Society Islands and the In-Laws

Moorea skyline

After being in the Tuamotus for over three weeks, we thought that Papeete (the capitol of Tahiti) would be a culture shock, so we opted to anchor at Port Phaeton which is close to the smaller town of Taravao.  This is where we had the good luck of meeting several of the local teachers who were kind and generous in showing us the sights of Tahiti.  A special thank-you to Cecelia who toured us around the island, explained so much of the culture, politics, family life, answered our zillions of questions and showed us the true meaning of hospitality over several days!  It was hard to leave such wonderful new friends!

Heiva Dance Competition on Huahine

Papeete brought a happy reunion with Stephen’s parents, who are game enough to come sailing with us on Narama.  Serendipity is a wonderful thing and we are glad that plans coincided so we could rendez-vous for nearly three weeks.  The crew of “Mystic 2”  (Ian and Wendy) joined us for some glorious trade-wind sailing, swimming and snorkeling in turquoise waters, cycling, many happy hours, card games and stunning sunsets.  We had a beautiful day sail from Tahiti to Moorea along with a pod of Melon-headed Whales and an overnight sail to Huahine.  Over night sailing was a logistical challenge on Narama with four people and not quite enough sea berths – our table folds down to create a bunk, but it’s also our chart table.  We enjoyed the sights of lush green hills and steep mountains surrounded by beautiful lagoons.  We shared many a morning coffee and fresh baguette and lots of

laughs!

Wendy, Ian and Heidi at the Belvedere on Moorea

Here is Wendy’s final entry into our logbook, she says it much more eloquently!

Oh woe is us, its time to go
Our last two week’s thoughts overflow
We’ve dined on local veg and fruit
And fresh baguettes just made to suit.

The tur quoise water beckoned us
Over the side we slipped without a fuss.
There’s fish and coral and rays and all
Each day we swam and had a ball.

On Tahiti we saw a local show,
Dancers and singers all algow.
With wiggling hip and native drum,
And Tahitians cheering made it hum.

We sailed across the rolling sea,
From Tahiti to Moorea and Huahine.
The night time sail, a first for me.
The full moon shining helped us to see.
Ships lights far away and the curling spray
Till the sun came up at the break of day.

Then on Moorea we snorkeled lots,
And walked up Belvedere to view hot spots.
And there were many cruising boats,
Who invited us over, we also played host.

On Huahine we hired some bikes,
To test our muscles and see the sights.
A day away from our sturdy craft,
Narama’s a champ from bow to aft.

We viewed another local show,
With people wandering to and fro.
And dancers showing their agile side,
The singers and drummers performing with pride.

A highlight of our Tahaa stay,
Was a local fisherman who refused any pay.
For bags of fruit he plied us with,
But did accept some rope as a parting gift.

Anchored just inside the reef,
The crashing waves lulled us to sleep.
And with the breaking of the day,
Refreshed, twas time to go and play.

So as we sadly journey home,
We wish you luck where e’re you roam.
It’s been such fun, we hate to part,
So many, many thanks from the bottom of our hearts!

Tahitian Stingrays

Marquesas and Tuamotus Species List

Blue Damsels

We spent much of our time in the Tuamotus snorkeling and identifying fish as well as walking around the small “motus” or cays. These walks were of course while we were looking for birds, specifically the Tuamotu Sandpiper. This is a small endemic brown bird, endangered because introduced rats like to eat them and their chicks when nesting. Finally we found a few of these little birds during our last few days in the islands. They are not like the sandpipers we are used to at home on the west coast; while we were watching and photographing one, Stephen was crouched with a 400m lens on and one came right up to him to investigate!

Tuamotu Sandpiper

Marquesas and Tuamotus Species List
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Bulwer’s Petrel
Tahiti Petrel
White-necked Petrel
Polynesian Storm-Petrel
White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Masked Booby
Brown Booby
Red-footed Booby
Lesser Frigatebird
Pacific Reef Heron
Wandering Tattler
Tuamotu Sandpiper
Bristle-thighed Curlew
Great Crested Tern
Spectacled Tern
Sooty Tern
Brown Noddy
Black Noddy
Blue-grey Noddy
Common Fairy-Tern
Little Fairy-Tern
Zebra Dove
Atoll Fruit-Dove
White-capped Fruit-Dove
Nukuhiva Pigeon
Long-tailed Cuckoo
Marquesas Swiftlet
Marquesas Reed-Warbler
Tuamotu Reed-Warbler
Common Myna
Red-browed Firetail
Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
Spinner Dolphins
Bottlenose Dolphins
Rough-toothed Dolphins
Melon-headed Whales

