On the Hook, At Last!
21 August 2020 | Tapuamu Bay, Taha'a
Bill
Blog 21 August 2020
On the Hook, At Last!
To continue our story from last time, we walked the mile to the nearest Wifi site to contact AT&T, but we were unable to make any changes. You'll LOVE this! AT&T, not unreasonably, wanted
to confirm our identity by sending us a confirmation code via text. Of course, we have no text capability since we're trying to buy more time on her cell! No cell service, no code, no confirmation,
no use...We were both beside ourselves in frustration.
We did manage to get our local burner phone recharged with prepaid time, so we do have some communication.
We planned our departure from the Uturoa fuel dock as carefully as we could, awaiting a break in the wind and rain, but it still wasn't clean. With Conni at the helm, I managed to get our bow
away from the dock with main force, and then we were able to creep away without damage.
The sister island of Raiatea, within the same lagoon even, is Taha'a, known for its fine vanilla plantations. With our new and greater propeller pitch and more powerful engine, we made
considerably better speed than we ever have. All of our new B&G instruments worked up to specs and we knew both our speed through the water and our speed over ground. Water and wind
effects conspire to make these different in most cases and our instruments are sophisticated enough to determine why and how the difference is happening. We have no wind data yet,
unfortunately, since that device's arrival was Covid-delayed. We ran all of the new stuff, needing the experience with all of it. For years, we've been without "boat speed", the speed the boat
makes through the water, so in itself it's astounding. We're also receiving water temp and "look down" depth info. When we get that wireless wind transducer installed, we'll be in data heaven.
Our radar has been a bit more challenging to learn.
Tapuamu is a bay we've enjoyed for many seasons, although it was far from empty. Even here, there are cruisers who are trapped with no where to go, and they're accompanied by some
leased sailboat folks. We're pleased that there are so many of the rented boats, fearing that Covid had simply closed the spigot for European sailors. It's been nice to see.
To continue our story from last time, we walked the mile to the nearest Wifi site to contact AT&T, but we were unable to make any changes. You'll LOVE this! AT&T, not unreasonably, wanted
to confirm our identity by sending us a confirmation code via text. Of course, we have no text capability since we're trying to buy more time on her cell! No cell service, no code, no confirmation,
no use...We were both beside ourselves in frustration.
We did manage to get our local burner phone recharged with prepaid time, so we do have some communication.
We planned our departure from the Uturoa fuel dock as carefully as we could, awaiting a break in the wind and rain, but it still wasn't clean. With Conni at the helm, I managed to get our bow
away from the dock with main force, and then we were able to creep away without damage.
The sister island of Raiatea, within the same lagoon even, is Taha'a, known for its fine vanilla plantations. With our new and greater propeller pitch and more powerful engine, we made
considerably better speed than we ever have. All of our new B&G instruments worked up to specs and we knew both our speed through the water and our speed over ground. Water and wind
effects conspire to make these different in most cases and our instruments are sophisticated enough to determine why and how the difference is happening. We have no wind data yet,
unfortunately, since that device's arrival was Covid-delayed. We ran all of the new stuff, needing the experience with all of it. For years, we've been without "boat speed", the speed the boat
makes through the water, so in itself it's astounding. We're also receiving water temp and "look down" depth info. When we get that wireless wind transducer installed, we'll be in data heaven.
Our radar has been a bit more challenging to learn.
Tapuamu is a bay we've enjoyed for many seasons, although it was far from empty. Even here, there are cruisers who are trapped with no where to go, and they're accompanied by some
leased sailboat folks. We're pleased that there are so many of the rented boats, fearing that Covid had simply closed the spigot for European sailors. It's been nice to see.
We're doing NOTHING today other than rest. I toyed with the electronics and read all of the manuals. Conni has spied on our neighbors, as she loves to do. It's nice to see her relaxed and
enjoying herself. She's earned it.