CHASING SQUALLS. THERE AND BACK TO SEE HOW FAR IT IS. November 28th 2020

 

Beautiful Avea Bay Huahine. Drone photo by Jocke PerssonFurusten

We're back in Papeete Marina after a 900nm round trip to nowhere! It'd have been OK if it had at least been a successful fishing trip but we didn’t have a single bite. Squalls, of which there were many, were our only source of wind so rather than avoid them we were chasing them. The night squalls were unpredictable as we couldn’t see them without the radar which had decided to go AWOL in spite of having reported for duty prior to departure!. So the trip was main up…furlers out... furlers in..furlers reefed...main reefed…motor on… motor off. Repeat….repeat for 8 days

Trip to nowhere.

Leaving beautiful Tahaa on the 6th of November bound for Australia was a risk we decided to take in order to make it home to WA this year. The cyclone season had commenced, although it's very unlikely a system would develop this early. We planned to make a straight run for Southport on the southern Queensland coast. 3200nm. All our ducks were in a row. We had clearance to arrive in Oz and Quarantine Exemption permission. The new Mainsail and halyard were installed and ready to go sailing. Extra fuel jerrys were filled to get us into the wind, which was possibly as long as 4 days away. 

The first 4 days were predicted to be very light and it fulfilled that prophecy, but we watched in dismay as weather systems develop ahead of us with the potential wind dying and continuing to die ahead of us for the forthcoming fortnight. (The extent of forecasting.) There was a Tropical Depression forecast to develop just at the extreme of the forecast and unless we could make 140nm a day our weather router advised we would be caught in it. With the lack of wind, we couldn’t guarantee 140nm a day motoring for 12 days so 400 miles out we decided to turn around and head back to Raiatea. The only wind we saw on the trip was that night with an unpleasant 20+ over the deck on the nose whipping up a short steep sea in the inevitable counter current. The rest of the return trip was slow and rolly to begin, but settled as we approached Raiatea south pass on Friday the 13th! After a 24hour rest, we decided to head onto Papeete overnight.

The Staysail furler had detached during that first night we turned back and we needed some welding done. In order to get to the tang, we needed to disable the windlass, which meant anchoring was risky. Papeete marina had pens available so on Sunday the 15th we tied up and plugged in the airconditioning!!!

A month previously we had to abort our departure to Oz. When we hauled the anchor, the windlass stopped with the anchor just 4 meters from the deck. So we re-anchored to repair the solenoid failure. When David was packing the main away the aft edge of the sail came away in his hand! We also noticed a wire coming adrift on a forward lower!! Things happen in 3s!  The sail had done 36,000nm and had been on the boat since South Africa 7 years previously. It showed no signs of wear so we were quite dismayed. In hindsight, we did get a very good run out of that sail and it was good to the death. No repairs or money spent on it.  The forward lowers, 7 years old. Not so happy. The windlass solenoid was just 2 years old. Not happy. 

A new sail was ordered from North Sails in South Africa, who built our old and we had it aboard in 3 weeks. An excellent outcome. The shrouds were replaced with new ones made up by Fenua Rigging in Tahiti and flown into Fare, Huahine. While we waited for the new Main we wiled away time in Avea Bay with lots of swimming and snorkelling. "Sea Rose",  Brian and Sue, very old friends from way back in Thailand, caught us there and after a week or so we moved on with them to circumnavigate Tahaa and Raiatea The new sail was shipped over to Huahine from Tahiti and we went back to pick that up and fit it.

Highlights of the circumnavigation of Tahaa and Raiatea were BBQs on deserted Motus, snorkelling the Coral Garden, Rum Distillery, Taputapuatea Mare: a World Heritage site, and a wonderful day upriver at the Botanic Gardens and fruit farm. Excellent company and lots of interesting experiences to fill the days.

Covid numbers increased as tourists and French workers were permitted to re-enter French Polynesia back in May. As I write French Polynesia has the most active cases per head of population in the world. Tahiti is the worst island, closely followed by the remainder of the Society Islands. Extreme vigilance by ourselves and most yachties means that socializing has been quite limited. Our cockpit is not big enough to allow the required social distancing so our friends list as shrunk considerably. 

