Tahiti - Now that DOES sound a long way from home

Date: 28th June 2023

Location: Fare, Huahine Island, Society Islands, French Polynesia

Last night we were sitting in the cockpit with Hazel and Paul of Susimi after a sumptuous meal of fresh tuna when we heard drumming coming from ashore. Into the dinghy we jumped and went to see what was going on. Somewhat nervous that the pot was being prepared for "Cruisers Night" (they are always drawn by the noise of the drums) we found the source of the noise in an open courtyard with a roof, part of a school we think. There we found not only drums but dancers too. Next week is Huahine [Who-aa-hee-knee) festival week and they were practising for it. Local people grinning and enjoying life to the full. And hips, oh those gyrating hips!

But back to the Tuamotus.

Our final adventure there was the drift snorkel on Fakarava South Pass. We took our dinghy out to the fringing reef early one morning with Chris and Michelle of Baleza, a boat remarkably similar to Mehalah but confusingly a mirror image of our boat down below.

We are normally wimps in this snorkelling lark but this was one not to be missed. While Chris jumped in with full dive gear we launched ourselves over the side of Dumpy the dinghy and into the water with snorkels and fins. The tide had just turned so towing the dinghy behind us we floated slowly back into the lagoon watching the magical underwater world pass beneath us. Sharks, sharks, sharks. That's what Fakarava South is famous for. Unfortunately Gill dropped our underwater camera as she jumped in so these pictures are from Michelle. You swim along looking at hundreds of sharks lying on the bottom some 20m below and then out the corner of your eye you see one just a couple of metres away. Nurse, white tips and black tips lying waiting for food to be swept in on the incoming tide. Pretty cool I have to say. So good it was we had to make a second pass so we motored out and did it all again. By now though the tide was coming in fast and the current too strong to swim against. Gill and I together with the dinghy got swept onto a coral head. We eventually managed to free ourselves and swim out to deeper water but not without a few coral cuts and scrapes. Luckily they all healed well as coral injuries can easily turn septic.

Shark.

More sharks.

The next day, with a good weather forecast, we left Fakarava bound for the exotic sounding Tahiti. 240 miles away this was a two nighter. Mehalah, Beez Neez, Mai Tai and Itiki spent the next two days leap frogging each other. It was a painless passage, though as we closed in on Tahiti we had squalls and 25 knot winds under an impressive, jagged, threatening sky. We turned to port and wound our way through the reef and into Venus Bay anchorage where Captain Cook first mapped the passage of Venus across the sky. The wind was still gusty but the water behind the reef was flat. Mai Tai joined us shortly afterwards and one legged Ollie with crew Sally told us of their epic adventures with a big mahi mahi and a marlin they had caught. Dinner for us all was delicious mahi cubes cooked in flour and spices.

Next day after a good rest we made our way round to Pape'ete the capital of the whole of French Polynesia. Through the port, down past the airport anchorage to Tiane marina. No room. Damn. Back to airport anchorage where we squeezed in behind the reef in 14m of water. Then we dinghied the two miles back to the marina. What did we see? Cars, dual carriageways and yes, a massive Carrefour! From no choice to every choice. Amazing after so many months of meagre supplies. But pricey? Oh yes. One trolley (cart to you N Americans) with no meat and just six beers cost the equivalent of $580 US! Ouch. But then again we've not spent much in the last few weeks. Over the next few days more and more of our little bubble of westward bound boats arrived. I think we ate on our own only once in seven days.

Sunset at Airport Anchorage.

$580 US!

Tahiti though is touristy and apart from the obligatory waterfall, a blowhole and some impressively steep hikes does not seem to have all that much to offer. It's great for restocking though and once we had moved to the main town marina we were able to get fuel and provisions and spend a day circling the island in a hire car with Kevin and Shawna of Meraki 2 despite finding my driving licence had expired. Propane refills were a nightmare as usual with our UK bottles proving impossible to fill. Whilst talking to ChangeUp though they told us they had an extra US bottle they did not need that we could have for free! So we have that strapped to the back of the boat ready to do the illegal decant to our bottle sometime soon. Pape'ete Marina is right in town but it does not have a booking system. It's first come first served. Luckily Meraki 2 spoke with Blue Moon who were leaving and we managed to sneak into their spot as they left.

