MV Dirona travel digest for Society Islands, French Polynesia 2013


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5/25/2013: Tahiti
The peaks of 7,359' Mt. Orohena and 6,775' Mt. Aoriai on Tahati are a big change after the Tuamotus that are barely above sea level.
5/25/2013: Port Control
Papeete Port Control monitors all boats moving in the busy harbor, similar to the Vessel Traffic Systems back home. Vessels must radio Port Control on channel 12 before entering, leaving or moving about in the harbor.
5/25/2013: Passe de Papeete
Entering Passe de Papeete between red and green channel markers. The color convention here follows IALA system A, the opposite from the North American "red-right-returning" rule. Here, red is to left when returning to port.
5/25/2013: Aremeti 5
The high-speed ferry Aremeti 5 en-route to nearby Moorea as we enter. When we'd radiod Port Control, they'd told us it would be underway as we entered.
5/25/2013: Runway
Approaching the end of the Faa'a International Airport runway en route to Marina Taina, slightly south of downtown Papeete. Vessels must obtain permission from Port Control before navigating past the airport. When asked, Port Control takes a minute or two to approve our transit. Our guess is that boats aren't allowed to pass the airport when a plane is using the runway, and Port Control is checking for air traffic before granting approval.
5/25/2013: Bungalows
Traditional overwater bungalows at the Intercontinental Tahiti Resort.
5/25/2013: Lots of boats
This is a busy place: well over a hundred boats are moored off the channel near Marina Taina.
5/25/2013: Superyacht row
Superyachts moored off the wall at Marina Taina. Second from the left is Nordhavn 76 Sirius. We last saw them in Honolulu, when we were both anchored off Waikiki Beach.
5/25/2013: Fueling
We took on 1,250 gallons of diesel and 60 gallons of gasoline at Marina Taina. This is only the second dock we've tied to since leaving Hawaii ten weeks ago. Unlike at Nuku Hiva, the fuel dock here is an easy side-tie.
5/25/2013: Pilot boat
Pilots are required to guide larger vessels into Papeete Harbor. The yacht Dorothea III, that we'd seen in Fakarava, was approaching Tahiti at the same time as we were, but had to pick up a pilot to enter.
5/25/2013: Med-moored
Med-moored at the low-budget end of superyacht row. We don't really qualify, but it's an amazing spot with good privacy, a wonderful view, and a restaurant with a quality happy hour right behind us. Med-mooring is a way of tying to dock in the Mediterranean use dock space efficiently. In North America, boats typically tie sideways to the dock, end-to-end with other boats. With med-mooring, boats anchor off the dock and tie their bow or stern only to the dock, and are side-to-side with the other boats. We've also got two "slime lines" running to our bow. These lines are permanently attached underwater to give additional sideways stability. When the diver passed the lines up to us after we'd tied off, it was pretty clear how they got their nickname.
5/25/2013: Sunset
Looking past Dirona to the sunset over Ile Moorea, viewed from our Happy Hour seat at the Pink Coconut restaurant.
5/27/2013: Groceries
A cartful of groceries from the excellent Carrefour grocery store, a roughly ten-minute walk from the marina. We got the folding cart as a last-minute purchase before leaving San Francisco. It's light and easily folds flat for storage, and has been super useful so far. We used it heavily in Hawaii, where we had no car. In Nuku Hiva, we brought the cart in by dinghy, unfolded it, and loaded it with groceries from the store about a ten-minute walk from the dock.
5/27/2013: Staples
We did a second grocery run for "staples": two dozen baguettes to freeze, four flats of Hinano (local beer) and some wine. And we have one more run to make after we taste-test some local products.
5/27/2013: Power adaption
Building an adapter from a 100-amp 400V 3-phase plug to deliver a 1-phase 240-volt circuit to Dirona. We brought several pigtails with us to build the adapters as needed, so we wouldn't have to cut into the main power cord. The power here is 60Hz, so we were able to run all our 240-volt appliances directly from shore power.
5/27/2013: Second adapter
We also built a 32-amp adapter, what we expect from most other places we might plug into in French Polynesia. We bought some smaller wire locally, as the pigtail's conductors were too big for the 32-amp plug.
