It remains to be seen how this will be resolved, but we have an engine problem.

Just after I wrote and posted the last blog, Conni found a notice for the Tahiti-Moorea Rendezvous, a rally of sailboats, most of which have just completed the Pacific Puddle Jump. We missed our year’s rally (2013), and weren’t here 2014 or 2015, and thought that this might be the year. Conni registered on-line and we were ready for the gentle sail to Papeete for the race start, and the subsequent party for the cruisers. What fun! We also got a t-shirt! Saturday would be the sail itself, from Papeete back to Cook’s Bay, Moorea, culminating in festivities at various venues, and Sunday had meals, tours, and a canoe race for participants. It all sounded like great fun.

But it was not to be. We had slowly motored out of Opunohu Bay, charging our batteries, and not pulling fuel through our filters too rapidly. We realized that we would need the engine to enter Papeete Bay, and on to the marina. We were also concerned about the possible contamination lurking in our tanks and how they’d fill the filter at an inopportune time, so we decided to use a 5-gallon jug of diesel that we keep for just such a use. In previous cases, I have simply dropped a piece of fuel hose into the jug, and replace the main hose from the tanks to the engine system with the hose from the jug. We both expected to do just that, but the engine failed to start. After many hours of work, and much bathing in diesel, I still could not get the engine to fire, and we had little wind. Late in the afternoon, we finally got some good wind and Conni masterfully piloted us into the harbor entrance while I continued my fruitless efforts to get the engine to fire.

Meantime, I had radioed ahead to the marina office, explained the problem, and requested assistance in docking. They suggested that I contact the Office of the Harbor Master, which I did. The harbor master agreed to, for a price, tow us from the entrance when we arrived to the marina. It was an ignominious entrance, but needed for safety.

We did enter the harbor, sailing under our own power, and the towing vessel duly met us, with 3 fairly competent mariners aboard. After some time and some frantic maneuvers, we did arrive at a disused floating dock and made fast. We’re exposed to the full swell and wake of various ferries and cargo vessels, have no power or water, and the dock itself is very old and decrepit so it’s very loud, but we’re safe and the boat’s safe. Tomorrow, we plan to sail Wings to the next dock, one of the new ones, but it’s too crowded with boats preparing for the Rendezvous. When they leave, we’ll move over. Moving Wings without an engine will be interesting. We’ve discussed a plan that will probably work. I’ll be in the dinghy to perform as a tug in moving the boat around and guiding her, while Conni remains aboard to steer and handle lines. When we get her the 100-feet across, I’ll push the boat to the dock and Conni will hop out to make her fast. Well, that’s the plan. More on this tomorrow.

We felt obligated to officially cancel our registration, so walked down to the Rendezvous registration office and did so. It was heartbreaking for us to give up the bag with Wings emblazoned on the front, but we have no choice. Perhaps next year we’ll get to participate. We both had to leave as we were so angry. What a terrible let-down for something that we only planned 24 hours ago. Silly, I know, but that’s how we feel.

We decided to make inquiries for a mechanic before the weekend started, since few businesses are open on weekends. We headed for a section of town that seemed to have several businesses that might be of help. During our searching, we did inadvertently wander into the French Navy area, since there was no signage whatever. Afterward, we spent several hours in endless walking and being turned down as we looked for a mechanic to help. Whatever this problem is, it’s beyond my ability to solve, or seems to be. Remember that the engine was running perfectly until I opened the fuel system to change fuel sources, then it all went sideways. Finally, we followed a lead and lucked into the only Nanni Diesel distributor in the South Pacific, and our 32-year old engine is a Nanni. If he’s been at it a while, he will know this engine and can help, regardless of the problem. Neither Conni nor I think that the problem is serious, since the engine has been running so well, but we’re both anxious about what the mechanic will find. Unfortunately, he won’t arrive until next Thursday, so we’ve got some found time here. We are in downtown Papeete, after all, so the wait won’t be all bad.

We owed for the towing from yesterday, so we motored to the Harbor Master’s office. We finally located it, without the help of any signage at all (what is it with the French and signs?). The guy who took our money was sitting in a frigidly air conditioned office and Conni and I were so hot that we were taking turns putting our head down by the opening through which he did business. He did take pity on us and invited us in. Oh, to be cool! The world was suddenly brighter! We motored home.

The interisland ferry just passed and kicked up some sizable wake that’s making the dock very loud, banging and squeaking, and rocking the boat. Even when we move, we’ll have the waves to handle, but we’ll have power and water, at a price. We do get access to stand-up showers here, and there’s supposed to be Wifi and a laundromat, too. Those things will make the wait less tiresome.

The 240-foot Dragonfly and the fake sailing boat, Wind Spirit, are both here, too, and across the harbor is the 24/7 cargo facility with large vessels coming and going at all hours, loading and unloading containers.

You know as much as we do. We’ve got a debilitating engine problem that might be easily solvable, or might be the beginning of an engine re-power. We just don’t know. Meantime, we’ll try to “reframe”, as my sister says, and enjoy Papeete.

We took a few-mile walk to the monster French chain store, Carrefore. It’s cavernous and absolutely first world. Oh, yeah, it’s also air conditioned! We hiked back with our load of groceries, had a light meal, and took our showers, the first stand-up showers in a month. There was no hot water, but that’s not a problem. On return, we are running the generator for an hour or so for the batteries, a daily ritual.