TAHITI

CARANGO AMEL 54 #035
PETER and VICKY FORBES
Tue 3 May 2016 20:36
17:32.38S 149:34.21W

Tahiti here we come. We completed the crossing from Rangiroa, Tuamotos to Papeete, the capital of Tahiti in 19 hours - there was little wind but huge rather threatening rain storms.



This was the split chart plotter radar screen approaching Tahiti showing us in a major rain storm - strange very little wind and plenty of tropical rain.

Papeete proved to be a great place - we rented a car and explored the island of Tahiti North and South - we were a little late [an hour or so] to attend the World Championship body board surfing completion on the massive wave a Teahupoo. The Teahupoo wave is purportedly the second biggest in the world, after a similar one in Hawaii. The World champion was beaten into fourth place by two Tahitians and a fellow Hawaiian. We saw them clearing up the park after the event. What a strange and fascinating place this is. 

A Volcanic and mountainous [up to 8,000 feet] island fringed by a coral reef with some passes. A large city with an international and busy airport, Carrefour supermarkets, branches of McDonalds, beautiful girls and hugely overweight men and women. Two superb restaurants Sully and Souflee run by father and son respectively. The Chef M. Jean Galopin, is a character and presents himself after dinner if you are late which we were each time, hands out a delicious ginger and vodka liquer and talks away happily in French as if we understood every word. He presented Vicky, our friend and fellow rally participant Claudine with his beautiful cook book. When he heard that George was a young Chef too he also got a copy of this fine volume.Churches seem to spring up from nowhere of many different denominations but principally French Catholic. Many fine and huge waterfalls are a main feature.