by chris ayres | May 2017 | UK to New Zealand
19th – 25th May Taiohae bay
Then bay is very big and able to accommodate lots of yachts at anchor so is a major gathering point in the Marquesas for cruisers. The town ashore is the biggest in the Marquesas so there are shops, a bank, restaurants etc so it is a good place to re-provision and relax. However all the supplies come in by boat which was due in a few days, in between shipments they do run out of things so for the first few day here the shelves were thinly stocked and they had run out of flour so there was no bread to be had.
Thom was anchored here so it was good to catch up and compare notes as it were on our Pacific passages so far. We also looked over each other boats which although the same model had a few differences in layout and set up.
Tuhiva
There were also here some other cruisers that I had got to know so it was a fairly sociable time.
Whilst here I took a few local walks and had a second go at repairing my leaky dinghy not entirely successfully.
26th-29th May – Baie Tai’oe
My next move was to another bay about 5 miles along the coast, Baie Tai’oe. The entrance to this was hidden and looked rather improbable at first entering between a rocky point with breaking waves and tall vertiginous cliffs and with quite a swell running a trifle daunting.
Entrance to Taioa bay
Once inside though it was sheltered, calm and peaceful and you couldn’t even see the ocean.
Taioa bay
Thom arrived next day with a new crew member for me. I had mentioned the other day when a group of us had a pizza together that I was a bit concerned about passing through the Toumotus or Dangerous Archipelego without a crew to watch for reefs and coral heads in the passes and here almost out of the blue was a volunteer to come with me.
Beside the spectacular scenery of this bay, one of the attractions was the 3rd highest waterfall in the world being up the valley. Next day I dinghied around to the village of Hakaui, population 10, and walked up the trail to Vaipo falls. The trail was wet and muddy and you had to ford a knee deep fast running river. You were rewarded with a wonderful view at one point before pushing on through the forest.
Vaipo falls
All around were the ruins of ancient paepae or house platforms, at one time the valley must have supported a large population.
I got back to the village before it started raining then had an exciting time going back out through the surf to the boat, thought I might get flipped but just took a wave aboard.
Went back to th e village next morning and filled my water cans and bought a whole load of fruit, a hand of bananas, pamplemousse, limes and a breadfruit
by chris ayres | Jun 2017 | UK to New Zealand
Weighed anchor early from Baie Taiohae and set of for the island of Oa Pou about 25 miles away. We were rewarded with blue skies and moderate winds and a fairly calm sea so had a nice sail across.
Approaching Oa Pou
It is very dramatic island with tall rock spires, the tallest is Mt Oave, a volcanic plug at 4,004 feet high. There was hardly any cloud when we approached so we could see them in all their splendour but since they have been hidden in the cloud.
Hakahau with a population of about a thousand is the 3rd most populated village in the Marquesas, but feels a sleepy little place. We are anchored in the bay behind the breakwater which gives some protection from the swell.
Baie Hakahau
This will be the jumping off spot for the Toumotos about 450 miles away and we will set off when the weather looks suitable last night was very windy and it has kicked up quite a sea outside so we will wait for that to settle before making passage.
by chris ayres | Jun 2017 | UK to New Zealand
Mixed weather for the 450 mile passage to the Toamotos with very variable winds in strength and direction from SE to NE and 3 days of very cloudy grey conditions. However it was never too windy nor too rough so no complaints on that score. Another passage with no sightings, no dolphins, no whales and just one fishing boat as we closed on Ahe in the early hours of the last morning. Our trailing of a fishing line proved unsuccessful too. We managed to hook two, both reel screamers, both big but the first just bent the hook and the second broke the line like it was a piece of week cotton.
The Toamotos earned their reputation as the Dangerous Isles because the Motos & coral reefs are so low lying and hard to spot and we did not sight Ahe until we were about 5 miles away, a thin line of coconut trees fringing the horizon.
The outside reef Ahe
On Ahe there is just one pass into the lagoon, about 85 fett wide at its narrowest and just 3-4 metres deep over the bar. Through this rushes all the water in and out of the lagoon with the tides so a slack water passage is recommended. Only having the tide times for another atoll Rangiroa about 90 miles away we had to guess and rely on the look of the water. Motoring in we had about 2-3 knots of tide against us, so slow progress but plenty of steerage way. Once inside over the bar current slackened and we could follow the marked channel across the lagoon to anchor off the village of Tenukapara.
In the lagoon Ahe
Even though Ahe is one of the smaller atolls the lagoon feels vast inside and strange to be encircled by all the islets which comprise the rim. Strange too that night when the boat was so peaceful on the anchor, so still, no rocking or rolling, it was hard to remember when the boat had last been that quiet aboard, the San Blas Islands I think back in January.
Ahe
The people in the village are super friendly. I was outside the PO and a women asked if I had any music. She rushed off for a memory card and I put a lot of reggae on it for her. She gave me a whole load of bananas.
Off to another atoll in the morning.
by chris ayres | Jun 2017 | UK to New Zealand
We left Ahe in the morning and had to motor following the channel across the lagoon in the teeth of quite a strong head wind. Marie joked that once out through the pass perhaps there would be no wind and after negotiating the pass through the reef that is the way it turned out to be as we set our course for Rangiroa about 83 miles away. Light winds persisted so it was a slow passage but come the dawn we were about 14 miles off Tiputa Pass, one of two entrances to Rangiroa atoll. Land was not sighted till later about 7 miles away, such is the low-lying nature of these atolls which can make approach quite dangerous.