5/27/2013: Power test
Testing the 32-amp connecter. At this moorage we used the 100-amp adapter. The power here is 60Hz, so we were able to run all our 240-volt appliances directly from shore power.
5/27/2013: Passerelle
One of the difficulties with med-mooring is reaching shore as the boat typically is standing off a ways from the dock. When we ordered the boat, we specified a passerelle (gangway) with a socket in the swimstep and in the gunnel. One end of the passerelle fits in the socket and the other rests ashore on wheels. The design is that we'd use the gunnel socket for high docks and the swimstep for lower docks. But when we extended the swimstep two feet, the passerelle could no longer reach shore from the gunnel socket unless the boat is perilously close. So we had to use the swimstep socket here, with the side resting against the dock. Not ideal, as the ramp is quite steep and was wearing a bit against the shore. Clearly a redesign was in order. But at least we could get to shore.
5/27/2013: Passerelle design two
An advantage of being on superyacht row is that we could get some ideas on how to re-design the passerelle . A couple of the larger sailboats strung theirs from a spreader connected high up in their rigging, with the shore end suspended above the dock, rather than touching ashore. We decided to give this a try by mounting the passerelle in the gunnel socket and suspending the shore end from the crane. This worked fairly well for the spot we were in, but step distance on the shore side was a slight bit long.
5/27/2013: Stepladder
We carry a folding stepladder that worked well for stepping up to the the passerelle when mounted in the gunnel. But once we'd climbed it to the gunnel, we had to crouch down to get past the eyebrow bimini that extends above the gunnel from the boat deck.
5/27/2013: Passerelle design three
To bring the passerelle closer to the dock and avoid crouching under the bimini, we put the ladder on the swimstep to support the inboard end of the passerelle . This worked out wonderfully.
5/27/2013: Stepladder detail
The passerelle came with a deck socket, but the yard didn't use it as they custom-made their own. So we had an extra socket, and mounted this into the stepladder along with some marineboard for the wheels to run on. The stepladder is firmly connected to the swimstep with a trailer tie-down strap, visible underneath it.
5/28/2013: Out with the old
Four five-gallon pails of used engine oil.
5/28/2013: In with the new
Four 18-liter pails of new 15w40 diesel engine oil. There's that cart in action again.
5/28/2013: Oil stowed
The 18-liter pails, stacked two-high and two-deep, fit perfectly in the storage area we'd built for the 5-gallon pails.
5/28/2013: Dinghy prop
The Tuamotus were hard on the dinghy prop. James is using a Dremel to smooth out the blades.
5/29/2013: Passerelle design four
We needed a way to use the crane with the passerelle deployed. Running a line to the outboard end of the passerelle and securing it to the boat deck railing solved the problem. We could then release the spreader from the crane.
5/29/2013: Bikes
The reason we wanted the crane: so we could bring the bikes ashore to ride into downtown Papeete, about four miles to the north.
5/29/2013: Bicycle maintenance
Lubing the chain and filling the tires was about all we needed to do. We keep the bicycles on the flybridge under a cover that keeps them reasonable protected from the elements.
5/29/2013: Papeete Harbor
On the dock at Papeete Harbor in downtown Papeete. The ride in was quite easy, with a bicycle lane most of the way.
5/29/2013: Superyachts
More superyachts were in Papeete Harbor.
5/29/2013: Nautisport
Locking up the bikes at a marine store just north of downtown.
5/29/2013: Ace Hardware
Shopping at, yup, Ace Hardware.
5/29/2013: Les 3 Brassuers
Lunch at Les 3 Brassuers brewpub, harbor-front in downtown Papeete.
5/30/2013: Morning
Early morning view to Moorea from the moorage.
5/30/2013: New location
A major southerly surge was expected to arrive in a couple of days. Where we were moored, the shallow water apparently can make conditions rough and dangerous. So the marina manager moved us to a different spot: a side-tie inside the marina. As much as we liked the first spot on the outside wall, this new spot might have been even nicer.
