Papeete, Tahiti

Panulirus
CR and KN Williams
Fri 29 May 2009 18:56

17.32S 149.34W

 

Thursday 28th May,

 

Arrived at 07:00 in Tahiti after a 2 day leg from Rangirora. Winds a bit light for the first 12 hours but picked up thereafter with 12-18 kts from the East, sea got a bit lumpy but not too bad.

Our new jib furling line (which I knew was a mm too thin ) snapped so I had another journey up the front at 3am in 17knots of wind to attach a new bit. I was tempted to leave it until daylight but was jolly glad I didn’t because ½ hour later the wind got up to 22 kts which, with all the genoa up would a) have been very uncomfortable and b) would have whizzed us into a strange big harbour in the middle of the night.

Papeete (the harbour) is huge with the main road running along the quayside a bit like Las Palmas; bit noisy but not too bad.

 

Keith

 

Rangiroa was bliss. Real picture postcard stuff. Crystal clear turquoise sea with coloured fish swimming round the boat so Keith didn’t even have to go snorkelling. I was happy just to look at the white sand but keep it off the boat and out of the sheets by landing at the jetty of the hotel nestled among the palm trees.

We treated ourselves to a couple of nice lunches. The hotel clientele seemed to be mainly chic French families with a few (remarkably quiet) Americans

My heart sank at 1a.m. on the way here to find the genoa furling line slack in my hand so I couldn’t reef it. I wound in most of the main and decided to leave Keith to sleep for a bit as he was going to have to go up the front to sort it out! One thing I had forgotten was how much horrider it is sailing upwind. I shall appreciate downwind sailing when we get it again!

Papeete seems good so far. We had a really delicious lunch in a trendy bistro; best food we’ve had in a restaurant since leaving home. There is a ‘Champion’ nearby which is just like a supermarket in France full of cheese and charcuterie and really nice vegetables.

We will probably go to Moorea the nearby island for 2 days as Monday is yet another ‘jour ferie’ and then to the marina and try and sort out some boat maintenance.

 

Clare