It started raining the day of the Papeete rendezvous on Wednesday when the boat crews gathered at the main town quay in Papeete for a demonstration of a traditional sailing canoe. This was followed by a briefing for the skippers advising the best places to sail around the Society islands. Such a shame we will not be able to do much cruising as we are getting the boat hauled out next week we will probably have to sail straight to Bora Bora for the next rendezvous on 10 May. We have booked a few nights in a hotel whilst the boat is on the hard as there will be no fridge or freezer or showers available on the boat! So this means for Peter's birthday we will be staying in Hotel Tahiti Nui in Papeete which is only a short walk from the boatyard.
After the day time activities on Wednesday we gathered in the Town Hall for drinks and canapes and the usual prizegiving for leg 3 from Galapagos to Marquesas (the longest passage of the rally). Trompeta was winner of class B cruising division for having the shortest corrected time (there is a penalty for motoring).
Thursday was the day of the island tour and when the bus arrived at the Marina to collect us sure enough it was raining - again!! It was disappointing not to see the view of Moorea the sister island of Tahiti due to poor visability. The one good thing about the day was the excellent lunch laid on by the Gaugin Restaurant which was plentiful and hot which we all needed! It is surprising but the rain does cool everything down and it felt cold and damp just like an English summer?!? We did stop at a lovely botanical garden and were shown the white flower of Tahiti which is not to be confused with the plentiful white frangipane flowers. There are 9 different varieties of ginger flowers one of which reminded us of foxgloves.
After the island tour we were exhausted so an early night was the order of the day. Last night we had a very entertaining time with the Scottish couple David & Caroline (Peat Smoke) who came over for dinner. This morning was my visit to the hairdresser so I am now respectable again!! It was raining when we woke up today but it has sinced dried out but there are still lots of rain clouds hovering.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Just the two of us
Alison and David packed their bags and left the boat yesterday after four months on board.We are both quietly relieved to have our home back at last. A boat is a small space and there has been tension over the past few weeks especially.Now we just have the aftermath to deal with.
Peter is now tackling his long list of jobs and managed to give the main engine a good service yesterday and today. He has almost fixed the small water leak on the generator. Some of the generator parts sent by Fischer Panda in the UK were wrong so we have ordered again.
The boat is getting a good thorough spring clean as we have time to do it now we are on dock with water on tap. Expect Peter will pickle the watermaker as we will not be using it for a while.
Planning to go into Papeete by bus on Monday so Peter can visit all the various ship suppliers and chandleries for his parts and spares.
The spinnaker has gone off to the sailmaker for repair and should be back sometime next week. We have decided not to repair the blister as it is old and we are not sure how much longer the material will last anyway. Intend to order a new Parasailer next week as an additional downwind sail.
Tahiti is very beautiful and HOT!!
Peter is now tackling his long list of jobs and managed to give the main engine a good service yesterday and today. He has almost fixed the small water leak on the generator. Some of the generator parts sent by Fischer Panda in the UK were wrong so we have ordered again.
The boat is getting a good thorough spring clean as we have time to do it now we are on dock with water on tap. Expect Peter will pickle the watermaker as we will not be using it for a while.
Planning to go into Papeete by bus on Monday so Peter can visit all the various ship suppliers and chandleries for his parts and spares.
The spinnaker has gone off to the sailmaker for repair and should be back sometime next week. We have decided not to repair the blister as it is old and we are not sure how much longer the material will last anyway. Intend to order a new Parasailer next week as an additional downwind sail.
Tahiti is very beautiful and HOT!!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Marina Taina
Have now arrived at Marina Taina just outside the main town of Papeete in Tahiti. We got to the Marina late morning and had to drop anchor outside the main dock wall and reverse onto the dock so tied up with stern and lazy lines. Our Passerelle is now in action and using the dinghy davits we can raise it above the dock when we are not on board which is good and stops unwanted guests!
One of the best things about being here is that there is a HUGE Carrefour supermarket about 5 minutes walk away with well stocked shelves and a good range of products. Just like being in a TESCO at home!! Only difference being everything is expensive. There are some subsidised products which the French government provide financial assistance which are cheaper ( 50 tea bags £2.50). Peter came with me to see what was on offer and we were both amazed at what we can buy so provisioning to Australia will be great here (if expensive!!).
The yacht agent World ARC are using is based here in Marina Taina and he has been very helpful with information and advice. He has given Peter a list of shops and suppliers that will give us discount. He also collected our parcel from Fischer Panda for the generator so Peter can replace the parts.
