Tahiti and Society Islands

We remained in Fakarava looking for a good weather window to sail to the 2 day voyage to Tahiti. The weather in the ITCZ was very unsettled and finally we picked the best weather window we could see in the next week and sailed from the Tuamotus’s on in the late afternoon on 18th May for the 260nm passage to Tahiti. We were making great speed with the Yankee, staysail and Missen main with a TWA of 130* but a very bumpy open seaway. Em and the kits were feeling unwell sailing the bumpy ocean after the past 6 weeks cruising around tropical islands and atolls. To make the passage even more enjoyable the winds were squally with electrical storms – the only thing missing to complete the Ocean sailing 101 handbook was the cold – at least it was still 26*C through the night, so no t-shirt required!

We arrived into Venus point Tahiti shortly before midnight on the 19th May. We had made excellent speed from Fakarava and ti was great to anchor in the evening, celebrate with an arrival beer (or two) and sleep until morning in this sheltered anchorage where James Cook and Astronomer Charles Green and Joseph Banks made his historical observation of Venus on 3rd June 1769.

In the morning we sailed along the coast inside the reef and found a buoy at Tahiti Yacht club where we waited for my Gina, Fraser and Freddie to join for a two week adventure and to look after Sunday Island while we travelled to Malta for a wedding. Gina arrived bringing a bunch of much needed spare parts for the Spectra Ventura watermaker that had faulty Nickle Bronze high pressure fittings that had broken down and destroyed the membrane. Spectra had agreed to replace the fittings but they still had not been supplied, so Gina went ahead and ordered the new fittings and replacement membrane to Tahiti with her. Ginas first couple of days onboard we spent getting familiar with the boat, shopping for food, and re-building the watermaker. We then sailed down towards the Airport anchorage where we found a buoy off marina Tahina and could safely leave Sunday Island while we caught the bus into town to explore the markets, and on another day caught a bus down to Teahupoo to check out the World Surf League surfing on the famous Teahupoo break.

On 26th May we left Sunday Island with her temp crew and jumped on the plane to CDG Paris, and then onto Malta. After three days of travel we arrived In Malta and enjoyed five days with family to celebrate the wedding of Ben and Sophie – Emilie’s Brother and new sister!

On the 4th June we returned to Papette. Our flight connection resulted in a day layover at CDG, so to occupy ourselves we visited the Asterix fun park – tiring ourselves out with roller-coaster rides!

We landed in Papette on the 6th June and caught a fast ferry to Morea where we were reunited with Sunday Island, crewed by Gina, Fraser and Freddie, and new crewmember my Mother Lyn Slightly exhausted we did a quick shop, lost my flip flop, then Sailed rournd to Opunchu Bay to anchor just inside the pass.

We alternated between anchoring in the pass and Opunchu Bay enjoying lots of snorkling with sharks and Rays. It was fun to watch Max and Freddie gaining an obsession for fishing as they fished from 6am 6pm for days on end, only stopping for lunch and a snorkel. While we were anchored in Opunchu bay we enjoyed a very fun night at the yacht club where my mum Lyn was called on stage to dance with the local men.

At Opunchu Morea we explored the local area including the coral museum and rivers filled with eels that enjoyed mayo and tuna from a can

On 9th of June Gina, Fraser and Freddie departed to fly home to Sunday Island. Mum remained onboard for another week as we sailed towards Raiatea.