5/30/2013: Tight squeeze
Looking back out the way we came. We had to back, and turn ninety degrees, to reach our new location. The boats on either side all have lines running into the water on the fairway side, so there's not much room to maneuver. That's Nordhavn 86 Gloria Maris in front of us--we saw them last in Fakarava in the Tuamotus.
5/30/2013: Long run
We had to fully extend our 90' main power cord and put out a 50' extension to reach the 140' to the power socket. Here we only had 32-amps available, so we used the second adapter that we'd built.
5/30/2013: Blvd. Pomare
Looking north along Blvd. Pomare in downtown Papeete. We'd returned downtown, this time by dinghy and tied off to the end a Yacht Quay pier. The gates are locked, but a friendly person there said that we could just call for them when we returned and they'd let us in. And they did.
5/30/2013: Cafe
One of the many outdoor cafes that abound in Papeete. The city had a very European feel to it, with the cafes and tight, busy streets.
5/30/2013: Market
The multi-level Papeete market has a wide variety of food and wares for sale.
6/1/2013: Approaching Ile Moorea
Approaching Ile Moorea with 770m Mt Tearai in the foreground and 830m Mt Mouputa top to the right.
6/1/2013: Nordhavn Moorea Rendezvous
Anchored with Nordhavn 57 Time 2 directly off our bow and Norhavn 62 Gray Matter to starboard. We all got together later for Happy Hour on Gray Matter.
6/1/2013: Baie de Cook
We really liked the anchorage at Baie de Cook. The scenery is spectacular, the seas are calm, and there's plenty of swing room.
6/2/2013: At anchor
Dirona anchored below those dramatic peaks.
6/2/2013: Pair of dinghys
Tender to Gray Matter tied next to ours at the seawall just north of the Hotel Kaveka.
6/2/2013: Bike tour
Mark and Christine came with us on a bike tour along the road that rings Moorea.
6/2/2013: En route
Bicycle lanes were in most of the villages, and otherwise the road was pretty easy to ride on, with a few rough sections.
6/2/2013: Canadian Food
Canada isn't exactly world-renowned for it's cuisine, so we were pretty surprised to see this sign in French Polynesia with its delicious French-influenced dining. Moorea clearly is a major tourist destination, so maybe they get a lot of Canadian tourists. (Position approximate.)
6/2/2013: Toatea Lookout
Looking across the beautiful Sofitel Ia Ora resort to Ile Tahiti from the Toatea Lookout.
6/2/2013: Aremiti 5
The high-speed ferry Aremeiti 5, that we'd passed when entering Papeete Harbor a few days back, arriving into the dock at Moorea. The ferries run pretty much flat-out until they dock--the wake and wash is substantial.
6/2/2013: Afareaitu
We continued past the ferry dock to the village of Afareaitu before turning back. We considered biking the full 59-km around the island, but that would have taken the rest of the day.
6/2/2013: Moorea Beach Cafe
On the way back, we stopped at the Moorea Beach Cafe for lunch (Mark and Christine continued back to Gray Matter). The view, perched right above the water was awesome, and the food was delicious.
6/2/2013: Allo Pizza
After lunch we rode down to the head of Cook's Bay and back up the western side. Several restauran't are along the way, including the highly-rated Allo Pizza
6/2/2013: Fruit Juice Factory
We were hoping to sample the drinks at the Fruit Juice Factory, but today was Sunday and they were closed. They make an alcholic fruit beverage called Tahiti Drink that we've heard is delicious.
6/2/2013: Jus d'ananas
Although the Fruit Juice Factory was closed, we did get some of their pineapple juice at a small snack stand at the head of the bay.
6/3/2013: Switchback
Switchback on the bike trip up to the Belvedere Lookout. We landed the dinghy in the same place as yesterday, rode to the head of Cook's Bay, and took the paved road just beyond the bridge. The road eventually became a rough dirt road for about 4km before meeting the paved road up to the lookout, about another 4km. The dirt road was bumpy and rough, but we had no trouble biking it. The paved road was easy, but steep.
