Position           17:35.19S 149:36.99W

Date                1545 (UTC -10) Tuesday 15 April 2014

Distance run – 212nm over the ground, 206nm through the water

We decided to cut short our time in Rangiroa in order to get ahead of the game with repairs in Tahiti knowing that there would be a high demand from Rally boats for repair work.  We did manage however to fit in a convivial and excellent value dinner at Lilly’s with four other boats and a snorkel on the “Aquarium” reef.

The log has a note recording the departure through the pass out of the lagoon at Rangiroa – “An exciting exit, current 5knts with standing waves and a rip

The timing of departure was chosen to allow us to arrive in Tahiti in the daylight and with time to get into the Marina Tiana before the marina staff knocked off at 1600.  To keep the average speed up to achieve that required some motor sailing at low revs and we made good our planning speed with Tahiti coming up as a dramatic landfall.

Landfall in Tahiti

There were two choices to get to the marina which is 5 miles south of Papeete; through the main harbour entrance or through a pass some 7 miles further around the reef that circles the island.  We chose the latter and approached the marina at 1500.  With the help of the staff we dropped an anchor and motored backwards to moor stern to.  The service could not have been better, they even had a diver in the water to help pick up the lines required to hold the boat in position.

After a certain amount of pushing and shoving we were attached to terra firma for the first time since Panama.  The passerelle was set up, shore power attached, air conditioning switched on and hey, we could walk ashore – luxury!

Marina Tiana, looking down the dock towards our mooring at the end.

And what a position.  We may have had some bounce from the wash of passing boats but just look at the view from the bows of the boat.

A berth with a view. From the bows looking towards the island of Moorea