16.33S 151.48W
JENNY
Alan Franklin/ Lynne Gane
Sun 25 May 2008 20:41
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We arrived at the town dock in Raiatea yesterday
morning at 0600 after an overnight passage from Papeete.The first few hours of
the passage were great 14knts of wind on the beam 7/8 knts boat speed this is
what our boat is made for, we were also some 4/500 lbs lighter without the
generator in the stern and our trim was better.Unfortunately all good things
must come to an end and the wind dropped so we had to resort to the iron sail
(engine) but we made good time.
We met Richard the chap who changed the alternator
and regulator with our modified spare alternator and Claude the
fabricator with our pod protector frame,I thought I had a good deal from him
until Ellie pointed out that I had got the nought in the wrong
place.
Still the Pod (the protective casing round our
cockpit chart plotter ) is excellent and reading the plotter from the helm
is absolutely marvellous when navigating the passes and reefs.
We then moved on to Ille Tahaa and anchored in a
lovely bay near to the pass that we needed to cross the reef to go to Bora
Bora.There we were sitting in the cockpit at 1700 hrs debating whether it was to
early for a G & T,Jenny was leading the "yes" campaign when two boats
appeared other rally boats "Baccus" and "Shaula" so we all had a joint
dinner on our boat with Shaula providing the pasta dish us the main
and Baccus desert and some drinks.I must say Giafranco (shaula in an
Italian boat) made a brilliant pasta it was just so yummy.A good night was had
by all,they are such good people.
If you remember Shaula was the boat that suffered a
knock down off the St Blas Islands before Panama and Barbara was thrown
overboard and was hanging onto the side of the boat as it came upright,one brave
lady.On Baccus Keith who is nearly 70 broke his ankle in the Carribean and still
carried on despite the wheelchair and the crutches.Incidentally they have a
Jeanneau 45.2 the predecessor of our boat we are still faster.
You know there are some very tough,brave and
determined people on this rally who are doers I suppose that's what makes them
do something like this.
We have so far seen some marvellous sights and meet
some truly marvellous people but the men would have a much harder time if it
were not for the courage and determination of their wives who accompany them me
included.
We will only stay in Bora Bora one night because we
have lost a lot of time in Tahiti trying to sort out the generator, which was an
absolute waste of time and effort,but we have managed to see quite a lot
although a bit more time would have been nice.I would say that the Society
Islands are absolutely beautiful but very very expensive.With world recession on
the way they may be in for a rough time financially as the Americans and French
will not go there.
After Bora Bora we are off to Raratonga where I
leave the boat and fly to New Zealand for my trip back to the UK and Alan
takes over the boat with Jenny and Ellie as crew,its really good of Ellie to
stay on as we would be a bit shorthanded without her.I think she is leaving the
boat somewhere between Fiji and Australia and then Chris who did the Atlantic
crossing is joining to go to Singapore he is a good man to have on
board.
That's it for now
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