  We made camp and that is pretty much where we stayed for the day.   We had a long list of documents that we needed to download so that we can fill them in and send them off in advance of our future destinations – bureaucracy gone mad!!!    Check out the size of the welcome pack from New Zealand as an example.

About four we decided we had had enough – despite not completing the list of tasks that we had set ourselves – and headed back to Morphie.   We got ourselves cleaned up and went to the Dinghy Dock for Happy Hour.    There was a large family group of locals who were singing, dancing and just generally having fun.  Their melodies were fabulous…..we thoroughly enjoyed listening to them….and they clearly enjoyed entertaining the audience. 

Tuesday we did exactly the same as Monday camping out at the municipal building.   Finally, by the end of the day, we felt like we had enough information from a variety of cruiser compendiums, additional pilot guides, online chartlets for anchorages etc as well as finding a great app specifically for Tonga with local knowledge.    Pilot guides and charts in this region are sketchy and our main book – Warwick Clay’s South Pacific Anchorages – although recommended and we have one on board we are not keen.    

On top of our continued internet frustrations our printer decided to quit as it has no ink in the yellow printer cartridge even though I only want to print in black – a safety feature apparently and despite online workarounds – including changing the driver – none of them would work for me.   Very frustrating when the black cartridge is full to the brim as I only swapped it out earlier in the season.   That means no photocopying either but, at least, we can still scan.   After another tiring day in front of our screens we took ourselves off for Happy Hour and had a good time despite being caught by Carl the constantly-drunk single-hander LOL.

Wednesday morning we picked up our inter-island clearance document and headed to Carrefour for a final shop.   We had lunch at the French restaurant first, this place does great food, and returned to Morphie with additional beer and soft drink supplies.   We put all the shopping away, did the laundry, and final preparation for the morning including engine checks – as we were finally leaving Marina Taina after almost a month!  Woo hoo – very excited….    Well, we wandered in for happy hour, had a couple and then walked back to Morphie but got enticed to the Pink Coconut by the music we could hear and it was our favourite group again doing another set.  So we settled down and enjoyed the music until they finished at ten.

Thursday morning we were up early, paid the hefty marina bill, phoned the Papeete Marina to confirm they had space for us and headed out into the channel admiring the scenery and the colours of the water as we went.   We sought Port Captain authority to pass both ends of the runway – this is very carefully controlled – and we were just through when a plane took off.   

We finally pulled into the marina having travelled a huge five miles or so LOL.   We pulled into a slip, got settled and I went and checked in.  All sorted except that, apparently, the slip we are in is ‘too big’ for us so they asked us to move.   So we moved…..and got settled again into another ‘smaller’ slip.   So much for first come first served eh?!? 

Later on in the afternoon we got ourselves cleaned up and headed towards the House of Culture where the tickets for the Heiva festival where being sold and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the boardwalk areas along the way.     

Heiva pays tribute to the Polynesian traditions; their harmony with nature; and the transmission to future generations.   It is a huge event and attracts contestants from many Polynesian islands and countries.   There are dance, chant and singing competition nights with both sports events and arts and crafts competitions going on in different districts / islands throughout the day.   We managed to get two side-view tickets in the stadium for £15 each for Friday night’s singing and dancing competition and then wandered through the artisan village admiring the local crafts – largely shell and pearl jewellery plus traditional clothes.   I loved watching the old lady making the flowered headdresses…

We then stayed in To’ata Squre as there was a dance group from Papua New Guinea starting the event.  This was a mix between melodic harmonies and fancy hand movements through to war-like chanting not dissimilar to the New Zealand Hakka especially the sinister head twerking!  The group was mixed in ages from toddlers through to middle-aged men – was an absolutely fantastic spectacle.

After the show everyone moved into the stadium for the Heiva opening ceremony and we wandered the promenade back to the marina – admired the sights particularly of the sun setting over Moorea – and then took ourselves off to the square where the Roulettes (food trucks) set up each evening.   We chose one, sat down and had a great Chinese meal sitting on the square watching the world go by….armed with a Coke and a Fanta LOL.  

