DOMINO 20

El Garrapatero

Adios Galapagos

November 4, 2013

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

If we had not lost our alternators two weeks ago, we would not have had to return to Santa Cruz, we would not have met Claudio Silva and his family, and that would have been a loss. Claudio, a most trusted marine electrician on the island for over 30 years, took care of our alternators, sent them to Guayaquil for rewinding, new diode and new “rectificadores” and here we are, 2 weeks later, all fixed-up and waiting for our “Zarpe” for the Marquesas.

Claudio and Nelly make us discover their favorite spots

Besides the marine electrics business, Claudio and his wife Nelly run a small B&B, “Neliza’s Suites and Adventures (check the “airbnb” website) in Puerto Ayora. Yesterday, they decided to take us on a little discovery trip to the Garrapatero, a beautiful beach 30 miles away from the harbor. Named after the ticks that used to infest the beach and fresh water pond where thousands of wild goats and donkeys would come to drink, El Garrapatero is a splendid area and typical Galapagos scenery.

Flamencos and herons, marine iguanas and cactus were at the rendez-vous, but it’s the finches that entertained us this day and reminded us of Darwin and his extraordinary power of observation. Only 5 weeks in the Galapagos gave him enough material to start a 20-year thought process culminating in his evolution theory.

We looked at the finches and their beaks and wondered not just at the diversity in nature but also at the curiosity of human nature. By the way, if Darwin’s theory of slow evolution by natural selection is too slow for your taste, read “Magnetic Reversal” by Robert Felix: another take on evolution.

Claudio took us through the highlands, natural habitat for the “Galapagos” (that’s how we call the giant tortoises here) and we had to carry a few off the road since they lumber freely and frequently block the dirt road. Their elephant-like legs reminded me of the real elephants in Africa who also blocked the roads… and we would not even try to get out of the truck! For fun, we couldn’t help wondering what would happen if the tortoises broke into the coffee plantation and gorged on coffee beans… have you ever seen a hyperactive turtle, high on caffeine? And so we spent the afternoon, putting the animals in various scenarios, having a fun time with Claudio and Nelly and their daughter Josalyn.

Claudio had to make us experience a typical Galapagos lunch at the “Gran Chaparral” restaurant where we enjoyed a “seco de pato” (duck stew) with rice cooked on firewood. But the surprise was a cup of hot “Cola Morada,” the once-a-year dessert served on “Dia de los Muertos,” a fruit soup made with purple corn and purple fruits (wild blueberries and blackberries) with chopped pieces of fruits (pineapple, papaya…) Deeelicious!

Crossing turtles

It goes without saying that when Claudio and Nelly offered to give us some “Guineos”(bananas,) I kindly explained the sailors’ superstition with bananas. They understood. But they were not to let us leave the island empty-handed. Two hours after we’d returned to the boat, a water taxi showed up on our stern. “Gift from Claudio,” he said, and unloaded a full bag of… grapefruits! That’s a friend! If you go to the Galapagos, Claudio and Nelly Silva will receive you with open arms!

Fortunately, this Galapagos wasn´t too heavy
but there are 2 more down the road

We’re off tomorrow. We filed our float plan. The abandon-ship dry bags are ready with water, juice, soy milk, peanuts, fishing line and hooks, knife, sunscreen, sunglasses, our medicines and a change of clothes. We have at the ready 3 charged VHF radios, a GPS and extra batteries, a charged satellite phone, EPIRB and flare bag. We checked the Zodiac liferaft and know how to deploy it. We’re reviewed the Man Overboard procedure. Have all emergency numbers stored in the Iridium phone. Ready as we can.

The big Balmar alternators (yellow) charge our 24V battery bank (one on each engine)
The small engine alternator charges the 12V starting batteries

Frigate bird at breakfast

The Capitania is preparing our Zarpe. And you can join us every day on HAM radio, Pacific Seafarers – 14.300 kHz at 0300 UTC

JP’s call sign: KI6CEV

Marie’s call sign: KI6DD

That’s all for now… till the Marquesas…

dominomarie

Te beak of a pirate bird

DOMINO cruises effortlessly into the big Pacific

November 19, 2013

Fatu Hiva, Marquesas

Another milestone: our first trans-oceanic passage. From the Galapagos Achipelago to the southern-most island in the Marquesas (French Polynesia) this was essentially a dull passage. Yes. Dull. Nothing extraordinary. Nothing bad.

By the numbers:

Distance: 2,885 Nautical Miles

Duration: 13 days, 3 hours

Speed: 9 knots

Fuel burn: 1,200 gallons

Captain JP takes advantage of a sunny day to hang out the laundry

Our longest passage so far had been from Miami to Deltaville, about 900 NM, pushed by the Gulf Stream, downwind and down-current, with following seas all the way. This trans-Pacific crossing was nothing like it. It was on the rough side. While we were heading west, we were slapped by 15-25kt winds and rocked by 8-to-14-foot seas that backed around the compass, successively from the South to South-East to East to North-East to North and ending up with North-West. So, except for the 3 days of following seas when we happily caught a 22-lb dorado, we were rocked by beam seas and buffered by winds in the 15-25 kt range. Where were the long Southern Pacicif swells? We had choppy seas, 6-7 sec. period at most. If it was too rough to fish most of the time, we at least had other choices: we picked dozens of squid off the decks every morning, some flying fish as well, making sure not to be tossed overboard ourselves when we were bracing for our morning collection. We read, we slept, and little by little started to shed layers of clothing as the air and sea got progressively warmer.

Into the West

Our daily contact with the Seafarers Net (14.300 KZ @0300Zulu) was the highlight of the day as the Net kept track of our progress. Every 6 hours we recorded our position on our paper chart. Even though we have all electronic mapping and tracking, we still like to mark our dead reckoning on paper.

Recording our track on paper: it's a long way!

One glitch, though. About 1,500 miles underway at a 10-knot average, our Aqualarm started to sound sporadically whenever we were broadsided by a 12-footer, which was quite often. Translate: sea water was not circulating normally through the engine cooling system. JP checked the impellers on both side and noted that they were cracked –strange, after only 100 hours of service--, so he changed them, hoping that it would solve the problem. Everything seemed better as we slowed down for the night, but as the seas got big again and pounded us sideways from starboard, the Aqualarm on that side kept ringing, prompting JP to shut off the starboard engine for a few seconds before re-starting it again. What now? Was the impeller slipping? Was it a bad one, cracked and dry after spending 4 years on the shelf? Under the engine again, JP changed for a new impeller from a recent batch but the problem persisted. Was the intake grill clogged? With DOMINO stopped in the middle of the Pacific, JP jumped into the big blue. There is nothing as beautiful as the pure blue of the deep ocean: South Sea Blue was the color of my fountain pen ink in high school… that was the color of 4 kilometers of water beneath JP who was scraping away at antifouling paint chips that had clogged the water intake grills. Nothing is as scary as seeing your captain struggle underwater 1,500 mile away from the closest shore. But it had to be done. Would this cleaning help? Not really. As long as we were pushing at 10 knots against 12-foot beam seas, the windward hull was being lifted out of the water, high enough to load some air into the system and make the Aqualarm scream. Inspection of the water filters showed no foreign particles but some air bubbles on occasion. Solutions? For now, we would have to shut off the engine on the windward side or slow down to a speed at which the boat would not be rocked so much. Long-term solution will probably be to replace the flat grilles by forward-facing scoops: more drag but less air in the system. Either way, we were forced to reduce our speed from 11 knots to 8 –and sometimes less as we ended up with wind, waves and current on the nose! Once more, our John Deere support team was with us. Our Iridium email to Bob Tokarczyk (http://www.Bellpower.com) was immediately answered and our concerns addressed: you just can’t beat the John Deere service team! Our buddy Bill Shuman, owner of the powercat “HERO” was also on call and lent us technical support. What would we do without our Iridium?

We called this Mahi Mahi: Midway

Finally, on the dawn of the 14^th day, the dramatic coast of Fatu Hiva appeared and, lining up Omoa’s white church steeple with the basaltic spire on the mountain, we dropped anchor and inhaled the inebriating perfume of the Tiare in bloom.

Omoa, Fatu Hiva

DOMINO has done it. From Panama to the Galapagos to the Marquesas, she ran 4,000 NM on 1,750 gallons of fuel. This means that she has still enough diesel in her belly to take us to the Tuamotus and all the way to Papeete. Now, that’s a thrifty girl! And “They” said it couldn’t be done… We love our long-range powercat and will keep advocating the design’s seakeeping abilities.

JP picks up squid off the deck

Journal excerpts –

1 – Nov. 6 – It’s cold (17c) but caught a dorado. Crossed only 1 ship.

2 – Nov.7 – Squids off the deck, 2 dorados, 1 freighter and growing S swells.

3 – Nov.8 – Laundry in the sun, rolling seas, and moon river at night.

4 – Nov.9 – Too rough for anything but cleaning 3 doz. squid.

5 – Nov.10 – 1,000 mile mark – Rough seas, but managed salsa, quesadilla, fried flying fish and lemonade.

6 – Nov. 11 – Warmer, kept the back door opened all night. Domino dancing the Salsa.

Fried flying fish on hot butter buns and cabbage salad

7 – Nov. 12 – Half-way mark and I put on a bikini. Fried flying fish on hot buns. Following seas at last and a 25-lb dorado. Called the kids on the Iridium.

8 – Nov. 13 – What’s with the Aqualarm anyways? Laundry in the sun (30c) and practice quilting patterns.

9 – Nov. 14 – Aqualarm plague. Need to slow down.

10 – Nov. 15 – At last, winds down to 10 kts and seas less than 6’ – Beautiful.

11 – Nov 16 – Ooops. Force 5 conditions…

12 – Nov. 17 – Force 5-6 conditions… audiobook time and let “Big D” get slapped silly.

13 – Nov. 18 – 12-14’ waves on starboard beam… Salsa time. JP is the king of Wahoo carpaccio. I’m not cooking hot food tonight! Speed down to 7 kts as winds out of the NW, on the nose.

14 – Nov. 19 – 0630… anchor at Omoa, island of Fatu Hiva, Marquesas. Time to clean the green algae on the waterline and to empty the bilges. But first, some fresh baguette~

Till next time.

dominomarie

Cruising the West coast of Fatu Hiva

Nov 20^th, 2013

Hanavave Bay – Fatu Hiva, Marquesas

10°27.9 S – 138°40W

Iles Marquises… land of legends, where the wind that barrels through the valleys still remembers the warriors’ Haka and carries on its screams the legends of cannibalism, of beautiful women seducing harried sailors only to serve them as slaves (or food) to their tribes; land of Herman Melville’s Typee and Omoo; land of dramatic volcanic landscapes, of vertiginous basaltic peaks, of tweaked spires, of phallic protrusions, of fertile valleys and warm people. “Les Marquises, ca se mérite” (The Marquesas: one must earn them) is the popular phrase among sailors in these parts. It’s not easy to get here from anywhere at all. But I can already guess that once here, it’s even harder to leave. Three islands to the south: Fatu Hiva, Hiva Oa, Tahuata; three islands to the north: Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Nuku Hiva. 15,000 inhabitants, only a fraction of the 80,000 Marquesians that once inhabited those splendid islands.

OMOA - 10°30.75 S – 138°41W

OMOA Bay - The old wharf is no longer in use

Armed with “Charlie’s Charts of Polynesia” (7^thedition, Cpt. Holly Scott & Jo Russell), we dropped anchor in the middle of Omoa Bay. We were mentally ready to confront the cement wharf and escalade our way to shore. But what a surprise! A fairly new seawall on the south end of the bay shelters a small-boat harbor and a very nice dinghy landing, complete with lighting at night.

Omoa's very nice new wharf behind the sea wall

“Welcome to Fatu Hiva,” greets the carved sign at the start of the dirt road through town. No sooner had we reached the first breadfruit tree that the locals were giving us a warm welcome. “A word of warning, attention to the Mouteuil (local for gendarme).” Ah! Boats are not supposed to call in at Fatu Hiva until they have cleared entry at Hiva Oa or Nuku Hiva. Sure enough, the Gendarme eventually tracked us and ordered us to regain our boat… as soon as we had bought our bread, of course.

Omoa's white church. Every village in the Marquesas rallies around its church

Bread we didn’t find that day, since the baker bakes only what the community orders… since we had not ordered the day before… no bread for us. Felling sorry, though, the baker loaded us with pamplemousses, the local sweet grapefruits—enormous, really-- that have been our staple breakfast food since.

Breadfruit tree: the emblem of the Marquesas

Each of the Marquesas Islands is renown for an artisan specialty. In Fatu Hiva, it’s the Tapa cloth, made with tree bark (usually breadfruit) pounded and soaked to softness, then painted with traditional motifs. Since there is no bank or ATM in Fatu Hiva (no, the post office does not dispense money) and since the locals would not accept our Dollars or Euros, we sadly skipped the shopping bit. The walk through Omoa was a short-lived affair, the Mouteuil pestering us to regain our ship. So we did, but not without meeting “Coco,” the genial water taxi who, happy to have toured DOMINO, gave us more pamplemousses and some breadfruit, accompanied with the basics of weather patterns for the season: Northerlies… Having made a friend, we quickly raised anchor and made for Hanavave Bay.