Tuamotus

We write this on our last 300nm leg into Tahiti from the Tuamotu Archipelago. We would have stayed there longer than 3 weeks but we have run out of fresh food and tinned supply is getting low. I guess we are not as hardy as we should be and live off ships biscuits and salted meat. The waterline is improving as the dry stores from Mexico are consumed. We were glad to have really stocked up their as variety, price and availability was so much better. Thanks to “Pelagic” we were able to fill up our water tanks with an extra 100L to see us through comfortably. We only visited two atolls and although spent most of the time exploring, did pluck away at the few little boat projects that keep getting added to the list. The most serious being pulling the gear shift/throttle control out to remove corrosion build up that was making for a stiff control. We were a little apprehensive about the entry, navigation within and anchoring about coral in the atolls. The tide predictor another cruiser has made worked well and given quiet conditions the passes were fine. We were glad to have made ratlines up the shrouds (not having mast steps) to get a little extra height and this became Heidi’s favorite “hang out” as we crossed the lagoons laying a track down with GPS navigation as we went and plotting the spotted coral heads. A handy tool for retracing our steps in less than ideal conditions. We visited Raroia and Tahanea and made for the lee shore (easterly side) most of our time. Tucked in behind motus (islands surrounding the atoll) we had flat seas in 20+ knots. We had all sorts of plans to trade for pearls to make our riches and lighten the boat, but this was not to be and instead loaded up on coconuts after husking them on the beaches first. We learnt here that if you leave a husked coconut in the sun it will heat up and crack, so with the help of “Blue Moon” we have added to our knowledge in more ways to eat the “nut”.


We’ll post a complete species list soon!

Walking, Working, Waiting and Mangoes

Calm anchorages are a rarity here in the Marquesas, but even in 20 knot winds, Anaho Bay on the north side of Nuku Hiva was not rolly.  So we enjoyed a week catching up on boat projects – nothing serious, just maintenance (like oil changes, touch up stitching on the jib, etc).  Interspersed with swimming, the snorkeling was great, huge coral formations and still more new fish.  Hiking to a wind swept, crab and coconut strewn beach and in the other direction over a pass to the small village of Hatihue, then further on up the cross-island road to some huge archeological remains, superb views and saw two of the island’s endemic birds.  Then mangoes!!!  A friendly local went on about the virtues of mangoes and laughed at the visitors he sees coming down the trail dripping with yellow ooze.  Given peak mango season and high winds the ground was piled with rotting and freshly dropped fruit.  There was no holding back and we have devoured close on a hundred by now!  Returning to the main village to resupply and head for the Tuamotus our enthusiasm for departing was quelled by a large approaching weather system.  So we acted on prudence and waited for a more favourable looking window of weather; probably a good thing as the only vegetables we could buy on our planned departure morning was tomatoes and zucchini and we were wanting a months worth of goodies.  The Saturday market proved a little better as did the forecast and we departed in a pleasant 12kn easterly.

Cruising the Marquesas

Spinner Dolphins in the Hanaiapa Anchorage



From Atuona on Hiva Oa we sailed SW around Is. Tahuata, where we anchored in Hanamoenoa Bay – with white sand lined with palm trees where we had excellent snorkeling. Most bays here in the Marquesas are dark and murky and everyone warns you of sharks, so Hanamoenoa was a real treat! We stayed for three days working on lots of odd jobs on the boat after our long crossing and snorkeling twice a day. One afternoon as we were rowing the dinghy over to the reef on the side of the bay a dark shape in the water caught our eye. No, not sharks. We jumped in and watched two large (6-feet + across) Manta rays gracefully perform backward summersaults through the water as they filtered the plankton – how wonderful!

We visited one small village on Tahuata where we found fresh mangoes falling from the trees (cut off the bruises and they’re fine) and then sailed around to the north side of Hiva Oa. We met William, a lovely man who is the self-appointed Commodore of the Hanaiapa Yacht Club. The yacht club consists of a guest book which he gets most passing to sign and in return gives away lots of fresh fruit from his garden.

We had a great sail north to the smaller island of Ua Huka (Oo-Ah Hoo-Kah) which didn’t offer much for protected spot to anchor. We sat for a night next to a couple small islets absolutely covered in nesting Sooty Terns. It was a wild place all to ourselves which isn’t surprising as we didn’t sleep for the waves knocking us around. That was last night, now we are in the relative metropolis of Taiohae Bay on Nuku Hiva, with about 20 yachts for neighbors!

Landfall Hiva Oa, Marquesas

“At once the new starlight walked the water, leaving a footpath of silver to run between me and the east like a life line through the multitudinous creases in the palm of the sea’s black out-stretched hand.”

--Laurens van der Post.