We then returned to Morphie and had a couple of cold beers in the cockpit listening to the sound of some popular tunes being slaughtered by the participants in the Karaoke bar opposite our slip.

Friday morning and we headed out early – on the lookout for printer cartridges and New Zealand dollars.    We hadn’t realised that the Cook Islands – our next destination if weather permits – have, allegedly, ATM problems so we need to ensure we have some cash on our arrival, just in case.  No banks had any so we gave up and while I returned to Morphie Richard took off to revisit Home Depot and another hardware / chandlery in the industrial area.  On his travels he found a Bureau de Change – so ordered some NZ $ for later – and also found out that there is an Office World here in Papeete.  

After lunch, allowing for the shops to reopen, we headed back into town and came across the municipal market where we admired the range of fresh produce and beautiful flowers on sale.   We also checked out some jewellery shops as I’m on a mission to get a black pearl whilst here – apparently cultured pearls have been over-produced in recent years so the prices are lower than normal.    So we went into a store that was linked to a pearl farm and found out all about the shapes, the sizes and the quality.  Interestingly, the difference – despite the huge price differential – isn’t really that obvious to the inexperienced eye unless they have obvious flaws or lack lustre.

We picked up our NZ $ so felt happy about that but completely failed on the printer cartridges.  However, we did find an internet café who would be happy to print / copy for us.   So looks like I’ll be filling in forms for a few days LOL.

We came back to Morphie for an early dinner / late lunch and headed out to the stadium, admiring another beautiful sunset on the way, for the 6pm start.  

We took our seats and were surprised that the stadium was half-empty.   It started filling a bit more….but considering there were only five seats left in the whole place when we brought ours…it did seem strange.   Anyway….the first dance group arrived…hundreds of them.   And people came to watch and then left so we think most of the seats were taken up by family members just watching their own people perform – lots of shouting out of names etc.   The performance went on for about an hour and then we had two chant / choir events before the final dance performance.    The no camera / no filming rules were strictly regulated so we weren’t able to get any of our own footage but I’ve shamefully borrowed the following images of last night’s event from the official site.   The evening was amazing….truly amazing…. 

At around 10 pm the show was over and we went in search of food and drink.   We ended up having a few beers in the Bora Bora lounge and caught the last 15 minutes of the international rugby which was quite exciting and we were delighted to see the Lions get a draw against the All Blacks.    We carried on drinking……and enjoyed the karaoke for a while too.  

It was interesting that the majority of the party goers heading upstairs to the Bora Bora’s night club were Rae-Rae (pron. Wee wees).  You may be surprised to know that there are huge numbers of cross-dressers and transvestites here in French Polynesia.  Rae-rae are the contemporaries of ‘Ma-hu’, Polynesian men of yesteryear who dressed like women because of their effeminate natures.   As a respected segment of Tahitian culture – whose presence dates back hundreds of years – they often took on the roles of servants, cooks and nannies because of their convivial nature and aptitude for domesticity.   Unlike the ladyboys in Thailand Rae-rae are not involved in the sex industry but are usually found working in the service / tourist industry.   We finally tore ourselves away around 3am…had been a very long day.

This morning, Saturday, and I’m blogging in the Tourist Office – as the internet is down in the marina – and Richard is in the anchor locker constructing a barrier so that the anchor chain cannot hit the new windlass motor on its way up and down…..   Later on we are going to explore some more of Papeete’s night life.  

Bye for now

Jan

Sunday morning we had a lazy start and were in a buoyant mood as all the repair jobs had been completed.  We worked hard and got the laundry done as well so finally Morphie was clean and tidy again down below.  And that was it, pretty much, for the rest of the day although we did head over to the Pink Coconut later in the evening when we heard some great music….  Unusually it was very quiet so we managed to get a table and settled down to listen to the guy.   He had a superb voice and we thoroughly enjoyed his set. 

Monday morning we were up early and headed out to see our agent – the FedEx parcel had arrived in Tahiti so we wanted to chase up when we might get it.    We then headed down the main drag towards Carrefour and hopped onto a really decrepit bus to take us to Papeete.  We had a long list of things we wanted to get so this was really a day for wandering the industrial area where we found Ace Hardware and the main chandlery – both of which were actually a bit disappointing.  Fancy a chandlery not having any wax!?!   Was good to see the fishing fleet though….