Hanavave Bay

Hanavave Bay –

10°27.9 S – 138°40W

Mythic! Spectacular! Extraordinary! How could I describe this geological wonder when my camera can’t even capture the entire landscape into its too-narrow lens? All along the coast, coming up from Omoa, the green cliffs are dotted with basaltic protrusions of a very phallic shape. Hence, the original name of the bay: “La baie des verges” (Bay of the Penises) re-baptized by the Christian missionaries “La baie des vierges” (Bay of the Virgins.) The addition of an “i” to the word made the word sacred in a whole different way… not the same, somehow!

We dropped anchor in this splendid bay, shortly before sunset, taking care of setting our anchor into the gravelly bottom, well known to let boats drag when the winds funnel through the deep valley and scream through the bay. The holding is better close to shore or to the southern side of the bay. As gusty as this anchorage gets, it’s well worth the effort. The view is unforgettable. We considered going to shore, but the cold shoulder we received in Omoa did not motivate us much, which is a shame. The walks on the island are reputed to be spectacular and the people the warmest of the entire Marquesas. We later learned that many cruisers skip Omoa entirely, only to anchor at Hanavave where the “Mouteuil” is much more understanding and fills out an arrival sheet that he sends to Hiva Oa for processing. Our loss.

Entering Hanavave

And that’s how we spent our very first night in the Marquesas, resting from our 13-day Pacific crossing, listening to the wind that spilled and screamed through the valley, savoring the sight and counting not sheep but the many goats that treck the perilous cliffs above. With an eye on the “Drag Queen” (our anchor watch program) to make sure we were not slipping, we watched the southern stars spin over our heads, dizzy with the motion and the perfume of night jasmine. In the morning, we were off for Hiva Oa to process our entry in French Polynesia.

Till then…

dominomarie

DOMINO in Hiva Oa

HIVA OA

December 9, 2013

Atuona, Hiva Oa (Marquesas)

09°48.2 S - 139°01.6W

A volcanic crest etched against the azure sky; a verdant valley flanked by deep-green wooded slopes; a calm harbor concealed behind a “motu” (rock): Traitor’s Bay… so named because there was a time when local women would lure the poor visiting sailors to shore, only to see the hopeful souls be rounded up by the indigenous men who had been stalking their prey. Herman Melville landed here and related his own experience in his book, “Typee.”

Atuona harbor at low tide

To JP’s disappointment and my relief, there was no vahine beckoning us on the beach. We dropped anchor in Atuona harbor, north of the yellow Xs marking the turning radius for the big ships “Aranui” and “Taporo” that regularly provision the islands of the archipelago. Snug in the mud, we could have held a hurricane.

Puamau Beach... very rough anchorage

Off to town it was, a 4km walk up-hill, where the Gendarme barely glanced at our French passports, copied our USCG registration and let us fill out a notice of arrival. Satisfied, the affable Marquisean folded the notice in 3, asked us to put a stamp on it and to drop it in the mailbox. We’ll finish the documents when we get to Papeete. That was it!

Hiva Oa: The road of the crests

After 8 years of speaking mostly Spanish and some 30 years speaking only English, it’s a bit strange to be speaking French again. Even if we grew up in France, we now find ourselves struggling for the right word, mixing English and Spanish into the conversation. And now, some Marquisean words too, nothing like Tahitian or Hawaiian either. First: “Kai-Kai” = food! “Mokai” = Cheers!

40-meter (120) sailing cat: our neighbor in several anchorage. Classy!

In Atuona, the main town of Hiva Oa, try not to be run-over by the ubiquitous Toyota Hilux 4x4. The Marquesas benefit from generous subsidies from the French government and it’s evident that the economy is doing very well here. The prices for non-subsidized food are high, even for a simple dish of refried rice sold on the street ($10 per portion.) But we don’t expect to eat at restaurants here, for they are notoriously absent. The fresh baguette, however, is the best sold in the entire archipelago and for 60 francs (about 90 cents) you can have the most scrumptious breakfast in the world: crispy baguette!

Visiting the tikis in Puamau... this: a woman giving birth... imagination!

Our visit to town of course included a stop at the cemetery to find the resting places of Paul Gauguin and Jacques Brel, followed by a visit of the Musee Gauguin (only replicas) and the Space Jacques Brel, the Belgium singer whose expressive voice infused our youth with the gray palette of Northern skies and the oppressive pathos of broken hearts. There is not much else to see in town, really. But it’s the encounters with the locals that make our travels special.

Hanamenu bay: couldn't anchor there, way too rough in this season

Take doctor “Taute” Pascal, who is fulfilling a 1-year contract as physician for the public health department. He serves the 3 islands to the south: Hiva Oa, Tahuata, and Fatu Hiva. When he is not working at the hospital in Hiva Oa, our friend “Coco,” the water-taxi from Fatu Hiva, will take the doc on rounds to the other islands. That means hours of speed boats to reach isolated patients in bays that are sometimes so exposed to the open sea that the poor doc can only go to shore by jumping off the boat and swimming to land. What a life! Well, Dr. Pascal kindly opened his home to us and let us connect to his Internet, while his lovely wife Marie Laure opened up her salon floor to allow me to assemble my new quilt. Taute Pascal is an avid sailor… and would we take him on DOMINO to his next clinic in the island of Tahuata? Absolutely… that’s a story for the next blog, however!

Larry and Claire make us discover Puamau. Larry's tattoos are his whole life story

Other encounter: Larry and Claire. Larry is a French militaire, actually a mason by trade, who has enlisted for 2 years with the SMA (Service Militaire Adaptè) to teach young military recruits to be masons. As JP was hitch-hiking his way to town, Claire stopped to pick him up. Where are you from, etc…. turns out that Larry and Claire are from Poitiers, our home-town. Fast-friends, of course, Claire came up with the next question, would we go to the Marquisean “Awakening” festival on the island of Ua Huka next week? Of course we would and we would be happy to take the young couple with us. The next day, Larry and Claire were taking us on a tour of Hiva Oa, to the sacred site of Puamau. The “kids” treated us to a BBQ on the beach and Larry revealed his new tattoo: a work of art on his back, from the renown tattoo-master Po-iti in Hiva Oa. The anchorage at Puamau is very rolly, though, and we were content to visit by car, an hour drive from Atuona, along dramatic cliffs. Oh, the vistas!

No real tattoo for JP - This silverback fern will have to do!

We tried to visit other bays on the north-west coast: Hanamenu and Hanaiapa, hoping to find out what Earl Hinz had discovered 30 years before. But the swells were entering the bays and the surf breaking on the beaches, not a good place to be in this season. Again, December is time for the Northerlies… better luck in March!

Not very comfortable there.... but a beautiful ride

The Marquiseans love their horses. JP is an accomplished rider but I’ve only ridden twice in my life, so it was no wonder that I was nervous when Paco handed me a beautiful, frisky black stallion. I only lasted 20 minutes on the animal who quickly figured out that I was a novice rider. Paco, a retired Special Forces Military and certified equestrian guide, had JP & I trade horses. While JP was playing Lone Rider on his bucking stallion, I was hanging on to my horse’s mane as we climbed the steep and narrow trail. I soon found myself breathless, not sure if it was from the spectacular vistas or from horse-riding exertion… No matter, Patricia (Paco’s wife) was waiting for us with home-made ice creams and sherbets, part of the line of “Momona”artisanal ices she has developed and distributes in the island’s stores. Try the caramel-salted butter!

Quilting in paradise

Except for night shark-fishing, there is not much diving of fishing in Atuona. So we made some side trips to the next island: Tahuata… but that’s another story.

Until then…

dominomarie

S/Y "IMAGINE" cruises by Hapatoni and decides there is not enough room for both of u

Dec. 7^th, 2013

Vaitahu Bay, Tahuata (Marquesas)

09°56.207S – 139°06.712W

(more pix coming as soon as my other computer decides to unlock itself and get to work again!)

After Fatu Hiva and Hiva Oa, it was time to visit the 3^rdof the Southern Marquesas islands: Tahuata. As promised to Taute Pascal, we would collect him and Helene (the midwife) at Motopu Bay on the east coast where they had a Clinic, and would take them to Vaitahu on the west coast to the main dispensary. Little did we understand the adventures of a traveling doctor.

Motopu is a bay exposed to the elements. Henri is the only local water taxi who endeavors docking there. Most of the time, he gets close enough to the dock and tosses the packages to waiting hands ashore. The passengers either swim to shore or are collected by outrigger canoes. When we found out, we were wondering how we were to collect Dr. Pascal and his sidekick, midwife Helene, and all their equipment. But! Who shows up on a panga, if not Henri and the docs. We’re inside the bay and heaving terribly. Henry’s panga is heaving to our side, our phases in total disconcert, Henry up, Domino down, and there’s no way we’ll manage to transfer passengers. No matter! Henri and his crew toss over our side rail backpacks, bags of medical supplies, ultrasound, probes, and other expensive equipment, which we stow delicately. Meanwhile, Pascal and Helene have stripped down to their briefs, jumped over the side of the panga, and are swimming toward our swim-ladder. Hey, you docs in your cozy practices, suits and ties, would you do THAT to take care of your patients? A rinse, a towel, a hot coffee, and Pascal had 2 fishing lines out as we trolled the Canal du Bordelais and the west coast of Tahuata.

The fish wasn’t there, but the vistas were. Once more, vertigineous cliffs jutted straight from the surface of the ocean, cut by occasional verdant valleys planted with coconuts. Here and there, a palm-thatched roof appeared, flanked with the white snowball of a tiarè or tipanier.

In the morning, JP took Pascal and Helene to work, the medical dispensary in the center of the village. But they had not such a bright idea. The Aranui was in town and the dock crowded with dozens of people loading their sacks of copra, bananas, pamplemousse and lemons for delivery to the Tuamotus. Not much room for our dinghy to dock. The alternative was to drop the team at the mouth of the river, right in front of the dispensary. Bad idea! Dinghy and crew were soon pushed by the surf, swamped, and trapped over boulders that made for a very wet and “rocky” beaching. Once more, kudos to the island docs who entered their morning clinic with wet shorts but managed to keep their supplies dry.

"Big Blue," complete with helicopter

Vaitahu is a lovely village. The cliff road offers plunging vistas on the bay, but better climb early in the morning: the steep road paved with black lava rock becomes an oven as soon as the sun hits the stones. Not to be missed is the new church. Its stainglass windows of breadfruit trees and flowers only add charm to the splendid woodcraft of the edifice.

After a too-scrumptious lunch at Pension Marguerite it was time for a swim. A typical Marquisean “Kai-Kai” includes “Poisson cru” (raw fish salad in coconut milk), chicken baked in its own fat, goat stew in coconut milk, breadfruit baked on wood fire, a platter of bananas (whole, fried, in beignet), pitchers of sweet lemonade to which Marguerite had added a dish of potatoes-au-gratin and a dessert of enormous mangoes that – I swear – are the absolute best ever, fleshy, sweet, with a vanilla after-taste. We crawled back to the boat, loaded with a sack of mangoes and a banana stalk, took a nap and at last tried to burn a few calories with a snorkel trip. Better to favor the northern side of the bay, the visibility is better there: octopus scamper on the rocky bottom, thousands of green pencil-urchin quills litter the sea floor, and a few colorful fish dart through the rocks. Not a terrific sight, but a much-needed swim!

Hanatefau

HAPATONI – Baie Hanatefau

09°57.735S – 139°07.136W

If Fatu Hiva is the island of tappas, Hiva Oa the island of tattoo artists and wood carvers, Tahuata is the island of bone carvers. We were soon to find out in Hapatoni, THE village for bone carving purchases. Rather than drop anchor in front of the village itself, we favored the Northern end of the bay and dropped the hook in 7 meters of water under the protection of the headland at Hanatefau Bay. Another wildly splendid sight! Green and steep everywhere. From the only house at the base of the mountain emanated the unmistakable smell of roasting pig. All of a sudden, we were hungry again!

But time for a dive. If the Manta rays were not at the rendez-vous, at least 200 small dolphins were expecting us. The bay is a reproduction site for dolphins and a nursery. We wasted no time to don our snorkeling gear and spent the rest of the afternoon cavorting in the water with the curious creatures.

From Hanatefau, it’s only a short dinghy ride to the well-protected small-boat harbor and dock in Hapatoni. There, we were greeted by Cyril, one of the carvers, who you can recognize easily: half of his body is tattooed; the other half is not. “Will you go to the Matava festival?” he asks… well, of course, we’ll have to go. It seems that everyone will be there!

