17.10.50S 156.36.23W 24 July 2010 Bora Bora to Tonga via Palmerston
The Adventures of Sunboy the Sailboat
Al Sparkes and Deb Swain
Sun 25 Jul 2010 17:58
On passage from Bora Bora to Tonga via Palmerston and Nieu
Local time 5.00am
Conditions are just great, slight seas, steady 20 knot S.E trade winds, big bright moon in the sky and sun due to come up in about an hour and a half. Sails are set in the gullwing position with the headsail partly furled, 2 reefs in the main allowing a nice easy nice passage for the watch crews. Cruising along at a bit over 7 knots, all very comfortable thank you very much.
Well we left Bora Bora on Friday morning, sailing in company with Mads and Elen our Norwegian Friends from Go Beyond. We had a bloody good time in Bora Bora with lots of festivities to be had including our girls birthdays and of course Bastille Day. We stopped on a mooring for a few days and when we arrived we were able to park up next to Adam and Leonie and their boys from Elena who we had not seen since Tobago Quays in the Carribean back in early January and not long after Willem, Heike and their kids from Small Nest arrived who we had not seen since Bonaire in the Netherland Antilles. Of course there was lots to catch up on and naturally this was done over a few beers during the evening and coffees during the day. We also met another Aussie couple, Simon and Jane and their two little boys, Eathan and Hugo who are 1 and 3. They are taking their catamaran from America back home to Darwin and we hope that we will be able to see some more of them somwhere along the way.
Fortunately for us, the week we were there was part of the Hiva festival with the town square filled at night with various performers and the first night we went was simply brilliant with huge groups of singers and traditional dancers creating a South Pacific spectacular. We had been hoping to see this type of show in Tahiti and Moorea but the best on offer at the time was a 'touristy' show at Moorea at about 60 dollars a head so thanks but no thanks and here we were in Bora Bora, seeing the best of the best for free!!!
We went to the square about three nights and each night was a different show, different performers but they were all great. Nikki got lots of photos so I will post some of those on our 'usual blog site'. We also enjoyed Bastille Day whilst there and in the morning we joined the Bora Bora Yacht Club procession which was a float carrying King Neptune and most of the cruising yachties and kids dressed up as pirates as we joined the many other local floats and processions to celebrate their National Day. That night, one of the boats put on a birthday party for the owner/skipper who turned 60 so we had a pretty good party with the BBQ in full swing and the eskies full of ice cold beer. Just about all the crews from all the boats in the anchorage were there so it was a good chance to meet up with everyone and get to know a few more cruisers.
We had a bit of a problem with our main sail coming from Papeete to Moorea and fortunately Stuart from Onda, who check our rig for us, was able to call on his sailmaking skills and made the necessary repairs which was very handy. It was also time to do a bit of work with the engine as it appeared that our leaking fuel filter was causing the engine to cut out, most inappropriately as we were coming into the pass through the reef at Bora Bora. We got hold of some new fuel and oil filters and set about giving the engine and oil change and complete filter change and that seems to have done the job with the engine running along nice and smoothly now. My, my, havent things changed, Alsy now doing services on the engine!!
So after Bastille Day it was of course Nikki's 16th Birthday and after a morning celebratory breakfast and present opening, we feasted on her choice of birthday meal which this year was steak with a garlic cream sauce with fried potatoes. We had bought a piece of N.Z fillet in a cryovac pack in Carrefors in Papeete and it turned out to be sensational, so incredibly tender and absolutely full of flavour. As we have been so rarely, this was just the business and whilst we thought we would never eat the whole fillet, there wasnt a scap left by the end of the meal. That was all topped off with an afternoon tea party shared with Elena and Small Nest of Debsy's famous torte and bread and butter pudding. The Dutch and Belgium families had not tried these treats before and were well impressed I have to say. All in all, Nik seemed to have a pretty good day and I think one she will remember for some years to come.
So after all the celebrations, we left the mooring and headed over to an anchorage and dropped down into what we thought was a nice sandy bottom but turned out to be an absolute coral garden with bommies everywhere. I ended up having to put my scuba gear on and spent ages lifting anchor chain and the anchor out of the tangled mess so naturally it was time to search for more suitable ground. We found a great spot in about 5 metres of water with sand everywhere and no bommies to give us grief. The only downside was the wake from boats going back and forward taking guests to and from the very flash Hilton Hotel bures which were just around the corner from but that didnt really cause too much of a problem. The water was warm and crystal clear and enough wind to get some power from our wind generator. Brad and Kat from Ghost were anchored nearby and also the guys from Delos who we had met in Papeete. Ghost and Delos had been partying severely for a few weeks and were thoroughly enjoying themselves here as well. We borrowed Brad's wakeboard and Nikki and Luke had a blast flying around the anchorage.
