Bottom Cleaning (again) - Raitea - French Polynesia.
Nina
Steve and Lynda Cooke
Wed 29 Jun 2016 01:32
Bottom Cleaning (again) - Raitea - French Polynesia.
We are in the marina on the North West corner of Raitea, at Apooiti. The nice one, where Carango had its new engine fitted, not the horrible one that is next to town, where the World ARC had their last skippers meeting before leaving French Polynesia about six weeks ago. (not enough room, chucked off the diesel dock, poor anchorage, boats dragging, lots of swell and very unhappy people)
It is full of charter catamarans, from Dream Yacht Charters and Moorings. The boats are coming in and out, with new crews and very excited people. Makes for some very interesting observations on the abilities (or lack of!) of skippers and crews in the marina and on the mooring buoys.
K1w1 Beans are moored next to us, with the three delightful sons of 5 to 8 years old.
Steve took the opportunity to clean the bottom of Nina, and inspect the through hulls and propeller.
There is a dive school on the dock, and the very nice man hired the equipment for a day (24 hours) for US$25.
The bottom was amazingly clean upon inspection, just a few barnacles and worms, and some soft weed, which was easily rubbed off with the gloves.
The surprise was the state og the sacrificial anodes.
The triple anode on the folding propeller was completely gone, so a bit of sorting with the Allen keys (yes, dropping them to the sea floor is almost an obligatory experience during the process!).
Job done, we'll expect another knot out of her…………...
