Unconventional lifestyles and serendipity

Our trip to Bora Bora was amazing last week but sailing there and back raised a number of issues that we have to attend to before going out again. It wasn’t exactly surprising - it’s what a shake down sail is all about after all but the timing is tricky with Duncan arriving on April 12^th for his “holiday of a lifetime” (no pressure!).

Leaving Bora Bora	Too early for fishing
Out of the lagoon	Almost back

With the clock ticking a trip into the boatyard was arranged for Wednesday to see a rigger.  We needed their opinion on the Goose Neck which is the joint between the boom and the mast.  Ours has too much play in it which is definitely not good.  It seemed like our only option but we weren’t overly optimistic that it could be fixed in time so it was concerning.  On hearing our woes Paul and Flore invited us onto their boat for tea and solace.  Not wanting to waste the opportunity of  a trip to the marina we arrived with 2 loads of washing (more later) and a bin bag – the one that should have been picked up in Bora Bora but remained persistently tied to our guard rails!!  As I’ve said before rubbish disposal is a big issue here. Getting into the bin at the marina is no exception and requires access to a precious and well-guarded code for the combination lock. Only when it is released can you remove the sturdy padlock and chain and open the lid.  As you can imagine the whole process isn’t quick.   While doing battle with the chain a man approached me to ask what the system was for the bins.  I tried to explain in my best French that they were for long term berth and mooring  holders at the marina.  I thought I’d made a pretty good fist of it, but maybe not because he immediately switched to English - not exactly the rounding endorsement I was looking for!  Richard as he introduced himself turned out to be a Canadian.  He spends 6 months a year in French Polynesia on his catamaran while his wife goes to London to visit with her daughter.  As a fully trained electrician his somewhat unconventional lifestyle is funded, and has been for the last 25 years, doing boat jobs for people while he is here.  He handed me his card.  Reading down the list was like ticking off all the snagging jobs that had cropped up last week.  I couldn’t believe it.  Within a few hours we had him out on Papillon to look at the Goose Neck.  After much consideration he thought he could correct the play but it would require him turning us some new washers on his lathe back in town.  What an amazing stroke of good fortune.  Ordering the parts might have delayed us by weeks.  The trip to the boat yard was cancelled and by Sunday we were tied up at the town dock with Richard onboard inserting his freshly turned washers.  Thank goodness I decided to dump that rubbish when I did!  On Tuesday he was back on board replacing the alternator – another sizeable job that also needed that trusty lathe.  Later in the week we hope he is tackling the front stanchion bases that were both bent and next week he is putting in a couple more solar panels – there seems to be nothing this “Electronics Technician” won’t tackle. I won’t pretend it’s been easy.  He does talk A LOT and I spend the whole time running around trying to find tools/spare parts/ food and drink etc etc to keep him and his willing Scottish apprentice happy.  We are all very hot and sticky and nothing is ever straight forward, but I am quietly confident we are making progress.

Our cockpit table this week	New Port Side Goose Neck Washer
Richard and his willing Apprentice	Stanchion bases removed so no guard rails

What with all the comings and goings with Richard my laundry bags got slightly forgotten about on Saturday and by the time I remembered them the machine was already taken.  It turns out washing is problematic when you don’t live permanently at the marina and is very time critical.  On 3 different occasions I returned to the machine only to find someone had jumped in ahead of me!!  By 2pm I was pretty much at the end of my tether but at that moment the beautiful chic Muriel stepped in.  Muriel lives in the lagoon on a mono hull with her dreadlocks sporting partner (“swarthy guy”) and adorable 3-year-old twin girls.  They don’t speak English but for the past 10 weeks we have been doing a lot of smiling and waving and the girls chatter away whatever.  I would love to know how they are funding their lifestyle.  We suspect the girls are modelling clothes as they never seem to be in the same outfit twice but who knows?  Its fun to speculate.  Muriel’s washing was in when I arrived the third time.  Seeing my despair she offered to put both my washings in and bring them back to the boat when they were done.  She was only waiting for her girls anyway she said.  It was so kind. Each dinghy ride to the mooring takes us 20 minutes so it’s certainly not trivial returning to pick up some washing! I accepted her offer gratefully but what I had forgotten was that in my haste leaving that morning I hadn’t had time to sort the loads.  Muriel must have done it for me as two bags were returned promptly at 5pm, one colours, and one whites.  I felt a little embarrassed knowing just how dirty our clothes had been, but how to communicate that in French?!!  More smiling and waving from the girls and they were off.  Now that’s what I call good service.  I hope I can return the favour someday. 

 

Long dinghy ride back to town

Our final fortuitous encounter this week was with Kevin and Erica.  We had come in early to the town dock to fill up with fuel and water and Kevin had taken our lines.  He got chatting and it turned out he owned the Lagoon 440  moored further down the dock, a bigger (and newer) version of Papillon.  Over the next hour or so we learnt that he and his wife Erica are currently heading back to their native Australia after a third crossing of the Pacific.  I wanted to ask them how they fund their lifestyle but it was too soon!  Instead we picked their brains on the dos and don’ts of cruising in French Polynesia and as you would expect they were a font of knowledge.  By the end of the conversation our gooseneck had been inspected…again, the rust marks in the cockpit had finally been erased by a magic cocktail in a spray bottle procured from their “cleaning” locker and we had been put in touch with a New Zealand couple they know who, like us, are planning to travel East through French Polynesia from the end of May. We were even offered a “cold one” on board but at 10am in the morning gracefully declined! The forums were right – there is certainly a very vibrant and diverse sailing community out here. 

Random sunrise out on the lagoon this week

So, its been a good but fairly tough week.  The weather has remained hot and sultry which is challenging for tackling jobs inside and out.  Sebastien was here again yesterday to connect up our new water maker and was saying the lack of rain is a worry.  Like us he lives on the lagoon but unlike us has no water maker relying on rainwater collection for his needs. Filling up the tanks at the town dock costs £20.00 a visit so becomes expensive over time.  Sebastien sailed his Dufour 34 back home to Uturoa after attending University in France where he studied electrical engineering. He funds himself doing …boat jobs for people.  We like him a lot.  He can fit into ridiculously small spaces that would put our backs out for months, has better English than my French, is happy to answer all our endless questions and is always cheerful.  Most importantly, unlike some of the experts we have had on board, he is happy to acknowledge that Skipper sometimes knows best.  Yesterday was a case in point when Malcolm saved the day procuring a voltage sensitive relay switch from his extensive spares store to solve the ongoing battery charging problems.  Sebastien listened where other might not have and the problem was finally solved. Next week he is going up the mast to do some bits and pieces for us.  As many of you will know that is a huge win for me, so I hope the calm weather continues!

Sebastien in a tight space with Skipper helping

Last sunset photo of the week I promise! Papillon is the middle boat