Our first impressions were the smells of earth, plants and flowers and decay and the sights of so many brilliant colours – the greens of lush jungle and vived red hibiscus. Once the anchor was down friends from “Pipistrelle” came over to welcome us and then presented us with some fresh fruit and a bit of bubbly to celebrate! We went ashore toute suite for a hike in the hills along a stream to work some muscles and our lungs – not at lot of cardio in 33 feet of space!

So far we’ve enjoyed eating the daily bagettes and so much fresh fruit: bananas brought by the bunch, pamplemouse (sweeter than grapefruit and so huge!) Refreshing showers of rain and lot’s of water to wash with and beautiful friendly people. Our only frustration is that Spanish comes out whenever we open our mouths and now we need français. But Heidi’s highschool French is returning in leaps and bounds, whenever we hitch hike into town!

Trip stats from Galapagos to Hiva Oa:

Distance: 2941 nautical miles (nm)

Time: 25 days

Average distance in 24 hours: 120 nm

Best day: 155 nm

Worst day: 84 nm

Sail changes: 41

Flying fish on deck: 48

Water consumed: 210L

Engine running hours: 16.3 (about 32L of fuel)

Loaves of bread baked: 11 (all but one were made by Stevo!)

A very dirty boat after 25 days of sailing hard

Life at Sea

25 days at sea without sight of land might seem like an awfully long time, but it depends on your perspective. Our longest passage took 31 days in 2004 from New Zealand to Tahiti and honestly a couple days doesn’t make much difference – we are still really happy to see land! Our isolation on Narama is even more profound as we have very limited communication onboard. Our VHF Radio rarely gets turned on, unless we can actually see another ship or sailboat as its range is limited. We have an SSB receiver which lets us get weather forecasts via either a voice recording or we can plug the audio into the laptop and some lovely software turns a bunch of clicks and beeps into a weather fax image. Our SSB also lets us listen to Radio Australia from Suva and to the “Radio Nets” that other yachties often use to chat and relay weather and positions. Out little unit does not allow us to transmit, so we are really just lurking on the sidelines and not participating in these nets. While listening we learned that nearly everyone has a pet name for their autopilot. Our windvane is “Ernest” and he steers the boat 95% of the time on passage. Our electric autopilot is “Parson Brown” and gets put to work whenever we are motoring.


We found that having a routine helped to make the days go by faster. The first four days or so every moment off watch is spent napping, then it seems our body gets used to the schedule and doesn’t need as much sleep. So what do we do with our time? Well of course there’s the actual sailing of the boat. You have to keep an eye on Ernest since he steers by the direction of the wind, if the wind swings, so do we. But a casual glance at the compass and a quick scan of the horizon for traffic every few minutes is really the required watch activity. Add to that the occasional sail and vane adjustments and there’s still time to read a book or cook a meal. We also keep a rather detailed “logbook” which really reads more like a ship’s journal. We note the weather, our speed and direction in a table every four hours as well as our noon position and a few other important stats. Otherwise we often note all sorts of very “unofficial” details: wildlife: whales and birds and even flying fish (especially if they land on deck), the moon, stars, general mood of the crew and and what we eat, etc. It’s often quite interesting to start a watch and read what the other has written, especially if there’s been serious star-gazing and philosophizing.

Other shipboard routines include our daily happy hour drink. Conditions have to be pretty rough for us to go without it, sometimes it’s just a glass of juice, usually it involves brandy. We also have a daily “bucket bridage” on the foredeck. There’s not enough fresh water storage on Narama for us to have showers, so every morning (usually at the 10 AM watch change) we head to the foredeck with a bottle of shampoo and a bucket. In this hot tropical climate it is very pleasing to tip buckets of sea water on each other’s head. We then get a couple of cups of fresh water to rinse off a bit of the salt and this keeps us from going “feral”.

Aside from all this, reading is probably the most common activity (next to sleeping). Our most common conversation topic is definitely the weather, followed by the boat itself. Life at sea isn’t too bad really, it’s just tedious when the seas are rough and you can’t use two hands to do anything (one is holding on!).

A few quotes from our logbook:

April 14: “We’re now bouncing along under 3 reefs and a little bit of jib. I’m guessing that the large convection cells and wind against tide are keeping the seas rough.”

April 17: “Happy hour and full moon rise as sun set. Seas slowly easing and we’re making just over 4 knots.”

April 26: “Dreary drizzle, dolphins diving with dashing dexterity in the dark depths, drawing dazzling designs with diamonds.”

April 27: “One of those nights when staying awake seems impossible. Walk from the cockpit to the galley and back again, over and over. Eat a piece of chocolate and still my head wants to lie on any surface available. Meanwhile Stevo snores like a trooper and makes me insanely jealous!”


We caught a Tuna!