Don’t expect to find a shop or a souvenir store. We asked Cyril where we could find some carvings and he sent us to his cousin’s house. Kalineau opened his home and his treasure box… and I left with a Tiki around my neck, a dolphin for protection, fish hook for good fishing. One hopes!

HAMANOENOA Bay

09°54.46S - 139°06.22W

Reputed as one of the top white-sand beaches in the Marquesas, the splendid bay of Hamanoenoa is, truly, beautiful. Not that it’s easy to go to shore, though. The rolling surf often breaks on the beach, making it impossible to land the dink. And so it was that we anchored the dinghy some 30 yards from shore and body-surfed our way to land. How fun! Nobody on shore, except for the ubiquitous copra shed where the locals lay coconut flesh to dry up in the sun. The copra is then shipped to Tahiti Oil refinery where it is processed into coconut oil. Behind the shed is a citrus grove where cruisers are welcome to help themselves to grapefruits and sweet Marquesas lime. This we did and filled our waterproof bag to capacity. And now, how were we to returen the 20-lb bag to the dink, eh? Well, JP swam ahead and started up the dink, while I swam backstroke, the big bag laying on my belly, top held in my teeth, struggling to pass the rolling surf… you get the picture! In the end, we made it, with the sweetest, ripest citrus ever. That’s how we learned that sea water makes pamplemousse ripen faster!

Beautiful Hanamoenoa Bay

But it came time to leave Tahuata behind, sadly. We left the bay for others to enjoy and were off to pick up Larry and Claire to take them to the much-awaited “Matava” festival on the island of Ua Huka… till then…

dominomarie

Catching up with S/Y IMAGINE

December 20^th, 2013

Hane Bay – Ua Huka (Marquesas)

08°55 84S – 139°31 05W

Hane Bay. Never had tehy seen so many boats here!

“MATAVA”– Oh, please, do not call this event “Festival” for it is not a show for the tourist. What we have experienced during our stay in Ua Huka is a true renaissance of the Marquesan spirit. “Matava”means “Awakening.”

Welcome! Welcome!

Every four years, delegates from the six Islands of the Marquesas Archipelago meet for three days of cultural exchange. During those “big” Matavas, delegations from other Polynesian people join in for the festivities: from Tahiti, Hawaii, the Australes, and (next time, hopefully) from Easter Island. But four years is a long time without a cultural exchange, so in the two-year interval one of the smaller islands hosts a down-scaled “Matava” for Marquesans only.

That’s what everyone had been referring to since our arrival… we had to participate, of course.

“For the first time, Hané Harbor is decorated with sailboats.” For an island that Earl Hinz reported as uninhabited some 30 years ago, this was quite a statement from the island’s official. Some 30 sailboats (and 1 powercat) were gaily rocking at anchor, their mast lights indeed festooning the bay as a Christmas garland. All the yachties had gathered at Hané since the island’s main harbor (Vaipaee) had been blocked by the Aranui. One by one, we managed to duck around the rocks and reef close to shore, paddle our dinghies (too shallow for engine) to shore and lift them way up on the beach. A multi-colored jumble of dinx was a testament to our diversity: French, Canadians, Spanish, Germans, and one token American (guess who?) were congregating on this marvelous and strange event.

Jean-Louis, AKA "Rasta"
From the island of Ua Pou,
a terrific performer but scared Tina Lei

I will let the pictures do the talking.

Having endured a shut-out of their traditional culture, first at the hand of the missionaries, then under the rule of the French, the Marquesans of our fathers’ generation hardly spoke their native language. All had almost been forgotten.

Until a few years ago, when a descendant of the last chief of the island of Ua Pou took the Catholic bishop on a tour of the islands and showed the devastating loss of cultural heritage throughout the archipelago. Soon, the Catholic church was making apologies for the annihilation of the Marquesan culture and was helping to sponsor these “Matavas,” awakening celebrations. Inhabitants of each island started to scour the valleys for ancient words, songs, costumes, tattoos, traditions and taboos.

See the kids in the middle: drumming like the big boys... the drum in the back is a ceremonial piece,
brought as a present to the people of Ua Huka from the people of Ua Pou
And the crowd went wild!

And now, during three days every other year, proud Marquesans explore and share their traditions through dances, invocations, “haka” incantations, costumes, music, and the “Grand Kai-Kai,” the food festival.

The celebration site. It took 2 years of community effort to build the "Marquesean House"
Each island contributed to a part: the floor, the carved pillars, the center beam, the roof... and
Ua Huka (AKA the Island of the Wastes) keeps all the discarded/unused materials

We had the privilege of being joined by our Tahitian friends who had flown in from Papeete. Caro and William and their two children spent a week with us. What a great experience for the young Tahitian kids (Temana and Tina-Lei) who were able to experience the cultural differences between Tahiti and the Marquesas.

William and JP reunited

A bit much, I think, when we proposed to ferry some of the dancers back to their island and Tina-Lei was terrified, thinking that they would eat her. Yes, cannibalism is definitely part of the Marquesan history.

I have captured some sound files and short movies, but unfortunately my 2 computers are a bit sick and are not willing to process movie files… perhaps in a few months when we get to Papeete we’ll get the poor working machines in order and I’ll post the music files on You-Tube… I’ll let you know. For now, enjoy the pix!

Till next time…

dominomarie

Warrior from the Fatu Hiva delegation (see by the Tappa cloth

Roasted pig

"Le grand Kai-Kai" - Every island had to bring their own pigs, goats, fish, produce, serving "boats" and all items to serve food for hundreds of people. An incredible community effort, thinking that all had to travel by boats from the 6 different islands. Very well done. We got a sense of their pride and community spirit.

Drumming, Marquesean style

"And I will cut your head off and I will eat you!"

Hakahau Horbor, Ua Pou

December 25, 2013

Hakahau Harbor, Ua Pou (Marquesas)

09 °21.5S – 140 °02.8W

Tina Lei, Vatea, Caro, JP, Rasta, Keihi & William: a nice catch on the way

When some of the performers at the Matava in Ua Huka learned that we were steaming for Ua Pou on Chrismas Eve, they asked us if we would give them a ride. Of course! But we had to negotiate that with our youngest guest, Tina Lei, who was absolutely terrified of Jean Louis, AKA “Rasta.”

Rasta in action

Rasta’s costume and Haka incantations must have been quite realistic because Tina Lei was pretty sure he was going to eat her. But it only took a few rounds of cards and Rasta’s infectious smile to put Tina Lei at ease. By the end of the trip, Rasta had taught both kids how to intimidate their parents by doing their own Haka.

Look at that smile! Rasta is no cannibal!

And when evening came and Rasta was paddling around in his outrigger, practicing for an upcoming race, it was none other than Tina Lei who impressed the “Savage Cannibal” with her sweet rendition on the violin of “Petit Papa Noel.”

Check out the video.

http://youtu.be/M4RIogYr3Lk

By the time we got to Hakahau, Tina Lei was into the Haka

Hakahau harbor is the main navigable harbor of the small island of Ua Pou. The big-ship dock regularly sees the ARANUI and the TAPORO, the 2 ships that provision the archipelago. The harbor is relatively small and it was no surprise that we had to move our anchorage point to accommodate the ARANUI as it made into town for a few hours. Cruisers beware, then, that you may have to move. But the view is spectacular. Large volcanic formations just straight up from the harbor, complete with a small crater… just as mythic as Hanavave Bay on the island of Fatu Hiva.

Tina Lei gets into the spirit!

To thank us for the ride home, Rasta organized a trip around the island, guided by his friend Heato who swears to be a descendant of the last Chief of Ua Pou. We were in for a treat and it was not just the Pacific lobster grilled on the beach! Heato loves his island; he loves his heritage; he loves the Matava spirit; oh yeah, he loves beer too, and friends, and talking. He drove us to “his valley” and to the top of the ridge, over the vertiginous cliffs that dominate the deep bays that festoon the island.

We finally arrived at the valley of Hohoi where the legendary “Pierre Fleurie” (Phonolite) is mined. This rock is most commonly yellow and incrusted with flower-shaped inclusions that are in fact degraded garnets. Although the rock is difficult to spot in its natural state, it’s quite easy to find it on the beach where small shards lay, polished by the surf. Of course, Rasta took the kids on a rock-hunting expedition and we all came back with small shards of Pierre Fleurie and other specimens which I have sent to our geologist son for more info. If you’re not into adventuring on boulder-strewn beaches, it’s easier to go to the local market and browse the artisans’ display of cut and polished stones: turtles, bracelets, and the ubiquitous “Penu,” a pestle originally used to prepare the “Poi Poi” out of breadfruit.

Merry Christmas all!

After a Xmas breakfast of fresh almond brioche smothered with local guava jam, we were off again. With strong winds from the NE and rolling seas, Hakahau was letting too much swell into the bay and we went to look for shelter on the western side of the island. Destination: Hakahetau (yes, those names are difficult to remember!) Rasta had told us a bout a Christmas festival and fund-raiser and we were all for it. But once in sight of Hakahetau, we realized that the swells were coming in and that it would be impossible to land on the beach. So, off to the next bay: Vaiehu. The bay was well protected from the north and we considered anchoring there, but there was absolutely nothing on shore, which did not appeal to our guests: we wanted ACTION… The next protected bay of Hakaotou was equally desolate. Wanting to share our Christmas Spirit, we pushed on south to the next bay: Hakamaii.

Hakamaii –

09°25.18S - 140°07.00W

Hakamaii village

Small and lovely, the village of Hakamaii faces southwest and the anchorage is protected by a big rock (motu Kuara) and a reef. (Note: the reef extends to the south more than noted in the charts, so better favor the S end of the bay) - We dropped anchor and admired our surroundings. You can’t miss Hakamaii. As if to lure the sailor to its shore, the village’s small church faces the sea. Instead of stained glass windows, it presents a façade of colorful tiles. We took a serious look at the landing: all boulders and crashing surf.

At low tide, not an easy landing!

The two boat ramps might be suitable to land the dink at high tide, although it might be easier on a kayak, but at low tide, the bottom of the ramp is way above the surf-line and landing the dink was, after consideration, a suicide mission. We watched the locals struggle to hoist their one outrigger out of the crashing surf and decided to swim to shore. A gaggle of village kids were playing in the surf, rolling between the boulders, laughing gaily. We should try it! Into the water we went, mask, fin and snorkel, and made a pass around Motu Kuara. Not much to see, a few fish and a straight drop of granite.

Motu Kuara and the shallow reef... we re-anchored as we were too close from the reef

While our guests retreated to the boat, JP and I pushed on to shore. The kids were still rolling in the surf and taunting us… come to shore! And so we did, pushed by the waves, soon to be mercilessly rolled onto large boulders. “Y’a une vague!” laughed all the kids, pointing to a larger set of waves. They had all scampered out of the water and were hilariously following our spitting and spewing efforts, while JP and I desperately clung to the slippery boulders in the retreating surf. Well, we quickly figured out that the rocks were really round and soft and all we had to do was to let the waves roll us to shore. Soon, we were on land, wishing all the kids a very merry Christmas. “How do you say it in English?” the kids asked… “and in Spanish? Portuguese? German? Russian?” We quickly did a linguistic round-the-world with many invented words! While some were quite content to spend time with us, others were not happy: no cell phone, no tablet, no game machine in their socks last night… a sign of changing times! Selecting a set of smaller waves, JP and I soon plunged back into the surf and regained our ship.

Even the locals struggle to land their outriggers

Meanwhile, our crew had caught a few fish: red snapper and jacks. Weary of possible ciguatera poisoning, JP and I abstained from the fish.

No ciguatera with this chocolate mousse

More about ciguatera in the next blog… until then…

Kids! Stop fighting to lick the chocolate bowl!

dominomarie

Taiohae Bay, Nuku Hiva

January 24, 2014

Taiohae Harbor, Ua Huka (Marquesas)

S 08°55 – W 140.06

Our guests are long gone, back to their home in Papeete, ready for the next opportunity to meet us again. During the last 3 weeks, we’ve explored the northernmost of our Marquesas destination: Nuku Hiva.

Controller bay

CONTROLLER BAY

On our return from Ua Pou, our guests still on board, we looked for a sheltered anchorage and opted for Controller Bay. Like a big paw clinging to the sea, the island extends its vertiginous claws into the foaming surf, providing 3 havens for the wary mariner. In the center, the deppest bay: HakaHoa; to its west, the smaller bay of HakaPaa; to its east, the most protected bay of Hooumi. We checked out HakaPaa, but 2 boats had already claimed the N and W anchorage spots and there just was not enough room for us. We retreated to the bay in the center: HakaHoa. With a bit of entering surf, we simply dropped a stern anchor to keep us from rolling.

Crabfest!

I didn’t go to shore much, leaving the fresh bread duty to the boys who where more than happy to brave the few mosquitoes up-river and to the village of Taipivai. Yes, even here, we found fresh baguette every morning! The big fun, however, was to walk up the riverbed at low tide and go crab hunting. Land crab, that is (not coconut crab.) At least, we didn’t have to worry about ciguatera! In no time at all, the crew had gathered a full sac of crab and hollering and whooping, gaily dropped the catch into a pot of boiling seawater… and a feast was had by all!

