Author: svtrance

Monday February 22, 3B’s is a local restaurant micro brewery with outdoor seating. On Mondays they have 1/2 price beer. We went there for dinner, it was a bit crowded for me be we were sitting on the outside edge.

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Our windless broke when we were in the Tuamotu Islands. It’s a motorized device to lower and raise the anchor. We are on hold here waiting for the part to be delivered. It was ordered from the UK and is currently in Los Angeles, expected delivery early March, maybe.

Tuesday February 23, on Sunday at the market, Jaye purchased some Rambutans. She gave us a few to try. They are a tropical fruit, very sweet and sugary tasting. Cut open the the furry red outside to reveal the slippery white gelatin like fruit inside. There is also a pit within the white. Dan ate the pit too, he said it has the texture of coconut.

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For dinner we had pizza with Cindy and Mark on their boat, ah air conditioning!

Wednesday February 24, spent a fair amount of time on WiFi at the Miri Miri Tea House, with snacks of course. Researching our next destinations. Sundowners with Brigitte and Guillaume on our boat. Also a delayed chocolate day # 11.

Thursday February 25, Brigitte took me to this fabulous Chinese owned craft store near the market. we both purchased some polyester strings and I got a few black pearls, had them drilled while we waited.

For dinner I made Wild Rice, Cabbage and Chickpea Pilaf, think this a new favorite of ours. Also added some sun dried tomatoes.

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Friday February 26, Did I mention it’s hot here? When we were in Panama, we used an old Thistle Mainsail and Jib as a sunshade for the boat. We brought them out today to do the same thing except with a few modifications. We removed the bolt rope from the main and the cable from the jib, sewed those two straight edges ends together. The other sides were left alone, it works. For the bow, we have have a blue canvas salvaged dinghy cover from Hawaii, thanks to Mark and Beth.

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Our new friends Brigitte and Guillaume departed today, they are heading back to the Tuamotu Islands. He has a job prospect as the dive manager at a resort.

Saturday February 27, just another day in paradise.

Monday February 15, final provisioning day with the car, produce and perishables. Dan did errands with car in the morning and I baked a loaf of bread.

Sometimes in the evening we’ll watch a movie. We brought several CD’s with us. Movies weren’t high on our priority list when we set off on this journey. What we should have done, is loaded them all on an external hard drive for space savings. Not really sure where some of these movies came from, our kids I suspect. Anyway a few really bad ones, in our opinions, Just Friends and American Psycho, they may just get left behind somewhere.

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Tuesday February 16, The rental car was returned today. We were able to pick up our refilled propane tank before dropping off the car. This tank is now filled with butane, they said it burns hotter than propane, another challenge. We also dropped off laundry at a cleaning service, no self serve coin operated machines here.

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Had sundowners with Cindy and Mark on s/v Cream Puff, they are several boats down on our dock. She is from Texas he’s from the UK.

Wednesday February 17, picked up our laundry this morning. Also shopped for swim trunks for Dan. We added a one week extension at the marina.

Thursday February 18, boat projects day. Walked to Tahiti Tourism for WiFi, it still works outside their building after hours. It’s the best WiFi nearby. Dinner at the food trucks.

Friday February 19, a lovely rainy day! I was able to purchase a new SIM card today for internet, amazing how fast 10G of data goes. Later we video chatted with Beth and the boys, Luke, Mecca and the girls as well as with friends John and Joy.

Had sundowners with s/v Winsome, Jaye and Irwin. Jaye is a net controller on the the French Poly Net, on single sideband hight frequency radio. That’s how we met them. The Poly Net is a way for cruisers regularly to communicate for safety and social purposes. The broadcasts are twice a day. They were anchored by the airport here in Tahiti but came into the marina for a few days. Originally from the US, they had lived in several states, but have lived in Tahiti for over 5 years. Irwin used to sail small boats including Thistles!