6/3/2013: View
View from the lookout at the Belvedere. That's Cook's Bay on the right, where we're anchored, and Opunohu Bay on the left, with 899m Mt Rotui between them.
6/3/2013: Cook's Bay
Closeup of Cook's Bay. Dirona is roughly center of the screen, with Gray Matter near the bottom left.
6/3/2013: Crowds
This is a popular spot. Nobody was there when we arrived, but shortly after a near-continuous stream of tourist groups showed up.
6/3/2013: Mt. Mouaroa
View to 880m Mt. Mouaroa from the Belvedere.
6/3/2013: Archeological site
Until the early 19th century, the Opunohu Valley population was once quite large. Several well-preserved archeological sites with interpretive signs are on the road up to the Belvedere.
6/3/2013: Opunohu Bay
Looking to the head of Opunohu Bay with 830m Mt. Mouputa visible in the distance.
6/3/2013: Beachcomber Inter-Continental Resort
Beachfront at the Beachcomber Inter-Continental Resort. The grounds and buildings were quite impressive.
6/3/2013: Poulet Roti
We turned back shortly after passing this popular Rotisserie Chicken take-out. They weren't open yet, and at 10:30am, it was too early for lunch anyway.
6/3/2013: Public beach
We returned to Cook's Bay along the Moorea ring road. This beautiful public beach was on the north shore between Opunohu and Cook's Bay. Nearly a dozen transient boats were anchored just offshore.
6/3/2013: Fruit Juice Factory
We tried the Fruit Juice Factory on our way back and this time it was open and in full swing. Here, they are taking delivery of a load of pineapples.
6/3/2013: Juice break
We sampled the Fruit Juice Factory's tasty Tahiti Drink, but purchased a liter of non-alcoholic Tropical juice mix to enjoy on the bench outside their store.
6/3/2013: Fishermen's Wharf Restaurant
Dinner at the Hotel Kaveka's restaurant overlooking the bay. The meal was delicious and the view was awesome.
6/4/2013: Recif de Papatoai
From Baie de Cook, we travelled west through Passe Tareu into Baie de Opunoho and then along the south side of Recif de Papatoai to anchor. The channel to the anchorage was somewhat narrow, but deep and well-marked.
6/4/2013: Mt. Rotui
Looking across Papetoai village to 899m Mt Rotui between Baie de Cook and Baie de Opunoho.
6/4/2013: Back off the chart
We anchored in about 15 feet and the water was so clear that we could see our anchor chain snaking away along the bottom and even our anchor at the end of it.
6/4/2013: Mt. Tautuape
Anchored in front of 799m Mt. Tautuape. This was a beautiful anchorage. With the mountainous shoreline to one side and the waves crashing over the reef to the other, it felt like a combination of the Marquesas and the Tuamotus.
6/4/2013: Tour groups
Tour boats dropping off snorkelers at the channel edge just northwest of our anchorage. Dinghys and high-speed tour boats passed through the channel frequently during the day.
6/4/2013: Taotoi dive
We quickly set off for a dive just outside and east of Taotoi Pass (the Hacking Family's Moorea Dive page was helpful in selecting our sites). Sharks sightings are common around Moorea--we pretty much always had one or two in view.
6/4/2013: Bluestripe Snapper
We swam through huge schools of Bluestripe Snapper.
6/4/2013: Regal Angelfish
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6/4/2013: Scissortail Sergeant
We also saw large groups of Scissortail Sergeants, with their distinctive black bars and black-bordered tail.
6/4/2013: Visibility
The coral wasn't super-healthy, but the excellent visibility, with varied and plentiful fish life, more than made up for that.
6/4/2013: Safety stop
We do a three-minute safety stop at the end of every dive. The dinghy is visible in the background, tied to a mooring that extends down on the right. Small-boat moorings were at most of the dive sites here, making for a quick and easy arrival and exit.
6/4/2013: Ray Corridor dive
For a second dive, we stayed inside the reef just a short distance from our anchorage. The visibility wasn't nearly as good as outside, but we still saw plenty of life, including big schools of Blacktail Snapper.
