Ile Raiatea and Ile Tahaa

Ile Raiatea and Ile Tahaa lie within the same coral reef about 20 miles west of Ile  Huahine. Both are mountainous with spurs radiating from central ranges to the coast forming an indented shoreline. Raiatea is the religious and cultural centre of the Societies.

The surrounding reef is awash in some places and submerged in others. Eight passes lead through the reef around Raiatea and two into Tahaa. Deep and navigatable water between the reef and the islands makes it possible to travel entirely around Tahaa and about two thirds around Raiatea. Shoals and coral heads are scattered in the inner waters but the routed between them pose no difficulty with careful navigation.

We entered the lagoon at Passé Iriru and anchored at the head of Baie Faaroa. We launched the dinghy and did an interesting trip up the Aoppomau River. The entrance to the river is filled with fallen trees and logs and navigation was arduous. 

Baie Faaroa

We went for a dinghy ride through rainforest  at the end of the anchorage this afternoon when the showers cleared and every was washed clean and fresh.

The locals were giving us directions around and through the fallen trees, stakes and other hazards at the entrance to the river. One told us to go around one way and then when we got there and couldn’t get through the debris another group told us to go back to where we had originally started. The group on the bank grew and we had quite an audience by the time we successfully navigated the river mouth.

Aoppomau River

The ambient temperature was low so it was really pleasant and the rainforest smells were divine. There was a lot of colourful ginger, heliconias and bananas growing wild and there were many out riggers stored in homemade shelters. The stakes were a definite hazard and submerged trees at the entrance  were a hazard and the little depth sounder was invaluable. We saw coconut crabs and an eel and a lot of guys in outriggers with fish traps or fishing. We even saw a father and daughter in an outrigger and the little girl was playing the flute and they had a boat load of wild bananas.

The bullets have now stopped and the anchorage is pleasant. Perhaps the weather front has now gone through and the weather tomorrow as we explore the rest of the anchorages will be fine and clear.

Our dinghy and outboard was stolen last night so it was an unexpected visit to Uturoa  and the Gendarmes. We motored around the northern shores of Ile Raiatea past the airport. Once again we needed to get clearance from Airport control to proceed past the end of the runway. “The Moorings” charter fleet located at Moorings Carenage has kindly hired us a 3.4 metre inflatable with a 5 hp motor so we are off and running again. They have also given us the use of one of their moorings so that we could report the theft.

I guess that we were lucky that it was  just the theft of the dinghy and its contents.

We had a pleasant lunch at a waterfront restaurant in Uturoa while we were waiting for the Gendarmerie to reopen at 2pm after siesta. 

Uturoa Waterfront

The Polynesian outrigger was anchored off the town much to our surprise and the musicians off the boat entertained us while we had lunch.

Outrigger

It is gorgeous off Moorings Carenage but we wanted to explore so we continued down to Baie Pufau to anchor for the night. We dropped Dave off at the outside of the Passé Rautoanui  with his surf board and he paddled happily over to the breaks. Naomi then took to the dinghy and motored out to bring Dave back and we went and anchored.

The reef was very shallow and the break was dangerous and even though Dave had a great time he came back missing some bark.

We have been exploring  Ile Tahaa  and snorkelling today. Great fun. We have picked up a mooring in Baie Hurepiti which belongs to Sophie’s Boutique. The use of the mooring is free provided that you buy something at the shop. We obliged and bought a sarong, some jam and vanilla. The bay is very safe but there is no coral.

Ile Tahaa

 We are  going to Bora Bora this morning early as soon as it starts to get light and I am sure that we will enjoy the fabled beauty!!!

Huahine

We had a great sail to Huahine overnight. There were a lot of boats around which kept us all on the ball during our watch. That is except for David, who didn’t see any other boats. 

The watch system we used was one hour on and 3 hours off.  The kids are enjoying the time on the boat and sails like this morning are reinforcing their love of yachting. Nome definitely hasn’t lost her driving skills and Dave enjoyed surfing a 53 ft board.

It was an exciting reef passage in strong winds and big swells at the entrance to the lagoon.  A little spice at the entrance was just what was needed to top off the sail. Mind you my arms feel as if they have been  wrenched out of the sockets !!!!

