16:32S 151:47W

 

Where do the days go?  I can’t believe it’s more than a week since I updated the blog.  We had several wonderful days in Huahine enjoying the Heiva (traditional Polynesian festival) with lots of singing and dancing.  It was fantastic to see the locals embracing this month long festival and dressing up beautifully to participate in or watch events.  Our Kiwi friends Johnny and Jenny flew in to Raiatea and, as the wind was good, we left the next day for Taha’a.  We’d forgotten all about windward sailing (the wind was out of the nor east) and ended up taking a wave through a hatch and having a fairly torrid time.....but it was great to be sailing.

 

At Taha’a we enjoyed the wonderful Coral Gardens again before heading to Uta Roa on Raiatea where we tied to the dock.  It was Bastille Day and we caught the tail end of afternoon festivities before eating out at one of the wonderful “routlottes” on the waterfront.  Next day was a huge celebration as the contingent of boats were due to leave from the historic and sacred Taputapuatea Marae.  This marae is from where the early Polynesians left for New Zealand and Hawaii and the fleet that left is recreating that voyage.

 

We enjoyed several days trickling down the east coast of Raiatea anchoring in several gorgeous spots.

 

We’re now about to go through the pass at Bora Bora after a wonderful sail across from Raiatea.  Best of all, we finally managed to land a mahimahi.  We’ve hooked five recently but all have managed to throw the hook.  A few nights ago we had drinks on a fellow Kiwi boat and their advice was “don’t let the head out of the water- that’s when they’ll spit the hook.”  It was a four man effort – but with David on the rod, Johnny on the gaff, me ready with the alcohol (for the fish, not me) and Jenny catching all on film.....we landed it.  It was huge – 1.2m long.  Needless to say, raw fish was on the menu for lunch and it will be barbecued mahimahi for dinner.