0800 Position 17-14S 148-49W. 36 miles northeast of Tahiti Iti
After more than a week of strong trades we woke up yesterday to find that the wind had died down to less than ten knots. That matched the forecast, but the direction was still unfavorable for the trip to Fakarava so we changed our plans and decided to head instead for Tahiti. After a quick trip ashore for last minute provisions and a coffee at Chez Lili we raised the anchor at 10AM and headed out.
We had to motor sail out the pass and west around the end of Rangiroa before we could head south towards our destination. The trade winds did not fill in enough for us to sail until 6PM when we shut down the engine for the night.
Just before sunset we caught a fifteen pound aku, but we already had some fresh ahi ready for dinner so we let him go.
I think last night was the most pleasant night sail I've ever seen. Close reaching at eight knots under full sail in the same amount of wind with an almost absolutely flat sea. Van Diemen was loving it, sliding along effortlessly with hardly a murmur in the moonlight.
Just after dark we had to alter course to avoid running into Makatea, probably the most unique of the Tuamotus, an uplifted coral slab 360 feet above sea level. It was once mined for phosphate. We could just see the silhouette of the island as we slipped by a mile and a half offshore.
As I write this the island of Tahiti has just come up over the horizon ahead of us. We are looking forward to dropping the anchor in the lagoon off of Tahiti Iti at about noon.
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