Bora Bora yacht club
MAUPITI
Sunday, June 9
The pass at Mopiti
View across to the pass
The island is very beautiful dominated by a huge, abrupt
mountain on its southern side and surrounded by pristine clear, shallow aqua
waters. We walk up some of this steep mountain to take in the views and the
colours extending out to the surrounding motus.
An exhausted skipper!
local flowers
A local beach
View from bikes
There was a serious cyclone in 1997 which wiped out the island.
It was all rebuilt in 1998, with the help of the French government. The houses
all look well cared for and many of them overlook the lagoon, all with their
very attractive lush, tropical gardens. The few cars all look relatively new.
There are only a few small shops here which just stock the
basic necessities eg. tinned and frozen food and basic household needs. We have
been warned that after Bora Bora there are very few provisions available until
we reach Tonga so we have stocked the fridges and freezer for three weeks. We
are told there is one place available to buy lunch, called Snack. This is on
the n. east coast of the island at Tereia beach overlooking the motu with a melon plantation.
The water here is so shallow you can walk across to it, but you must watch out
for the sting rays! The beaches here are idyllic and we spend some time
enjoying them.
We have a delicious dinner on board Impulsive tonight,
anchored at the foot of the enormous mountain, using fresh eggplants and
cucumber someone is selling in their front garden this afternoon.
We are disappointed not to have lunch on a motu but we are
unable to get onto Gerard who we spoke 2 days ago and feel we should leave
while the conditions are good at the pass. We have a 4 day sail, 620 n. miles
to Palmerston in the Cook Islands ahead of us.
Heading away from the island there is a flock of hundreds of
birds, circling nearby and then diving into the water. There must be a large
school of fish nearby.
Preparing the headsails to pole one out each side
Tuesday, 11th. June
This morning we spend some time preparing to pole out the 2
headsails as the forecast has come through from Bruce that the weather is
suitable for this i.e. east s.east winds at 12 to 16 kts. It is all just perfectly in place, just
as Ross had planned and prepared to sail across the Pacific to Australia. I am
about to take a photo when the starboard pole snaps in two. There must have
been too much tension on it.
I rarely see Ross really disappointed. He usually makes the
best of all situations but this is a difficult one. We now motorsail with the
port headsail poled out and with the mainsail as it was.
After Ross fixes everything, has a refreshing shower, orders
another pole to hopefully pick up in Tonga, followed by a sleep, he is feeling
better.
Tonight we receive wonderful news on the satelite email –
Scott and Jeanette have a new baby son. We are thrilled for Augusta, Lily and
Alexander to have a new baby brother. We feel
isolated out here but have plans to meet him as soon as we can.
At the 2 am night watch change over the wind has come up a
bit so we bring the mainsail across to the port side.
Most of this leg we have had 1kt. assisting current, except
early each morning when we have half a knot against us. Wednsesday and Thursday
the winds are still light so we are motorsailing averaging 6.25 kts. It is so
calm it is easy to do odd jobs on the boat. We now have time to read. Ross is
reading James Michener’s “Caribbean”, and I am enjoying “Darwin’s Armada”. You
have to admire these young men with their abilities and motivation for research
and discovery, and also the conditions they all managed with on the ships at
that time.
Ross has set up the Garmen GPS in case we have problems with
the chart plotter, which sometimes has a mind of its own. It has misbehaved
several times today. We also have the system on the Dell computer if we need
it. The Garmen GPS looses its satellites too so this must have been a difficult
area to have reception.
On Thursday afternoon it is wonderful to be out here on the
water, which is such a beautiful cerulean blue as it is reflected from the sky.
It is also very calm.
However Bruce predicts a trough and thunderstorm activity
near 161W not too far short of the island. The winds should drop away quickly
from ENE then tending more NE. There could be squalls with the thunderstorm
activity into the low 30s.
In preparation for all this we furl the headsail and stow the
pole. Ross also brings in the mainsail to less than half. We have early dinner
so we are free to attend to the sailing issues as they arrive.
Everything happens as forecast but fortunately the winds
only come up to 20 kts. and that is willing enough for a while. Ross is
deciding whether to change our course to give us a better wind direction and so
increase our speed and comfort when the wind comes around to a better position
and we are able to put out the headsail again. This is very fortunate because
we may not have been able to arrive at Palmerston Island before dark otherwise
and it is unwise to come in there after sunset.
There is also a strong leeway of up to 10 degrees.
We now hope the final part of the forecast is correct too –
that these storms should clear before we arrive at Palmerston and then SE winds
13/18 kts. for our arrival. The radar is clear of storms now so it is looking
promising!
The wind drops out again giving us another quiet spell so we
motorsail, able to keep our planned track. At 0600 hours the wind comes up to
from SEE, 18/22 kts. and we have a lovely rollicking sail all the way to
Palmerston over the next 7 hours, with aquieter
session towards the end.