6/4/2013: Divers
We swam against the current to drift back with it. Another dive party drifted past during our dive as we swam upstream.
6/4/2013: Eagle Ray
And we did see an example of the dive site's namesake.
6/4/2013: Turtle
This sea turtle was chomping away on the coral. The back of the shell appeared to have been patched (bottom of photo). A turtle rescue organization is nearby, so perhaps this is their work.
6/4/2013: Pacific Double-Saddle Butterflyfish
The Butterflyfish of the day: the Pacific Double-Saddle Butterflyfish .
6/4/2013: Anemones
No anemonefish, but lots of anemones.
6/4/2013: Seascape
The underwater seascape was varied and interesting on all our dives at Moorea. Visibility ranged from excellent on the outside to 20-30' in some of the high-current channels.
6/5/2013: Anchor
The next morning, our Rocna anchor was well dug into the sand right beside the boat.
6/5/2013: Taotoi Pass dive
We dove Taotoi Pass the next morning, hoping to spot the searays that frequent the channel. The current was running a knot or two. We did see a flight of nearly twenty Eagle Rays, but too far away for a photo.
6/5/2013: Underwater Stone Tiki garden
A group of perhaps a dozen stone Tikis are in the shallows a few hundred feet off our anchorage--that's where all the tourist boats were bringing snorkelers. Tikis are typically carved out of wood in Tahiti. Apparently in protest for missionaries having thrown the wooden ones in the water years earlier, these stone ones were carved and thrown in here.
6/5/2013: Tiki photo 2
Several of the Tikis are quite large--it must have taken some effort to get them here.
6/5/2013: Tiki 3
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6/5/2013: Tiki 4
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6/5/2013: Tiki 5
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6/5/2013: Tiki 6
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6/5/2013: Tiki 7
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6/5/2013: Tiki 8
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6/5/2013: Shallow dive
We dove around the area a bit too--generally in 5 to 15 feet of water. We cam from another dive site with air left in our tanks, so we fell in the water to dive the tikis.
6/5/2013: Canyon dive
We ran east and through Passe Tareu to dive the outside reef northeast of Baie de Opunoho. The fish outside the reef were particularly unconcerned about us, and frequently came quite close.
6/5/2013: Redtooth Triggerfish
These fish are hard to get a picture of, as they retreat into the rocks when threatened. But even they let us get quite close.
6/5/2013: Anemone
Large anemone with two anemonefish.
6/5/2013: Friendly fish
Friendly Racoon and Pacific Double-Saddle Butterflyfish.
6/5/2013: Taotoi dive II
We returned to the Taotoi site for our final dive of the day. The underwater topography outside the reef is a series of channels running from twenty to around eight feet deep that are quite interesting to explore.
6/5/2013: Overhang
The shelves have lots of caverns and overhangs where creatures hide out.
6/5/2013: Clearfin Lionfish
A Clearfin Lionfish tucked into a crevice, with possibly a small squat lobster to the right.
6/6/2013: At the helm
Spitfire helping out with the watch as we leave Moorea for Huahine. We left just after dawn for the 80-mile run to Huahine to arrive before dark.
6/6/2013: Paul Gauguin
The local cruise ship Paul Gaugin, named after the famous French painter who lived in French Polynesia at the turn of the 19th century.
6/6/2013: Reef
Waves breaking over the outer reef at Huahine.
6/6/2013: Passe Avapehi
Entering Passe Avapehi, one of two passes at the northwest corner of Huahine. The main village, Fare, is to the northeast.
6/6/2013: Surfers
Surfers just outside the entry channel.
6/6/2013: Sunset
We were anchored just before sunset in an excellent spot with a view over the fringing reef. In order to make the passage to Huahine in a single daylight run without entering or exiting in the dark, we ran harder than usual--around 210-215 HP the whole way, for an average speed of 8 knots in 8' seas on 8 seconds. The worked out well, but was only possible with the engine upgrade, as the standard engine is only 163HP, intermittent duty.
