Papeete
Boundless 1
Richard Clennett
Sat 28 May 2011 08:19
17.35 S 149.36 W
Sometimes things just don't go as planned! After some wonderful snorkeling,
with more colourful coral and many beautiful fish, and another fun meal
ashore with Gaston and Valentine, we headed off for Fakarava, electing to
sail down the leeward side of the island as the trades were quite brisk.
Unfortunately, the wind was curling up around the atoll and hit us head on. As slamming into a headwind would put us at the pass too late in the day, we decided to return to Tuao and leave early the following morning (in increasing trades), heading
around the north of the atoll this time!
Sometimes things just don't go as planned! After some wonderful snorkeling,
with more colourful coral and many beautiful fish, and another fun meal
ashore with Gaston and Valentine, we headed off for Fakarava, electing to
sail down the leeward side of the island as the trades were quite brisk.
Unfortunately, the wind was curling up around the atoll and hit us head on. As slamming into a headwind would put us at the pass too late in the day, we decided to return to Tuao and leave early the following morning (in increasing trades), heading
around the north of the atoll this time!
No sooner had we reached the northern tip
the following day than the starboard engine alarmed and shut down - oh
bother (!!??...) - we need two engines to navigate the passes! So,
back to Tuao...........more good snorkeling, inspection of the motor
and much discussion with Dave of "Soggy Paws" fame and a
diagnosis made of a hole in
the heat exchanger, something we need help with! Another fun meal ashore with a different group of cruisers.
the heat exchanger, something we need help with! Another fun meal ashore with a different group of cruisers.
Now off to Papeete instead of
Fakarava, with Gaston and Valentine laying bets on whether we
would return for the third time running!
We left early thursday morning in 20-25 knots NNE and enjoyed a rollicking overnight
sail in beautiful conditions.Arrived Marina Taina, Papeete yesterday afternoon. The marina tender and crew assisted us to moor stern to and once again, everyone has been very friendly and most helpful.
We left early thursday morning in 20-25 knots NNE and enjoyed a rollicking overnight
sail in beautiful conditions.Arrived Marina Taina, Papeete yesterday afternoon. The marina tender and crew assisted us to moor stern to and once again, everyone has been very friendly and most helpful.
Tahiti is steep and craggy and the sun
setting behind Moorea was a spectacular sight. Somehow we ended
up at a "big boat crew party" at the marina last night, along
with Marc and Dorothy whom we had met in Manihi. A funny night chatting to
the international crowd - we were the oldest there by a long
shot!
The Yanmar engineer is lined up for
monday morning so in the meantime we will do some exploring. We are
waiting to hear from Sues and Rob.