Palmerton is an atoll.
It has an interesting history as all the Palmerston islanders are
descendants of William Masters, a ship’s carpenter. This Englishman arrived in
1863 with two Polynesian wives and soon had another. Today there are 60 people
living on the island and everyone seems
to be related to everyone else. Many of the families now live in New Zealand or
Raratonga. Apparently there is a small percentage in Australia.
As we arrive we are met by Simon in his run-about tinny just
outside the reef. Having checked our mooring, which is his, he apologizes for
having to rush off but a large barque, Picton Castle built in Wales in 1912,
has just come in too with its crew of 35 and 36 passengers. Some of these
passengers are islanders returning from Raratonga and this magnificent looking
ship has brought lots of supplies which have to be off-loaded. The islanders
depend on boats for their supplies as there is no other form of transport here.
We had emailed ahead to see if we could bring supplies in but we had no
response. We discover later that the man involved has been away with his ill
wife in Raratonga and hadn’t seen the email. He came back here on the Picton
Castle.
Next we have a visit from the customs officer, immigration
and health officers, who are all very welcoming. They are very strict here
about what we can take ashore eg. any fresh foods or meats, and there are no
dogs or cats allowed here. These formalities are finished by 4pm. but we are
unable to go ashore. Simon offers to pick us up at 9am. the following morning.
It is a very difficult passage through the reef and our dinghy motor isn’t
strong enough to get us through the outgoing tide.
We have a wonderful day onshore on Saturday with our host
Simon. He takes us to his home to meet his family and to enjoy a morning cup of
coffee. They are also hosting the young doctor, Aaron ( on board Picton Castle
for 3 months, from USA, who lectures at Brown’s university and spends time at
the Indian reserves) and the ship’s chef , Shane (who is trained as a chinese
herbalist and chiropractor). These two young men are very interesting. It is
lovely to see Shane giving Simon’s elderly mother of 83 a long and caring
massage. Ross and I are lucky enough to be given a short diagnostic one. Aaron
is holding a clinic here. A nurse comes from Raratonga to take care of all medical and dental issues so Aaron’ visit
is very appreciated.
We visit the custom’s office to finalize our papers for a
clearance to leave tomorrow and are taken to see more of the island which is
only 2.1 squ. m. We are particularly impressed with the school. It had been
demolished in the 2002 cyclone, and New Zealand government assisted with funds,
as did Australia, and it is doing well apparently. Many yachties contribute too
as it is still expanding with its 27 students now.
Lunch with the family is a treat and delicious. The
afternoon is relaxing including a walk around the island along the lovely
beaches, which only takes half an hour! At 3pm the crew from the Picton Castle
hold a market mainly of second hand clothes. It is very lively and colourful.
The Swedish couple from the yacht moored next to us join us. They are keen for
us to sail with them to the next atoll they plan to visit but we want to catch
the next weather window to Niue. Hopefully we will meet up with them again
soon.
We are taken back to Impulsive after 4pm. with an invitation
to come ashore tomorrow morning for the 10am. church service, followed by lunch
and an afternoon on the island.
Shane treating the grandmother
Aaron treating Simon
The school
The Marster's original house
Ross teaching the boys the phonetic alphabet
for radio calling on the boats
With the Custom's officer's son
Walking around the island
the market
The yacht that sunk last year
Dingy ride back to Impulsive
Shane assessing Ross' back
Sunday, 16th. June
Ross with Aaron
Preparing the mainsail
We set off still in a westerly direction to Nuie. The winds are 17-19 kts from the SE to ESE and we are sailing with
the headsail poled out and the mainsail about half up, averaging over 7 kts.
This is a wonderful sail until 4am when the wind drops out and comes further
round around to the E. We adjust the mainsail by holding it out further and
motorsail. There is a very rolly swell out here now but the light from the half
full moon is very welcome.
These conditions continue until lunch time on Monday when
the wind comes up slightly with a more southerly component in it. We can enjoy
a relaxed sail now which is very pleasant. We still haven’t sighted another
vessel.
Just before Ross goes to bed we experience winds up to 30
kts as part of a SE trade wind surge and
heavy rain, as Bruce forecast. The auto pilot “jumps out” maybe as we slew down
the face of a large wave ( also we
changed the response of the auto pilot from 5 to 6 ie. a more powerful response
and so maybe that contributed to exceeding the limit of its fuse). It is very difficult
to hold Impulsive on course. We take in the headsail and adjust the mainsail
with the preventer. When the conditions quieten down we put out one third of the headsail,
re-adjust the auto pilot and sail through the night averaging 6 kts.
Tuesday morning presents us with light squalls until 1000
hours and then it is sunny and calmer and we continue sailing over beautiful
blue seas, with winds from the E from behind at 15-18 kts., and with an
assisting current of over 1 kt. we average 6 kts. over the ground. The headsail
is poled out to starboard and the mainsail is out to port with the preventer.