Saturday February 20, rainy day! video chatted in the morning with Danielle and Mike, also Ben, Rachael and Cora, did boat projects rest of the day.

Sunday February 21, We went with Jaye to the Sunday morning outdoors farmers market. The best market we’ve seen. Produce is bundled in little basket, typically 1 for 300 or 2 for 500 CFP ($3 and $5 USD), or 1 for 200, 3 for 500 CFP. We shared several purchases of 2. Many vendors toss in a additional item, like we bought 2 bunches of bananas and an avocado was added to the bag. The produce tables were on several streets surrounding the Market, as well as vendors inside. Fish and meats are inside, we purchased a swordfish steak.

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In afternoon we put the Sailrite on the deck so I could repair a tear in the sacrificial sunbrella on the Genoa. Dan decided to lower other halyards to check for chafing. The code sail had several bad spots, it was shortened by 4 feet.

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Chocolate day #10. Grilled swordfish for dinner, with grilled zucchini.

Saturday February 13, with a rented car, were touring the island. Today we will explore the Eastern shore.

In 1769, James Cook was the first to explore the island on foot. Over the next 5 years other explorers had also walked the land. In 1818 building of a shipping port began. This area is the bay where today the city of Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia is. Tahiti was very isolated to maritime shipping routes until after the open of the Panama Canal when regular shipping lines began.

The first stop on our self guided tour was the James Norman Hall Museum. His most famous book was Mutiny on the Bounty, which he co-wrote with Charles Nordhoff, both Americans.

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One of Captain Cooks exploration voyages in the South Pacific island was to observe the passage of Venus in front of the sun. The goal was to calculate the distance of the Earth from the Sun. He settled near a northern peninsula they now called Venus Point at what is now Matavai Bay.

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Further south, the church of Tautira, completed in 1865, is dedicated to Our Lady of Peace. Tautira, for the Catholic mission. This is where the first Spanish Franciscan missionaries settled in 1774.

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Sunday February 14 ❤️, day two of our adventure. Traveling down the Western shore there were many historic places or structures that are no longer there.

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Where the road ends on the southern coast, in Teahupoo at the Havae Pass, has become world known area for championship surfing. The barrier reef lies very shallow and with a slowed distant drop off of the reef, this produces tunnels of waves. The water was quite calm on this day.

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Chocolate day #9, again we missed that last scheduled one! Guess being Valentines Day it was meant to be❤️

Wednesday February 10, we arrived around noon. The morning was spent sailing through a horrible squall with lots of thunder and lightning and a downpour of rain.

After registering with the marina, we went to a local sandwich shop, then ate lunch by the water. Later headed off to the Tahiti Tourism Office, picked up a couple of maps and hung around a bit on their free WiFi.

Stopped by the Market but it was closed at 4pm.

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Thursday February 11, Got caught up with social medial, added photos to Facebook and Instagram as well as published 2 blog post. Later we had lunch at a restaurant on the outdoor deck, by the water. Still arrived at the market too late. Walked around a lot, had drinks and appetizers at an outdoor bar on the waterfront.

When he was here in 1968, Bernard Moitessier mentioned in his book, “The Long Way” that he was disappointed with the construction of the new road along the warf 50+ years later it looks great, and we believe he’d be happy with what they’ve done with the place.

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Friday February 12, on our daily walk, we finally made it to the market when it was open! Half of the area is produce and fish, the other is more miscellaneous vendors. We did buy some vanilla, and vanilla beans. Afterwards we had lunch, then stopped at the Tahiti Pearl Market.

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Early afternoon we picked up a rental car we reserved the day before. Did some non-perishable provisioning. First to the Polynesian Trading Company, they sell bulk items from Costco. Then to a really nice grocery store, Carrefour, it’s part department store, part food store, located in a mall.

Monday February 8, Slack tide around noon, to go through the pass. We’re leaving the Tuamotu Islands heading for the Society Islands.

