travel
bora bora ~ beauty & a thief!
August 18 – 22, 2013 Before settling down for the night, Flour Girl gave us a call on the VHF to warn us that their solar powered mooring lights had been stolen off their stanchions while we’d all been snorkeling. We were shocked that anyone could have done that in broad daylight with lots of … Continue reading
bora bora ~ no eggs, wildlife & a toe
August 15 – 18, 2013 Our final days in French Polynesia had arrived. It was time to clear out, and time to say good-bye to friends we wouldn’t see for awhile. While still anchored near Mai Kai Marina, we spent time getting last minute provisions from town, and we finalized our clearance out of the … Continue reading
bora bora ~ mountain climbing
August 13 – 14, 2013 The Maramu winds finally relented, and we were able to come out from behind Toopua. We ventured around the corner to the main island, and anchored near Mai Kai Marina for easy access to internet and grocery shopping. For 7000 CFP (~$70 USD) for the week, moorings are available directly … Continue reading
bora bora ~ wind & more wind
August 11 – 13, 2013 The wind howled and the wind howled. The Maramu winds seemed like they would never ease. While these strong southeast winds prevailed, we stayed tucked behind the northwestern tip of Toopua located to the western side of Bora Bora. Every time we’d make attempts for some snorkeling or a shore … Continue reading
bora bora ~ jam to the music
August 10, 2013 From Passe Paipai to Passe Teavanui, there are about 20 miles between Tahaa and Bora Bora, and with a bit of wind, sailing between the two islands is an easy afternoon hop. Since it was still the season for Maramu winds, there was no shortage of wind, and in fact, we … Continue reading
tahaa ~ vanilla & black pearls
August 7 – 10, 2013 We began our playtime in the Raiatea and Tahaa areas by sailing around to the northwest side of Tahaa (also known as the Vanilla Island) in search of some coral gardens. We never found the gardens, but we found some of the most gorgeous water we’d ever seen. By the … Continue reading
raiatea ~ sail repair
August 6, 2013 After a brief overnight sail from Moorea, it was early morning as we neared the the Teavapiti Pass at Raiatea. We were still about 2 miles offshore when Wil decided to check if we had an internet signal. I don’t know what possessed him to do that, but low and behold he … Continue reading
video ~ sting rays & sharks
August 4, 2013 When we heard about the possibility of swimming with sting rays and sharks in Moorea, we had no idea what we were in for. After a 3-mile dinghy ride to a locally known spot, we fed sting rays as black tipped reef sharks circled us. Check out the video we took of … Continue reading
moorea ~ sharks & sting rays
August 3 – 5, 2013 Sailing from Tahiti to Opunohu Bay on the north side of Moorea was only a day’s sail. We had a nice wind, and only had to motor once we were in the lee of the island. Our plan was to stay for one night, and then take off for Raiatea … Continue reading
punaauia & papeete ~ re-provisioning boat & soul
July 27 – August 3, 2013 The rest of our time in Tahiti was a time for re-provisioning the boat, as well as our souls. For so many months we’d been living in pure, rugged and remote wildernesses where provisions were slim to none. While we thoroughly enjoyed our time in the wild, now it … Continue reading