Impressive blowhole.

Obligatory waterfall.

One interesting fact about Pape'ete [Pap-ay-ee-tay] is the message they play at the traffic crossings. I'm sure they say "Oh shit. Pietons."

Pape'ete's Sunday market is amazing.

No idea what this is.

Fresh tuna. £8 per kilo.

The pamplemouse are how much?

Father's Day flower stall.

In Pape'ete Marina we met up with New Zealand Sally again who was crewing for Ollie on Mai Tai. For various reasons she had decided to jump ship and we asked her if she would like to join us to Tonga our next major destination some 1,200 miles away. She is really keen and will join us here shortly for a few final days in French Polynesia.

Whilst in Tahiti I did a full engine service, generator service and strengthened the shaft brake bracket.

New improved bracket.

The next island was Moorea 20 miles from Tahiti. Leaving the marina we had 'an incident'. There was a crosswind that we misjudged and we ended up clipping the downwind boat. Only minor damage and despite contacting the owner later it looks as though no further action will be required. Once free of the port though we had a cracking sail joined by Kris and Maree who had helped crew a fast catamaran with the owner direct from New Zealand - a hard passage. The improved shaft brake worked a treat and we hit 8.4 knots as the breeze freshened. What a difference Cooks Bay was to Tahiti. Great holding in 13m and we knew many of the boats. More social occasions including a visit to the Society Island's top fruit juice factory. The bad news is that the new dinghy engine started to play up. I fear it might be a head gasket issue.

Fruit juice factory. Production line.

Hull cleaning in Moorea - normally Gill's job 

First pineapples we have seen growing.

The weather between here and Tonga is usually fairly benign but this year is an El Niño year and the winds are crazy strong and adverse. Depressions that normally keep south are careering up from New Zealand bringing very strong unpredictable storms. So we have to decide. Head north to American Samoa (will we be allowed into Suwarrow), south on the normal route via Niue (expensive mooring balls only that might be full) or a longer passage direct to Tonga (which we currently favour).

It was another overnight passage to arrive here on Huahine. The wind was less than forecast so we were forced to motor most of the way. Susimi chose to round the island via the windier east side so they arrived at the anchorage here before we did - unfortunately for us taking the last mooring ball. We are anchored rather close to the ferry channel but all seems good. It's been gusty again though with winds exceeding 20knots on most days. Yesterday before heading out to see the dancing I spent much of the day fixing our original 2.5hp Yamaha dinghy engine. Don't say it too loud but... so far so good!

Huahine - sea front.

I'll leave you with some of my favourite contests in the upcoming Huahine Annual Festival....

- Best braided hat, fan or bouquet of flowers.

- Most beautiful local long-sleeved shirt.

- Most beautiful dry vegetable choker.

- Most beautiful hat made from fresh vegetables.

And my favourites....

- Coconut Shelling contest.

- Best coconut tree climber.

- Most beautiful flowered double canoe.

Fair stall.

The many uses of coconuts.

Tuamotus - Part 2

Date: 4th June 2023.

Location: Harifa anchorage, Fakarava atoll, The Tuamotus.

First, here a few photos of the five day Marquesas to Tuamotus passage....

Before we depart we purchase tuna for dinner tonight.

Here comes another squall. Close the hatches.

Entering our first pass. A bit choppy.

Calm inside the lagoon.

Welcome to your mooring.

We spent a relaxing few days in Toau after our passage from the Marquesas with good friends from the Merakis. If you know Gilly's jewellery you'll know it's all light blues, turquoise and greens. These are the colours of the Tuamotus. Blue, blue water in the lagoon. The highlight was the dinghy trip to "Four Coconut Trees Island". We spent the afternoon there chilling out and discussing where we all intend to spend cyclone season. And even where everyone will go the next season. Talk now is no longer of the Galapagos or French Polynesia but of New Caledonia, Brisbane and Indonesia. Another gorgeous location.