When it came time to raise anchor and retrieve our stern line, however, it was not so much fun as the deep, soft mud, had swallowed our anchor and quite a bit of chain along with it. No way to retrieve it by dinghy. JP had to dive with the hookah and, with zero visibility and sharks reputed to lurk around, he finally managed to free the anchor, by feel and faith alone! We hated to leave this place. In the evening, manta rays came to bid our friends good bye as we returned them to the main harbor of Taiohae.

We later returned to Controller, dropping anchor at Hooumi. If the entire bay is quite muddy, we found clearer water along the eastern end of the bay and snorkeled for a while, looking for the manta rays, but not finding them. However, the “platier” on the eastern end of the bay is fun to explore at low tide: not too many shells, but a few nasty stone fish…

Taioa Bay - Daniel's Bay

TAIOA BAY

Daniel’s Bay

S 08°56.15 – W 140°09.8

If there is a geological feature that can be found in Nuku Hiva (and in all the Marquesas) that is the volcanic point. There is hardly a bay that is not split by a volcanic divider. Taioa Bay is no exception. To the east of the point is Uauka Bay, exposed to the south swells, and to the west of the point is Hakatea Bay, itself split in two. Coasting under the vertiginous cliffs and taking a peek at the dripping waterfall, we dropped anchor in “Daniel’s Bay.” Who was there? None other than “Kaja’s Song,” our Canadian friends last seen in Las Perlas. Small world!

The beach at Daniel's Bay

The sandy beach at Daniel’s Bay is splendid and the “nonos” were not there to bite us. What we have learned about “Nonos,” those no-see-em bugs that inflic painful bites, is that they only exist on beaches where there is white sand at high tide. They need white dry sand to breed. Rocky beach? No “Nonos.” During all our stay in the Marquesas, we were able to stay clear from them and not suffer a single bite!

Half way up to the waterfall: taking a peek

New Years Eve with an all-Canadian guest list!

Syncretism: the Virgin Mary in an ancient marae

Time to go to shore and explore the village of Hakaui. Like many of the villages, you can only see one or two roofs from the beach. But the villages extend deep inside the valleys and there are many more souls than expected making a living from selling fruits (pamplemousse, mango, lime, banana) and copra.

The village of Hakaui is no different. Mathias and Monette, an elderly couple that keep an immaculate Garden of Eden, took our order for fruit and added fresh mint and… watercress! Indeed, watercress that they grow in the river. Triple-washed and sanitized with a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide in order to kill whatever parasite would lurk in the watercress, the greens made for a well-appreciated lunch!

Happy New Year to all, and Happy Birthday Kaya

The big attraction in Hakaui is the waterfall. Supposed to be the second highest free-falling waterfall in the world, and dropping a straight 1,000 feet (or so…) it’s not to be missed. Joined by “Kaya’s Song” and “Gypsy Blues,” all Canadians, we traipsed the 2-hour trail through the wilderness. What a surprise to walk over a paved path, volcanic boulders well aligned and flattened, through ruins of ancient villages, all proof that populations have long lived here, not just in the valleys where they were exposed to any attack from hostile neighboring tribe, but also hidden in the mountain, strewn along the streams that flow from the high peaks above. Dwarfed between vertiginous cliffs, we finally reached the pool at the bottom of the waterfall and looked up: 300 meter above us, a free-falling silver ribbon that must be much more appreciated by helicopter! But we’ve only seen 2 helicopters fly above, both private, both belonging to mega-yachts (M/Ys “Deep Blue” and “Legacy.”)

Reversed angle from the waterfall: sheer cliffs

On our return to the bay, Monette was waiting for us… with a “grand Kai Kai” to celebrate the New Year and Kaya’s birthday. Kaya received her lei, and we enjoyed a very special lunch. If you go by Monette’s stop and ask her for “Café vanille” and “beignets banane” for her banana beignets are addictive. We crawled away from her table and have been on a strict diet ever since!

Leaving Taioa

ANAHO

S 08°49.3 – W 140°03.8

Anaho

On the north shore of Nuku Hiva, the twin bays of Hatiheu and Anaho are some of the most picturesque in the entire archipelago. Once again, dramatic volcanic formations festoon the coast, the most amazing being in front of Hakapa. Unfortunately, Hakapa has not been surveyed and is not detailed on any of the charts, so we left the adventure to others, making for the snug harbor of Anaho. Tucked behind Point Matahotu, we spent a week of farniente while the bad weather kept all the other yachts away.

Beautiful Hakapa... what lies behind this landscape?

Anaho is notorious for its ciguatera poisoning. Most of the fish in the bay is infected; so is the shellfish, including the troca (pyramidal shell.) Only the local fishermen know which fish to eat and we certainly didn’t drop a line in the water. We fished in the freezer instead!

Domino in Anaho. See how the shallow reef extends

JP took several splendid hiking trips. Over the ridge, to the East, he discovered the views over Hatiheu. Along the beach and to the west, he walked to the farm where Momona provided us with fresh tomatoes and eggplants. Further along the trail, he overlooked Haataivea to the north and Haatuatua to the west. I was content to walk the reef at low tide and increase my seashell collection… more cowries!

The Nortwest coast of Nuku Hiva is nicknamed the “Washing Machine,” and is notorious for its strong currents, wicked winds, and pyramidal waves. We waited patiently for a break in the weather and picked a superb, calm day to return to Taiohae. Reward? A 28-lb mahi-mahi that made quite a few of our friends happy!

Maneuvering DOMINO in Taiohae to take photos (Gilles Ruffert)

TAIOHAE

S 08°55 – W 140.06

Back in the main harbor of Nuku Hiva, we’re catching up. It’s great to have Internet again, given that we’ve been disconnected for the last 6 weeks. There is much to do, mostly to prepare our cruise to the Tuamotus and catch up on six weeks of blogs!

Koueva

But it was not without taking a quick trip ashore and visiting the ancient site of Koueva, the site of the Matava for Nuku Hiva. Remember, if you want to witness a Matava, this is the gross schedule:

- December 2015: Hiva Oa

- December 2017: one of the minor islands

- December 2019: Nuku Hiva

Rain and rainbows in Taiohae

We meet many people during our travels and the majority of them want to visit DOMINO. We love to oblige and spread the “Powercat Gospel.” So when Gilles Ruffert, a freelance writer for—among others—MULTICOQUES Magazine asked us for an interview, we were pleased to talk to him. Gilles’ wife, Armelle, is a naval engineer in her own rights and was enthused by the design. Pix, sea trials, fun on board… and expect to see a DOMINO spread in some French magazine pretty soon!

WHERE TO NEXT?

DOMINO at 9 knots in the harbor... photo Gilles Ruffert

Well, we’ve gotten our detaxed fuel authorization and we’ve fueled up at the TOTAL station in Nuku Hiva. Although we have enough fuel to take us throught eh Tuamotus and all the way to Papeete, we like to have an emergency reserve should a cyclone develop while we are in the Tuamotus. This way, we’ll have enough fuel to zoom back to the Marquesas where cyclones never happen.

It’s been raining a lot here and I’m having all the trouble in the world in drying bananas. Yep, we’re drying bananas, not expecting to find much in the way of fresh produce in the Tuamotus.

OH>>>> I FORGOT TO TELL YOU! I GOT A TATTOO!!!!

But that’s a story for another day…

Until then…

dominomarie

A dancer sports her tattoo

January 25, 2014

Taiohae, Nuku Hiva (Marquesas)

I know, I know… I spent the last 40 years telling my kids NOT to get a tattoo and here I am lying on the tattoo artist’s bed, listening to the pounding rain drowning the hum of the needle on my shoulder. But really, you cannot come to the Marquesas and leave without a tattoo. It’s such a part of the culture!

Francois (tel: 22-32-00) did a good job. We talked for over an hour about our lives; he spoke of his father; I spoke of my kids; he spoke of his art; I spoke of my travels. While a photo stream of his tattoo works was playing on his PC, he showed some of the carved wooden piece he was preparing for his clients in France, the Musee du Quai Branly (Prime Arts), the Chicago Museum; he spoke of his pupils at the local school where he teaches bone carving.

There it is

Soon, we were in confidence and it was time to finalize our design. “A turtle,” I asked. “I don’t like turtles,” he responded. So, we spoke of turtles, of their wisdom, longevity, link to the spirit of the departed. “You’ll see,” I added, “When you’re done, you’ll be reconciled with turtles.” Another 30 minutes of free-hand marker design and we were agreeing. Three hours of needlework later, I had my very first tattoo.

MEANING… all Polynesian tattoos must tell a story. Here is mine!

On the turtle’s forward shell: our 5 kids, protected by a shield.

Middle shell: celestial bodies for navigation; at the center: a small Marquesean cross.

Back shell: protection shield

Front flippers: tikis – eyes of protection – see no evil!

Back flippers: tikis – ears of protection – hear no evil!

The outer circle: circle of life.

Upper ring: Northern hemisphere; braids; link to the family

Lower ring: Southern hemisphere; travel by sea

Cardinal points

Men love to show off...
Here, at the gas station

Underline: the sea, waves, fishing; Tuna fish to feed royalty (AKA, the captain); Bringing nourishment my people (I’m a dietitian, after all!)

Cyril, in Hapatoni (Tahiuata) tattooed the entire right side of his body

Here are a few more tattoos, those are for warriors and some are actually very deep!

Rasta has the best: here, his left arm Tiki

Until next time….

Rasta agrees that these were very deep and very painful

dominomarie

Manihi: inside

TUAMOTUS CRUISING

February 3, 2014

Manihi Atoll (Tuamotus)

S 14 27.87 – W 146 02.187

A dream come true! After 19 years of dreaming of cruising the Tuamotus, here we are, resting in a quiet lagoon, the only yacht at anchor. What a contrast from the Marquesas! The lofty peaks covered with emerald vegetation have been replaced by low-lying “motus,” these coral-sand mini-islands that fringe the lagoon, spiked with coconut trees and a few villas or shacks. Postcard perfect!

We spent our last day in Nuku Hiva (Marquesas) in the company of Mathias and Monette, in the village of Hakaui, Taioa Bay. Seriously, we couldn’t leave without saying goodbye to the wonderful couple who was waiting for us with flower crowns (don’t call them “leis” here), a roasted pig and Monette’s famous “Beignets banane.” Another grand “Kai-kai.” We finally took leave of our friends, but not before swamping the dink with the 4 of us on board, loaded with 40 pamplemousses, a case of sweet limes, 2 banana stalks, a handful of caramboles and passion fruit, and a bag of watercress, mint and ginger. Landing on or leaving any beach of the Marquesas is a sport. It was all good fun and once the produced rinsed and put away, we were ready to go.

Leaving the Marquesas

We left Taioa (Daniels’ Bay) with a T-storm chasing us, 20 knots of wind on our tail and rain, storm clouds peppering the radar screen, and we headed southwest. Little by little, the wind dropped, the sky cleared up and the 12’ swells shrunk to 4’. Just 48 hours later, we had covered the 485 NM from Taioa to Manihi in the most pleasant and relaxing crossing in a long time! We even hooked a marlin some 150 NM off of the Tuamotus, played with it for over an hour, brought it alongside and finally let the beautiful striped thing go. As always, the Pacific Seafarers Net followed our progress every day on SSB (14300 kz, 0300 Zulu) and our Iridium/gmn/Xgate delivered the weather like clockwork.

CRUISING THE TUAMOTUS - “A yacht graveyard!” - Bad reputation indeed, confirmed by the locals in Manihi who still remember the single-handler who crashed his catamaran last year, having fallen asleep as he “almost” cleared the atoll. Well, the Tuamotus are not as easy to navigate as they seem and we prepared thoroughly.

I - Guides:

- Charlie’s Chart of French Polynesia (7^th Edition – Cpt. Holly Scott & Jo Russell)

- The “Soggy Paws” compendium - http://svsoggypaws.com/files/

- The “Yachtsmen’s Guide to French Polynesia” distributed by the Port Autonome de Papeete - http://www.portdepapeete.pf (There is a French and English language version) – Email for details: capitainerie@portppt.pf

II - Charts:

- Navnet 3D for TZT (on our chart plotter) – We are finding them accurate for the area. (C-Map)

- iSailor for iPad – We’ve really like this product: inexpensive, correct so far, and accepting comments and changes from the users.

III - Season – The cyclonic season roughly runs from November through March-April. For that reason, most cruisers remain in the Marquesas or New Zealand and avoid the Tuamotus altogether. But since we can escape in a hurry, we decided to spend February through April in the Tuamotus. We are the only yacht around. It’s summer, the water is warm (29c) as is the air temperature and the winds are really mild, never more than 10 knots, except when a cloud decides to burst overhead. It’s paradise! Since this week’s weathergram (see Bob McDavitt below) announces a “La Niña” period, we’re not too worried about the eventuality of a cyclone in the area.