6/7/2013: Sunrise
Sunrise over Port Bourayne. The previous night we were arriving just before sunset and wanted to enjoy it at anchor, so we weren't super-selective on our anchorage. This morning we were up early and toured the area a bit. Port Bourayne was beautiful, but some boats already were anchored there and we ended up preferring a spot on the fringing reef. It had the added advantage of a strong WiFi signal.
6/7/2013: Iron Lady
FPB 64 Iron Lady at anchor just outside the bay.
6/7/2013: Legacy
Superyacht Legacy en route from just outside Port Bourayne. They've been close by the last week or so. We spent some time chatting with her crew on the docks at Papeete, and they were anchored at Baie de Opunoho most of the time we were in Moorea.
6/7/2013: Anchor ball
Today was mostly devoted to work and boat projects, including rigging our anchor ball at the bow. (An anchor ball is a day shape indicating a vessel is at anchor. At night, a white light is used). On our previous boat we'd show an anchor ball when at anchor, but we'd never found a convenient place on the current boat.
6/8/2013: Fare
Dinghy docked at the town dock in Fare. We ran the bikes in to tour the island.
6/8/2013: Marae Maeva
Restored open-air temple, or Marae, at Meava. Archaeoligists date human habitation back at least 1,300 years on the island, and have found around 100 Marae there.
6/8/2013: Fa'Una Nui fish traps
Ancient fish traps on the channel to Lake Fa'Una. The traps have been repaired, and still are in use.
6/8/2013: Uraine marines' graves
Cannon-guarded monument to marines from the French warship Uraine. They died in the 1846 Battle of Maeva, when the Huahine islanders successfully repelled a French annexation attempt. Huahine, with the other leeward Society Islands, was a British protectorate until 1887.
6/8/2013: Sacred blue-eyed eels
Accoring to local legend, the blue-eyed eels brought fresh water to the village of Faie.
6/8/2013: Route Traversiere
From Faie, Route Traversiere runs 2.5km, at a 15% grade, across the mountains to Maroe Bay. We we were able to cycle all the way up, but were pretty tired at the top. Going down is risky, as a tourist apparently was killed on an out-of-control bike. We were careful not to build up too much speed and run the risk of overheating the brakes.
6/8/2013: Belvedere
Looking south to Maroe Bay from the view point at the top of the pass. In the distance is Pont du Maroe, the bridge from Huahine-nui to Huahine-iti.
6/8/2013: Pont de Maroe
The bridge crossing Maroe Bay. The waterway under it connects through to Bourayne Bay where we toured through yesterday morning.
6/8/2013: Scenery
The scenery en route was beautiful. The road mostly ran at sea level and, except around the village of Fare, was very smooth and ideal for cycling. We did have a few steep climbs, however, particularly when looping between the islands.
6/8/2013: View
The view from a high point in the road at the south end of Huahine-iti (position approximate).
6/8/2013: Point Tiva
Shortly beyond the dirt road to Point Tiva, we stopped at a store and picked up a couple of liters of juice and doubled back to take a break beachside.
6/8/2013: Hinano time
We also bought a large Hinano (local beer).
6/8/2013: Marae Anini
Massive stones of Marei Anini, just behind our break spot. Archeologists estimate the mare was build between 1325 and 1400.
6/8/2013: Te Marara Snack Bar
We arrived back in Fare about five hours and 60km after leaving, just in time to order lunch before the kitchen at Te Marara Snack Bar closed at 2pm. We had an excellent meal there and loved the waterfront view.
6/8/2013: Dinghy dock
A good dinghy dock is adjacent to the restaurant, and dinghys also can tie up on the wall directly in front of the restaurant, where ladders and rings have been installed. We tied off at the village seawall, to the left of this view, where it was a little easier to load/unload the bikes.
6/8/2013: Sunset
The sunsets from Huahine all were amazing.
6/9/2013: Te Tiare Beach Resort
The resort just down from our anchorage. At night, we enjoyed their lights twinkling in the distance.
6/9/2013: Pont de Maro
Back at the Pont de Maro, but this time passing under it on a dinghy tour.
6/9/2013: Float home
One of two attractive float homes just off Baie du Faie.