It was a pleasant afternoon sail. After the sunset, Oh my the stars, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross, the lightning! By midnight it was like the 4th of July. 360 degrees of flash. Come 4am, we sailed through a very active, short lived, storm squall, with a downpour of rain, thunder and lightning with 30knots of wind.

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Tuesday February 9, Happy Birthday Dylan! The air is much cooler today, the clouds are thunderous, gray with occasional lightning. The main and Genoa are reefed, staysail is full, 20-28 knots true wind, speed over ground 6-8knots. By evening the wind had dropped to 8knots, still have some gray skies all around.

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Chocolate day# 8, (actually it was supposed to be yesterday) for dinner we had wild rice, cabbage and Chickpea pilaf.

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Wednesday February 3, went ashore this morning, stopped at Yacht Services. Gave them some laundry to wash for us and finally was able to purchase a SIM card for internet! Then we had lunch at a resort the water.

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Thursday February 4, rented bikes from Yacht Services, rode at least 18 miles. Stopped for lunch at an outdoors restaurant. We rode to the airport then an additional 10k.

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Friday February 5, this morning we moved Trance 6 miles south and connected to another mooring ball there.

February 2, was chocolate day #6, today is Chocolate day #7.

Saturday February 6, we sailed to south entrance of Fakarava, we’ll stay here a few days. There are two resorts here, one is closed, the other one has no TV to watch the football game.

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Sunday February 7, Super Bowl Sunday. Mid morning we took the dinghy to pass, the current was slack and about to start flowing into the lagoon. The snorkeling and diving here at the southern pass, is supposedly the best, world class. We drove through, almost to the end, jumped in the water with snorkel gear on, holding onto the dinghy with ropes, then we floated in with the current (dinghy too). So cool! We did this a few times.

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This video below was taken from Trance. A school of mixed fish swam by, Dan was feeding then Pepperidge Farms goldfish.

Had sundowners on the boat next to us, s/v Kathryn del Fuego. Russell and Kate, their nanny Chloe, they have 2 boys Hugo and Felix from the UK.

Thursday January 28, On our way ashore mid morning, we stopped by s/v Seneto and s/v Joy to say goodbye, as well as s/v Lenora but they were not there. Those three are leaving in day or so, we may meet up again. Also took our trash and recycling to the dumpsters. The restaurants at the dock were not open yet, so walked to the little grocery store as Dan wanted sponges to use for applying teak sealer. Josephine’s is down the road next to the store so went there. Larissa and Christoph (s/v Lenora, were there so we had lunch with them on deck by the water. Glad we ran into them before leaving.

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After lunch we video chatted with the kids, that was great!

Departed Rangiroa around 4:30pm, slack tide. Destination is the atoll Apataki.

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Friday, January 29, Happy Birthday Ben! Arrived in Apataki around 11:30am. We are anchored on the far side near the boat yard. There is one other boat here s/v Let it Be from Quebec, Canada, Sylvain and Suzanne. We stopped at their boat to say hello upon returning from a short shore trip.

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Saturday January 30, It was discovered when we pulled up anchor at Rangiroa, our Windless was failing. A Windless is motorized winch that deploys the anchor up and down. Dan needed to assist it using a winch handle and when we dropped anchor in Apataki. Today he worked on trying to remove the motor but looks like it’s epoxied to the fiberglass. Project for another day.

Chocolate day #5!

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Oh my, the Stars! The Milky Way and the Southern Cross! Stargazed on the bow till the moon rose at 8:30pm

Sunday January 31, Happy Birthday Luke! *Sourdough Notes* Baked a Belle loaf this morning as well as chocolate chip cookies.

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Departed our anchorage at 12 noon, to catch the outgoing tide at the pass. Heading for Toau. It is an atoll but there’s a false pass on the north shore we going to. The false pass is around 35ft deep until you get to range markers, then it’s very shallow coral reef. There are 7 mooring buoys here.

