Hi Folks,

OK last email in catch-up…..

So following Tahiti, which we were quite pleased to leave, and having managed to persuade the boat yard to get Babe back into the water for the Monday we were back on track for taking part in the Tahiti pearl regatta, which apparently is a major event in the pacific sailing world! Lots more info at http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/169525/Oyster-yachts-at-the-Tahiti-Pearl-Regatta and http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/10th-Tahiti-Pearl-Regatta---see-the-images-by-Morgan-Rogers/109616 which includes a great shot of Babe!

So leaving Papeete in Tahiti was a short overnight sail to the island of Raiatea. A bit of a technical entrance into the island which is surrounded by a full coral reef with only a few possible points of entry and a bit of current – but a beautiful approach! Couldn’t get into the town marina as completely full so reserved a space in a nice little marina just around the corner.

So next day went to town for the skippers briefing, predominantly in French and about as clear as mud! Having to also shell out more money for number, more T-shirts, temporary membership of the yacht club blah blah. Turns out that the committee decided not to both giving us a racing certificate and instead decided to lump the circa 10 Oysters taking part into a class of their own – no worries we know we’re fast!

May 8^th – practice race day, strong winds and the most complex course between the island and the coral reef and around a few sand banks. No worries me thought, bring it on – full sail out, close hauled in 20 odd knots, Babe well healed and then wow up to 28knots boat almost horizontal and to top that steering decided to jump a notch, ‘steering failed me said, lets dump sail – looking at the crew (Trish, Nelius, Sarah and Raph) it was apparent that except for Nelius and I, we were sailing outside the crews comfort zone. Time to reef down a little. Following which we were about sorted for the race, except trying to decode the flippin start instructions and even the start line was more a  game of luck than the strategic process we were hoping for! Still managed to get 3^rd place behind Proteus and Mariella, which we were more than happy with as both are big boys & race experienced crew compared to our modest 54’ Babe and a few hacks and not a scratch on Babe!

May 9^th – Proper race from island of Raiatea to the island of Huahine, about 28 miles away. Serious skipper briefing the night before and decided we would take a more relaxed and fun inspired sail rather than a full on over sail approach of the previous day for the sake of staving off a mutiny I agreed. Wind was still strong at 20-25 knots and it was clearly going to be a beat all the way with a number of tacks to keep course. Again a pathetic start, only realising we were going when Proteus and Sotto Vento crossed a vague start line. Still being the smallest Oyster to enter the race we had our tactics and set off. Proteus, Sotto and Mariella raced ahead on long tacks – we attempted the same for a while and then realised we could probably make ground using short tacks which eventually paid off, passing Satika and almost catching  up with Sotto (until realising they had retired and gone on engine due to ill crew). No worries, great race an officially placed second, which was a brilliant result! Followed by an evening party including relay racing, fire dancing, traditional dancers, coconut grating races and lots of merriment!

So much so that we decided to have a day off on the Friday (May 10^th), focusing on the beach party in the evening, which was a brilliant if not overly drunken affair in a beautiful bay to the south of Huahine. So time for a snorkel and chill before the beach party in the evening! Again lots of welcome drinks, mixing with the folks from the other yachts taking part in the regatta – great atmosphere and loads of dancing (so much so that I was referred to as the dancer the following day, blah blah).

Saturday May 11^th – Last day of the races, focusing on the race back from Huahine to Raiatea. Wind dropped to almost 5 knots, which in theory should favour the small boats, although most of the big boys have big spinnakers and professional crew to put them up, whereas all we have is a cruising chute, so suspected we’d be hard pushed to make our mark in the field of approx 8 Oysters on the return tripJ Thought we had cracked the start, with Trish on look-out and being Babe decided to start on a port tack rather than the Starboard tack of the other Oysters – work for about 500m and then the flippin wind changed and we ended up tacking 3 time to get round the first marker, losing lots of places. Then the straight dash for Raiatea, except with a cruising chute had little option to go approx. 30 deg off course, so fortunately did the big boys and so they pulled away. Only Tony on Wolfhound (also a 54) flew his big kite and took the direct line. We persevered for a few miles dropping further back and then decided to try a completely different tactic – three sail approach (chute, genoa and a little main) – not only did it mean we were directly on course for the pass into Raiatea but gained more than a knot of speed! Managed to overtake Sulana who had passed us earlier and Wolfhound and were on track for taking Satika. Wind changed and off track again, but only about a mile for the pass – decided to try to re-configure chute on other side, but too close and decided not to bother – bad race attitude / decision and fluffed through the pass with virtually no wind and no momentum, 2 other yachts go past and we end up in 4^th place overall (in the Oyster class). OK that was enough racing for us and didn’t bother with the next 2 small banana races in the lagoon!