IV - Tides: This has been a very frustrating and challenging research that JP tackled with utmost energy… This is what we’ve found from studying the various resources.

- SHOM – Difficult to use and inaccurate

- Marees du monde – Just don’t make any sense of it

- NOAA – This is what we are using, with one caveat: the base times on the NOAA catalog are wrong and need to be adjusted, but no worries, JP has a table. We used the Graham Schweickert (S/v Visions of Johanna) method and are adding our own observations (see the Soggy Paws Compendium.) As we go through the atolls, I’ll update this worktable. You can build your own in Excel or use the formulas for simple calculations.

NOTE:/DISCLOSURE: These are our observations… and every cruiser has his own method… Use your own discretion!

TUAMOTU TIDES WORKTABLE

		A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J
		NOAA Hi**	NOAA Lo**	Local Hi	Local Lo	∆T Hi ***	∆T Lo	Slack Hi	Slack Lo	Cur- rent	MLW
1	Hao*			A1+1h	B1+1h	0	0
2	Ahe			A2+1h	B2+1h	C2+64mn	D2+64mn
3	Fakarava			A3+1h	B3+1h	C3+65mn	D3+65mn
4	Makemo			A4+1h	B4+1h	C4+31mn	D4+31mn
5	Manihi			A5+1h	B5+1h	C5+61mn	D5+61mn	E5+1:10	F5+1:30	8 kt^a	7’
6	Rangiroa			A6+1h	B6+1h	C6+78mn	D6+78mn

	Example
	Manihi	6:15	12:34	7:15	13:34	8:16	14:35	9:26	16:05

* We’re using HAO as a time base for all calculations – Always ADD 1 hour for local time (Tahiti time)

** Hi & Lo NOAA values are for tide values outside the pass

*** ∆T is the time differential between Hao and the selected atoll – Add this time diff. to the local time

**** MLW – Mean Low Water

a – We entered Manihi at low tide on King Tide day: new moon when the moon was at its perigee = maximum tide/lo. We still had 2’ under our hulls and we draw 4’ -

We also consider wind and waves as per Soggy Paws’ recommendation:

“Wind Wave Current Factor Suggestions”

• Add1kt for every day the wind has been blowing over 20kts from a S or W component

• Add .5 kt for every day the wind has been blowing over 15 kts from a S or W component

• Add .5 kt for every 1/2 meter increment of southerly-component swell over 1.5 meters (ie 3 meter swell = +1.5 kt)

• Cap the Wind Wave factor at 1.5 times the Normal Max Current

• Subtract .5 kt for wide/deep passes and for each extra pass that an atoll has

With all these considerations, what do we really do? Since we can travel at the speed we choose, we plan to be at the pass about 1 hour before our predicted slack time. Once there, we take a peek and decide hold…or not! With her 600 HP, DOMINO has the power to go through just about anything, save monster standing waves. Yet, we like to play it safe. Once anchored inside the atoll, we take time to go to shore and talk to the locals, observe the pass, the current, and the differential to our predictions.

Manihi in sight: barely above sea level

V - Weather Info: The Tuamotus fall within the zone of possible cyclones, and we are cruising the area during the cyclonic season. Thus, we must be over-vigilant about weather. At any suspicion of cyclonic activity, we’ll high-tail it out of there and rush back to the lovely, cyclone-free Marquesas!

A) VOICE: There is no VHF weather info for the Tuamotus. There is, however, an SSB broadcast on 8803 KZ at 0730 and 1630 (Tuamotu/Tahiti time). Weather info every morning on the radio, Polynesie Premier, AM 740 (in French.)

B) e-MAIL: We don’t have Sailmail on board. Although all the files listed below are available through Sailmail, we get them delivered to our IRIDIUM/GMN/X-gate Mail address via SAILDOCS. You can get more info from Saildocs by sending an email as follows:

To: query@saildocs.com

Subject: (anything)

Text: send info

send index

1) These is my daily saildocs request:

to: query@saildocs.com

subject: (blank)

text: send fr.poly

send fleet.nadi

send FZPS40.PHFO

- “fr.poly” is the 1-day weather report for all of French Polynesia. Download the general grid of FP at http://www.meteo.pf/images/carte_zones_mar.jpgwhile you still have Internet.

- “fleet.nadi” is the weather report (surface analysis) from the Fidji meteo office. Just drag the email into your PhysPlot icon and pop! opens the program. To download the PhysPlot program (free), go to www.pangolin.co.nz while you still have Internet!

- “FZP40.PHFO” is the text report from NOAA-Hawaii

2) GRIB: I have subscribed to a user-defined GRIB that I receive at 1800 UTC every day. YOU define your area. I asked Saildocs to send me a GRIB from 10S to 35S and from 135W to 160W, 30 days in a row, at 18:00 UTC. This is how it was formatted (careful with the formatting, refer to the saildocs GRIB info gribinfo@saildocs.com )

to: query@saildocs.com

subject (blank)

text:

sub gfs:10S,35S,135W,160W days=30 time=18:00

I find these GRIB files better than the standard GMN files we had been using.

3) Weathergram

I also subscribed to the weekly report from NZ weather guru Bob McDavitt. Wide overview of weather patterns in the South Pacific are helpful. You can subscribe thus:

To: yotreps@pangolin.co.nz

Subject (blank)

Text: join weathergram

WEATHER RECAP: OK, so that’s it for weather info received on our Iridium:

- French Polynesia weather (en francais),

- Surface Analysis on PhysPlot,

- NOAA text report , and

- the weekly McDavitt weathergram.

- If need be, the SSB broadcast can help in emergency.

IN MANIHI – XAVIER MICHEL is the local contact for cruisers info, either by VHF16/77 or by email/sailmail at xavier.michel@mail.pf

NOTE - An excellent read to understand the weather patterns in the area is David Sapiane's Weather for the Yachtsman, available on Pangolin at http://pangolin.co.nz/jetsam/view_article.php?idx=19

VI - ANCHORING in the TUAMOTUS

(Source: Soggy Paws)

“PATATE!” What is usually understood as an insult in colloquial French, also means “coral head!” The atolls are strewn with them. Sometimes you see them, sometimes you don’t. So, JP rigged 2 big fenders in an attempt to prevent our ½” chain from wrapping around the coral heads. Will we be successfull? Time will tell!

VII - Navigation Inside the Lagoon

"Tricot Vert"is the mnemotecnic aid to navigation in French waters, meaning Triangle Green to starboard when returning to port. In the atolls, it means GREEN towards the reef. So, keep the green triangle to starboard as you enter the pass, and if you go counter-clockwise in the lagoon, keep the green on your starboard side.

EXCEPTIONS exist... For example, in Ahe the western side of the lagoon between the pass and the airport is also TRICOVERT, so be careful there!

Well, we're here and it's time to go swim, dive, hunt, and enjoy the fabulous sunsets, the green flash (yes indeed, saw it last night), and just the natural calm and beauty of these islands... before Caro and William and the kids join us again for another little fun cruise!

Until then...

dominomarie

DOMINO on the hook in Manihi

February 4, 2014

Manihi Atoll (Tuamotus)

S 14 27.87 – W 146 02.187

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:11

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:31

Mean Low Water: 7'

Current: 6 knots in normal conditions

Local VHF tide info: Xavier Michel on VHF 16/77 (when in town)

I stand at the bow, observing the outgoing tide as DOMINO cruises back and forth across the gap. From the helm, JP verifies all his points, the time, his estimated slack water. We're at "King's Tide," or the lowest of the low waters, a conjunction between the new moon and the moon being at its epigee. With a MLW of 7', we're a bit worried about touching bottom as we reach the lagoon side of the pass. JP keeps an eye on the depth sounder. Over our last hour of observation, the current that was ripping out of the pass (an estimated 8 kts, according to the locals) has considerably slowed down. Time to go in.

Never under-estimate the currents at the pass - Here: slack water

Amazingly strong this current, even on a calm day where there is hardly a ripple on the lagoon! JP throttles up a bit and DOMINO glides effortlessly as we reach the bubbling chop at the shallowest part of the pass. No worries, we still have 2' under the hulls. JP makes a hard starboard turn at the green mark and we coast inside the lagoon.

Quickly, JP runs to the flybridge and takes a plunging view of the lagoon and its surrounding marked channel--piece of cake to navigate, as long as you remember the TRICOT VERT rule for the lagoon: green triangle (Triangle Vert) towards the reef... or always to starboard as you navigate counter-clockwise.

This scheme is true in Manihi...
There are exceptions (i.e. Ahe)

JP has his anchoring point picked out, on the southeast corner of the atoll and makes a beeline for it, plopping us at the edge of the channel.

(S 14 27.87 – W 146 02.187)

With a cloud menacing to burst over us and the wind piping up, we drop anchor with 12 meters under our hull, hoping to hit sand. I say "hoping" because the water isn't very clear in Manihi and you just can't see the bottom. We have rehearsed our anchoring "Tuamotu Style," and drop 25 meters of 1/2" chain, hook a fender to it, then drop another 10 meters and hook a second fender to it, then another 10 meters, and finally hook the bridle adding another 10 meters. This should keep most of the chain in suspension above the coral head. Did we keep the right ratio of chain? We have no idea! Will we wrap around a coral column? Perhaps... But the winds have been pretty mild, except for a "grain" or 2 (showers) where the wind piped up to 25kt. At any rate, we have not heard any grinding of the chain. We'll see tomorrow.

Using fenders as floaters to keep the chain above the coral heads

Coral columns! No small heads, my friends. Just like we saw in the Abrolhos (Brazil,) giant coralline columns rise from the sea floor, only to bloom into mushrooming coral heads that spread just below the surface of the water. These are easy to tell by their yellow-green or even turquoise color when they are filled with sand and white coral. But the nasty ones are the columns you can't see, the ones that rise from the sea floor and never bloom to the surface, (I think they call them "bommies" here) like the one that is sitting right on our stern, about 5 meters under our hulls. I wouldn't want to have dropped our anchor on one of those. Hopefully JP kept a good eye on the depth sounder/fish finder and found us a nice sandy patch. But from the way the anchor hooked bottom, I have some doubts... we'll see as we raise anchor tomorrow. But, so much for the headaches of technical nature; on to the fun stuff!

Our backyard today

How beautiful this anchorage! We were expecting to find the lagoon filled with pearl farms, but the "pearl bust" has forced most of the farms to close and only a few still dot the lagoon. Why? According to the locals, a plethora of inexpensive pearls were indiscriminately dumped onto the market, sending the black pearl prices tumbling. To produce a quality pearl, one must use a "seed" made with a special shell from the Mississipi. But these seeds are costly. To save money, some farmers used a Chinese seed, but the result was a fragile pearl of lesser quality. Bust time! The small boat harbor at the village, once chock-full of pangas, is almost deserted. Even the hotel whose wooden bungalow extend over the lagoon has closed its doors. From our perspective, Manihi has gone dormant. Only 500 souls live here and the village has the minimum amenities: 2 grocery stores, a bakery, 2 snack shops and an infirmary. A church and a school... nothing more that we could see.

As for life on the motus, we checked out the locals. You can find a bit of everything. Some motus are very well arranged. Some have nothing more than a shack.

We wanted to visit Cdt. Xavier Michel on his beautiful motu. A retired commander from the French Navy, formally in charge of the Pacific Fleet, Mr. Michel (or should I say, Cdt?) is the guardian angel of cruisers in these parts. Not only does he run the SailMail station, but he also monitors the AIS marine traffic and the Open Skymap for ADS-B for airplanes. He can be reached by VHF on Ch. 16/77 when in Manihi, or by email to xavier.michel@mail.fp for tide info in Manihi. Unfortunately, he wasn't around during our stay and we were not able to visit him, but he seems to welcome cruisers. He even put DOMINO on the AIS world map at http://www.marinetraffic.com- Check us out! Merci, Commandant!

Terry receives us in his "chateau"

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Terri. This strapping Tahitian lives in a shack on the motu that stands between our anchorage and the open sea. Hardly more than a spit of degraded coral and sun-bleached shells, planted with a single coconut tree, the motu affords little protection from the prevailing easterlies. Yet, Terri welcomed us to his "Chateau." We slid the dinghy into Terri's little "marina," tied to his 2 buoys, and, loaded with fruits from Monette's garden, met "King Terri." Under wooden planks and corrugated tin, he lives happily, his cot by the window overlooking the lagoon, the salon's window peeking at the open sea. Let's not forget the 5-gal. jar of "Como Puaka," (Pig Water), Terri's drink of choice. Water + sugar + yeast, let stand for a few weeks. Well, I have an inkling that Monette's limes might just find their way into this jug, if only to improve the taste of the "Como Puaka."

"Le Platier" reef-side

For the rest, we've been doing what we love to do: swimming, snorkeling, hunting. The water isn't very clear, often milky and sandy, even on calm days. Never mind, we went hunting anyways, shooting a nice grouper every day, one of us spotting the other as a fair amount of black tip sharks cruise around.

