06/11/2012, Marina Taina
Sherpa is pretty shipshape now, so I can do a bit more exploring. In addition to the 24 hour market, there is a Carrefour, the large French supermarket chain, just down the way within walking distance. This is like a Walmart/Target/Safeway all combined. If they don't have it, then it probalby doesn't exist on the island. I see locals coming out with full frozen pigs, they must be doing a luau. There are restaurants and other boutiques there as well. Now I know why all the cruisers come to Taina to re-provision, like going to Costco, but twice the price.
The locals are definitely not as open and friendly as in the other islands, but still, a smile always seems to go a long ways. I meet a gentlemen at the bar, who is french, and has lived here for 30 years. He said it has changed, but still enjoys it. He gave me his number and invited he and Jonathan over to to meet his wiife if we can make. We'll see. I also met a french couple who live here as well, Jacque is 75 and is in excellent shape, he says he swims or rows everyday. He was a sculptor in France, and taught it as well. He tried to get me to join him for a game of chess, but the way he was disposing his opponents, I realized I would be no match for him. He was was young in body, mind and spirit.
The happy hour gets a bit more lively, as more cruisers arrive. After happy hour, we all move the party to Obelisk from Newport News Virginia, a Skye 51, captained by a 30 year old, who has just come up from Cape Horn with his father. We had seen them in Nuku Hiva, but had yet to meet them until now. Ahh to be young!
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06/10/2012, Marina Taina
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!
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06/09/2012, Marina Taina
Laundry day. Within the marina there is a laundrimat, though I never thought I'd pay about $10 a load just for the washing machine, another $5 for the dryer, but this is probably the last place where this will be available, so off I go bags of laundry in hand. All works fine, after about $50 we are done.
I run into crews from boats we met in the Marquesas and the Tuomotus, as well as make new friends from boats that have just arrived. Everybody has the same objective, though I'm probably one of the few that may only do a season. Most have sold everything and have been out for years, or plan to be. A real melting pot of cruisers, young and old, families and single handers, all doing the laundry dance and getting there boats back in shape for the next leg.
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06/08/2012, Marina Taina
Home Alone! Well, Boat Alone, I guess. Just me and Sherpa now. I have a few days to get the boat cleaned up in preparation for the next leg of the cruise. Sherpa really has taken good care of us, so the first thing she gets is a reall bath, with running fresh water. Clean out that reefer and take care of the laundry.
The marina is pretty full, as most boats are doing what I'm doing, getting there boats back in shape, as there won't be services like this agian until you get to New Zealand or Australia. There is a small Chandlery close by, as well as a fuel dock and a 24 hour supermarche, all within walking distance. There is even a McDonalds for a stateside fix of a Cheeseburger in Paradise.
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06/07/2012, Marina Taina
Now it is just Paul and I, but Paul's flight is this evening, and would still like to get Sherpa in the Marina in order to get her provisioned and take care of a few boat projects at a dock. As luck would have it, the marina could accommodate us right now. So off we head back to the boat to get the anchor up and motor in. The marina is full of mega yachts, there is even one w/ a helicopter on it, it is rumored to be some high up person at Google, maybe Sergie himself. They run a real first class operation, a skiff meets us w/ a diver, which we wouldn't need more for the mega yachts. We follow them into the "tight" channel and get Sherpa side tied to the dock right in front of Casa Bianca--Perfect.
Paul has the late evening flight as well, but luckily we can just walk over to the restaurant instead of the wet ride Pete had. We enjoy a nice dinner there, food is delicious--pizza again! We toast a successful trip and now it is just me, waiting for my new crew to arrive, my 10 year-old son, Jonathan.
People hear about horror stories between skippers and crew, but not this group. We had a wonderful trip in which I think everybody thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I give a big thanks to both Pete and Paul for making the first part of my cruise very special memorable, and look forward to meeting my crew and new friends both again soon!
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06/06/2012, Yacht Quay to Marina Taina
Time to move on, enough of the "Big City". The transit from the quay to Marina Taina is a motor inside the reef around the airport to the west side of the island. it is about 5-6 miles away. Along the way you could see the wreck of a sailboat on the reef, a reminder of the perils of tropical cruising in paradise. It looks like he hit the reef from the outside, maybe a storm or just poor navigation. They say several cruising yachts end up on the reefs every year, some they are able to refloat, but not this one.
Marin a Taina is an anchorage where most of the cruisers end up to get away form the noise and bustle of Papeete. There is a marina there, as well as mooring balls and plenty of room to anchor out. Normally this is a nice calm motor over there, but this time we get 25 knots on the nose, it seemed to whip around the island from the south. When we arrive it is pretty crowded, but first attempt to find a mooring ball, which s/b more secure than swing on the hook. There are only about 15-20, and it is first come first served. No luck, they are all taken, so off to drop the hook.
The wind has now piped up to a steady 20-30 knots, but the holding is good. We anchor in 60 feet along with many of the boats we have met before. Our anchor seems to be holding good, as the wind surges to 35 knots. Another boat has broken free and is careening through the anchorage luckily the owner is on board and he is able to re-anchor. We end up staying on the boat for the last afternoon w/Pete, as the wind has made it difficult to even launch the dinghy.
The wind lightens slightly allowing us to get the dinghy in the water and motor over to have one last sundowner w/ Pete before he has to catch his 11pm flight back to the states. Well, it turned out to be a wet ride, as water came over the bow, luckily Pete has some other dry clothes to change into.
We toast a last drink at Casa Bianca, a watering hole w/ a 2 for 1 happy hour, I think this is going to be a good place to hang out until Jonathan arrives. Pete catches a cab to the airport and will be in the states the next day. If anyone is looking for "great crew" for a passage, Pete is your first mate. I hope to have the opportunity to sail w/ him again!!
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