Whilst we were in Papeete we checked out the new downtown marina and spoke to the manager – there are no reservations as it is run on a first-come first-served basis.  He gave us his telephone number so we could call before we head that way to make sure there is room – there are no anchoring options nearby so it is definitely best to check before we commit to leaving our current spot.  

Whilst wandering the docks we came across Sea Bear who we had last seen in the Galapagos – so went and said hi to Chris and his friend Wendy who had just flown in from the UK.   We were surprised to be able to walk right up to boats but it turns out there had been a power failure so the security access gates were all open….

Anyway….we wandered back to the main town….admiring the peaks of the volcano behind.  Finally we ended up in the Bora Bora lounge having a cold one…..before returning to the bus stop to catch the last bus back to the marina which runs at 4.30pm.   Our initial impression of Papeete was that it was scruffy and slightly run down with poor quality housing – but with some great street art.   We are looking forward to exploring properly another day….and we’re also quite keen on visiting the street food trucks that fill up the boardwalk at night.

Tuesday morning and I didn’t feel too good so Richard busied himself with boat jobs all day while I rested up.    During the day we had a visit from the manager of a marina in Opua, New Zealand.  They had come over to present to the Puddle Jump rally – so he talked to us about his marina and we are quite interested in staying / hauling there.  We know that the Oyster Rally are heading to New Zealand too so we want to make sure that we have a slot booked – so we have sent a couple of emails to different marinas asking for quotes and availability so that we can then make a decision.   Think we need to do this sooner rather than later.   

We’ve also talked to a number of people who have done the run south and back many times before and all of them felt we should miss Fiji this season – instead we should spend the time exploring the many hundreds of islands in the Tongan chain.   New Zealand is then a straight shot if we get the right weather window and catch a norther.  The run back up to Fiji from New Zealand is a better wind angle too so looks like we have made a decision!  

Wednesday morning and the parcel arrived – woo hoo!    So we now have a working drill again, a spare autopilot data cable and a control head.  We took our other gas bottle in for a partial refill as we want to leave here with two full bottles not knowing where we can get them filled again.    Then we took the long walk to Carrefour for a big provisioning run.    We bought a lot of fresh meat for the freezer and a few other things we wanted to try – like Duck Cassoulet.    There was too much to carry so we pushed the trolley all the way back to Morphie, unpacked, and returned the trolley to the superyacht dock where there is a small supply of them parked neatly in the corner by the gate.   I think Carrefour must come by and pick them up every now and again…..

Later in the afternoon, we decided to test the spare autopilot control head that had just arrived as it had been purchased second-hand from eBay.   We were delighted that it worked perfectly.  But as we tested it something went ‘clang’ in the lazarette.   We quickly checked and were horrified to see that the new autopilot arm had parted.  OMG – really?!?   But on investigation it was apparent that the factory had welded only one end and that it had just pulled out.  Very relieved but now we need to solve this latest issue….   Sigh…..   So glad we tested the unit before we left the dock!

Later on we went to Happy Hour and met Chris and Wendy.  Was good to catch up over a few cold ones….. 

Thursday was a really hot sunny day and we never had any pressing jobs to do.  We had also found out it was a public holiday so everything was shut – so we just stayed on the boat reading and relaxing.   We were so lazy we couldn’t even be bothered to go out for happy hour LOL.

Friday morning and we got up early in preparation for our safari expedition.  And, of course, it was raining!!!   We debated whether to go or not – as we hadn’t actually paid at this point – but decided that wouldn’t be fair and another rainy day on the boat would drive us both crazy!    So we got out our pack-a-macs and headed across to meet our 4WD vehicle.   It arrived promptly at 8.45 and we piled in the back of the truck with two tourists in it already….then we stopped at another hotel….and another….  Eventually we had a diverse gang of French, American and Australian tourists.   The Australian women were here in Tahiti competing in an international outrigger rowing competition – they had just won gold for an 18k ocean race.   Totally unaware this was going on – apparently there is a squad from the UK here too – we didn’t even know this was a sport we participated in!   