In Manihi, no ciguatera: we enjoy all fish, still are careful not eating
the large snappers

At nightfall, we drop a line overboard and are sure to catch a small snapper of some kind, or a small Peacock Grouper, but the fishing is short-lived as the sharks are soon to gather around and we have no need for shark fin soup. We must have hooked up a dozen of them and let them go!

We didn't "do" Manihi. We didn't snorkel the pass; didn't visit a pearl farm; didn't swim the Blue Lagoon; we were just too lazy and too happy to drink the inebriating nectar of our first lagoon.

Manihi is one of the northernmost atolls of the archipelago and we intend to work our way southwest, once more, over the next 3 months.

It's time for another spectacular sunset. Ahe is next and I hope our anchor isn't stuck at the bottom!

Until then...

dominomarie

Pearl Farm in Ahe

Ahé

February 9th, 2014

Ahé Atoll, Tuamotus

(French Polynesia)

Tuamotus: Manihi and Ahe are in the NE Part of the archipelago

Ahé Village

South 14°32.20 - West 146°21.434

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:28

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:48

Mean Low Water: 5.5 meters

Contact: Coco Perle Lodge VHF Ch. 10

Leaving Manihi - The pass, from the lagoon side

Leaving Manihi was a sport. We let 2 squalls and their related 25-28kt gusts pass over us until we decided to raise anchor, with just over an hour to spare before slack water at the pass. The question was, how was our 150-lb Raya anchor doing? Was it stuck in one of the "bommies" surrounding us? Was our 1/2" chain wrapped around a coral head? The only way to know was to put the windlass to work. Slowly, JP maneuvered us towards the anchor (he always sets a MOB point on the electronic chart when we drop anchor) while the Maxwell 4000 took the chain in... to the 1st floater... good... to the second floater: hiccup, grind, but finally loose... now to the anchor, but the big Maxwell complained... uh-oh... deftly, JP maneuvered to port--no dice-- to starboard--no dice-- ahead... and pop went the chain-anchor load, finally free. Phew! One anchor up! We got to the pass 30 minutes before our calculated slack water and since it was flat as a pancake we decided to go through. Yeah! One full "lagoon cycle"--as we count them-- of enter-anchor-raise-and-exit without damage.

Ahe: SW end - Orange live coral, sand beach, petrified coral (Feo), lagoon inside

Ahé

Ahé is Manihi's twin atoll, about 29 NM of navigation, but only 9 miles from coast to coast as the crow flies. We dodged squalls the whole way, yet we were determined to catch a fish by trolling the lee side (west coast) of the atoll. A good thing too that rewarded us with a 24-lb wahoo. We were 90 minutes early at the pass but with squalls coming at us and the wind ramping up already at 20 knots, we decided to go in: it looked a lot better in the pass than outside! JP throttled Big D up and we went in, taking care of staying away from the fish parks and other traps peppering the pass on the lagoon side. A sharp starboard turn took us into the channel to the village but I never left the deck. It's not the "bommies" and other coral heads you have to worry about; it's the pearl buoys. These round floaters encroach into the channel without shame, barely visible in the water, especially in any kind of chop... and chop we had!

Entering the pass in Ahe

The anchorage at the village (South 14°32.20 - West 146°21.434) is a lagoon inside a lagoon, protected from all sides. Still, nasty bommies (coral columns) dot the northern end of the anchorage. Nervous, we scanned-and-dove them: 5 feet is too close for comfort! Re re-anchored a bit closer to the dock South 14°32.217- West 146°21.43. Problem was, when the supply boat "Mareva Nui" showed up the next day, we were asked to clear the anchorage!

At the dock, islanders line their pangas along the Mareva Nui to load up fuel and propane tanks

Supposedly, Ahé is the capital of pearl farms, the lagoon being praised for its water quality. So, we decided to visit a pearl farm. There, we got the story: mom-and-pop farm where oysters are seeded with large nuclei of low quality produce a pearl of low quality. We politely declined to purchase a lot of 15 pearls for only $100. No wonder that most of the pearl farms have closed down!

There isn't much to do in the village. However, you can take the dinghy to the southwest point of the lagoon, to the "platier," the large flat reef and its sand beach. Unfortunately, we were plagued with 3 days of solid rains and were not able to do much diving, snorkeling or exploring.

Cocoperle Lodge

We however met the owner of the Coco Perle Lodge who invited us to drop the hook in front of the hotel. No visibility? No problem! Frank would guide us through the rain!

Cocoperle Lodge

South 14°24.844 - West 146°13.61

Navigating the Ahé lagoon is confusing. Whereas the general rule of navigation inside the lagoons is to keep the green marks to starboard while navigating counter-clockwise, it's not so in Ahé. Its TRICOVERT (Tribord/Vert = Starboard/Green) on both sides of the pass! In Ahé, you will find green marks to starboard from the pass to the village (going east) AND green marks to starboard between the pass and the airport (going west.) This kind of makes sense since the western side leads from the pass to the airport and is not very close to the reef... We sure were glad that Frank pointed that out to us. "Call me on VHF10 when you get to the last red mark and I'll guide you in," proposed the restaurateur. And well he did because, as a squall caught us by surprise while underway in the lagoon, we really could not see much in the pouring rain and 30 knots of white foam coming at us! We anchored close to the beach, finding a clear blue spot between massive coral heads and suspending our chain on fenders as usual.

Cocoperle Lodge (+689) 964408

http://www.cocoperlelodge.com

http://cocolanta.com

tahitifishingtrip.com

Cocoperle Lodgeis one of the most searched-after destinations in the Tuamotus. Frank and Jeanine are marvelous hosts. A life-long restaurateur, "patissier, confiseur, chocolatier," Frank's table is a marvel. Jeanine takes pride in creating an atmosphere of relaxed refinement, while it is evident that both of them care immensely for their atoll, its fish, its shells, and its native forest.

Frank gives JP some much needed pointers

Fishing, of course, is Frank's passion. His clients return year after year to go on fishing expeditions. Generous with his knowledge, Frank gave JP a private lesson on fishing techniques, lure selection and placement, and we'll see if our catch improves.

Frank and guests come to visit before getting on to their fishing trip

Jeanine, meanwhile, is a marvelous cook and we celebrated JP's birthday with a memorable dinner of home-smoked Wahoo, dumplings of Parrotfish in Pencil-Urchin sauce, home-grown baby butter lettuce (in the Tuamotus, this is a true luxury), and a dessert of a sumptuous chocolate-guayava tart with mango-banana sherbet. Now, that was yummy! Wine? There is a winery in Rangiroa which produces some decent white wine, but we abstained, JP happy to just nurse a chilled Hinano "ambree," the dark-side of the original Tahitian Hinano.

The perfect setting for JP's bday!

La Forêt Primaire - The Native forest in Ahé is a surprise. Who knew that such a lush, cool forest existed in the atolls? Long ago, all the atolls of the Tuamotus were covered with a green forest of tall trees, bushes and low brush, native while flowers that only bloom at night and whose perfume is much sweeter and stronger than the Tiaré. We dinghied over to walk under the tall fronds and were just in awe. How sad that some 150 years ago the missionaries eradicated all the forests to plant coconut groves, now gone wild and untended. We can only hope that a conservation group will try to save one of the only 3 small forests in the Tuamotus.

Native forest of the Tuamotus... all gone except this bit in AHE

Dive N'Co (tel: 25-51-85) - VHF Ch 10 - Just one "motu" (small sand island) away from CocoPerle, Gilles & Cathy are establishing a dive operation. This dynamic couple is doing what many cruisers dream of doing. After more than 10 years providing diving charters on their own sailboats, from the Caribbean to Panama and French Polynesia, Gilles & Cathy have found the atoll where they want to settle. They are the perfect complement to Coco Perle, yet independent from them. Gille's reputation as a supreme divemaster has spread through the cruising community and we were actually looking for him, thinking we would find him in Fakarava. Well, he has settled in Ahé and JP took advantage of the encounter to dive the pass. DiveN'Co is a work in progress, about to become a haven for cruisers, complete with dive club, snack, Internet and laundry service. Yes, one can anchor right in front of their motu! And, if you come from the Marquesas, please bring them a bag of good soil since they are planning on growing their own!

Cathy and Gilles prepare their dive co

Sadly, the bad weather we've had all week prevented us to enjoy all of what Ahé had to offer, but we must get moving again. Our friends Williams and Caro are coming back for a DOMINO cruise. After the Marquesas a Christmas, it will be Rangiroa-Tikehau next week. Fishing should be outstanding!

Until then...

Dominomarie

El Garrapatero

Adios Galapagos

November 4, 2013

Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

Claudio and Nelly make us discover their favorite spots

Crossing turtles

Fortunately, this Galapagos wasn´t too heavy
but there are 2 more down the road

The big Balmar alternators (yellow) charge our 24V battery bank (one on each engine)
The small engine alternator charges the 12V starting batteries

Frigate bird at breakfast

The Capitania is preparing our Zarpe. And you can join us every day on HAM radio, Pacific Seafarers – 14.300 kHz at 0300 UTC

JP’s call sign: KI6CEV

Marie’s call sign: KI6DD

That’s all for now… till the Marquesas…

dominomarie

Te beak of a pirate bird

Rangiroa from above (Photo Caro Mahuta)

Rangiro-aaah!

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:18

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:38

Mean Low Water: Tiputa pass: 16m - Avatoru pass: 4m

Local contact: Catamaran "Rangiroa" - Jean-Marie & Fred - 689-723510

Rangiroa anchorages

Rangiroa Passes:

1) AVATORU - The shallower of the 2 passes, we were told can be dangerous. We took it to exit the lagoon at slack water and it was flat. Since the lagoon side is relatively shallow, we favored the S.E. side of the pass where the water is deeper. Once inside the pass, we found deep water and no problem.

2) TIPUTA - Deep and wide, this is the preferred pass where large cargo ship have no problem entering. We took it several times, always arriving early in front of the pass and waiting for slack water. While you wait, take a look at the big dolphins jumping in the surf: one almost landed on our foredeck!

NOTE: Between the passes on the lagoon side, our i-Sailorclearly indicates a traffic lane scheme. Careful! The lanes are invaded by pearl farm buoys, so keep a good lookout!

March 1, 2014

Our 3 weeks in the Rangiroa-Tikehau area were just a blast! The weather, for starters, was clement. Keep in mind that we are still in the cyclonic season, this until the end of April. As such, we are likely to experience a succession of troughs and periods of calm. As we reached Rangiroa, the trough that had been dumping squalls for the last 10 days was moving SW and soon a period of calm settled over us. That's when our Tahithian friends Caro and Williams and their kids joined us for a little R&R. We were ready.

Our fishing has improved significantly. While we were waiting for slack water in front of Tiputa Pass, we circled the DCPs (Dispositifs de Concentration de Poisson = FAD: Fish Aggregating Devices) and hit the fish that was sitting there, waiting for the tide to turn and push the lagoon creatures into the ocean. Three wahoos, 3 tunas and 2 dorados later, we entered the pass.

Since Rangiroa is a large atoll, some 45 miles long and 18 miles wide, wind waves can significantly affect the anchorage. We dropped anchor in front of the Kia Ora resort, next to the big charter catamaran RANGIROA whom we had met in Panama. Jean-Marie and Fred gave us a warm welcome. Since they were between 2 charter cruises, they had time to spend with us and help us organize our stay.

"Feos" anchorage

KIA ORA Anchorage - S 14°58.07 - W 147°38.30 - 15 meters

With light winds from NE, we opted to stay at the Kia Ora anchorage close to the pass, in spite of the rolling motion created by the incoming surf from the pass. The anchorage is close to town where we got fresh bread every morning from Mamie Jeanine. When the Aranui came town, coming from the Marquesas, we waited for its "baleinieres: do dock and vied with the locals to raid pamplemousses and bananas; when the red hull of the Maris Stella was at the dock, a quiet visit to the captain netted us some fresh produce straight from Papeete; and when Williams showed up, it was with 10 kg of live Pacific lobster he had arranged to get from a friend of his on the atoll. We were set for a cool holiday!

What to do from the Kia Ora anchorage? Snorkel around Motu Nuhi Nuhi at the entrance of Tiputa pass and come face to face with thousands of reef fish in multicolor garb. It's better than any aquarium you ever saw, complete with angelfish, butterflyfish, giant triggerfish and Moray eels, unicorn fish; you name it, it's all there! Black-tip reef sharks too, of course.

Williams got seriously into fishing, casting his line at any sign of a passing school, netting ciguatera-free "Tarefa" (a kind of Tarpon, but much better!), Trevally and double-spotted Queenfish, which he saved for a picnic on the beach. Like a true Robinson Crusoe, Williams took us on a Tahitian-style picnic at the closest "Hoa," one of these cuts in the reef that let the fish in and out of the lagoon and that we had fun drift-swimming on incoming tide. After getting the "ciguatera all-clear" from the local fishermen and netting a "Bec de Canne" (Duckbill) fish in the process, Williams built us a fire on the beach, placed a couple of coral plates on top and just dropped the fish on top, compete with scales and guts and all, while the kids and I snorkeled the coral heads around and Caro tried her luck at line-fishing in the Hoa. Well, William's fish was delicious and I had no dishes to clean!!!