Saturday evening party was on a small Motu (islet) on the reef surrounding Tahaa, the island just to the north of Raiatea in the same coral reef. Beautiful spot, crystal clear turquoise blue waters anchored in 20m of water with the rest of the TPR around us and preparations a plenty taking place on shore for the prize giving ceremony and associated partying, with a pirates of the pacific theme, which of course was obligatory for Babe. Great party, commencing with local dancers in their traditional gear and followed by a meal in the open air for which we eventually managed to collect and assemble a few tables into an Oyster community. Food and drink later and a French couple approached the table askng who we were etc and how she’d love an Oyster. Ariadne from Purusia commented that she loved the dress this busty French woman was wearing. Next thing I had somehow mentioned that I would swap the Babe for the dress, oops - so off comes the dress in front of us all – wow what a gorgeous pair of breasts!! The whole table stopped and looked around and got an eye full. After a few laughs she attempted to put the dress back on, almost requiring a hand put but her breasts back into the top part. God only knows why the rest of the table had instantly linked me with her taking the dress off?? Following this band and the obligatory dancing started, including the fire couple spinning their flame torches around in the crowd – no H&S here! Super night, no prizes but exceptional atmosphere with good friends and expensive but dubious wine

Next morning decided to chill for a couple of days so sailed to the top of Tahaa to the most idyllic setting for a 5 star hotel, which we anchored up outside. Crew lunch to celebrate completing the regatta, brilliant food in an amazing setting (photos attached), one way looking over the infinity pool towards the yachts and the other over overlooking a small pass between the hotel and neighbouring motu. Can’t remember seeing anything more idyllic in my life (other than Trish off course). So after dinner a walk across the lagoon and then past the hotel to a café where we managed to get the locals involved in a game of volleyball – great laugh and so much fun! Thought we’d have a chill out evening which deteriorated to a full-on party on Babe!

Next day Trish & I decided to go back to the hotel for lunch with Steve and Debbie from S/Y Amalie – even better food and brilliant company. I had a poached Sashimi dish which was presented in a bowl with a fresh salad, to which they then added Mahi Mahi Sashimi at the table and then poured a warm soy, ginger and spice reduction from a tea pot – my god what an amazing dish, really light and delicious! Following a couple of bottles of Muscadet-Sur-Lie  we were all feeling well chilled. Still managed to spend later afternoon drift snorkelling in the with Nelius, Raph, Sarah and Jass from Amilie, seeing an 12” octopus stragling the rocks and upsetting some other little black fish that kept spitting at me as I slowed myself on the coral, oops.

So last day had to take Raph back to S/Y Valentine and return Sarah to S/Y Dreams Come True back in Raiatea via the marine where we had left some kit. On way into marina came across the couple with whom we had agreed to swap Babe for the dress – no sign of the dress (or her tits) so considered deal annulled!!

Next stop Bora Bora a ½ day sail, which is where we are now. Will send next blog soon – wow sorry for going on so much, but an intense time both in Tahiti sorting the boat and the TPR.

Love

Paul & Trish

Xx

Photos:

a)      Approach into Raiatea through the coral pass

b)      Race from Raiatea to Huahine

c)       Proteus and Mariella at close quarters

d)      Sarah at the helm

e)      Raph on Main

f)       Nelius on Primary Trim

g)      Big seas, loud music

h)      More sail please

i)        Overtaking Sotto Vento (until they went on motor)

j)        Getting close to Satika

k)      Huahine shot

l)        Paul in Coconut relay race

m)    Coconut scraping competition

n)      Trish and Sarah

o)      Local dancers

p)      Close downwind racing from Hauhine to Raiatea

q)      More local dancers at party in Raiatea motu

r)       Local Canoeist  keeping up with Babe at 7 knots

s)       Crew meal at Tahaa hotel

t)       View rom dining table at Tahaa hotel

u)      Paddling at the Tahaa hotel

v)      Trisha’s Motu

w)    Panoramic view of Tahaa Motu

x)      Volleyball with the locals

y)      Snorkelling pass between motu’s

z)       Steve from Amilie prepping himself for something?