It is raining here at present. Good for kicking back with our books and a cup of tea .... Nome made  a  delicious lunch using the last of our bread for toasted sandwiches so I am presently baking. It is a soy, linseed, wheatgrain recipe and it was very popular last time I made it.

At Anchor in Huahine

Moorea

Tuesday 20^th July

We had a fast beam reach to Ile Moorea in 20 knots in a counter- clockwise direction around the island. 

View of  Moorea from Papeete

Moorea is approximately 17 miles from Tahiti.

Dave at the helm during the sail to Moorea 

With the exception of Tetiaroa and the smaller islands, all of the islands in the Society Islands are high, volcanically formed and surrounded by coral reefs. Coral formations are detached from the island leaving a passage with sufficient water for a vessel to travel. The worn remnants of once tall volcanos are now composed of jagged, rocky towers and rugged, grass and shrub-covered mountainous terrain. The climate is ideal making it the favoured base for all the major explorers of the Pacific, beginning with the Polynesians.

The islands lie in the southeast trade wind belt, with winds from the southeast to east predominating. Trades are strongest in the winter months of July to September. Gales however, are infrequent. The currents follow the direction of the wind, except near the coasts. With the dominating easterly wind driving it , the currents run west  at about 10 to 15 miles a day.

We entered Baie de Cook on Moorea through the well marked Passé Avaroa. The spire of Mont Mouaputa is at the end of the bay and a hole in it resembles a patch of snow and can be seen from the north and northwest.  It had a muddy bottom and wasn’t what we were expecting so we had lunch there and motored around to paradise at Baie d’Opunohu through Passé Tareu.

Baie de Cook 

It is absolutely gorgeous and we  anchored in a lagoon inside the reef at the entrance to Baie D’Opunohu and it was close to paradise.  Looking over the side of Salacia we could count the grains of sand in 8 metre. It is the clearest water we have found. There is a white beach within swimming distance and also some great bommies for snorkelling.

Baie D’Opunohu at Sunset

The are several super yachts in the main bay. The yacht “Athena” is 298ft. It was lit up like a Xmas tree last night.

Athena

There was also one of the most beautiful yachts we had ever seen. Erica XII is flag blue like Salacia but much larger at 172ft.

Erica XII

We are doing an overnight sail to Huahine  tonight. I am really looking forward to it.

Dian (Jones) had her 61^st   today and we loved phoning her as a surprise. Ross was making sure that his special girl had a great birthday.

Naomi and David arrive in Tahiti

Sunday 18^th July

Our  daughter Naomi and her husband David arrived at Salacia at 1.30am. The taxi company has an arrangement with the marina and drives right down the dock to the yacht. After we had chatted and caught up on all of the news, they explored Salacia. It was great to finally show them the yacht that we had dreamed of for so long. Naomi particularly liked the similarities to  our J44 “Phoenix”.

Right in front of Salacia at the Marina Taina  is a gorgeous lagoon with wonderful coral, clams, sea anenomes and a wide variety of fish.  Early the next morning the kids  went for a snorkel on the fringing reef and Dave took advantage of the surf at the pass. We did our final provisioning at Carrefour Supermarket which includes restaurants, a pharmacy, doctor and numerous other facilities. It is only 10 minutes walk from the marina and you can even take the trolley as there is a trolley dock at the marina. We had a lovely meal at the Italian Restaurant at the Marina ready for an early start the next morning.

There were no dramas leaving the Marina. The Marina staff always check that the bow lines are not tangled when a yacht is ready to leave. They send a diver down to check the anchor and lines and had to untangle the bow lines from the catamaran next door. We didn’t even drift close to the boats on either side as we were motoring out to pick up our anchor when leaving so it was a piece of cake.

Cyndy at the helm as we leave the Marina

We were delighted with the facilities and service at the Marina Taina and thoroughly recommend it to all.

View of the Marina at Pass Taapuna

We exited the lagoon via Pass  Taapuna which was only a mile south of the Marina. The pass is 90m wide between the reefs awash although it is actually narrower because of the shoals on each side so vessels should favor the northern side.

Arrival in Tahiti

There was a weather front coming through so we decided to sail the 193 nautical miles to Tahiti rather than stay on an unknown mooring. The wind built to 35 knots but with 2 reefs in the main and a very small amount of jib unfurled "Salacia" was flying. 

