During my daily walk of the docks, who do I see, the boat Mahina Tiare III. This is the boat owned by John and Amanda Neal, who between them have logged over 500k miles on the ocean showing paying crew how to make blue water passages. They teach everything from seamanship, navigation, storm avoidance to heavy weather sailing. Amanda sticks her head out of the companionway and greets me. We chat for a bit, they have just dropped off there crew after a trip from New Zealand, and are expecting new ones this evening, and then off on another leg.

Amanda shares with me some ideas about the passage from here to Hawaii should I decide to take that route at the end of the season. John is below decks fixing a through-hull, but comes up to say hi. I invite them to stop by Sherpa, as htey say they have neverbeen on a Tartan 37 before, but may not be able to as they are racing to get their boat in shape for their departure tomorrow.

Papeete is really the "Crossroads of the South Pacific". Lots of fun meeting new boats and making new friends!