Tahiti Iti
Farr Gone Blog
Stuart Cannon
Sun 29 May 2011 05:24
Off tomorrow for a round the island cruise. Today 200 odd crews finished a three day round the island race paddling outriggers. The guys that won were 7 foot tall hard nuts with the stamina of Ethiopians. I plan on circumnavigating the island and I'll probably consume a fraction of the calories they did which is to my shame but hey, its a sailboat.
I wrote about the launching of a sailing outrigger a little while ago. Turns out its a very traditional design and this coming week at Raiatea, an island about 80 miles away they are having a regatta. The local boat managed to raise sponsorship yesterday from a local computer business and this means they are going to sail this very lithe but slight craft to the island and race all the other similar boats. They have a top speed of around 18kts but also have a tendency to get into trouble if the outrigger becomes a submarine. The sail to the island alone has me in awe and I have sailed a fair way. I've done it with all the safety kit imaginable and they are doing it with a couple of paddles if the wind doesnt blow. I think they have lifejackets but I'm not sure but they have nothing else and will be out of sight of land for at least 30 miles. No compass required. Impressive stuff. They just know where to go. I haven't met a local mariner here that can read a chart but they know every reef and what the wind will do. I envy their easy familiarity with the sea around here, its a thing that takes generations to develop.
Tomorrow I check out of the Tahiti Yacht Club and head south. A three or four day cruise sounds in order as its a good way to make sure all the little repairs are ok before I do another major leg. Plus I'm looking forward to the welcome I've been promised on Tahiti Iti. I dont think the family that invited me really thought I would come. Rule number one, don't invite me if you aren't serious.