Taputapuatea The cradle of Ma'ohi civilization Link to more info 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taputapuatea_marae

Some of the beautiful heliconia  and  ginger at the Botanic Gardens
More about Heliconia

We now plan to wait out cyclone season and have another go at it next year. Not such an onerous undertaking. Plans going forward as to our whereabouts are sketchy. Cyclone season here is predicted to be mild with a well developed la Nina. Possibly we will head east again to the Marquesas via the Tuamotos …. or we may just go and hang out in Avea Bay. If you get curious you can always check our map or tracker 

Tuatau anchorage at the south end of Raiatea.

Taipans Anchorages

Taipans Tracker

Meanwhile, we await the completion of a few repairs whilst enjoying some air-conditioning and a little very careful retail therapy and social interactions with a couple of other boats. 

Best wishes to everyone for a jolly ol' festive season wherever you may be. Be safe.

Raiatea Southern End

Andre and his family farm a little further inland and opposite the Botanic Gardens. He welcomes visitors and sells fruits and vegetables in season, as well as providing an interesting free tour.

Cruising Guide by Dream Yacht Charters for Raiatea, Bora Bora, Tahaa, Huahine.

SAILING THE SOCIETY ISLANDS. PRIVILEGE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES 1st September 2020

 

Marae at Huahine

I left you with the news that we were headed from Morea to Tahiti to commence departure planning, implying that we were heading to Australia. This was definitely the plan at the time

Kris n David Island style

So much has already been written about the difficulties encountered around the world during the pandemic but we've been fortunate to be in French Polynesia throughout. We were lucky to not be separated in different countries when I had to fly back to Western Australia in January and then encountered difficulties with my return due to a Visa mix up. An injury forced us to rush to Tahiti from Nuku Hiva, causing us to miss the Tuamotos, a vast cruising area of atolls to the east of Tahiti.

Tracks between Huahine and Raitea Tahaa. 

Subsequent lockdown in Papeete coincided with my back injury recovery and thus didn't inconvenience us much at all. We were able to fit in annual bottom maintenance on the hard before the end of lockdown. We were ready to head out as soon as it was announced that travel within the Archipelago was permitted. 

To stay or to go??

Our first destination was Moorea, just a 15nm west. Then our promised return to Tahiti. By now French Polynesia was totally CV19 free. Everything was normal except the country was closed to the world. Destinations to the west remained closed but there were promising signs of Fiji opening up to yachts.  So we decided to wait it out. With the weather particularly unfavourable because the big southerly systems heading well north this year we were pleased we did. Watching the progress of some boats which chose to head directly to Aus was enough to convince us that waiting was the better option. Added to the long sail, Australias forced Quarantine for all international arrivals without any consideration of sea time was another reason for delaying our departure. 

My ideal beach shack

Australian Border Force regulations count sea time from the last port but Health Authorities in each state has been given the power to impose their own rules. Their stupidity would choke a horse!! One couple spent 35 days alone at sea, nonstop from Tahiti (COVID Free for 2 months), and were forced to quarantine in a Queensland hotel for 14 days. This was not an isolated incident. The rules were not applied consistently and occasionally we would hear of sailors who were not forced to quarantine on arrival. The application of the rules seems indiscriminate which is also very annoying.

Our current anchorage is the red spot at the bottom. Avea bay

So here we are, still in French Polynesia, which has opened borders and has CV cases rising. Were are not worried about that so much, as we are fortunate to be able to keep contact to a real minimum. Huahine is located 86nm NW of Morea and we made the overnight passage arriving on July 5th  Huahine has a population of only 6000. There is an excellent supermarket and we try to load up and stay on anchor somewhere remote for weeks at a time.

Taipan is visited by whales in Fare, The small town on Huahine

Our favourite bay, Avea, is at the southern end of the island and it has a long white sandy beach with a few houses and a resort, La Mahana, which also welcomes yachties....  (we don't frequent it now the tourists are back.) The entire island is surrounded by fringing reef providing excellent protection from swell. There's a road right around and not a lot of traffic so maybe the bikes will come out soon. Within the bay and only meters from Taipan is some satisfactory snorkelling in warm clear water where we can happily while away several hours every day. 

Cruisers gathered aboard Taipan for sundowners.

Just 30 miles west is a double island with an enclosed reef Raiatea and Tahaa offer a little more facilities with a couple of marinas and boatyards. There are airports out of most islands except Tahaa which is only a short boat ride from Raiatea airport. A lot of charter boats operate out of Raiatea. From Raiatea to Bora Bora its only 16nm but we've not ventured there yet. It's not a very cruiser friendly destination. No anchoring and quite steep fees for the moorings.

Crystal clear water.