6/9/2013: In the channel
Running north in a narrow and shallow, but marked, channel.
6/9/2013: Resort remains
A Sofitel resort used to be here, and now just piling remain of the bungalows. Perhaps it was taken out in a storm.
6/9/2013: Anchorage
We're not sure how they managed to work this sailboat here, but it's a pretty awesome spot (position approximate).
6/9/2013: Lunch
We anchored the dinghy in about 3' of water, not far from our break stop yesterday, and had lunch afloat. Fortunately our dinghy comes equipped with a Hinano holder.
6/9/2013: Surfers
Huahine has good surfing--several surfers were riding the large waves at Passe Araara.
6/9/2013: Outrigger canoes
Outrigger canoeists also were out riding the surf.
6/9/2013: Avae
Several boats were anchored in the very nice-looking bay at Avae.
6/9/2013: Pension Chez Tara
A restaurant ashore had a wonderful deck with a water view, and was packed for lunch.
6/9/2013: Rainbow
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6/10/2013: Nearing Raiatea
Conditions were calm enough on our run to Raiatea for Spitfire to sit on the bow as we neared.
6/10/2013: Passe Iriru
Entering Raiatea through Passe Iriru en route to Baie Faaroa.
6/10/2013: Surf
Waves breaking off Passe Iriru.
6/10/2013: Shelters
Thatch-roofed shelters on Motu Iriru.
6/10/2013: Fishers
Those small shapes at the river surface are people standing in the water doing some kind of fishing.
6/10/2013: Aoppomau River
We paddled the kayaks up Aoppomau River at the head of the anchorage. We tried taking the larger dinghy first, but depths at the bar were in the 1.5-2' range and we didn't think we could get very far. The river deepened quickly past that shallow section, and we would have been fine, but we much preferred the kayaks.
6/10/2013: Torch ginger
A botanical garden apparently borders the river, so these Torch Ginger might be natural or planted. Either way, the whole run up-river was like passing through a botanical garden. We particulary enjoyed the White Hibiscus that filled the shores and frequently dropped flowers into the water.
6/10/2013: Low clearance
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6/10/2013: Up the rapids
We definately wouldn't have got the larger dinghy up here.
6/10/2013: Down the rapids
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6/10/2013: Tour boat
This tour boat was bringing a couple up on a river tour. They didn't get as far up as we did, but did get a reasonable distance. Definately shows we could have gotten the larger tender in.
6/10/2013: Scenery
Just amazing.
6/11/2013: Uturoa
Attractive houses along the shore just south of the Uturoa village center.
6/11/2013: Taporo IV
The supply ship Taporo IV coming onto the wharf at Uturoa. A row of fuel and other trucks were waiting for it when we passed by earlier.
6/11/2013: Bora Bora
View from our anchorage off Uturoa across Ile Tahaa to Bora Bora. We originally were thinking of staying at least another night at Raiatea, but decided instead to head to Bora Bora today.
6/11/2013: Passe Paipai
Waves crashing off the south shore of Passe Paipai as we exit Raiatea.
6/11/2013: Breakers
Huge waves breaking off the southwest shore of Bora Bora. The reef there extends a long way off the island--navigating here in the days of sail must have been challenging.
6/11/2013: Passe Teavanui
Entering Passe Teavanui into Bora Bora with 649-meter Mt. Pahia visible in the distance.
6/11/2013: Fueling
Taking on fuel in Bora Bora. We barely needed 300 gallons, but wanted to top off for the 1,300-mile run to Tonga from French Polynesia.
6/11/2013: Crane swing
An innovative use of a dinghy lift crane on superyacht Legacy, anchored near us off the western shore of Toopua Islet.
6/11/2013: Sunset
The sunsets in Bora Bora are pretty nice too.
6/11/2013: Water angel
Jennifer making a water angel in Dirona's underwater lights during an evening swim.
6/12/2013: Gendarme
At the Gendarme in Vaitape. We'll be clearing out from French Polynesia there and had gone to ask a few questions about checkout procedures before biking around the island.
6/12/2013: Dolphins
Dolphin statue en route (position approximate).
