Enterprising locals in the Society islands have tamed fish so that the tourists can get up real close. On Moorea, just west of Tahiti, there is shallow area in the lagoon behind the reef where you can stand waist high in water, while the sting rays push past to check you out looking for food. 1 meter sharks circle about 10 feet away for their turn for the food but don’t come any closer thankfully. Rays feel like soft foam toys! [-17.488,-149.902]

On Huahine in the village of Faie just by the shop there are blue eyed eels in the stream that come to be fed. They are slimy to the touch. Eels are about 3 feet long and 4 inch body diameter. You could see their teeth when the guide teased them with the tinned mackerel in the air. [-16.731,-150.995]

Plan to be in Bora Bora by next Sunday 30th August for a double birthday party, two cruisers celebrating with a combined bbq on the beach. [-16.5,-151.778]

The Tuamotus are the largest group of coral atolls in the world. (Atoll – a low-lying ring –shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon). There are seventy eight in the group, thirty one have passes. We arrive at one Fakarava, love it so much we spend all our time there! Entering one pass and leaving by the other. Arrival and departure time at the pass is critical, the currents can be strong and the water can be turbulent.

We arrived in the morning at the northern pass, having sailed from Nuka Hiva five hundred and thirty six miles. The atolls are very low and you don’t see them till you almost hit them! Keeping a good lookout is important! They are very different from the Marquesas, not a lot of land, no height and not much green, but they do look like your typical tropical island. With sandy beaches, on the inside of the lagoon, the coconut palm trees swaying and the water is crystal clear blue, turquoise. Just as well the water is clear as you have to look out for coral heads that rise up to within inches of the surface. [Read more →]

We are delighted to announce the safe arrival of Kirsty our daughter, and David is also delighted of the safe arrival of her bags, with all the spares for Giselle. The addition of extra crew is very welcome, and another female means we can outvote David! She will be with us now until New Zealand, through the Society Islands, Cooks, Nuie, Samoa, Tonga and possibly Fiji. Around three thousand miles.

Photos in the gallery. Big Fish, Celebrations, Deserted Motus, Sailing Mouse
Link to photos
The crests of the breaking waves are the highest thing around when you look out over the reef!
Waves on Reef
Video from one of the festival competitions
Coconut Shelling
(links load videos – suggest right click and open in new tabs).

At anchor, Cooks Anchorage, Tautira on the north coast of Tahiti iti.

Wind came up and we had water all over the decks for a while last night. Quieter second half of the night. Then the wind went back into the SSW so we came to the north coast of Tahiti Iti. Probably going around the south of the island tomorrow getting to Papeete for Sunday mid afternoon.

This anchorage was a favorite with Cook. Robert Louis Stevenson spent several weeks her being attended to by Princess

Position: 17°44.9’S 149°10’W [-17.748,-149.167] at 15:13 local, 01:13 6th August 2009 GMT

Wind died last night at 19:00 and came up this morning from the west in a light force 3. All predicted but a little irritating.

Position: 17°18.6’S 147° 2.8’W [-17.309,-147.046] at 16:00 local, 02:00 Wed 5th August GMT
24hr run: 89 miles by GPS, 93 miles through water.
miles to 179 Tahiti. ETA at 6 knots: 22:19 local 5th August
Wind: West 7 knots

We are on route to Tahiti in a reflective mood. We have said our good byes to Scott and Cindy on Beach House and Steve, Kathleen and Emmett on Uliad. We expect to have to wait until they visit Scotland before our paths cross again. We have a few days in hand before Kirsty arrives on the 11th so we are heading for the south of the island at Papeari. They have is another Gaugin Gallery and botanical gardens.

Position: 16°35.301′ 145°37.201′ [-16.588,-145.620] at 16:00 local, 02:00 GMT 3rd August
268 miles to Papeari, Tahiti[-17.767,-149.367]. ETA at 6 knots: 12:48 local 5th August
Wind: ENE 7 knots PINKIE is up!

We leave Tahuata early for the sixty five miles up to Ua Pou it has a spectacularly serrated skyline, countless spires and towers, often shrouded in clouds. The sail was with the wind on the beam and the seas were flatish. Arriving at the Bay De Hakahau, the parking was tight especially as the ferry/mini cruise ship was in, bow and stern anchors required here and accurate manouvering all in the constant roll. This is the third most populated village in the Marquises and has the usual Catholic church, small shops, gendarmerie, infirmary and bakery. But very little fruit for sale! Mainly I think because everyone grows their own, so why should they sell it in the shops? But I need fruit, so I ask and was directed to the home of Odette, now she was extremely generous and filled my two “sacs” to overflowing with Pamplemousse straight from the tree, advacados ready in a few days, limes, mangoes and sour sop. She then wanted to give us a lift back to the harbour! We declined her lift, but accepted the lift from someone else when she stopped on the road and asked if we were going back to the bateau, after being dropped off she gave us two pamplemousse she had in the back of her landrover. Odettes grandfather came from Scotland, Lawson was his surname, so to all the Lawsons looking at family history you have a very kind relative living in Hanaiapa who grows great fruit.
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Land Again you certainly can’t miss the Marquesas, (well I guess you could but with GPS it would be difficult!) the islands rise up from the sea to great heights.

Ah what a wonderful sight, land, green rising up towards the sky. Our longest passage completed (or so I’m told its our longest passage) and I’m glad to be in sight of land. Not that there was anything wrong with the 3002 miles it was just a long way and like a car journey sometimes it’s good to be over. We arrived at the anchorage first thing in the morning to a great cheer from the other already anchored boats. Some we had been chatting to on the radio on passage but had not met so that was fun. Coffee and cake was delivered to welcome us and the usual passing of local information. The local police would be there till lunch time otherwise we would have to wait till Monday. Up to the village to sign in, have a look around, extract some money French Polynesian Francs, from the hole in the wall, which shot out in 10,000 franc notes, (about £100 note) and to explore. Luckily we were passing the only lunch stop at the right time, lunch was good!
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Usually known as Darwins islands or enchanted islands. Wreck Bay is named after the wreck in the bay not the state of sailors when they arrive. The local agent let the anchor settle before he came alongside to offer his services. Now we usually sort ourselves out with the formalities but here the rules dictate the use of an agent. So Bolivar was engaged. He told us we would have to stay on board until we had been inspected for swine fever. However, by the following morning and no navy visitors, Bolivar suggested we go ashore with him to complete formalities.
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