Thursday, September 4, 2014

4 September - Change of Plan: Tahiti Iti Bound

0600 position 20-16S 148-20W. Day's run 139 miles.

The Island of Tahiti is shaped a lot like Maui, with Papeete and ninety
five percent of the population on the larger western part, Tahiti Nui.
The smaller part to the east, Tahiti Iti, is spectacularly beautiful and
rugged. There are no roads around the eastern end of Tahiti Iti. It is
only accessible by boat, and there is a fringing reef with a couple of
deep entrance channels that provides a protected anchorage. I visited
Tahiti Iti while exploring the South Pacific in 1986 aboard Eleu, my
Ranger 33, and loved it. It is hard to get to from the west though
against the prevailing southeast trade winds.

Last night during my midnight watch I was staring at the chart plotter
noticing that we were going to sail right past Tahiti Iti on our way to
Moorea. Duh. We have plenty of time. So change of plans and slight
change of course. Now our destination is Tahiti Iti. Perhaps a night
there and a night anchored under Point Venus where Captain Cook witnessed
the transit of Venus, and then on to Moorea.

Tahiti Iti is a bit closer to Raivavae than Moorea is, so we'll arrive at
our destination sooner than planned. We've slowed down to ensure we don't
arrive before sunrise tomorrow. It's been a triple reefed main and jib
all day, and still we do almost six knots. It's easy sailing though.
With all the pressure off of the sails we can relax a bit.

Matt made the best seared ahi wraps for lunch today with a wasabi soy
mayonnaise sauce and cabbage, but I think the ahi is about to reach the
end of its shelf life. It is starting to smell like fish.

It was warm enough today to take a bath in the cockpit without first going
through a mental toughening exercise in preparation. Tonight it is a
single sweatshirt, bunny slippers and shorts.

Lifelong pal and KYC member Bob Braun was planning to join me in Papeete
when Matt departs. We had planned to spend three weeks sailing through
the islands before Bob departed and another lifelong pal, Dave Schaefer,
joined me in Huahine. Unfortunately, work got in the way of fun and Bob
had to cancel. I'm trying to talk Lori into stepping in for Bob. If any
of you see her, please encourage her to come.

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