We expected the wind to drop on us but it continued so we sailed all the way to
Niue with sufficiently strong following wind all the way to Niue. What a
wonderful sail!
NIUE
Wednesday, 19th June
Arriving by boat at Niue gives the wrong impression. It
looks like a small, flat island in the middle of the Pacific with some cliffs
and an uninteresting low green coverage. We have a lovely time exploring what
it is really like.
the dinghy lift out
Limestone caves
Typical memorial seen along the roadside
Talava arches
The chasm - Anapala
walking into Opaahi -
a typical sea track
Niue is the largest upraised coral atoll in the world and is
porous limestone. The cyclone in 2004, with winds up to 140 kts. and waves up
to 20 m. high coming up the cliffs on the west coast near the main town caused
severe damage. The 4 tonnes concrete blocks of the moorings were dislodged and
dragged out to sea. The main town, Alofi , has recovered well and strategies
are set in place for future incidents. eg the hospital was wiped out but has
been rebuilt on higher ground and further inland.
We arrive at 9.30 am and are fortunate to find the skipper
from a nearby boat , Simon, is able to help us moor. (it is difficult for Ross
with his left hand still not in full use). We are given a very warm welcome
from Niue radio by Ira, and Keith the commodore from the NYClub.
Dinghies are hoisted ashore at the quay using a single point
hoisting sling from the dinghy with an hydraulic winch and a crane. Keith came
to give us a hand with this because, as with many things, it looks all too
difficult but once you have tried it all is manageable. This manoeuvre would be
very challenging in a strong westerly swell.
After clearing customs Keith drives us to the hospital.
Ross’ finger is healing and there is no sign of infection which is a real worry
in the tropics. This doctor also emphasizes how vigilant we must be to prevent
this. If an infection sets in we will have to leave the boat.
One difficulty here is the banking. The currency is $NZs.
You cannot use cards except at a car hire business and they charge you 8%. If
they have cash they will let you take it also at 8%. The bank will not give you
cash on cards. Keith kindly lent us money for the hospital visit. (This charge
was extremely reasonable - $NZ25- for the consultation and a small
amount for the dressings and antibiotics). The yacht club lends us money until
there is cash available at the car hire centre.
Keith takes us on a quick tour to point out the main
landmarks and facilities here and leaves us at the yacht club. This is our
first opportunity to download Oliver’s photos but the internet is very slow
here today. We eventually get it the next day. What a beautiful baby boy!
There is no mobile phone reception here.
The three couples
from the other three yachts moored here happen to be at the yacht club and are
catching up on emails and the weather forecasts. We are all heading in the same
direction to Tonga. They are all very interesting and lovely people. They
invite us to join them tonight at the 5pm sausage sizzle followed by a trivia
night. This venue is further north at Coral Gardens set high on a cliff with
the most beautiful view across their tropical garden and lawn, the sea and
sunset. It is a popular whale watching spot and there has been a sighting three
days ago marking the beginning of the season.
The islanders have
some regular evening activities held on different nights of the week eg
restaurants/cafes are open different nights of the week and so spread the
clientele of this small population around the available places. They cannot all
be filled each night.
The wind comes up tonight and there are some very heavy
tropical rainstorms. I am a little anxious about getting back to Impulsive in the dinghy so we leave
with the other yachties. It is quite an eerie experience down at the wharf even
though there is a strong lighting system there. It is a very dark night. Simon
and Robyn kindly get us organized with the crane and hoist and we are soon back
on board. The sea is very rolly tonight so Ross has difficulty sleeping.
We begin today at the yacht club, the hub for all the
yachties. A strong westerly 3m swell is forecast to come in by midnight
tomorrow so we are all planning to leave by then. The moorings are safe but there
is no protection from the west which would be very uncomfortable and would make
going ashore in the dinghies very difficult – not for the faint hearted!
While I wait for the internet Ross wanders next door into
the Attorneys at Law office to speak with Sina who has her LLM degree. She is
interested in practising as a lawyer here and discovers she deals mainly with land
titles claims and surveys. The customary system of ownership is superseded by a
registration system and the number of absentee landlords means that some
occupiers have been able to become registered owners, so quite a few claims have
to be litigated. We also visit the Justice, Lands and registry office. Ross is
able to look at the main registry.
We have a wonderful day starting with breakfast at Crazy
Ugas a small , very attractive restaurant
near the yacht club perched up on the cliff with magnificent views. An
extra bonus is we can see the yachts.
We set off with a picnic lunch to continue exploring the
island, in a clockwise direction,which has a rugged coastline and reef with its small and rugged swimming coves.
There are also many caves, chasms and spectacular
limestone formations. There are many historical points of interest eg.
Opaahi: Captain Cook’s second attempted
landing.
