If at first you don't succeed...

 

Ia Orana!

It has been quoted on more than one occasion that “Blue Water Cruising is no more than boat maintenance in exotic locations”!  A little harsh perhaps but over the last few weeks whilst preparing for our visitors to arrive there have been moments when it has seemed remarkably apt.  

Exotic locations with RVP in the distance

and boat maintenance!

Duncan and Jenni touch down in less than 48 hours and we are still not in the designated RVP (rendezvous point if you aren’t familiar with skipper’s military style acronyms!)  The reason for the delay is our leaking dinghy and her ongoing repairs.  After initial efforts in November all was well for several months but the terrible weather in February took its toll first on the original patch and then on one of the rubber tubes that developed a series of air leaks.  The water leak has been successfully addressed but the air leaks have proved more challenging.  Soap suds are the recommended technique for diagnosing the source.  For maximum success they need to be applied on a fully inflated hull on dry land, so we decided to go ashore at the coral garden in Taha’a where there is a perfect strip of sand to beach the dinghy –a beautiful and exotic location to do some boat maintenance to be sure!  

https://youtu.be/ETRSFI4Jfpw  - link to snorkelling video before the repair! 

Boats at sunset

 Soap suds were prepared in an old yogurt pot with warm water and washing up liquid and then liberally applied to the dinghy both inside and out.  Bubbles quickly started to appear in multiple places around one of the valves and along an outside seam. What a success!  Immediately our problems seemed more manageable.  The snorkelling tourists may have been confused by our efforts, but we were elated and sped away in a wake of environmentally friendly bubbles back to Papillon to consult You Tube for advice on “rubber dinghy air leak repairs”. Sadly, the news brought us back down to earth with a bump. The recommended protocols demand “a fully deflated dinghy on a hard surface in a completely dry environment where the glue can be left to cure for 96 hours”.  Modifications were clearly required for onboard repairs and that is essentially what we have been wrestling with ever since.  The dinghy has been suspended at all angles from the davits to access the leaks, covers have been made to protect it from the sudden and dramatic downpours and, on more than one occasion Papillon has been brought back into the town dock in Uturoa for us to purchase yet more two-part glue from “Nautisport” (our only chandlery for 100miles).   It has been very challenging.  

Patches patches

and more patches...

The upside is that trips to town facilitate massive food shops, rubbish disposal and laundry washes which are useful with visitors about to appear.  It is a digression, but I was also able to consult a doctor whilst tied up to the dock.  Nothing serious but a simple phone call in the morning had me in the surgery 2 hours later and on a course of antibiotics an hour after that.  A stress-free experience and a far cry from what we hear is happening at home.  Interestingly the doctor said the situation was equally as bad in France and one of the reasons she had decided to relocate to Raiatea.   One can hardly blame her. The surgery operates on a first come first served basis in the mornings and when I  arrived at 10am there was only one other lady present.  Even the wait was stress free as she and I got chatting, as you do, and discovered a shared love of sailing.  She and her husband arrived on a boat 40 years ago from France and like so many others  decided to stay and raise their family here. They now run a vanilla farm on Taha’a!  She was interested to know how we had been received by locals adding that relations had become quite strained during Covid when yachts, unable to continue their journeys across the Pacific had accumulated here in great numbers.  I could only say how kind and generous people have been since we arrived.  As if any more confirmation of this fact was required,  she immediately invited us to visit their farm when we were next passing!    I hope we can take her up on her offer and I also hope that any future visits to the doctor are as entertaining!

Flore pays us a visit at the dock

Additional suncovers sewn at the dock

But with medical matters addressed and supplies on board we are now back in an exotic location in Taha’a, completing what we hope are the final repairs.  As I write this, the dinghy remains suspended and partially deflated  on the davits.  The last bit of two-part glue was applied this morning and the final seam resealed.  As the sun rises and sets so the dinghy inflates and deflates in the heat.  It seems the now multiple patches are holding but the real proof will be when we fully inflate her tomorrow or Tuesday.  There is nothing more to do except wait, hands aching from syringing the glue and bodies wearied from the contortions required to access all the leaks.  It has been quite the effort.  On reflection I wish we had videoed the whole experience and uploaded it as “an alternative method for “dinghy air leak repairs  at sea”.  It might have gone viral and made our fortunes!

Sail cover repairs while the glue cures

Another beautiful sunset

So, maintaining a boat is actually no different from maintaining  a house.  Its ongoing, rewarding at times and maddeningly frustrating at others! Thank goodness for the exotic locations!  This week we have been treated to some fabulous night skies with a waning moon that is late to rise. After tea we lie on the trampoline gazing up at the Milky Way listening to the fish splashing over the surface of the dark waters below and the waves crashing on the reef beyond.  The Southern Cross is just rising  at that time and Jupiter is bright in the west.  It’s not a bad way to relax.  Less relaxing was the rugby on Saturday.  Kick off for the Scotland vs Italy match was at 04.15 Tahitian time.  Dawn finally broke in the remaining  few minutes when all hope of a victory was draining away.  Despite a beautiful sunrise it was not the best start to the day!  Hopefully the final match will be more uplifting.  At least we will be watching it with friends and family.  Tomorrow we plan to sail to Huahine to meet them.  The winds have been light and from the east so not the best sailing breeze for Huahine but if the dinghy remains inflated and the promised northerlies come in we will be happy. 

Dawn breaks on the Scotland Italy match

Another lovely day in an exotic location