Photo 1: View of Tahiti from the Rail

Photo 2: Arrival in Tahiti

It was quite a unique experience to enter Tahiti harbour.

We followed the Director of Port Operations instruction and entered the harbour in our allocated "spot" between ships and ferries exiting. We then waited for our next instruction at the end of the runway at Tahiti airport. When there was a break in planes taking off the Port Controller told us that we could proceed to the other end of the runway where we waited for our next instructions. 


When we were told to go we certainly "went" and hoped that the plane that was landing on top of us missed the mast!!! 

We "topped up" with diesel before we proceeded to our allocated berth at Marina Taina. The marina uses the Mediterranean system of berthing which is dropping our bow anchor and then reversing in to the jetty to tie off our stern lines. Friendly marina staff were there to help and we are certainly in good company with five "super yachts" on our finger. We are the smallest of these wonderful boats and it is quite a shock to be the bridesmaid rather than the bride.

We have now done 7000 nautical miles on Salacia since we left San Diego on the race
to Puerto Vallarta on 19th February, 2012. It is amazing to look back that all of the wonderful experiences that we have shared and it will be sad to leave to come home for 3 weeks knowing that while new adventures await us on "Salacia" it is the end of the "South Pacific Puddle Jump" together. We are happy and proud that our 3000 n mile passage in 15 days from the Galapagos to the Marquises is reputedly the fastest this season.

Fantastic hospitality and friendship stand out as the best of the best of our experiences over 7000 n miles. We have been welcomed into so many homes on our voyage from San Diego to Tahiti. 

We will never forget sitting down to lunch at a private home in Wreck Bay in the Galapagos and watching an elderly lady washing the clothes using the scrubbing board and trough used over 100 years ago while 3 "modern" washing machine sat unused under their dust covers or jamming with the locals at Alex's home in Atuona, Hiva Oa in the Marquises. French was their language but warmth and friendship bridge all barriers.


At Rotoava on Fakarava atoll in the Tuamotu's a local family invited us to join them for drinks as we were looking for somewhere for dinner, and then later in the evening they drove us to a local resort for dinner.  The Mother's Day service at the church in Fatu Hiva and joining hands with the villagers in prayer, song and friendship was incredible. Having dinner with the chief and being invited to watch the villagers dancing and singing the night before was also fabulous.  All of these experiences and many more are the pearls that have joined to make a wonderful necklace of memories that is more valuable than the most perfect jewellery.

Ross calls Salacia a "lucky boat" and she has certainly proved that again and again!!!

Toau & Anse Amyot

The next atoll we visited was Toau. It is used as a pearl farm in an industrial style and visitors are not encouraged. It is manned by a largely chinese workers. 

However, Anse Amyot is 3 miles from the northern extremity of Toau on the north western side. It is a slot in the which appears to be a pass but it is really a cul-de-sac blocked by a coral bank across the inner side. It is
well sheltered from the wind and swell so a yacht lies comfortably.

Photo 1: Anchorage at Anse Amyot

The water was crystal clear and a local family, Gaston and Valentine, were really friendly and helpful and enjoy cruiser's visits. They have laid 10 moorings for the use of yachts and invite visiting yachts to dine regularly.


Gaston has a book with pictures and details of every yacht that has visited going back more than 10 years. Their hospitality is legendary and it is Gaston's passion.

Snorkelling was wonderful in this special wild aquarium and it was sad to leave this beautiful place.

Photo 2: Sunset

Stephen's Birthday

Stephen’s birthday was of course a perfect Tuomoto’s day with clear skies and no wind. It was a day of celebration. A batch of muffins complete with birthday candles didn’t even have a chance to cool down. We explored a new anchorage and marvelled at the clarity of the water.

Photo 1: Clarity of the water

When we walked across the atoll it reminded us of a moonscape where vegetation doesn’t have a chance to grow between storms. There is flotsam and jettsom scattered and we even found a long-liner’s buoy.

Photo 2: Stephen and Ross exploring the moonscape

This boobie, resplendent with a blue beak and feet boobie. It is a type of boobie that we haven’t seen before and it was certainly more interested in us than it’s lunch.

Photo 3: Boobie

Photo 4: Sunset