Raiatea.
Friday's forecast was for winds from the northwest, so after breakfast I
hauled the anchor and set off between rainstorms for Tahaa with a double
reefed main and full jib. We had to tack downwind to reach the southern
tip of Bora's fringing reef, but then it was a beam reach across the
channel to Tahaa. Caught a ten pound aku about half way across but let
him go. Aku are more trouble than they are worth. Another slightly
larger sloop had left the Bora lagoon about half an hour in front of me,
and I had fun reeling them in all the way across the channel. As I passed
them in the Tahaa entrance channel the three Frenchmen aboard ignored me.
Yep, kicked your butt.
I anchored for the evening at the head of Apu Bay on a 35 foot deep
"shoal" spot in the otherwise 100+ foot deep bay. I have seventy feet of
three eighths inch chain and a thirty three pound Bruce anchor on the end
of my anchor rode. It is the anchor recovery that is a pain in the okole
for anchorages that are over fifty feet deep. When it is deeper than
that, the transition from the rope to chain on the windlass is problematic
with all the weight hanging down. So I'm always looking for a shallower
anchorage and am grateful when I find one.
On Saturday morning I sailed in to Apooti Marina where I had the guest
dock all to myself and spent the rest of the day shopping, cleaning, and
getting ready for Kendra's arrival. The periodic stop at Apooti Marina is
very convenient for filling water, emptying garbage, and restocking the
boat now that the community has made it more difficult to do these chores
elsewhere. Worth every penny. Bright and early the next morning I
launched the dinghy, finished preparations, and dinghied to the airport in
time to see Kendra's plane touch down. It was sure good to see her again!
the southern end of Raiatea.
With moderate northwesterlies blowing, it seemed like a good idea to do a
counterclockwise circuit of Raiatea, so we sailed out into the ocean west
of Raiatea and headed south. The sea was pretty bumpy though and Kendra
got a bit uncomfortable, but two hours later we were back inside the
lagoon sailing south. We found three other boats at Nao Nao this time but
there was still room for us out on the reef.
Some kind of front must have come through because it blew hard and poured
rain all night long, but Monday morning dawned bright, clear, and calm.
As I send this Kendra is off on her morning swim along the shore of Nao
Nao.
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