We are booked into this Marina until 24 April but may stay longer as Peter wants to get the boat hauled out of the water again to check a crack in the skeg whcih supports the rudder so is fairly crucial to our safety!
The World ARC have a rendezvous in Papeete at the main town quay but we have been told by another skipper that it is noisy and unattractive so as this is on 25/26 April we may just get a bus/taxi to Papeete from the Marina here rather than move the boat.
Busy day yesterday with me doing two big laundry loads and shopping. Good job Peter took us out for dinner last night at the Marina restaurant which was very good and not too expensive (bottle Pinot Grigio £24 steak £18).
Today is a big jobs on the boat day!!
One of the best things about being here is that there is a HUGE Carrefour supermarket about 5 minutes walk away with well stocked shelves and a good range of products. Just like being in a TESCO at home!! Only difference being everything is expensive. There are some subsidised products which the French government provide financial assistance which are cheaper ( 50 tea bags £2.50). Peter came with me to see what was on offer and we were both amazed at what we can buy so provisioning to Australia will be great here (if expensive!!).
The yacht agent World ARC are using is based here in Marina Taina and he has been very helpful with information and advice. He has given Peter a list of shops and suppliers that will give us discount. He also collected our parcel from Fischer Panda for the generator so Peter can replace the parts.
We are booked into this Marina until 24 April but may stay longer as Peter wants to get the boat hauled out of the water again to check a crack in the skeg whcih supports the rudder so is fairly crucial to our safety!
The World ARC have a rendezvous in Papeete at the main town quay but we have been told by another skipper that it is noisy and unattractive so as this is on 25/26 April we may just get a bus/taxi to Papeete from the Marina here rather than move the boat.
Busy day yesterday with me doing two big laundry loads and shopping. Good job Peter took us out for dinner last night at the Marina restaurant which was very good and not too expensive (bottle Pinot Grigio £24 steak £18).
Today is a big jobs on the boat day!!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tahiti
Arrived at Tahiti yesterday afternoon we motor sailed in company with Sophie who suggested anchoring off Venus Point at the Northern end of Tahiti. However when we approached the anchorage Harold from Sophie radioed up to say no boats were using the anchorage which he thought suspicious and wanted to move along to the next bay so we agreed to follow. We duly arrived in a sheltered lagoon outsie Tahiti Yacht Club and a very king man from the Yacht Club advised we could anchor and showed us where would be suitable. The anchorage was deep around 19 metres so we had to lay around 80 metres of chain (good job we have 100 metres of chain!)! Harold radioed again to say Cristel his wife was not happy to stay as they only have 60 metres of chain so they were not staying and going to move to the next bay. We wished them luck and agreed to meet up in Taina Marina which is where we have a berth reserved from today. Sophie is in the same Marina from Saturday.
So having a lazy start this morning and will head off to the Marina around 9am to be in by lunchtime.
We caught two large Wahoo fish during the sail from Rangiroa so had one half last night which was delicious. Earlier that day we had caught two Tuna one being quite small we radioed Harold on Sophie to see if they would like it for dinner. So a few minutes later had the two boats sailing precariously close together while Dave tossed the tuna inside a plastic bag onto Sophie for Cristel to retrieve. Later we had an email from them to say how much they enjoyed the tuna and it was a first for them!! We assume they have never caught and eaten fresh fish on board.
So we well Peter really has a long list of jobs to do on the boat from engine servicing to fixing broken pumps including our shower drain which is most important!, at the moment I have to sponge out the shower tray manually each night. There are good chandleries here so Peter will be able to stock up on spares again. We also have the parcel sent from England by Fischer Panda for our generator so that is also a major job. Whilst all this boat maintenance stuff is going on I will be able to get loads of laundry done including all sheets and towels which are awkward to do on board. In addition Trompeta needs a good clean as after 4 months at sea things are getting grubby!!
I am getting excited about going to the big Fench Careefour supermake to stock up on produce and dried goods. Tahiti is expensive and I know everything will be at least 2 to 4 times the price in England but it will be good to have a choice of supplies again. The intention is to stock up enough so we can last until Australia where we make landfall end July 2012.
Tahiti is very green so I guess it rains a lot as we had several showers overnight so had to keep getting up to close hatches and put the fan on. No AC on board - maybe I should add tha to Peter's already long 'to do' list!!
So having a lazy start this morning and will head off to the Marina around 9am to be in by lunchtime.
We caught two large Wahoo fish during the sail from Rangiroa so had one half last night which was delicious. Earlier that day we had caught two Tuna one being quite small we radioed Harold on Sophie to see if they would like it for dinner. So a few minutes later had the two boats sailing precariously close together while Dave tossed the tuna inside a plastic bag onto Sophie for Cristel to retrieve. Later we had an email from them to say how much they enjoyed the tuna and it was a first for them!! We assume they have never caught and eaten fresh fish on board.
