Sizing up the cyclone options

 

La Orana!

There is no escaping it now, we are most definitely in cyclone season, and it seems it is all anyone is talking about.  Our week started with a trip to the town dock to meet up with Thierry who had agreed to help us out with a few jobs.  It was planned for Monday but in the small hours of the morning he sent us photographs of a catamaran he had been involved in rescuing overnight.  The crew had thankfully been picked up by “Norwegian Spirit”, a huge cruise liner but the sinking hull still needed to be salvaged and towed back to Raiatea.   

Peaceful evenings

Sinking catamaran

Thierry didn’t get home until 6am so all jobs on Papillon were postponed for 24 hours to let him catch his breath!   The catamaran’s issues, I hasten to add, had absolutely nothing to do with cyclones but the photos he sent were sobering and certainly got us onto the topic when he did arrive on Tuesday.  It seems like everyone has their own modus operandi for cyclone season.   For Thierry it is simple.  As soon as he reads of a cyclone approaching he sets sail in a north easterly direction for the Marquesas and attempts to outrun it or miss it completely.  Cyclones typically track in from the northwest with their progress mapped by the meteorologists up to 10 days in advance.  Since the passage to the Marquesas is 8 days or so this is an option but for us quite a drastic one. Currently we prefer the idea of a hurricane hole to sit one out in.  

Potential hurricane hole - Baie Faaroa

Public jetty with Papillon behind

There are various such anchorages within the lagoons of Huahine, Raiatea and Taha’a and we are beginning to explore them and note down each’s pros and cons.  The only problem with this option is that it is favoured by many skippers so what might seem like a perfect bolt hole when only one boat occupies the space could look a touch overcrowded when 100 other boats rock up after an overnight passage from Tahiti...and apparently, this is what happens!  It seems there are already 90 boats in Nuka Hiva, the main anchorage in the Marquesas archipelago and that was before cyclone season had even started so goodness knows how many will try to pack into our more local spots.  The other consideration of course is our insurance…which I have to say is a little ambiguous on the subject but if we take it literally, we believe compliance depends on a marina berth or a Port Authority mooring buoy with lines trebled up.  Since there are no marina berths available and haven’t been for months a mooring buoy seems to be our best option but which one to choose? Our current mooring in the lagoon between Taha’a and Raiatea is well constructed and solid but very exposed to the west.  The only other moorings that are as good are out in Bora Bora.  Rumour has it they also offer a monthly rate during cyclone season which would be very attractive but so far, we have been unable to verify this.  Next week we will make the crossing to enquire in person and hopefully the news will be good. 

Abandoned cars and fruit stall

Typical house and garden

It would be easy to become a little overwhelmed by all the cyclone chatter but fortunately for us this week there have been lovely north easterly sailing breezes to distract and we have made the most of them.  Yesterday we went to explore Faaroa, a bay on the east side of Raiatea and a potential hurricane hole.  This is a truly beautiful spot extending deep into the fertile Faaroa valley and fringed by gentle rolling hills. A river meanders west from the head of the loch up to the beautiful Botanical Gardens which we enjoyed virtually on our own.  It is certainly one of the perks of being here over cyclone season.  Everywhere is so quiet.  The bay was similarly deserted giving us ample time and space to identify good spots to drop the hook.  It is definitely down on our list of potential anchorages should the need arise.

Exploring the botanical gardens	Coleus beside the road
Lilies	House garden nearby

The day before we made our first ocean passage from Taha’a back to Raiatea, only about 4hours in total but it was good to test out all the changes we have been making to the boat.  We had hoped to sail to Huahine but the wind direction favoured a more southerly direction towards the bottom of Raiatea so the plan was switched.  One of the joys of retirement has been the novelty of switching our plans at a moment’s notice.  Time seems a gentler companion somehow when activities are so fluid.  Our new spot was on the reef at southeast corner of the island.  It is yet another beautiful location, all turquoise and golden in the sun.  As always, the anchor must be checked after laying so on this occasion I have filmed the experience as I thought you might find it interesting to see how quickly the reef shelves into the deeper water.  The fact that a very obliging Manta Ray came along for the ride was a bonus!

Papillon at anchor

It is strange writing this knowing how busy you will all be with Christmas preparations.  Here things seem to be happening at a more leisurely pace.  Decorations are minimalist or non-existent; a solitary piece of tinsel dangling from a doorway, a single Christmas bauble hanging from a shop light fitting, window displays of only red and white clothes.  Individual houses are not decorated at all, and the children still seem to be at school.  It will be interesting to see how the actual day unfolds. One fact I can share with you is that brussels sprouts are on the menu.  A box of very unappetising specimens was being prepared by the vegetable man in Champion the other day.  I joked with him that he had ordered them in especially for the Scots. Apparently not!  Turkey and brussels sprouts are very much part of the celebrations here too!!  Fortunately, we experienced no evidence of a Christmas menu at the Opua Beach Hotel last night.  We were celebrating our return to the south pacific and enjoyed tuna, mahi mahi and scallops instead!!  A tiny artificial Christmas tree was the only reminder of what is about to come.  Otherwise, it was “modus operandi” on the beach as usual!!  One of our favourite places to enjoy a glass of wine whatever the season!    

Up market dinghy dock, Opua beach

Wine on the beach