There is a little island nearby the anchorage which some of the resorts use as a day tripping destination with tables and chairs, barbecues and toilets. The place is deserted after about 3.00pm and once they had cleared out, we headed over for a few beers and a spot of beach cricket with the guys from Ghost and Delos and Sammy and Mike from Quatermoon. Of course it was the aussies against the rest of the world and happy to report Australia won the three test series with ease, 3-0. There is a very high set of peaks which form the back drop of Bora Bora and one that Lukey was keen as all get out to climb so fortunately for him, Sammy and Mike were planning on doing just that and the following day they headed off to scale to mountain. They came back to the boat that afternoon absolutely stuffed but full of pride for having climbed the lofty heights. Evidently it is a really difficult hike and the cold beers on offer afterwards seemed like a well earned reward. Lukey was still knackered the next day so it must have been a tough one.
We got to do a couple of dives while we were at Bora Bora, both at the same place, just outside the pass. There are heaps and heaps of black tip sharks cruising around and also some Lemon Sharks. Hadnt seen or heard of these sharks before and they look quite a lot like our Grey Nurse Sharks at home only these do not have the same non aggressive traits as our Nurse sharks do. Pretty impressive animals have got to say and pretty exciting diving with them as well. The visibility was fantastic and the water temperature is just about perfect. Was great to get back in the water again as we hadnt dived since Bonaire. Delos has a dive compressor on board and they were very kind to fill our tanks for us, which not only being a great convenience also saved us a bucket as tank refills on the island are very expensive but hey, what isnt expensive in French Polynesia.
The 20th of July rolled around and of course that is Layni's birthday, turning a whole big 11 years of age. Well the excitement level went through the roof when she opened her presents, screaming so loudly that another aussie boat, anchored about 300 metres away could hear her hooping and a hollering!!! She just couldnt believe that she was given gifts that she had been hoping and praying for months. After a day of feasting on waffles for breakfast, duck pancakes for lunch and a big thick spongecake with strawberries and cream for afters, she was one very contented and happy young lady.
So, time to move on of course and continue our passage west. Mads and Ellen sailed over from Raiatea on Thursday and we made plans to sail with them the following day over quite a few beers and rums on board our boat with the guys from Delos and Simon and Jane from Elixer.
We got going about 11.30 and headed off into pretty good winds but a pretty big and confused sea with about a 3 metre southerly swell mixing up with some east and north east swell. We are not sure if we will go to Palmerston which sounds like a rather fascinating place with only 50 people living on the island having been originally settled in the 1800's by an English sea Captain and his 3 wives from the Penrhyn Islands whose only contact with other people is the once a year freighter and the now many cruising yachts that call in there on their way through the Pacific. We can also go to Nieu Island where the diving is meant to be spectacular or we can just continue on and go straight to Tonga. At this stage we will probably call via Palmerston and see if the weather is ok to drop the anchor. All will be revealed of course.
Our first night wasnt too bad, the first night is always the hardest though. We had a big and fast wind shift early in the night and our gybe preventer minimised any serious damage but we did end up breaking two sail battons which we will try and replace when we anchor up. Debsy was a bit crook, I think it was from having one too many sea sick tablets. She normally takes one before a passage and after a while she couldnt remember if she had taken one or not so I suggested she take one anyway, wrong suggestion boofhead, she had obviously had taken one and the second one made her feel prettyh ordinary. To make up for it I did her watch for her while she had a sleep up in the cockpit keeping me company.
We havent had the fishing line out yet as we are using the tow generator but Mads hooked and landed a 1.2 Mahi Mahi which they very kindly offered half to us. Our plans of getting that half on board didnt quite work out as intended so we enjoyed Debsy's lasagna instead of fresh fish!!
The conditions throughout the night were nigh on perfect and everyone enjoyed their respective watches and everyone got heaps of sleep so that makes for a very happy boat crew today.
So Nikki is now on watch, we have just had brekky and I am going to get this in the post so to speak. Mads and Elen are about 5 miles behind us. They reduced their sails more than us last night and we got a bit in front of them but I am sure they will catch up during the day. So all being well, will post another position and update in a day or so. Take care, Alsy........................