The Huvalu forest is a designated conservation area which
protects the island’s primary forest, fauna and flora. It is
beautiful to walk in these areas of tropical rainforest along the well
cared for sea tracks to the different special places. Some highlights over the
three days are:
the Limu pools – this is a lovely place to swim in the
crystal, clear waters with small fish, particularly the blue “neon” ones. There
is a mixture of fresh and salt water here
Matapa Chasm - Another lovely place to swim and snorkel
surrounded by two extensive cliff faces
Talava arches – stunning scenery and another place to swim
Anapala (sth. E coast) – a long steep descent down into the
chasm and a fresh water pool
Avatele – An attractive beach and reef for snorkeling (the
Wash Away café is very attractive but only open on Sundays)
The west coast is more open and exposed to the prevailing
winds and so has a thinner vegetation and not the same rainfall as the east.
It is sad to see so many abandoned houses on the island.
Many people have left Niue to find better opportunities in NZ and some in
Australia. The population has dropped considerably to 1,500. They have dual
citizenship with NZ and are self governing.
Tourism is doing well here but the Niuens would prefer it to
stay at the level it is now. The diving here is world class.
Tonight we go to the recommended Japanese restaurant. The
owner catches his own fresh fish for the sushi and sashimi. It is a top class dinner.
Friday 21st. June
The local produce market is held from 4am on Fridays so we go
ashore by 7am to see what is available but as we are warned most of the goods
are sold by now. We buy limes, papaya and bananas. We don’t need much because
we can’t take fresh food into Tonga.
Provisioning here is generally basic from the supermarket.
After another lovely day on this charming atoll we return to
Impulsive to prepare to leave for Tonga at 4.30pm. It always seems difficult to
leave these beautiful places with their warm and welcoming people who seem so
happy here, but the forecast and time must be considered.
The winds from the south at 8/13 kts are favourable tonight
and throughout Saturday. They drop out for about one and a half hours at 1100
hours but we sail apart from this time. The full moon casts light over the
water and makes for a magical night watch. It also makes it easy to watch the
sails.
The forecast for Sunday is S to SSE – 10/15 kts
And later SSE –
13/15 kts
Most of the day we have perfect conditions with a wonderful
sail:
11/12 kts, averaging 6 kts. with the wind at the right angle
just in front of the beam so we are sailing flat. The swell is two and a half
to three m. swell, which is well spaced.
These conditions hold into the night when the very large full
moon comes up which is lovely and always makes night watch easier as it casts
its light over the sea and the boat.
Unfortunately the wind drops at 2100hours so we have to
bring in the headsail and turn on the motor.
Approaching Tonga early morning with the full moon still
high up in the sky is lovely. This is the Vavau group to the north of Tonga.
The officials dock is particularly buy this morning and we raft up next to
three other boats, and have one rafted up next to us. This yacht were in Niue
with us so its all great fun. There are other boats ahead of us and a large
freight ship is just leaving.
The officials here are very welcoming. They really enjoy the
ginger biscuits we offer them.
We are pleased because we understood we had to throw out all
our fresh fruit and veges. Apparently we can keep them as long as we don’t take
any of them ashore. This also means taking all the rubbish from them ashore for
the officials to get rid of. I am extra pleased I can keep my pot plant.
Neiafu is a small town with a long habour frontage. It is a
well protected harbour surrounded by land on all sides. We have a mooring here
along with many other yachts. After an extended and relaxing lunch ashore at
Belle Vista with its lovely view and local lobster salad we explore the town. We
soon pick up on the relaxed atmosphere here.
The super market is really basic (we are glad to have
stocked up until Figi) but the fruit and vege market is good. The fish market
opens on Monday and Wednesday.
Tonight we take the dinghy into “Mangoes” on the waterfront for
dinner. It is fun to find a couple we were at Niue with and another couple we
saw in Raiatea. The latter are originally from Paris and have been living and
working for the last 30 years in Papeete, Tahiti. They visited there on their
yacht and have been there ever since. They retired last year and claim they are
learning to enjoy their new lifestyle without work. They seem to know this well
already! They both have amazing joie de vivre. They also still enjoy returning
to Paris.
One thing we find difficult is the date here. Instead of
being 11 hours behind UTC they treat themselves as being 13 hours ahead. eg it
is currently midday Tuesday local time instead of midday Monday here. It is
even more difficult trying to find a good time to call the family in Melbourne
or Copenhagen.
We join the 8.30am net this morning. It is the best we have
been part of with its efficiency, clarity and detailed weather report. They
also announce any activities that are scheduled in the town.
Sailing in this area seems it will be like I naively imagined
sailing around Australia would be. Sailing very short distances to visit and
enjoy the pristine beaches and their surrounding waters with coral, varieties
of fish and snorkeling. This is an area of many beautiful raised and coral
islands.