Staying Put

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 21 Jul 2013 22:57
Mrs. Baker is Away So No Bread and Staying Put
 
 
 
 
 
 
BB First Raivavae 037
 
At eight on Wednesday morning Bear went for French sticks, he set out in Baby Beez after a shower had passed. He knew he had to wait outside the post office for the bread van to arrive. The nice lady who runs La Poste told Bear that the bakers wife had gone to the airport yesterday and wouldn’t be back until Monday, she thinks Mr. Baker will wait for her return before firing up the ovens.
On his way home the heavens opened and a dripping captain came home empty handed.
 
 
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I found it difficult to listen to his story with a straight face watching the rain drop dangling from his beak.
 
 
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Spirits not dampened, everything else was, time for a hot shower. Nothing for it but to hunker down to a few chores, films and games. I think I’ll attack my ITunes library, it needs a bit of editing and IPod shuffling.
 
 
BB Weather 001
 
On Friday Bear downloaded new GRIB files to look at the weather. We would prefer a big blue to pale yellow area like the one off the west coast of Australia, definitely not the red area. We like the arrows to have one or two tails not three.
 
 
Map Weather
 
We are anchored by the red arrow, Tubuai (next stopover) is just in front of the black arrow, one hundred and four miles away and Papeete, Tahiti is a further three hundred and fifty miles. Today Sunday, the day we had originally planned to leave sees us sitting in the shelter of the bay in 20 knots of wind with gusts 24 to 37. Hmmm, wonder what its like out there.
The GRIB says wind speed 24 to 25 gusting 27 knots. Swell coming from 171 degrees, 7 feet high every 9 seconds. Waves from 124 degrees at an average of nine feet to a maximum of 16 feet every 7 seconds. In our experience the sea condition is usually accurate but the wind is often under by 5 knots. So it can be said it is like a washing machine out there = we are staying here.
Hopefully we’ll leave on Thursday but we’ll take another look at the GRIBS then. We try and start out in reasonable conditions, if things deteriorate we get on with it but as time is written in sand we have the luxury of waiting out rough stuff.
 
 
BB Weather 018  BB Weather 017
 
Bear does GRIBS, I do the traditional stuff like watching the barometer (changed from 1018 to 1024).
 
 
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And my trusty Weems Storm Glass.
 
 
BB Weather 032
 
Currently showing fernlike crystals building up – Stormy.
 
 
BB Weather 008  BB Weather 009  BB Weather 012
 
At seven this morning I stood in the cockpit and watched the rain coming at us.
 
 
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Lashing down on Mount Tapioi. So hope it clears by tomorrow as the festival begins.
 
 
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For now we are as snug as bugs in the conservatory.
 
 
BB Tiki and walk 078  BB Sunset 003
 
The thing about heavy rain in these parts is it knows how to bucket down for a long time, but it does make for some lovely sunsets.
 
 
BB Tiki and walk 070
 
BB Tiki and walk 079
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL A LOVELY PLACE TO GET STUCK
                     WORSE PLACES THAN PARADISE