Anyway…in the pouring rain with the plastic sides pulled down to keep us dry in the back….we headed off for about an hour around the north coast of Tahiti towards the Pampanoo valley.  To start with the road was a single concrete track winding up and down and through some mining operations and hydro-electric power stations.    Then we moved onto unmade tracks towards the interior of the island where our first destination was the centre of the volcanic crater.     

The rain had diminished a little bit and we were rewarded by views of loads of waterfalls crashing down into the river below – and we actually drove across the river bed a couple of times despite the quite strong current running.    The hills rose majestically with dense rain forest and the views were spectacular.

Finally we stopped at the centre of the volcanic crater where there is a reconstructed traditional Polynesian village where people come from Tahiti – particularly camps for youngsters – or from other Polynesian areas, such as Hawaii.   They live as their ancestors did having to hunt wild boar and goats, fish, collect water, make fires and live communally.   It was interesting to see – with the one nod to modernity in the provision of bathrooms – and to hear the tales of the spirits of the wind, the earth and the sky.   Plus their continued teaching of celestial navigation using art…..it is important to remember these proud people arrived here as fearless sailors on their sea canoes in a wave of migration from South East Asia over 30,000 years ago.      

Then we got the gory details when they used to sacrifice humans – by eating their flesh they believed that they gained the power from them.   And in this village is an original stone where sacrifices were conducted.  And we both thought it still looked a shade red from the bloodletting!!!    Apparently the influx of the London Missionary Societies in the late 1700s stopped this practice as they introduced Christianity to the people of Tahiti.   We then went to look at an original temple and were introduced to some native plants – including the “ta-it-ti” fruit which is dried, burnt to carbon, ground down and, when mixed with coconut oil, makes the jet black ink for their tattoos.   Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about everything Polynesian.

After this interesting cultural part of the trip we continued further up the mountain to a hotel on the top where we had a local lunch – Richard tried the Tahitian national dish of raw fish in coconut milk while I took the safer option of curried goat.    After resting up we then climbed back into the truck.   Sadly our driver said that, because of the rainy weather, we would not be able to swim at any of the waterfalls.  That was a shame…..  We also glimpsed a rescue helicopter searching the area – not good!

We continued to climb up and up towards the summit – the road was now just a mud track and the angle was pretty precarious.   People started getting a bit nervous especially when we realised that the driver spent most of his time looking up for landslides!   Then we turned a corner and were confronted with a basalt tunnel which was an extraordinary sight.   Having passed through we were onto more mud and we slithered down the hill to see the lake Vaihiria which had been created by a rockslide.   This lake was the ancestral home of the sacred eel which is black with blue eyes – although none have been sighted for a number of years now. 

Having taken our photos we then climbed back in the truck and reversed the trip all the way back out to the north coast of Tahiti – this was a long arduous journey in the rain as by now the hard seats and back rails were giving all of us an uncomfortable ride.

We stopped, briefly, on the north coast so we could watch some surfing action on the black sand beaches as the light faded.   And then it was a trip back to the marina dropping people off as we went.    We didn’t get back until about 6.30 pm so returned to Morphie pretty tired and had an early night.    

This morning, Saturday, and Richard has just been to see Michel in the small on-site chandlery.   He helped him reassemble the autopilot arm so the old one has now been reinstalled and everything is operational again.    The new one needs welding – planned for Monday – and will then become our spare.   Phew!

The weather remains pretty cloudy and miserable today and, after yesterday, I think we’ll rest up although Richard has just gone off on the bus to Mr Bricolage while I’m blogging.   Sunday is laundry and cleaning day again….    On Monday our agent is bringing us our inter-island clearance documents so we can head to Papeete marina on Tuesday (if they have room).  We’ll then explore the capital properly and look forward to sampling some of the night life.  I’m particularly interested in the food trucks that fill a public space each evening near the marina.   Next stop will be to head over to Cook’s Bay in Moorea when we have had our fill of Papeete and we’re really looking forward to swimming, snorkelling and bobbing again!   It feels good to be finally enjoying French Polynesia having sailed 4,000 miles to get here from Panama…..     

Bye for now

Jan