Walking on the wild side

 La Orana!

Our sailing adventures last week have left us with a couple of tears in the UV cover of our headsail.  Initially we thought it was only one.  It seemed manageable so I downloaded a video on how to use a “speedy stitcher” awl and set to work with my last remaining bit of canvas.  It wasn’t speedy but all was going well until the final inspection when I noticed a longer tear further down the cover.  We decided  a sailmaker’s opinion and skills were required and have now set up a meeting with Leo, a sailmaker by day and bass guitarist by night.  Even if he can't help us it should be interesting!

lunchtime Motu

my almost invisible sail repair!

Without a headsail we might have felt a little curtailed this week but fortunately, Claudie had invited us to join her walking group for a hike in Tahaa on Monday.  We turned up at the town dock at 8am as requested and were shepherded onto little outrigger canoes with approximately 30 other hardy souls.  The wind was howling as we left the harbour to the call of the conch shell.  The old hands pulled out enormous waterproof ponchos from their packs to protect them from the spray.  Fortunately, we were sitting on the leeward side but the foolish virgins on the windward bench without a waterproof were drenched by the time we finally arrived at the assembly point on  west side of Tahaa. 

blowing the conch to signal our departure

cavernous ponchos for the French ladies

Gathering round in front of a very prominent church in the middle of absolutely nowhere we received our instructions. It seemed the walk had changed -something to do with the relief vehicles.  Instead of the up and over through the hills to the east coast we would be doing a 15km low level hike on the road around the northern periphery of the island.  

Protestant church in the middle of nowhere

inside view

A huge number of colourful shopping bags were deposited in a flatbed truck and off we all went – a mixture of French retirees, large Polynesian families and skipper and I! Initially I had been a little disappointed not to be going up and over, but it proved to be a lovely walk and interesting to see where we had sailed the week before from the perspective of the land.  Stragglers were caught up to the front by the flatbed truck and 3 hours and a lot of conversations later we were clapped in at the finishing line, another tiny port on the north east corner of the island. 

fence in Tahaa	Spreading the coconuts for mulching
Tahaa house and fishing boat	car port lantern decorations

There, two boats were tied up to transport us to our next destination on this magical mystery tour.  It seemed we were off to a tiny private Motu for lunch, one of a fringe protecting the north coast of Tahaa.  The journey through the coral heads was insane despite fishing buoys marking the shallowest ones – definitely not a route for Papillon.  Even in the outrigger canoes it was insane and taken at a snail’s pace, but it was well worth the effort because our destination when we arrived was like a little tropical paradise.  

weaving through the "bombies"

arriving at the Motu

The canoes pulled up on a white sandy beach between two Motus.  Children were splashing about and giggling in the turquoise waters around the boats and underneath the palm trees trestle tables had been arranged for lunch.  Music was playing through loudspeakers on the beach and a large family group welcomed us ashore.  Grace was said and then we all tucked into the most delicious lunch of chicken and rice.  How and where they had cooked it all I have no idea, but it tasted amazing.  

unloading the boats

floral decorations around the tables

Afterwards I took a long leisurely swim through the coral while skipper napped. I was joined by loads of kids and a vast array of inflatable toys presumably transported in those mysterious and colourful shopping bags!  Groups of elderly French ladies sat in the water up to their necks chatting.  Stories were exchanged on why they had settled in French Polynesia.  For most it seemed entirely by chance: a work placement, a holiday, their husband’s job…temporary states that had turned permanent when they fully comprehended the beauty of this place.  I can’t say I am surprised.   This landscape coupled with the climate is a hard combination to beat.  The day finished with an equally wild boat trip back through the spray to Uturoa. It was a long but an extremely happy day.   

Happy days!	swimming pass between the Motus
Outrigger leaving our tropical island	Wet journey home

The other major event this week was the arrival of our replacement water maker pump.  After more than 4 weeks in customs in Papeete,  multiple intercessions on our behalf from both DHL Australia and the Rainman Water Maker Company themselves it was finally released to us with no further costs on Wednesday and is now sitting in the cockpit waiting to be tested out.  So much effort and yet when we went to pick it up from the overnight boat from Tahiti this morning the man behind the desk did not even ask me for ID!  Like the original it was a heavy beast.  We started trying to carry it back to the dinghy but resorted to borrowing a shopping trolly from Champion and dragging it and its contents over the cobblestones covering the quayside.  Thankfully it was the first calm day in a while so at least the dinghy ride back to Papillon with our precious cargo was uneventful.  If all is well with the replacement, we will pack up the original and reverse our steps back to the harbour as soon as possible.  Any later than September 2^nd and it will no longer be considered a replacement and be eligible for yet more duty!  Fingers crossed the return journey will be simpler.

more from the Motu

napping in the shade

Assuming all is well with the new pump we plan to be away from Uturoa for 6 weeks or so before Mairi and Rob’s visit in September. We are itching to move on.  This past week conditions have started to favour the passage to the North Cook Islands and a lot of boats are gearing up to leave.  Preparations for long passages are infectious and although on a smaller scale we would like to be off as well.  On Wednesday we were invited for tea aboard Skipper’s boss’s boss’s boat “Beduin”.  They were leaving for Bora Bora the next day and then onto Suwarrow in the North Cooks at the weekend.  I have to admit I was a little bit jealous – even threatening stowaway status at one point but hopefully our time will come.  It was lovely spending an evening with such experienced cruisers, swapping tales, enjoying their beautiful catamaran and being treated to the most delicious food.  Why does everyone else’s food taste better than your own?  Our contribution was pudding.  Not wanting to risk Papillon’s very temperamental cooker we had decided to cheat and buy 4 delicious patisseries from Apetahi in town.  I was planning a laundry run anyway so was entrusted with the task. All was going well until the return journey back to Papillon.  The wind had strengthened and planing over the waves for 10mins in the dinghy was not kind to those beautiful patisseries.  I attach a picture of the shit show in the box when I got back.  I was virtually in tears over the carnage, but as usual Skipper rescued the situation, this time with a second trip to Apetahi  to replace the worst offenders.  We never did confess to Mandy and Chris how many patisseries had been bought for pudding but those we did deliver were declared delicious and those we didn’t have made our puddings this week much more interesting than usual!!     

sorry state of the patisseries

Sunset over Bora Bora