Tahaa and Raiatea are special: 2 islands surrounded by one barrier reef. The water of the lagoon is deep on most places so one can sail almost around both islands inside the reef. There is a beautifull shallow coral garden near motu TauTau at the west side of Tahaa so time for more snorkling.
Time to leave the busy anchorage behind the reef at Opunohu bay on the island of Moorea and sail overnight to Maupiti, 170 nautical miles. This will be Nicolas first nightsail since he is on board and we both look forward to the new adventure. The plan is to sail to Maupiti first and then to Bora Bora.
The Society islands all have a barrier reef around them and there are only a few places where there is a narrow passage though the reef, called a ‘passe’. After a night on anchor behind the reef in Vaiare in 2 meters of water we sail through Passe Vaiare at Moorea to Tahiti.
We anchored behind the reef at Arue to buy 25kg of flour, to do shopping at Carrefour and to have the mizzen sail repaired by our neighbour on a yellow trimaran. He is a very skilled sailmaker and it turns out he likes playing a game of chess too!
It was an easy sail from Hatiheu back to Taioae. An essential stop to swap English reading books at Kevins, to stock up at the supermarkets and buy fresh vegetables from the market. All done. Time to leave Nuku Hiva. We look forward to sail to the next island Ua Pou.
We leave our beautifull anchorage in Puamau just before sunset.
My Irish daughter Holly read an interesting article in Nat Geo about how Ua Huka has more animals than people . With wild horses, pigs, goats and cockerels roaming in lush green (like Ireland) forrest she feels this is her kind of place! She is of course invited.
We arrived in Atuona on the next island Hiva Oa in the morning after a slow but very pleasant night sail.
Busy! Some 30 yachts and the supply+cruise ship Aranui 5 in port, so we anchored outside. The Aranui 5 departs in Tahiti and you can get a ticket: only 1100 euro for a ten day trip around all the islands. Fun uh!
What a pity this beautifull passage has come to an end, we LOVE being at sea! But now we are at anchor in baie Omoa on Fatu Hiva, one of the Marquesas islands in French Polynesia!
Crossed 4 timezones while sailing 4005 nautical miles over the Pacific ocean in 28 days from Panama, an average speed of 6 knots. Fastest sail in a 24 hour period was 180 nm, an average speed of 7.5 knots. And the slowest sail: 84 nm in 24 hours and that is 3.5 knots average.
There are so many island nations in the West Indies, enough for a lifetime. Where next? Lets go to Dominica, it is interesting because it is mountanious, covered by misty rainforest and not so many boats seem to go there. It is less than two days sailing from Grenada.
The Definition of Arrive.
Do we arrive as we sail at dawn around the northern tip of the island through a channel with reefs? It is drizzling and the squalls on the horizon around us make a dramatic background. Or do we arrive when we drop the anchor?