Taravao, Tahiti, French Polynesia

After clearing Customs at Faa Airport, Papeete, late Saturday night, April 9, we rented a tiny air conditioned car for $23 per day plus 51 cents per kilometer (.6 kilometer=1 mile). The unlimited mileage rate was not economical as we would not be driving much while we worked on the boat. We piled our 250 pounds (3 duffel bags, 2 roll-ons, 2 backpacks) into the little back seat and drove to the town of Mahina, some 10 miles from the airport. We found our reserved rented room with the help of a few friendly firefighters at the nearby fire station. We were exhausted after the 8.5 hour flight and went right to bed, safely tucked inside our mosquito netting. In the morning, we awoke to a fabulous view of the Pacific Ocean as we were perched on the side of the mountain. The cost of the room with private bath and full access to the household kitchen was $66 per night. Unfortunately, we only had time for a cup of tea as we were anxious to get to Dream Caper.

We took the northern highway 40 miles down the east side of Tahiti Nui to Taravao, where Dream Caper was waiting at the Tahiti Nautic Center Marina. Tahiti island is comprised of two parts, Tahiti Nui (large part) and Tahiti Iti (small part) and the marina is located right at the isthmus where the two parts connect, making an excellent cyclone protected hole with an especially nice bay on the west side. On the way, we stopped to see blow holes spouting, view a black sand beach, marvel at the lush tropical greenery, beautiful mountains, and blue ocean waters, and buy some fruit filled pastries for breakfast.

Since it was Sunday, marina personnel were not around but they had left an extension ladder for us to access Dream Caper. With Dream Caper sitting on steel i-beams which elevated her 3 feet off the ground and add the 8 feet depth of Dream Caper from the keels to the top of the boat, it was 11 feet up the extension ladder to get on board. The topsides of the boat were very clean, probably from the heavy rains this area normally gets. We loaded the luggage by using a rope to hoist them on board rather than taking them up the ladder. We also changed the location of the ladder to the stern which made the ladder climb only 8 feet.

For the next 5 days, we went up and down this ladder to work on Dream Caper. We did not stay overnight on the boat because roughing it without running water, no shower, and a seatless toilet some 400 feet via mud puddles to the other side of the marina was not our idea of a nice time. We stayed five nights in a very clean room (Fare Maithe rmo@mail.pf) with private bath, private kitchen, internet and air conditioning, in Afaaite, about 4 miles from the marina. Cost: $88 USD/night plus $20 per day for AC. Taking a nice shower and relaxing in an air conditioned room away from mosquitoes after working on the boat made this whole experience much more pleasant. Our landlords, Maithe and Jean-Jacques (a private pilot instructor) who also own a 42 foot catamaran, were friendly and helpful. Maithe provided fresh cut fruit every morning and breadfruit, cooked three different ways for our tasting: mashed, boiled and fried which were very much like potatoes. With Portia's limited knowledge of French/Spanish and Maithe's ability to speak some English and Spanish, we managed to communicate and learn a little about each other. They will be cruising to the Marquesas and Tuomotos for 7 months this August. We wish them well.

Each time we come back to Dream Caper after being gone, this time for 8 months, we never know what shape she will be in. We always have someone watching over her in our absence but last year in Ecuador we returned to dead batteries and lots of mold on the cabinets. We were greatly relieved to find Dream Caper dry with almost no mold. We had left her on the hard (out of the water) with Yvan, the marina manager, to check on her every few weeks to make sure the air conditioner/dehumidifier was working and draining and that rain was not leaking inside. Unbeknownst to Yvan, however, the dehumidifier was not always draining outside the boat, as we found the bilge full to the bottom of the floor boards with water. This was easily drained and caused no serious damage. We had left cockroach traps which Yvan replenished. There is no sign of the cockroaches that had taken up residence in the Galapagos. When a local mechanic was not available, Yvan pitched in to help Steve get the stuck propellers off the boat for maintenance. He also quickly repaired a small hole in Dream Caper's hull that clearly occurred sometime during the past 8 months. We highly recommend Yvan and Tahiti Nautic Center (tnc.commercial@mail.pf)!

What did we do for 5 days to prepare Dream Caper for the water? We inventoried and stored the 250 pounds of luggage, scraped the hulls and keels, changed the zincs on the motors, changed the oil in the saildrives, installed rubber dams around both saildrives after having to thoroughly sand the area clean, re-installed the boom and sails, repaired a broken stanchion, re-installed our solar panels, repaired an alternator, cleaned the interior, filled our gas jerry cans at the gas station, bought provisions, repaired and installed a new thru hull which required reinstalling a toilet hose, and carried fresh water on board in 5 gallon jugs from a faucet 3 miles away. A ½ day was spent driving to Papeete to report our return to the boat with French Polynesia Customs and to turn in the rental car at the airport, after which we took a 2 hour bus ride back to our rented room in Afaaite. Having the rental car made things must easier but everything always takes time.

Dream Caper was probably the heaviest and biggest boat in this relatively small boatyard. The i-beam trailer carrying her to the boat ramp high-centered on the top of the ramp and after much effort by Yvan and his crew, including chiseling the concrete off of the top of the ramp, shimming plywood under the tires to raise her up, and even greasing the top of the ramp, Dream Caper eventually slipped nicely into the water. Both engines started immediately and we waved a grateful goodby to Yvan and his crew. What a relief!

And now our life on the water begins again . . .

[Look for updates to this webpage every 2-3 days.]