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Monday, February 1, Happy Birthday Dan! Went ashore and met Valentine and Gaston who live here, often prepare dinner for the cruisers who visit. You can read about them in several South Pacific cruising guides.

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Late afternoon we shared a bottle of wine with them as well as Martial who is on another boat here, celebrating Dan’s birthday.

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Martial has been here for almost 2 weeks. He’s been helping Gaston build his boat.

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Tuesday February 2, Ground Hog Day, he saw his shadow, 6 more weeks of winter!

Departed Toau at 7am, in hopes to catch slack tide in Fakarava around 2pm. Arrived right on schedule, connected to mooring buoy, engine off, relax time!

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Monday January 25, took the dinghy over the other side of the pass to the village of Tiputa. Tried to purchase a Travel SIM card at the Poste, but they didn’t sell them. It was a peaceful walk, very few cars, several bikes.

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Later back across the pass we had a wonderful lunch at the resort Les Relais Josephine, on the deck overlooking the water. WiFi was good there too, able to upload a blog post and some photos to Facebook.

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For dinner we made reservations for dinner at Hotel Kia Ora Resort and Spa. We believe it’s the “fanciest” place on Rangiroa. The meal was exquisite!

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Tuesday January 26, with rented bikes we first rode to Gauguin’s Pearl Farm. It was a very comprehensive tour on how oysters are grown and pearls are cultivated. The farm utilities many acres of lagoon water.

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The technician is working with two small batches of oysters as they can only be out of the water for up to two hours. With one batch, he’s inserting a mother of pearl seed “nucleus”, on which mother of pearl will grow to make the pearl. With the second batch, he’s removing a pearl. If the pearl is acceptable quality, he will insert another nucleus. If not, the oyster is used for other purposes, like eating and the Mother of Pearl shell is sent away for buttons and other jewelry. They will use the same oyster up to 5 times as long as it continues to produce quality pearls.

The nucleus is a bead of Mother of Pearl. They harvest thick shelled crustaceans from the Mississippi River. These shells are shipped to Japan, where they are sliced, cubed and shaped into spheres.

“Black” Pearls are unique to the Tuamotus and Gambier Islands. White pearls are cultivated in Japan, grayish pearls in Australia.

And of course there a boutique where you can purchase loose as well as mounted jewelry with pearls.

Afterwards we continued to the village of d’ Avatoru.

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Then rode back to Les Relais Josephine resort where we returned the bikes and had lunch on their patio by the water.

Sundowner with homemade pizza on our boat with Kate and Will s/v Seneto from the UK and Arianne and Michael on s/v Joy from Holland.

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Wednesday January 27, we missed yesterday as a chocolate day, so it’s today, number 4. Dan worked on the water maker plumbing, cleaned strainers, tightened the rudder post packing, lubricated the refrigerator drain pump and more… most of the morning. I was moral support and tool getter. After lunch we planned our next 3 atoll anchorages and timing getting into and out of the lagoons.

Atolls have narrow passes, and should only be entered at or near slack tide (or little current), as water can flow as much as 4-10 knots.

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Wednesday January 29, Arrived in The Atoll Rangiroa anchored in the lagoon around 6:30pm as the sun was setting.

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Thursday January 21, Went ashore to today good to walk around after being at sea for 4 days. Had lunch near the dock. A cargo supply ship had arrived, they come here every other week. Dan had posted on the French Polynesia Cruiser Facebook page we were here, another boat replied they were parked next to us. We stopped by their boat on our way back. Nice couple, s/v Lenora, Larissa and Christoph, he’s from Germany, she’s originally from Brazil, though her family now lives in Long Island, NY.

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Friday January 22, it was a rainy morning so it was clean the inside of the boat day. When the rain stopped, we took about a 7 mile round trip ride in the dinghy to go to the post office. They sell Vini travel SIM cards there, looks like the only way to have internet access here except WiFi at restaurants, which isn’t very strong. Unfortunately the Post Office was closed, won’t open till Monday.

