Met up up with Francois today,( thanks Billy). Recovering from yesterday's epic hike, (see photo). No more satellite phone so blogs will be sparse. Moorea is a fantastically beautiful island. We're finding that making plans to continue on are difficult because we know it's all amazing!

What's happenin' Pop! What are you doin man?!

Aloha friends, we're caught in the vortex of having to navigate services for our inevitable repairs, though not unhappily 'cause we're in paradise after all. Adam has been on many wild goose chases by cab and walking to find parts or repair men for refrigerator and outboard motor problems. Our satellite phone stopped three or four days ago. Simple tasks can take hours, like getting fresh water, off loading trash, finding good coffee! We expected all this having listened to other sailor's stories yet we are anxious to move on and explore Moorea first then the other beauties. We'll have more pictures soon. The French bread is heavenly!

Wow, this place is busy with cruising sailors. There are vagabonds and mega yachts, and everything in between. Tying up to the fuel dock at Marina Taina was like being in a chapter of Indiana Jones; tatooed bald and shirtless gas attendant looking like he might enjoy wrestling you to the ground if you caused trouble, yet friendly smiling and helpful. Rugged life-long cruisers who've seen anchorages we'll never know of are buzzing around everywhere in their dinghies and there are small armies of the workers who keep the multi-milliion dollar yachts looking shiny.There are one-person basket elevators that carry someone slowly up the 100 foot masts to polish and shine as they go. There are whole famiies on boats with dogs, and couples hanging laundry looking like Tibetan prayer flags. We hear mostly French being spoken, English of course and Tahitian and many European languages. Adam is doing his best to take on French as a new language as he goes through the process of checking us in with Customs. We let him ashore yesterday to deal with the formallities and he came back with an increased French vocabulary, but not complete sucess with the checking in process. He's off again this morning with crew in tow; all but me. Many heartfelt thanks to all who helped us get here, especially Joanne and Mandy. We wouldn't be here if not for you. Thanks to our friends at Kaneohe Yacht club for the charts and all the good advice, which has already come in handy. After today we'll be free to make plans to explore these beautiful islands and we'll continue to send photos and report on what it's like to be in our little RV on the water, in fabled French Polynesia. Much aloha, Paul

Land Ho! What a beautiful sight; Tahiti and Moorea rising up before us at sunrise. Than ks everybody for your good wishes. Toomey says we've gone from navi-guessers to navi-get'er done! More to come. Aloha

The wind quit on us today at only 120 miles to Papeete. Naturally Adam suggested we go for a swim this afternoon. Oh, the cool, blue water. All 13,000 feet of it. What a treat to be buoyed by the open sea, vulnerable yet trusting that today is probably not the day you would be eaten! We just motor for now, with the mainsail up. The day has gone nice and slow. We talk of our plans once we reach the island. Will it be strange to walk ashore? Will we miss our routines? I need a couple of things: surf wax, some snap swivels for fishing,( nothing trivia)l. We hoisted the courtesy French flag to the starboard spreader already , to get into the mood of being here. Our Stars and Stripes fly on the stern. As some of you know, when we enter a foreign country's port, (tomorrow!), the yellow quarentine flag is flown to signify we need to be cleared by customs. Adam will go ashore with our passports and ship's papers for the entry proceedure. We three willl be in limbo for a short tim e goofing off I'm sure, but we don't joke around when a squall is bearing down on us, or when we have to wake up in the middle of the night to start a watch at some ungodly hour, or when shooting stars fly one after the other from an already bright sky lit by the Milky Way glow, or when you're driving down a big swell being pelted by spray as if from a firehose, PLUS THE RAIN! and your watch mate takes over to give you some rest. It's good fun. Loving it all, Paul



what's happenin' pop! what are you doin' man?! the seas were so calm today we decided to pull over and park at a roadside rest stop swimmin' hole... another mahi mahi! team hook, line and wanker would like to thank fishing sponsor Greg Kerner for the use of rod, reel and lewer. the folks here at Paulo's cafe invite you to join us for a free meal! (offer expires when fish does) time to go on watch. see ya! -jt

I can confidently say that this voyage has certainly seen it�'s fair share of fish. Right of the bat we caught an Ahi that fed us well for days. A few days later, as we finished up our first catch, we land a Mahi. This continued to be the trend for the duration of our voyage. So far it has only been Paul, Toomey and Adam to real in the big boys. This all changed yesterday.

It was a little into the afternoon as I took the helm. Still full from a lunch of seared Ahi, I opened up my book Two Years Before the Mast to enjoy the adventures of Richard Dana in between glances at the compass. The rest of the crew moved toward siesta, still digesting the last of our catch. It was a peaceful day. Light winds and slow rolling waves stretched as far as the eye could see. I was just finishing up another chapter when I heard the line in our fishing pole hanging off the stern of our boat zip like lightening!

Alone in the cockpit, I jump over to the pole to get into position. Adam quickly emerges on deck to grab the steering. With the line slowing down, I begin to real in the monster. Slowly, but surely, the fish inches closer and closer to boat. By now Adam has turned the boat into wind while Toomey and Paul materialize with the gaff hook. Looking back over the water, I see the fish jump for the first time. It�'s a Mahi and it�'s a big one! I go back to working the fish in, constantly keeping pressure on the line. Eventually I get her right behind the boat. Taking the line in hand, I pull her right up the stern, careful not to pull her head out of the water and potentially loose the hook. Paul counts down then lands a clean gaff right above the gills. He pulls her aboard and the battle was won! Grammy always said "there are many fish in the sea", but today there is one less.

Picking her up for the photo, I�'d estimate she weights about 25-30 pounds. She was a beauty that will last us the rest of our voyage. I was proud finally catch my first fish! Now that only question that lasts is sashimi, chowder or tacos?

Peace,

Andrew Stoker