When the wind piped up from the East at 18 knots, with a forecast of higher winds still, we decided to move and seek shelter at the SE end of the atoll, to a place called "Pink Sands."

"Feos lagoon"

"Pink Sands" Anchorage - S 15°14.75 - W 147°14.62 - 7 meters

It's a 30-some miles distance from the Kia Ora to the SE end of the lagoon, and a trip that requires good visibility. A few "Bommies" are in the way and can spell the death of any ship! Certainly, anchoring at this spot can be challenging since one must avoid all coral heads, not only when dropping anchor, but also in the "avoidance circle." But what a place! And totally sheltered from the Easterlies that were blowing at 18 knots.

This is "Pure Tuamotus..." remote, talcum-sand beaches, and brown-tipped coral patches ringed in turquoise waters of various intensity. The beaches are covered in fine pink sand, and there is much to explore, which we did happily for 2 days, Caro and Williams loading up the freezer with fish and "Pahuas" (giant clams) to take with them back to Papeete. The Tahitian are really found of their fish (groupers...) and shellfish, and it's been a lot of fun to watch our friends fish and hunt to their hearts' content.

When the winds finally died, we continued our cruise to the Atoll of Tikehau (next blog) and then returned to Rangiroa where we delivered our friends to their plane and to civilization in Papeete.

DIVING the TIPUTA PASS - Back to our solitary lives, we decided to book a dive. JM & Fred arranged for the''6-PASSENGERS" dive club to pick us up to go dive the Tiputa pass. Even though we have our own "Air Line" Hooka, JP and I would never dive a pass without surface support. When it comes to diving great spots, I like to be pampered... just pick me up, suit me up, and show me the way so all I need to do is focus on the wildlife! Well, Divemaster Arnaud took us on a nice discovery, even though the visibility was not that great and the dolphins forgot to show up. But I could focus on the small creatures, like a mini "Nemo," tiny and translucent, nesting in a pale green sea anemone. We do recommend "6-Passengers" especially since they give cruisers a fair discount and are one of the clubs participating in the Te Moana diving pass.

"Feos" lagoon - Motu Faama

FEOS - S 15°14.076 - W 147°42.466 - Motu Faama

Finally, the wind has died down to just 5 knots at NE, and that's what we've been waiting for to explore the south part of Rangiroa. A quick motor cruise 15 miles to the South of Tiputa Pass and there we were, anchored in front of Motu Faama. Soon, we were exploring the small lagoon and walked to the strange volcanic formations named "Feos." These are lava rocks that have seeped through the reef and have been eroded by the sea, leaving extraordinarily sharp and chiseled formations. Good shoes and even gloves are necessary to walk around the area.

"Feos" - Lava lace

Past the Feos is the coral reef itself, wide, flat and full of small treasures. Pencil urchins, turtle urchins, "Ma-oas" (giant sea snails), red-and-green octopus, and bits of broken coral in an array of colors: pink, red, purple, mauve... With the ocean flat as a frozen pond, we took advantage of the calm to discover the "platier" (walkable reef.) Joined by 2 more catamarans ("Hokulea" and "Lady Helene") we joined forces to put together a seafood feast: rigatoni with mahi and Ma-oas in sea urchin cream sauce, apetizer of "Pahuas," these giant clams with multicolored lips, sea urchin dip... creating recipes as we go!

How clear is the water?

BLUE LAGOON - S15°05.63 - W 147°55.367

The calm weather was holding, motivating us to explore a bit more to the west of the atoll, to a spot called the "Lagon Bleu." JP carefully scanned the bottom with our fish finder and found a spot where the coral heads were spaced out just enough for us to drop anchor. It's not recommended to overnight at the Blue lagoon, since the dominant East wind will whip up quite a chop at this western end of the lagoon. But no wind was expected for the next 24 hours, so we kept BigD on a short leash with only 1 fender on suspension.

Anchoring, Tuamotu style

As soon as we dropped anchor, a dozen black tip sharks were circling around us. This is a very popular place and tour boats come every day to feed the sharks so that tourists can take pictures and even snorkel with the creatures. I suppose this makes me less and less afraid of the black tip when I swim and I start realizing that it's quite a scardy-cat, as long as I don't have a fish at the end of a spear! The big attraction here is the large lagoon, cerulean blue and flat. Our luck! A Polynesian tour guide was feeding lunch to his clients... and would we like to join them? Soon, we were treated to "poisson cru," grilled Mahi and Teriaki chicken on the beach, serenaded by the guide-turned-yukulele player. Trust Polynesian hospitality! We took the dink all the way to the end of the lagoon and to the outer reef, to Bird island where thousands of sea birds nested... and there we swam in the pure blue, all alone, in total peace. True magic!

Neighbors!

In the morning, though, clouds were gathering and the Grib delivered via our Iridium e-mail showed an upcoming deterioration in the weather... time to move. Where to? Next lagoon!

Until then... dominomarie

DOMINO at Bird Island

February 21, 2014

TIKEHAU

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:18

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:38

Mean Low Water: 3.7m

Lobsster dinner on board... Williams' lobster kept for a week in the livewell!

The distance between Rangiroa and Tikehau may only be less than 10 miles as the crow flies, but to go from pass to pass, the distance is quite different: some 38 to 44 miles, depending on whether you go around the NW coast of Tikehau or around the SE end and diagonally across the channel between the atolls. We navigated both ways, netting 2 15-lb dorados on our way out (North of Rangiroa) and 2 very nice 40-lb yellowfin tunas coming back, in the middle of the channel between the atolls. Good fishing grounds!

Pearl Resort, Tikehau

The nice thing about cruising with friends is that we get to do things we'd never do on our own. Williams and Caro, our Tahitian friends back on board for a Tuamotu experience, wanted to connect with their friends on vacation at the Pearl Resort in Tikehau. No problem! Since the weather was clement, we took of for a discovery cruise of Tikehau.

Our Tikehau cruise

JP had timed it so we'd arrive in front at slack time. Even though the area seemed flat, we entered with about 1 knot of outgoing current, happy to get in since the ENE wind was blowing at 17 knots. No sooner had we entered the pass that a swarm of manta rays greeted us into the lagoon. Shrieks and jumps from the kids didn't distract our captain who concentrated on navigation. Well, we can report that the lagoon is very well marked, from the pass to the village and beyond, all the way to the Pearl Resort Hotel. Better favor the lagoon side of the channel (red markers), though, as the reef side is peppered with coral heads.

Pearl Resort anchorage

Pearl Resort - S15°06.12 - W148°11.90

We skipped the village altogether and dropped anchor in the turquoise waters of the Pearl Resort, in front of the pink sand beach. With the wind blowing at 15 knot all night, we figured we'd be nose in the wind. Not so! A current loops around the sand banks and caught the boat sideways, making us rock at anchor, not the most pleasant anchorage after all. Still, the anchorage is a lovely site and a good spot to go walk on the reef or just swim in the lagoon. JP and Williams ventured to the hotel pool and bar where they intended to get some cruising info. They got bodily attacked, unfortunately, not bay the charming and benevolent "Réré" who hosted the bar, but by swarms of mosquitoes that plagued the pool area. They came back on board itchy and scratchy, but with a cruising plan for the next 2 days.

For even a better view from the FB, JP added chairs to the pilot bench!

Manta Ray Station - S15°04.958 - W148°13.433

In the morning, we were joined by Mary and Victor who were looking forward to a day of cruising on board DOMINO. Our first stop was at a manta ray cleaning station. There are several of them in the lagoon, including one close to the pass. A Manta Ray Cleaning Station is simply a spot where Manta Rays park themselves and let little fish clean them of parasites. We dropped anchor and sure enough, a Manta was parked there, her mouth gaping open, languidly flapping her wings while yellow fish scrubbed it clean... made me wish I were a Manta and get scrubbed all over. Perhaps if I wore a black Lycra more often...

Fun with friends

Bird Island - S14°58.512 - W148°05.933

Just a half-moon of green floating on a Cerulean blue plate, thousands of sea birds wheeling and chirping above it, it's a marvelous little spot. We dropped anchor in front of the derelict dock and took the dinghy to shore. Respecting the many warning signs, edicts and various legal notices, we stuck to the path across the island. This was one of the occasions when I wished I knew more about sea birds. Species in this part of the world are not familiar and I sorely miss a guide of the local birds. So, the pictures will have to do. The only ones I recognized were a band of Curlews, their long, curved beaks unmistakable. We could have stayed there for the night, well protected of the wind, but after a lunch, a nap, and Victor's successful fishing (Double-spotted Queenfish and Olive Emperor) it was time to deliver our guests back to their hotel... not without Williams treating us to yet another lobster dinner. That's right! For the last week, we've been keeping the last of the 10 kg of lobster that Williams had bought in Rangiroa, well fed and bathed and aerated in DOMINO's bait tank. The little beasts were as good after 10 days as they had been on the 1st!

Garden of Eden: yep! (the pearl farm is abandoned, but the motu is in full exploitation)

Island of Eden - S15°00.38 - W 148°03.46

"Leave behind civilization and science," enjoins the panel at the entrance of the Island of Eden, Church of the Prophet. If you thought that nothing grorws in the Tuamotus, think again. Following the scientific principles established by a group of engineers (so much for science) and put in practice by an army of volunteers (so much for civilization), the "Prophet" from Taiwan has established a thriving biological farm. Papaya, tomato, green beans, vanilla, even breadfruit and Acerola cherry grow in abundance. Pigs and chickens provide natural fertilizers. There is even a sea salt production shed that gives the best "fleur de sel" I've ever tasted. The pearl farm is no longer in production, however, sunk by the diving price of Tahitian pearls. We walked this amazing "Garden of Eden," guided by Jacques, the grounds keeper who turned out to be none other than Williams'"Pion" in grade school, the supervisor who walked the school grounds armed with a whistle tied to the end of a long and very tightly braided lanyard... and watch out if you stepped out of line! Well, Frank must have had a revelation. He and his family now keep the garden of Eden, its pigs and hens. After an obligatory stop at the gift shop where we couldn't pass up on the sea salt, we left the Garden of Eden, loaded with fresh spinach! Sometimes, you can buy more fresh produce, depending on the season and production.

Enjoying locally-grown berries with the locals

NORTHEAST ANCHORAGE - S14°56.83 - W148°03.78

The Easterlies are strong again, a constant 15-20 knots, so we're looking for a sheltered anchorage. We found it at the north-east end of the lagoon. There isn't much here. The long "motu" is unbroken by any "Hoa" (inlet), so the water does not circulate much. The water is milky, which makes it difficult to see the bottom and avoid dropping anchor on coral heads. Fortunately, the bottom is mostly sand. While our guests checked out the beach, getting mauled by mosquitoes in the process and ran back to the relative safety of the water (up to their neck, anyways...) JP and I tried hunting the coral patches. Nothing but a scant boxfish, a delicacy we tasted in Puerto Rico. Just crack the shell open, liberate the 3 fillets still attached to the tail, bread and fry!

Now, that's better!

We left Tikehau with the feeling of leaving behind a slice of heaven. But the best was yet to come. Half way between Tikehau and Rangiroa, we hit a school of Yellowfin Tuna. A double hit as JP and Williams each brought a nice catch on board, 42 and 44 lb respectively. I guess the lessons from Frank at CocoPerle Lodge on Ahe are paying dividends!

Williams & son Temana enjoy fishing at Tikehau NE (Photo Caro Mahuta)

Our friends are now back to their lives in Papeete. Next get together? It looks like it will be in Fakarava... another time... till then...

Domino on the go

dominomarie

Sunset at the East End

APATAKI

March 9, 2014

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:10

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:30

Mean Low Water: 7m

Local VHF info: Apataki Carenage on VHF 16/72

Most cruisers come to Apataki to visit Apataki Carenage where most can haul-out for repairs and/or leave their boats on dry dock while they are away. Not us! We had contacted the Carenage to see if we could haul out, but their tractor is unable to handle anything over 20 tons... even, that is a stretch. DOMINO's 24 tons were just too much to haul. So, we had decided to bypass Apataki altogether. THE WEATHER, however, master and commander of our vagabond lifestyle, decided otherwise and forced us to stop by this lovely atoll.

Hoa at North end

It was 0400 and we were at the end of our marvelously quiet 100-mile overnight eastward crossing from Rangiroa to Anse Amyot (Tohau Atoll), with a slight northerly breeze at 8 knots and a tiny SW swell on our back. I had just finished my watch, noticing increasing winds turning westerly, and handed the con to JP. Soon after, in my slumber, I felt a change in the boat's behavior: we were beating against the waves... had we turned around? Yes indeed! Only 15 miles from our destination, the wind had piped up into the 17-20kt range out of the west, making our intended stay at Anse Amyot impossible. Anse Amyot is totally open to the west and the deteriorating conditions suggested a miserable stay. No problem! Just turn around and duck into Apataki! So much for GRIB previsions of 5 knots out of the N-NW for the next 3 days...