We returned to Trance to pick up a few reusable grocery bags headed to the little food store. The produce selection was better today after the arrival of the supply ship. We purchased cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions and lettuce and frozen salmon filets.

*Sourdough Notes* mixed the dough for a Belle loaf will bake it tomorrow morning.

Evening sundowners on our boat with our new friends from Germany, Christoph and Larissa.

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Saturday January 23, *Sourdough Notes* baked bread this morning.

Made a trip to town to see if the smaller store was open, our friends told us they have fruit. We purchased apples, oranges and a small watermelon.

After returning to the boat we went snorkeling at a shallow area close to the where Trance is anchored. After lunch we dinghy’d over the island Motu Nuhi Nuhi, at the Tiputa Pass to snorkel. This area is a protected underwater aquarium with coral in several colors and little beautiful fish. There are several mooring balls to connect to as to not damage the coral with an anchor.

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Sundowners with Kate and Bill s/v Seneto from Southampton UK.

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Sunday January 24, lazy Sunday. Made sun tea using an empty rum bottle, looks like dark rum.

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For dinner we grilled salmon filets, brushed with pomegranate molasses and foil roasted potatoes on the grill.

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Day 1- Sunday January 17, the Tuamotu Islands are mostly Atolls. Destination, Rangiroa. Just before 9am, anchor up, on our way, escorted by a pod of dolphins.

6.7 speed over ground, 13.5 true wind, course over ground 215. Later we deployed the spinnaker, doing 7.4speed over ground with 12.6 knots of wind! It was up til sunset.

We are rationing our chocolate, one half bar every three days. Today is the first of 18 days of chocolate.

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Oh my, the stars, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross!

Miles traveled 163 Average Speed 6.8knots Max Speed 11knots

Day 2-Monday January 18, cruising along averaging 6.9 knots, true wind 17-19 knots.

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Dan cut one of the “grapefruits” we were given on Hakahau. They looked and tasted like grapefruit one the inside. Sweet and bitter. Several hours later and into the night I developed hives, I believe from that fruit. Odd that I had that reaction.

Baked a banana bread this afternoon. For dinner a new recipe, Cabbage Lasagna. Very good! This one is from The Boat Galley Cookbook. I used canned chicken instead of beef.

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Oh my, the stars, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross!

Miles traveled 327.5 Average Speed 6.8knots Max Speed 12knots

Day 3-Tuesday January 19, calmer seas this morning, 13knots true wind, speed over ground 6.8knots. Rolled in the Genoa and Staysail, deployed the spinnaker, gained a 1 to 1.5knots of speed! Then of course the wind shifts, spinnaker down, code 65 up, staysail up. AH! Rain coming, couldn’t see the top of the dark cloud with rain, unable to tell if was going to a squall with big winds, code 65 down, Genoa out, partial cockpit enclosure zipped up. Rain passes, enclosure rolled up, Code sail back up. Our morning exercise routine!

In the afternoon we baked chocolate chip cookies, for dinner Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bacon.

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Oh my, the stars, the Milky Way, the Southern Cross!

Miles traveled 485.6 Average Speed 6.8knots Max Speed 12knots

Day4-Wednesday January 20, Inauguration Day! May the country move forward to a more United States than a divided states.

Wind this morning, 13-14 knots, speed over ground 7.6knots, 1-2 ft waves, partly cloudy. Quick rain shower early rinsed off the boat. Three squall followed with winds up to 25knots, more rain. Sails in and out most of the day.

Today is a chocolate day number 2.

By 6:30 pm we arrived at Rangiroa, it’s the second largest Atoll in the world. Dropped anchor near several other sailboats.

Miles traveled 584.2 Average Speed 6.9 Max Speed 12 Trip time 83:29:06 Total miles traveled 16352

Cloudy sky this evening, with storms and lightning in the distance.