Tahiti- Moorea,Tahiti-Moorea-Tahiti, ohh the oky koky
Pacific Bliss
Colin Price
Wed 17 Aug 2011 18:47
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Tahiti
Arrival
 "Ye land of paradise and adventure"
- Capt James Cook
People do not often speak highly of
the Tahiti/Papeete part of the Pacific crossing. Mostly because its' a mad
rush, difficult anchorage, and hideously costly. Because Colin and I
don't like listening to the crowd, part of us was determined to enjoy it.
One thing is for sure, seeing the mountains rise from the ocean on the approach,
after 3 days at sea, is dramatic. It's wonderful seeing such
towering volcanic peeks again after such a long time in the flat motos of the
Tuamotos. It had been an easy passage with enough wind to keep us moving
most of the time.
First off we arrived in the evening
light in Baie Arue just North of Tahiti, off Tahiti Yacht Club, with the express
self-imposed time limit of a maximum 24hrs stay. We were only there to
restock for the coming 3 weeks, plus I needed to do some machine washing - all
bedding was looking and smelling decidedly ferrel. So 8 washes later and a
van load of groceries (never take a taxi in Tahiti. It costs a small fortune) we
achieve our goal and head to meet our friends on s/v Galactic in
Moorea. Perhaps a 'world record' stop over, but we know 'we'll
be back'. Nice friendly marina and enough room for a few boats to anchor
illegally without the water police getting too upset about us anchoring in
the channel. However wouldn't have wanted to be here in the busy season.
 Baie de Arue
with Tahiti behindJust had time for a quick kids birthday party onboard
s/v Saba, a new Catana 52' which made us a bit green. Then we heard of all
the problems with their new Catana and we were happy to have a second hand
one.
Moorea
We've been told we'll love it,
so we arrive in Opunohuu Bay with some expectation, this is a classic bay with a
majestic views of huge peaks which are the backdrop of the bay. Cook came
here in 1777 and there is a classic engraving of the Endevour in this
bay. Great to see Galactic, and Cosmo and Elias have a complete ball.
These guys are able to spend hours playing imaginary horse riding
and fishing games. It's amazing how like a horse a long fender looks
when you squint a bit!
    C &
Elias playing stink bombs   Zin with EricSo whilst the scenery is spectacular
we not loving the municipal beach, its short and full of evil broken glass and
bottle tops, we're just not used to it, having spent so much time in Tahanea. So
so so wonderful hanging with Galactic again but poor old Mike needs peace and
quiet to enable him to put together a fish report for the
office, apparently that's what them marine biologist guys
do! Carefore had been hugely exciting - seeing
freezers full of meat and shelves full of fresh and exciting veg., so I
planned a fabulous Spring Sunday Lunch, now armed with a leg of
lamb, Endive, Fennel etc etc...... Yum Yum ymmmmmm the first time
eating this stuff since Europe.
BBQing a leg of lamb
with a view
 The only problem seems that
we've been watched, being jolly. A great late afternoon lunch had us
all in early bed. Only to be woken by footsteps on the deck in the
middle of the night. I wake thinking it must be Colin and he probably the
same. I realise pretty swiftly it's not Colin when I hear the door open so
by the time I'm up on deck Colin in the most Scarey and Manly of voices is
shouting 'GET OFF MY ******* BOAT', repeatedly . Evidently the
guy he meets escaping on to the awaiting 'out rigger' is rather alarmed by
the naked man and the aggressive yelling so he offers an appology- "Je suis
desolee", whilst leaving our boat with a bounty of treasures. These
Mooreans might be theiving bastards but they're terribly polite. Captian
Cook apparently was 'done over' whilst in
Moorea so we can't really blame modern society. They got our
flippers, shoes, camera and other bits and bobs - but far worse than our loss
was Galactic who lost an outboard and Eric lost his swimming nappy!
So enough of Opanoohu, having tried
to sleep the rest of that night without any success we decided to move, rapidly
filed a police report and upped anchor. So we ended up sadly parting
company with our dear friends. We found a good anchorage further West
in the corner of the island inside some motos, but a little busy with
tourists, coming to pet the rays and sharks. It took weeks before
we slept a whole night. Returning to Papeette ended up
being the only option, and even then sleep wasn't easy.
Marina Taina
Other than
escaping thieves, it seems it's essential for us to be in a sheltered anchorage
as the Swell over the following days was forecast to be an extreme 5m which is
enough for it to come over the top of the reef and make the anchorage
horrible. Whilst riding the storm in our chosen position we
almost colid with the oldest most rusty boat in the anchorage, luckily
Colin is allerted by another sailor moments before the insurance takes a hit,
but we survive without any scrapes just yet more sleepless nights. We
quickly tire of Tiana it's known as a horrid anchorage and after 4 days and
having lifted the anchor at least once a day unable to leave the boat
unmaned, we've got itchy feet. But we're getting things done and
supplies are starting to be replenished.
