Surprise
05/15/2008, Bora Bora

We left you in suspense, not intentionally, about our radar unit. It had failed to work after our launch in Raiatea; the display was there, but no returns, not even next to shore. Steve contacted techie friends who concluded the problem was probably the magnetron. This piece that makes the radar function has a limited lifespan (2000+ hours; we had 1720). So like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, our radar needed a brain transplant. We were fortunate to find the part in Papeete and thanks to Mike at Polynesian Yacht Services we had it in one day. The magnetron goes in the dome/antenna which is 8' above the deck. Steve rigged a work platform from the shower floor, braced on the pushpit. This meant we could unmount the dome and still keep all the wiring attached. . We were pretty surprised and dismayed when about a half a gallon of water poured out of our watertight antenna dome as we tipped it down to work on it and pretty skeptical it would ever function again. But there's always hope so Steve went ahead and replaced the magnetron, with no better result. Still no returns. We left it in the sun to dry out and about three hours later, voila, worked like new! Luck was with us again. We surmise the leak happened in the yard, when the radar head was left on its side as they moved the boat, so now that it's properly mounted again we're hoping it will continue to work.

Monday we signed up for a 4-wheel drive excursion around and over the island. Just before Leonie, our driver, showed up Steve's back began to bother him. So he got the front seat and we hoped the ride wouldn't be too rough. Shared the excursion with two nice honeymoon couples and a woman we had met in Marina Apooiti who sailed in the Pearl Regatta. In early 1942, the US military landed 4500 personnel on Bora Bora to build roads, establish a base and defend the island against the Japanese, who were at the time rolling through the Western Pacific. There were 1200 local inhabitants on BB at the time, so you can imagine the culture shock. The hillsides are still full of old ammunition bunkers, now empty, that the locals use for cyclone shelters. And six of the guns that were dragged to the top of the ridge are still there, and a feature of the tour. The guns date from WW I, when they were fired, but were never fired in anger in WW II. Good thing they didn't have to, because their range was about 3 miles and of course battleships could lob shells much further than that. Anyway, "South Pacific," Bali Hai and Bloody Mary's all stem from that incursion.

Tuesday we had a different excursion. Maupiti is one of the smaller islands in the Society group with a population of 1,250. The pass through the reef is quite narrow, crooked, and shallow; in a big south swell it is impassable. We decided to let others do the driving and pass navigation, and took the Maupiti Express from Bora Bora along with a gaggle of newlyweds and similar number of locals; the passage is about 90 minutes. We arranged for a local boat in the lagoon to take us sightseeing and snorkeling, and this turned out to be a wonderful excursion with lunch on one of the small fringe islands. The ride back in the late afternoon was into the prevailing swell and wind, and the crew was kept busy with small blue buckets for the green patrons. In the evening we had dinner with Richard Postma, Maui's father, who has lived on Bora Bora for 29 years and in other parts of French Polynesia before that, so he has plenty of tales to tell.

Our weather data says that there is a storm coming in this weekend, so we'll likely sit tight until it passes and then bid farewell to French Polynesia and head for the Rarotonga

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Surprise
05/10/2008, Bora Bora

When we arrived in Bora Bora we tied up the Bora Bora Yacht Club. Lest you misled by this nomenclature it like most of the rest of its kin in French Polynesia is a restaurant that has sunk moorings in order to attract the cruising crowd. When the alternative is anchoring in 100' feet of water with a coral bottom and picking up a mooring the choice is simple, even if it means a meal at the restaurant. If there is one you grab it. Since the BBYC is being remodeled and hence not open its moorings are free for the moment, but as it sits on the water taxi route to the airport you rock and roll a bit in the wake. So early this morning, Friday, we motored down to Bloody Mary's Yacht Club and scored a mooring here. We then took the dinghy into town and rented a car for the morning to drive around Bora Bora, all 32km of paved road. It was triple boat day in BB. The Tahitian Princess was anchored in the main roadstead, disgorging its day-trippers, and two freighters, the Taporo and the Veanu were unloading at the northern dock. A plethora of goods, many obviously destined to supply the many resort hotel kitchens, as well as that essential good-petroleum. We stopped for the photo ops. The north and west sides of the island are largely local residents only, but once you reach the southern coast there is one hotel after another. We took a brief hike up to a "belvedere" that let us look out at the eastern lagoon and down on Surprise in Povai Bay to the west. Back in the main town of Vaitape we had our second lunch at the lovely Restaurant St. James. So new it's not in the guidebooks, but a wonderful setting, good food and friendly service. Back at Surprise in the afternoon we were sort of napping on deck when a dinghy hailed us from Serafin. Steve had thought the name was familiar when we heard them on the radio the other day, and once we began chatting it became clear why. We were both in Elfin Cove, Alaska at the same time in July 2000. Dinner at Bloody Mary's this evening to "pay" for our mooring here.

Tomorrow we tackle the radar's brain transplant before afternoon snorkeling.

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Surprise
05/09/2008, Bora Bora Yacht Club

After many iterations of machining work by Dominique of Raiatea Carenage, and many new ideas on Steve's part, success was achieved on Wednesday afternoon. The new power takeoff unit (a photo is owed of this workhorse of Surprise's lifestyle, not to mention her owner's), with new set screw locations and new bolts, was returned and installed--and pronounced satisfactory. So we bid adieu to Marina Apooiti, hopefully for the last time, in the mid afternoon on Wednesday. Too late to leave for Bora Bora, but one of our favorite spots, the Taravana Yacht Club, is only half an hour away. So we motor across the lagoon between Raiatea and Tahaa and are fortunate enough to pick up a mooring. Little did we realize at the time that Maui and his dad Richard had spent the afternoon sinking four new moorings, and we had one of them. The TYC is not open for dining on Wed and Thurs--chef's nights off--so we invited Maui and Richard out for drinks on Surprise. When Steve went in to pick them up, as Maui's brother had their boat for the evening--there were four beautiful mahi mahi sitting on the dock, the catch of a local fisherman for the restaurant. Happily for us Maui was willing to part with a part of one fish, so we had fresh mahi on board. We left TYC this morning in a light breeze. Motor sailed with the light wind dead behind us for about half the distance, then as the wind filled in had a nice reach/beat to Bora Bora. Ran down a couple of cruisers on the last leg to the entrance pass; Surprise does get an attitude when there is another boat off the bow. Since we had fresh fish on board we assumed that we would catch one, but no such luck. We picked up a mooring at the Bora Bora Yacht Club, closed for renovation, so the mooring is free, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner of fresh mahi thanks to Maui's generosity. The first question from the other cruisers is almost standard; what kind of boat is Surprise? Glad we made it here, what feels like the official start to the second half of our South Pacific cruise.

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