We completed our last cruise of the season this morning. We left Papeete, Tahiti yesterday and 0900, and arrived at the entrance to the main pass this morning at 1100, or so.

The passage was beautiful, with good wind on our stern quarter and reasonable seas. Of course, with only two of us, Conni took the helm until midnight and I completed the night with midnight to 0600. I didn't get much sleep yesterday so I was bushed this morning. It took 26 hour for 140 miles, for an average of ovary 5 kts. Very good for us. We made power with the towed generator until it got snarled coming out of the water a few times. We dragged it on deck and I un-snarled it this morning. Solar is doing well so far. If I can get the wind generator up, we might not have to run the Honda generator. We're not making water any more, but still have charging to do. Remember, the damned regulator is out so we don't make electricity when we're motoring.

Raiatea is enormous! Tehaa, the sister island, is only mile away and shares the same barrier reef. Behind the reef is a very deep channel that goes almost all around Raiatea within the reef and you can easily get to Tehaa inside the reef. Quite cool, actually. The weather is decidedly NOT cool, but there's a big breeze so we're surviving.

We motored inside the reef, past the few resorts and marinas. Raiatea is a major base for yacht chartering, with Sunsail, Moorings, and a few French companies all vying for the yachters' dollars. Because of that, there's "dry storage" (storage on land) and, we hear, good services such as sailmakers and mechanics. Both of our sails are in need of TLC after the abuse that they've endured.

As usual, the water is gin-clear and with the hook set at 86-ft, we can just make out the shape in the sand.

The barrier reef breaks the seas, so there're always huge breakers crashing on the reef, sending up mountains of white foam and spray. Even from miles away, it's easy to see the reef/Pacific boundary.

Raiatea has motus! A motu, of course, is the tiny island of coral and there are many gorgeous motus, palm-covered, and with white sand beaches. Really, it's more beautiful than Tahitii, I think. We can also see Bora Bora from here, although it's 25 miles away. There's no mistaking the peaks of Bora Bora!

We have a lot to do today, and we'll be here tomorrow, too, to prepare the boat for the haul. After that, we have one day to complete things, then we fly to Tahiti, sit in the airport all night, then fly to LA on Air France.

Will try to get some photos up on the site.