Crazy swell in anchorage for
48hours
Then calm nights and sunsets over
Moorea
 We love remoteness but I also love getting into a
place that has cars and shops. Papeete certainly isn't St Barts
or Brighton but it has a surplus of fabric shops, Jewelery shops
selling, guess what?, Pearls. All we need to do is get some holes drilled
and after a few hiccups we find the most wonderful girl who runs her father's
shop. It is wonderful being independent for the first time for what must
be six months, I even squeezed a solo lunch with the most wonderfully
chilled glass of rose.
We have been able to get jobs done here like servicing
the watermaker and regassing the freezer. All good stuff. The other big
job was to get all the bits and bobs we would be needing in Apataki when we haul
out in October.
 Superyachts again.. met up with s/v Aschanti who we'd
last bumped into in GambierWe say our final farwells to Galactic, or at least
until we fly down to Tazmania in 2013.
 s/v Galactic return a wigWe had been waiting an annual care package from the UK
for some time and it was somewhere in the UPS system. But with no package
in sight and the weekend approaching and discovering s/v 'Seal' are heading to
Moorea we rally and cojoul Colin, who finally agrees to
Moorea 'for the weekend'!
Moorea
Not somewhere we thought we'd be back
to in a hurry. But in fact it turns out to be a good decision to confront
our demons. Z had a ball with the 'Seal Girls'. We attempt to
climb Belvedere lookout once again but due to intermitent windlass
motor issues and deep water we fail a second time. Like us Seal ain't
loving this particular spot. So we make a move but loose Seal in the
process as they head West to Huahine. The plan now is to Party under
Sydney Bridge with them for new year 2013.
 In the evening
light with a clouds clear of the mountain topsColin slept outside on a pile of cushions to ward off
any baddies . . how brave he looks
 Our next anchorage was a complete
treasure and enough peace and remoteness for us to sleep again. It's here
we realise Moorea 'taketh a way' and then 'giveth'. We love hanging out
with folk who are doing what we're doing but sometimes too much hanging out
stops local experience. We have also become, terribly cheeky.
With Colins fabulous French and the two beautiful blonde children
aboard we now 'work it baby'. And that's how we met the kindest folk so
far. We drew up at the end of Alfred and Tania's back garden wondering if
we could dock our dinghy and wander off for a stroll up the road - as I said
'bloody cheeky'. Well Alfred wasn't playing ball and told us, very
cordially, to sling our hook. Moments later having pulled out the
oars and drawn our tails between our legs, Alfred rolled back down the
garden beckoning us back. This was the start of a great week, where
it seems the word generousity was invented. Never say you like the look of
something in Polynesia as it almost always turns up as a gift a few minuites
later - this can be both lovely and embarassing at the same time as there is
often no way to repay the kindness other than baking a cake.
First Alfred and Tania arranged for us to go and pick
fruit from Alfreds brothers fruit farm up the hill. Given we where keen
for a walk the arrival of a car to deliver us up the hill. We where given
the free range of the farm to pick what ever we wanted. The kids picked
there first Avocado's and we came back laden with citron and
pamplemousse.    We are the white
spot in the blue Our fruit walk
  Cosmo with baby
mangoes  Our fruity
haul Teturoa Marae
    Belvedere Lookout for a
picnic lunch with Arnold, Tania and Hia'a'tea
    Colin, Arnold, Cosmo
 Liz, Zinnia,
Tania, Hia'a'tia We took an afternoon walk up the hill through pinapple
plantations and flowers and past peaceful houses with abandoned cars turned into
flowerpots. It is a tropical garden just walking up a road with Holiconia,
stralitia, breadfruit, pinapples etc etc.
     A flower
car  Sadest dog in
Moorea Vanilla
farmTainia and Alfreds generousity seemed to hold no
bounds. They have retired to Moorea and currently have there 6yr old
granddaughter living with them, normal in Poly, fancy Cosmo for a few years Gill
and Peter? We finally have to cub any comments of liking something
when with them if we don't we'll be leaving with half there house. On our
tour of the island our they try and buy our veg provisions, rudely we
decline. But best of all Taina repeatedly offers to do my
laundry, and boy it all returns smelling incredible. Our
return gesture is Sunday breakfast but we're truely humbled by these lovely
folk.
Back to blue water swimming which is lovelyand not a
shark seen for a whole week    The family came
on the boat for coffee and a swim possibly the
best Poisson cru to date. And a BBQ  Swimming with dolphins as we head for the pass and back
to Tahiti
 in case you this
looks like a photo of mountains the Family are on the left and dolphins on the
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