Planning meeting.

Our own magic island.

Soon it was time to move south to Fakarava atoll. This is a biggy with an entrance in the north and one in the south. It's 30 miles by 15. We motored out from Tuao through the now tranquil pass and tacked and motored south. We got the timing of slack water spot on so motored in through the pussycat of a pass and anchored in the NE corner of Fakarava. As usual there were boats there that we knew.

This was a new style of anchoring for us. To hopefully (haha) keep our chain up above the coral heads we attach discarded floats from the pearl farms every few metres along the chain as it is deployed.

Deploying the pearl floats for the first time.

Pearl Float Art.

One of our first excursions was to a pearl farm with Itiki. They grow the oysters for 18 months then a "master" opens them up a bit and inserts a small spherical piece of plastic and a bit of flesh. This prompts the oyster, now back on a string to produce pearl around the sphere. After another 18 months they take that one out and put in a bigger ball. Rinse and repeat as the pearls get bigger. Black pearls are the speciality here. Gill bought a nice Category C. white pearl (A is best quality).

Pearl Farm demonstration.

Pearls!

Pearl Farm Resort.

A shark swims through this exclusive resort's swimming area.

Later we met up with a new English boat called Mai Tai owned and sailed by Ollie a one legged sports fisherman who has worked as a guide and captain in Russia, Australia and the Bahamas. He invited us and another couple to his catamaran for Film Night. He hung his white bedsheet as a screen from some ropes and borrowed a small projector. Popcorn was provided and we all brought drinks and a dip. We watched "Following Seas" the true story of an American family sailing first through French Polynesia in the 60s and then around Antarctica. Many of the clips of Polynesia we all recognised. It's a great story and a bit of a tear jerker so I won't tell you what happens except to say the incident with the goat happened at Daniel's Bay, our favourite Marquesan anchorage.

The next day Ollie took us fishing in his dinghy. You can't eat the fish because of cigatuera which was a good thing because we didn't catch any. We did hit the reef though and get absolutely soaked in the choppy seas. Not a great success but at least the dinghy wasn't holed on the reef.

There's very little food there in the small village unless the supply boat has been in, usually on a Wednesday. At this time of year with all the cruising boats around it's a bit embarrassing as some cruisers ransack the few small shops for whatever they can get leaving little for the locals to buy. They had run out of diesel too but we have plenty for the next leg.

The south easterly winds turned strong westerly and we were on a lee shore with coral bommies all around. Our anchor chain was of course, despite the pearl floats, caught round two bommies as we set off for Harifa in the SE corner of the atoll. One of the few cruisers' skills we don't have is free diving. Our anchor and chain was twisted round these coral heads 14m down so we radioed for some help. Julian an Australian from Silver Chief came over with his very long flippers. Down he went and 30 minutes later we were free. Six beers was a small price to pay.

So here we are in Harifa. Every anchorage seems more beautiful than the last one and this is no exception. Itiki are here so it's drinks on the beach and general chilling out. I replaced the dinghy engine's carburettor which seems to have improved its starting, we kayaked after an enormous manta ray and repaired a fraying halyard. All good stuff. Look away if you don't want to see photos of this most beautiful anchorage. Meanwhile the surf continues to crash against the outer reef as all is tranquil inside the lagoon.

Full Moonrise.

Dinghy Lift.

Mehalah in the evening.

Off to the shore for evening drinks.

One happy Gilly.

Anchor watch. Mehalah in the background.

John and Linda from Itiki checking out their "vagina" cushions!

Tomorrow we will move to South Pass where we hope to drift snorkel with hundreds of sharks waiting for dinner to come in on the tide (he says as if this is an every day occurrence!)

Mentally now we are preparing for the next 250 mile passage to Tahiti and Pape'ete the capital of French Polynesia. It's French, it has a Carrefour and we can't wait for a little bit of city life again.