Staying at Marina Papeete I was able to complete a few maintenance jobs, chase around after a sailmaker and get the leaky dinghy repaired, that is as well as a little exploring of the town, dining out at the Roulettes (mobile food vans) at the plaza and quaffing a few beers with friends, Thom from Fathom, Adva from Waterhoen, Oceana and Alice from Danika and Dan from My Dream were all here.
Then it was off to the airport in the early hours to meet my best friend Wendy who flew out from UK to join me for a while. She had bought out my new camera. Gave her a traditional Tahitian greeting of a garland of flowers.

Tahiti welcome for Wendy

After a few days we headed to anchor off Maeve beach just a few miles away, a very popular anchorage this off Marina Tanina, with maybe about 150 boats at anchor.

Dawn at Maeve Beach

My new GPS/plotter arrived to replace the old GPS with burnt out screen, that will make navigation a deal easier.
We had an aborted go at reaching the south of the island, but turned back before exiting the pass in the reef when wind and rain arrived but after a couple of days set out again. Out through the reef via pass Tappuna with dolphins for company we sailed south then turning Pointe de Marua we followed the reefs to Teputa pass which we entered and proceeded to anchor at Port du Phaeton, a lovely lagoon behind the reef which was so sheltered that it felt like you were anchored in a lake.

at anchor Port du Phaeton

Here we tried to visit the Gauguin museum, a few miles along the coast, but it was shut for refurb so we contented ourselves with a walk around the botanical gardens there, then back to Tavarao on the bus for a delicious lunch, tuna of course.

Bassin de Papeari