6/12/2013: Matira public beach
Beautiful public beach off the Intercontinental Hotel.
6/12/2013: Sofitel
We took a quick walk through the Sofitel Hotel. The facility was very impressive, with an amazing views from the waterfront bar and restaurant.
6/12/2013: Mt. Otemanu
View to Mt. Otemanu from road at Tuiahora Point.
6/12/2013: Te Ana Opea Cave
Te Ana Opea Cave near top of Mt. Otemanu.
6/12/2013: View
We'd followed an old cement army jeep track that led off from the road at the top of the ridge to find the American guns that had been mounted there during WWII. This is the view from from a cement platform partway there.
6/12/2013: Rock
Massive black rock beside the cement platform.
6/12/2013: Gun
One of two MK II naval guns that were mounted around Bora Bora when it was a WWII supply station. We had to lock the bikes at the cement platform and walk the rest of the way out to the guns.
6/12/2013: Lunch
Three hours and 32km later, we returned from our island circumnavigation to the MaiKai Yacht Club, where we'd tied off the dinghy, and had an excellent lunch on their waterfront patio.
6/12/2013: Paul Gauguin
The cruis ship Paul Gauguin has an awesome water-level door. They had a big rack of scuba tanks just inside.
6/12/2013: Sunset
We'd moved the boat around to Pofai Bay to get a better view to the mountains above Bora Bora.
6/12/2013: Bloody Mary's
Heading in for dinner at the iconic Bloody Mary's restaurant, near our anchorage. Jennifer is just visible standing next to the sign on the right.
6/12/2013: Dinner
Seated at our table in Bloody Mary's on their sand floor. We had an excellent meal.
6/14/2013: Cleared out
Yesterday we cleared out of French Polynesia for Tonga, via Maupiti. It's just as well we're leaving now--our French and French Polynesian courtesy flags are looking pretty beat.
6/14/2013: Dolphins
Dolphins off our bow as we approach Maupiti.
6/14/2013: Breakers
The entrance to Maupiti is through a narrow channel open to the south. The channel reportedly is impassable with a southerly swell over three meters, as heavy breakers sweep across the entry. We've got about two meters now, and it doesn't look very appealing. We're not quite at the entry though--it looked somewhat better once we were father around and lined up on the range markers.
6/14/2013: Reef
Passing close by the reef inside the channel as we line up on the second set of range marks.
6/14/2013: Mount Hotu Paraoa
Dramatic Mount Hotu Paraoa rises 250m prety much straight up from the southeast corner of Maupiti. The scenery here was impressive.
6/14/2013: Dinghy tied off
We landed the dinghy in the cement basin at the town wharf and set off for a walk.
6/14/2013: Bluff view
One of our guidebooks indicated we could climb to the 380m summit of Maupiti in three hours return from the road that cuts across Tereia Point. Where the road was highest we found the start of a trail, but it was pretty overgrown and rough going. We stopped about halfway on a grassy bluff with sweeping views west.
6/14/2013: Tereia Point
Returning back out to the road, we followed a dirt road west that passed behind a house and turned into a trail out to the tip of Tereia Point. We were on one of those knife-edge cliffs we'd seen so frequently in the Marquesas: the whole cliff was barely ten feet wide, and fell straight down on either side.
6/15/2013: Mount Hotu Paraoa
Morning view of Mount Hotu Paraoa from the anchorage.
6/15/2013: Anchorage companions
We had the anchorage to ourselves the first night, but two more boats arrived this morning, including Iron Lady that we've seen a few times over the past couple of weeks.
6/16/2013: Sunrise
Sunrise as we leave our last anchorage in French Polynesia, en route to Tonga.
6/16/2013: Breakers
The seas were a little bigger then when we'd entered Maupiti, and large breakers crashed on either side of the channel.
6/16/2013: Last view
Last view to Maupiti, and French Polynesia, as we head west.
6/16/2013: En route to Tonga
Our French and French Polynesian courtesy flags are down, and we're now underway on the 1,300-mile run to Tonga. Conditions so far have been wonderful: calm seas, sunny skies and winds around 5 knots.