According to my tide table it should have been about 1hr after low water when we entered the pass and so should have had the tide with us. Judging by the rips and standing waves I thought and indeed found out otherwise and the we had wind against tide making for a fairly exciting entrance of Tiputa pass with Sea Bear surfing down the backs of the waves. It turned out later we impressed a few watching cruisers with our entrance. I later found out that apparently the tide turns maybe 1-2 hours after high or low water, although the tides are very unpredictable and sometimes you get days of outgoing tides at the passes with no inflow at all due to winds and southern swells causing water to flow in over the reefs between the motus in the south of the atoll.
Tiputa pass in a quiet mood
Anyway safely through the pass we were in the lagoon and found a peaceful anchorage off Kia-Ora beach. There were quite a few other boats here unlike Ahe and the atoll was much more touristy.
A welcome beer at Lili’s
After a few days here I set off for Tahiti leaving Marie behind who wanted to spend more time in the atolls. I exited via the other pass, Avaturu and armed with more knowledge had slack water for exit.
Once again I was bedevilled with very light winds as I made my way west along the north of the reefs before turning between Rangiroa and the nearby atoll of Tikehau and setting a course for Tahiti about 180 miles away. In the first 24 hours I made a measely 65 miles and in the dawn light passed the island of Makatea about 12 miles off on the port beam. The afternoon bought better winds and progress was good. Just before sunset I spotted a sail astern, a rare sight for me on passage but it took a long time to overhaul me. Just before dawn the lights of Tahiti were spotted and later the island was revealed.
Tahiti landfall
I eventually I entered Papeete harbour and moored alongside a pontoon in Papette marina. This is in the heart of the town alongside a busy boulevade and quite some change from the anchorages I have been in for the past months. It has much changed since Moitessier’s day but it was here that he finally ended his epic 11 month and one and a half times circumnavigation of the world.
Morning Papeete marina
by chris ayres | Jul 2017 | UK to New Zealand
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
by chris ayres | Jul 2017 | UK to New Zealand
Today I feel a little sad because yesterday eve Wendy caught her flight back to the UK. I really enjoyed having her company and we had some good fun together.
Wendy
After a few days at Port du Phaeton we continued our circumnavigation of Tahiti. First we sailed inside the reef to anchor by Teehupoo, here the road around the island ends and next day exited the reef by pass Havae with amazing surf to left and right.
Surf at Passe Havae
Rounding the SE tip of the island we carried on and once more entered behind the reefs by Passe d’ Aiurua and anchor in the lee of a tall cliff by Paofai. only a few scattered huts along this coast as the only access is by sea. Carrying on we next stopped after Passe Faatautia. Here the anchorage was very deep and we had to let out all 45m of chain and 40 m of rope rode.
Raising the anchor the next morning without a windlass we resorted to use of a mooring warp tied to the chain with a rolling hitch and led back to the primary winches, 30 m of free hanging chain and an anchor being too heavy to haul or even hold by hand. The reefs in the next section of coast are mostly submerged and harder to spot so we maintained a good offing until we got to Point Venus where we anchored off a beautiful back sand beach in just 6 m. This bay was visited by the Bounty (before the mutiny) and Captain Cook and the point derives its name from the observatory set up by Cook to observe the transit of Venus.
Point Venus
Amazingly in the days since Port du Phaeton we saw only ! other cruising boat, it seems rare these days for cruiser to sail around Tahiti.
Off then for the short sail to Moorea, Tahitis smaller sister. We anchored just inside the reef at the entrance to Cook’s Bay, that man again, a most idyllic spot with water so clear we could see our anchor on the bottom and the occasional passing ray. A couple of night here and we moved to anchor deep within Cooks bay itself amidst most spectacular peaks. We walked up the valley, named the route de Annas, to a pineapple plantation and then continued up well marked trails in the forest past several Mairae (ancient ceremonial platforms) to a viewpoint called the Belvedere from where you could see down into both Cook’s bay and Baie d’Opunohu. Carrying on through the forest we came to another wonderful viewpoint of Col des Trois Pines, before returning back to the boat.
View from Trois Pines
It was a tiring but well worthwhile day. Truely this is a garden of Eden.
Moving around to Baie d’Opunohu, maybe even more spectacular in scenery than Cook’s bay, we anchored inside the reef near the entrance off the small village of Papetoai.
Baie d’Opunohu
We took a long dinghy ride, the channel across too shallow for yachts to an area called Sting Ray City. Here there is a shallow sandy area where you can stand chest deep and snorkel frequented by sting rays and reef sharks. The local tour guides encourage them by feeding the rays. It was thrilling to swim with these magnificent creatures and feel them brush past you with their wings and allow themselves to be petted. I don’t have a water-proof camera unfortunately but my friend Thom on Fathom was there earlier and took some footage which you can see on his blog www.yatchfathom.co.uk
Sadly our time in Moorea was up and we had to return to Tahiti.The weather had been grand for the past weeks with gentle winds but shortly after exiting the pass through the reef it started to blow. We soon had 30-35 knots of wind which kicked up with big waves, a short and horrible breaking sea. Of course it was dead on the nose as well. It was iff the weather was telling us not to leave Morrea and we both wished we could have stayed but Wendy’s flight was the next day so we had to press on. Later the wind eased to about 20-25 knots and the when we were nearing Tahiti dropped away altogether but still leaving of course a sloppy sea. Eventually we were back inside the reef via Papeete harbour and soon past the airport to anchor once more at Maeva Bay near marina Taina. Here we recognised lots of boats still at anchor in the same spots as when we left weeks ago.
With Wendy gone its back to single handing. I will stay here some days myself as I must wait for my new staysail to be finished.