Huahine like most islands has its ancient stone ceremonial sites called Marae. On an afternoon drive with some new friends we met in the resort before the tourists were allowed back we visited some of these sites. They are quite different from the sites in Tahiti. It's incredible to think these huge stones were assembled with no machinery. Lots of slaves I think!. Aside from the Maraes we also visited the Rum distillery in Fare the only town on the island. Chocolate Rum!! Yum

For now, we remain in Huahine and wait to see how the rest of the world, particularly Australia and the countries to the west of us, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, handle the CV situation. Cyclone season commences on Nov 1st which means we have to head directly to Australia or back East and north. Maybe as far as the Marquesas again. 

Watch this space.

RELEASED FROM THE LOCKUPJune 5th 2020

Tahiti Airport Anchorage towards Morea.

After a very long period of confinement from10th March to 30th of April, we have emerged from hibernation. 

North Coast of Tahiti

Tahiti recorded 60 CV19 cases and one hospitalized with no deaths, so it was very well handled and Tahiti and Morea were the only two islands amongst the hundreds comprising French Polynesia to record cases. An early case in Fakarava was airlifted to Tahiti and didn’t spread and a late case was airlifted to a Tahiti from an Ecuadorian Fishing boat near NukuHiva and the boat was sent back to Ecuador there have been no new cases for about one month. 

Only 1 barnacle!!

The lockdown was pretty similar to most places I think. We had to have ID on us if we left the boat and no stores except essential grocery, fuel, pharmacy, etc only one person was permitted to shop from any lockdown group. There was a special form we had to fill out for every visit ashore which stated place of residence, time of departure, intended destination, etc and two hours was maximum time allowed. No alcohol sales at all. David only made two trips to the grocery. I swam against the wall beside the boat most days as waking was still a challenge. At the end of May they lifted that restriction to sales Monday to Thursday. No weekend sales There was also an 8am to 5 am curfew lifted at the end of April 

That darn ladder!

The first job, once we were let loose, was to get Taipans ass out of the water and replace her cutlass bearing. That’s a tube thingy that fits over the propeller shaft inside another thing and stops it clanking when we have to motor. So while she was out David also splashed some antifoul paint on in an attempt to dissuade critters that like to freeload on boats and in so doing can cause the boat go very slow, dragging all that crap through the water, and we don’t want that.

Technimarine hardstand was very good. Their travel lift team were professional and the yard very clean. Pity about the bathrooms. It’s a high dock, however, so we were forced to remove our forestay to enable the lift to get our keel high enough to clear the edge. Lucky we extended the backstay in the UK which now provides enough thread to loosen it without having to remove it entirely, making removing the forestay, furler and sail intact, a much simpler job now.

Tahiti Graffiti

We stayed aboard for the duration; up Monday and relaunch Thursday and it was ok. This was the last 4 days of full lockdown and everything was very quiet but we were able to get the required supplies for painting etc. My back has improved and the ladder was good exercise.

 

Taipan in Cooks Bay

After launching we took off around the island and tried unsuccessfully to catch a fish on our way to the lagoon and we anchored near the airport with a big group of other stranded yachts. No boats were allowed to move without express permission until Mid May. The Hotel California Cruising Net on VHF each morning was our source of local news and provided entertainment each evening either with Quiz shows, Dingy Raft-Up get together with social distancing or later dingy-in Movie nights with a movie showing on the aft of a big catamaran and everyone snuggled in their dingy. We missed those because we left for Moorea about 14 nm west beforehand to rendezvous with old sailing palls Sal and John Potter on Capal Mara. A good two weeks of catching up saw the total and simultaneous destruction of the cellar and our livers.

Cooks Bay

The anchorage at Cooks Bay, famous for a visit by the good Captain Cook, is a superb anchorage deeply cut into the interior with high mountains each side, and with good fringing reef protection from the sea  We have been here social distancing for three weeks, and with no sign of any of the island groups between 

Excellent restaurant in Cooks Bay

French Polynesia and Australia opening their borders any time soon it has become inevitable that the passage back will be a long one. Cairns is roughly 3700nm from here and that could take up to 30 days if winds are fickle and possibly less if we see good consistent breezes. 

On Sunday we plan to return to Tahiti and start clearance procedures. Stay tuned for departure. You can follow our progress on the Iridium tracking site. It’s live and shows the weather in real-time. See you on the other side 

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Taipan

View into Cooks bay from the back door

Now in Papeete Marina. Tahiti. Waiting for a weather window.