So we well Peter really has a long list of jobs to do on the boat from engine servicing to fixing broken pumps including our shower drain which is most important!, at the moment I have to sponge out the shower tray manually each night. There are good chandleries here so Peter will be able to stock up on spares again. We also have the parcel sent from England by Fischer Panda for our generator so that is also a major job. Whilst all this boat maintenance stuff is going on I will be able to get loads of laundry done including all sheets and towels which are awkward to do on board. In addition Trompeta needs a good clean as after 4 months at sea things are getting grubby!!
I am getting excited about going to the big Fench Careefour supermake to stock up on produce and dried goods. Tahiti is expensive and I know everything will be at least 2 to 4 times the price in England but it will be good to have a choice of supplies again. The intention is to stock up enough so we can last until Australia where we make landfall end July 2012.
Tahiti is very green so I guess it rains a lot as we had several showers overnight so had to keep getting up to close hatches and put the fan on. No AC on board - maybe I should add tha to Peter's already long 'to do' list!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Tuamotu Archipelago
Have spent 3 days in Nuka Hiva the largest of the Marquesas Islands where Peter took the opportunity to get some more diesel for the empty jerry cans. Discovered another Pearl Lodge Hotel there just like the one in Hiva Oa but with a smaller swimming pool. Had dinner at the Hotel on 2 of the nights we were there and tried another local restuarant called Moana Nui which was good value for money with the Harold and Kristel the German couple from Sophie (another HR). Whilst here we discovered our yellowbrick had stopped working so we have to manually email our daily position.There has been a problem with some trackers and yellowtrick are replacing all the trackers in Tahiti.
Left Nuka Hiva on Wednesday and arrived this morning at Rangiroa which is the largest of the Tuamotus being 40 miles long and 17 miles wide and the second largest coral atoll in the world. We had a tedious motoring journey with very little sailing and it was so HOT!! When the engine runs day and night it really makes the boat very warm especially in the aft cabin where we sleep. The entrance to Rangiroa is not straightforward as you have to line up the leading lights and come through a pass which has rips and tides. You are supposed to wait for slack water but we entered on the tide so had to motor hard to push though and avoid the reefs either side! When we leave tomorrow we plan to leave at slack water to make it easier!!
The anchorage here is very still flat calm water and HOT HOT HOT!! The decks are so hot you have to wear flip flops otherwise the soles of your feet get scorched. It must be well into the 30 degrees C. In this lagoon Black Pearl farming is a major operation and you have to take care avoid underwater lines when anchoring.
So we leave at 10.30am in the morning and will head straight for Taina Marina in Tahiti where Peter intends to do lots of work on the boat and I want to do a load of washing and get all the cushion covers cleaned again. I need to clean out the fridge and defrost the freezer which has not been done since leaving the BVI last December. There is a good big French supermarket near the Marina so I hope to be able to do some proper good provisioning for our next legs to Australia.
Tahiti is 200 miles away so we expect to be in the Marina on Thursday mid day. The time difference now is 10 hours behind UTC.
Left Nuka Hiva on Wednesday and arrived this morning at Rangiroa which is the largest of the Tuamotus being 40 miles long and 17 miles wide and the second largest coral atoll in the world. We had a tedious motoring journey with very little sailing and it was so HOT!! When the engine runs day and night it really makes the boat very warm especially in the aft cabin where we sleep. The entrance to Rangiroa is not straightforward as you have to line up the leading lights and come through a pass which has rips and tides. You are supposed to wait for slack water but we entered on the tide so had to motor hard to push though and avoid the reefs either side! When we leave tomorrow we plan to leave at slack water to make it easier!!
The anchorage here is very still flat calm water and HOT HOT HOT!! The decks are so hot you have to wear flip flops otherwise the soles of your feet get scorched. It must be well into the 30 degrees C. In this lagoon Black Pearl farming is a major operation and you have to take care avoid underwater lines when anchoring.
So we leave at 10.30am in the morning and will head straight for Taina Marina in Tahiti where Peter intends to do lots of work on the boat and I want to do a load of washing and get all the cushion covers cleaned again. I need to clean out the fridge and defrost the freezer which has not been done since leaving the BVI last December. There is a good big French supermarket near the Marina so I hope to be able to do some proper good provisioning for our next legs to Australia.
Tahiti is 200 miles away so we expect to be in the Marina on Thursday mid day. The time difference now is 10 hours behind UTC.
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