17.30S 149.49W

Clare finally persuaded me to move and we did a lovely 3hr, 15 mile hop to Moorea which is just west of Tahiti. Nice sail most of the way and then an hour to test our QL fuel decontaminator which may or may not work, but at least doesn’t stop the engine.

Since we got here it has alternately poured with rain and blown 20kts which so far our anchor has coped with; I’m always a touch worried when everyone else anchors elsewhere, but subsequently pleased to find they’re all on buoys. Perhaps they own them.

Our previous ‘crap’ dinghy was such rubbish no self-respecting thief would touch it or its 2hp 2stroke engine. Now we’ve got a smart AB 9AL dinghy with a hard bottom we’re a little more concerned with security. It’s an excellent tender but, should you be tempted you might like to consider 2 problems if you’re using davits. The f’wrd hoist is very far f’wrd which means on a long trip it’s difficult to avoid chaff against the f’wrd chamber. The aft hoist points are no fewer than 6 in number but all well to the stern; this means that I cannot as yet devise a means of lifting the boat with our new expensive 10hp outboard attached. Since neither Clare nor I are, or ever were, young Antipodians who can hold the outboard in one hand, whilst hauling the anchor with the other, loading the outboard is a bit of a hassle. All the faintly annoying cruiser nets seem to end with an American gentleman firmly telling us to ‘lift it, lock it or lose it’, so I’m a bit loath to just tie it on the stern!

Keith

New expensive outboard is v. heavy. However we now have an amazingly good little crane to lift it. Next step is to lift posh dinghy with it attached overnight. It is great being out of a marina and I am waiting for tropical sun rather than tropical rain!

We went on an amazing whale watching trip and saw more whales and dolphins on the way here [Moorea].

Clare