We really didn't care about the tide at this point. We arrived in front of the Pakaka Pass (AKA "South Pass") at 0600, under pouring rain and beating against the westerly waves. The pass, however, looked good: strong outgoing current but little "mascaré". "Mascaré" is the boiling and roiling mass of water and whirlpools that one must cross when the tide isn't slack. In nasty conditions, this is reported as "standing waves."

NOTE: Mascaréinside the lagoon = tide is entering the lagoon.

Mascaréon the ocean side = tide exiting the lagoon.

JP powered DOMINO through and safely entered the lagoon. The pass is deep and no problem for our 600 HP of pure Deere Marine Power. No sooner had we reached the relative calm of the lagoon and turned to port to head north, that we received a call on our VHF. Our buddy Mark on the catamaran "IRIE II" had spotted us on his AIS receiver. He had just spent a miserable night at anchor at the popular south-east anchorage (hugh... not good in heavy NW conditions!) and was headed for the safety of the village dock. There he spent the following 2 days, braving the reversing currents of the pass and pegged against the dock by the NW winds. It finally took a few villagers to help him shove off the dock and ditch the village to join us at the north end of the lagoon. Of note, the navigation channel between the south pass and the north pass is well marked, but still needs sight navigation to spot coral heads.

APATAKI NORTH - Motu Roto Ava

WP: S15° 18.461 - W146°23.573

As usual, we used Charlie's Charts of Polynesia to determine our anchorage. The guide mentions a village at the Tehere Pass (AKA North Pass) but there is no village there, no Internet, no phone reception. As he's learned to do over the last few weeks in the Tuamotus, JP now uses his fish finder to scan the bottom before we drop anchor. In the current NW conditions, the Roto Ava motu presented the perfect shelter with its forest of coconut trees. So JP scanned and scanned and scanned the bottom, but the peaks and valleys on the screen suggested only one thing: a field of coral heads, not large, but a trap for our anchor. For the next hour, JP scanned the entire area, finally settling for a relatively sandy spot in 14 meters of water, between the Topitinana and Roto Ava motus, centering the boat between 3 large coral columns with plenty of swinging room (see WP above). Granted, there was no wind protection since only the reef, an interstitial lagoon and a sand belt stood between us and the ocean. But there was no fetch, no waves. With 60 meters of 12" chain and our 150lb Raya anchor well dug-in, we could easily withstand winds in the 60-knot range. All alone at the North end, all we had to do was to wait for the weather to improve while we dove, snorkeled, hunted, fished, and just enjoyed the stunning scenery. As for the fish, we had called the Carenage to enquire about the ciguatera situation on the atoll. To be sure, we only took small Marbled Groupers ("Loches Marbrees") and as usual stayed away from all Snappers, Triggerfish and Peacock Groupers.

Why are we having so much bad weather, you ask? March-April marks the end of the cyclonic season and the trade winds have not yet established themselves. This is a period marked with an alternance of lows and highs pushing over the Cooks and the Australes, leaving the Tuamotus in stationary troughs, or "Marais Barometriques" (barometric swamps) as they call them in French. The typical cycle is 5 days of good weather followed by 7-10 days of squally, shifty, cloudy and rainy weather.

Perhaps the most interesting phenomenon we observed during these days of heavy winds and rain was the re-designing of the sand belt at the north end of the atoll. The normal conditions gently push the waves and sand against the north-west end of the atoll, creating a 1-meter belt of sand all around the northern end. On the second day of heavy rains and NW winds in the 25-30 kt range with squalls at 40-45 kt we noticed how the fury of the ocean outside was sending a monster surf crashing over the reef, filling the interstitial lagoon and opening breaches in the sand belt. Soon, we could observe long fingers of aquamarine blue trailing into the lagoon, the only telltales of the ocean's fury.

NORTH PASS - We were soon joined by the catamaran "Spirit of Pontapreta," our friends Jean-Sebastien and Marina, on their way back from the Marquesas. They came into the lagoon via the Tehere Pass (AKA North Pass.) According to Jean-Sebastien, it was "hot." Good thing that he's a surfer, because they came in at daybreak, sailing only, no engine, surfing into the pass propelled by the twin barrels that fringe the pass. Marina held her breath... and the nasty reputation of the North pass survives: for adrenaline junkies only!

TEONEMAHINA - Northeast anchorage - S 15°20.54 - W 146°11.878

After 7 days of strong N-NW winds, the weather finally returned to the regular easterly conditions, which made our anchorage at Roto Ava q bit rolly. Time to move, and we decided to check out the NE end of the atoll. How nice to drop anchor in the sand without having to bother with coral heads. The long motu offers excellent protection from the NE-E conditions and the water is flat as a pond. The only downside is that there is nothing to snorkel, no fish, and the water is milky from all the sand. One night was enough. In the morning, with a mild 10 knot of wind at N-NE, we crossed the lagoon back to the south pass and made our way to Anse Amyot.

NAVIGATION in APATAKI- As noted above, the channel between the 2 passes is well marked and deep. Crossing the lagoon either W-E or N-S is sight navigation only! Coral heads are easily spotted in good conditions. As for the pearl farm buoys, they seem to be amassed in the center of the lagoon and there are a LOT of them. Be prepared to slalom!

We made it intact out of Apataki, taking the south pass in absolutely flat conditions, and headed for Anse Amyot and more discoveries. Until then...

dominomarie

Grabbed one of the 10 moorings at Anse Amyot - NO ANCHORING!

ANSE AMYOT

Tide info:

Not very relevant: not a real pass

Mean Low Water: 6.5 m (passe Tehere)

Local VHF info: No VHF

March 10, 2014

Anse Amyot (Toau Atoll)

S15 48.174 - W146 09.064 (Mooring)

Always ready for a nice catch

For a different and unique Tuamotu experience, Anse Amyot is a MUST. First of all, the spot is a false pass, a cul-de sac that you'd better not confuse with a real pass or you'll end up on the reef. Then, if you've never experienced diving with sharks (like me), it's a good training ground. Finally, you are the guests of the local landowners, the sweet and resourceful Gaston and his colorful bride, Valentine who share their little piece of paradise with passing boats and make sure that they have a most excellent adventure. And if you challenge them to a game of Pétanque, watch your wallet: Valentine is "une Tireuse Redoutable"... shall we say 100 francs/per point? All in good fun!

Now that the winds have settled to the East again, at least for a few days, we tucked in at Anse Amyot, our choice anchorage for Toau atoll. We will not visit the interior of the lagoon for 2 reasons. The entrance to the lagoon is another 20-some miles to the East, not in our general direction; and the anchorage on either side of Pass Otugi has been reported as full of coral heads, the cruisers having to dive their anchors out in all the reported cases. So, in spite of excellent snorkeling reports, we skipped the lagoon entirely and satisfied ourselves with Anse Amyot.

Enjoying sunset at Anse Amyot

For once, don't bother to anchor. In fact, Gaston would rather not have any boat anchoring in the cove. The bottom appears to be sand but is dotted with bommies that may be fun to dive but would not be kind to your ground tackle. Instead, we grabbed one of the 10 moorings that Gaston has installed for the cruisers' convenience and the cove's preservation. There are 4 big moorings on the northern end (port side) and 6 smaller moorings on the southern end (starboard side.) Swinging Big D's 24 tons on the mooring was no problem. JP dove the tackle to inspect: Gaston is to be trusted with his moorings. Cost? In season, 500 francs/day or free if you have dinner at Valentines (3,000 francs/p/p;) Out of season, free or maybe a "cochonnet" for the Pétanque, or a fresh-caught Mahi Mahi (Oh, don't even cut the head off, it's the best! and you'd break Gaston's heart... as we did :(

A Marbled Grouper checks us out

This is the "off" season and the couple was not catering to cruisers: no Valentine meals, no Gaston expedition, no Varo fishing, no diving trip, as the couple was focused on fishing, filleting hundreds of Parrot fish, packing them and sending them to Papeete on board the "COBIA." So we explored on our own. Mostly, we learned how to dive with sharks and drift-dive the false pass.

Time to get the AirLine Hookah in the water. We estimated slack time at the beginning of entering tide (we don't want to be blown all the way to Papeete) and alerted Gaston on our intention: if you don't see our dinghy in an hour, come and find us! Honestly, we've never done solo drift-dives with the hookah, pulling the float and the dinghy behind us, and I admit I was a bit nervous. Even though our hookah does not allow us to dive at more than 20 meters (60'), even though the water is so clear you can see the shadow of the dinghy above when you just look up, even though this was really the perfect condition to drift-dive, I was nervous.

On the Hookah

Gaston gave us a quick briefing, his blessing, and we were off. Just outside the reef, at the northern end of the cove, Navy-blue water signaling the drop, JP gave me the signal to jump. I did. And I shrieked in my hookah! Some 40 sharks were lined up below me, a wall of fins and teeth wondering what was going on up on the surface. I was ready to fly back into the dinghy and if I had been diving with a tank I'm sure I would have used up all the air in that time so fast was my heart beating! Cooly, the grey masses came closer to me, their slit-eyes checking me out, only to turn around and, dejected, return to their waiting spot. I was not food. Phew! Within a minute they were all gone, back to the depths, and I breathed easier. By the time JP jumped, there was no shark in view. Next dive, JP will jump first!

Enough sharks for you?

Young Napoleon on the prowl

For the next 3 days, we'd repeat the dive and enjoy flying over a carpet of coral. Invariably, the current would push us towards the green mark on the south end, so the trick it to follow the coral line on the north end. But what a trip! Giant Napoleon wrasses, all colors of Parrotfish (bright orange too!), Marbled and Peacock Groupers, Moray eels, a large octopus, and thousands of surgeons, angels and butterfly fish in an explosion of colors. We even spotted one of the rare anemones, complete with its little "Nemo" companion. Sharks? Yes, they're there, black- and white-tip reef sharks, but we're getting used to them.

Anemone and Nemo

For a respite from diving, we took to snorkeling the area around the south-east end of the anchorage. The current in there can be swift as water pours out of the lagoon and over the reef and through the anchorage, on its way out. It's not hard to get belly-scraped! But again, at slack time, this is a marvelous area for snorkeling and taking pictures. In front of Valentine's dock, a sandy shelf is home to a colony of Spider Conch. We would have stayed a bit longer to study them but some 20 healthy black tip sharks were vigorously circling around us: it was 4 PM, supper time, feeding hour for the sharks and time to get out of the water for us.

Yellow trumpetfish

Meanwhile, Valentine and Gaston were cleaning fish and feeding more sharks. I suppose that while they are doing that we won't be shark food.

Gaston had a surprise for us. While Valentine, mourning the loss of a family member, was not in the frame of mind for entertaining, Gaston showed up to the boat with something he held at arms' length, suspended by a line. It looked like a giant Hermit crab. "Here's a coconut crab! Boil it 20 minutes in a mix of half sea water and half fresh water, crack the claws and legs, and dip the meat in the cream you'll find in the belly... that's like Foie Gras."

Coconut crab, gift from Gaston

So we did. The meat does taste like coconut and the fat, brown, creamy belly contents look and taste like foie gras (well, a bit too bitter to my taste.) JP had a feast and the coconut crab head is now dried, sanitized, and hanging on our galley wall as souvenir of Anse Amyot.

Crab coco: Yum yum!

We could have stayed longer in this little paradise. But we're supposed to pick-up William (yes, he's coming back for more fishing) in Fakarava, so off we go. If you come to Anse Amyot, bring a WHOLE fish or two, a "cochonnet" for Valentine, some beer of course, and plenty of TIME to enjoy this marvelous spot and their gracious hosts. We're off to Fakarava. Until then...

dominomarie

Pink Sands Beach - Fakarava South

FAKARAVA

Tide info:

High Slack Water - Aho High Water time (NOAA) + 3:05 ... maybe?

Low Slack Water - Aho Low Water time (NOAA) + 3:25... maybe?

Mean Low Water: 10.5 m (North pass) - 4 to 5.7m (South pass)

Local VHF info: Fakarava Yacht Services - VHF 77 (North pass)

FAKARAVA

March 22nd, 2014

Finally we have reached French Polynesia's diving Mecca: Fakarava. Both the North and South passes are famous among divers, but for very different reasons. The North pass, with its 7 different currents, is a fast drift dive; the South pass is the most famous shark dive in the Tuamotus. Fresh from our Anse Amyot experience, we were game for more shark diving... and perhaps some Tahitian black pearl shopping?

Pension Tetamanu on the South Pass, Fakarava

FAKARAVA NORTH - Rotoava Village

S16°03.532 - W 145°37.252

Back to civilization. Well, kind of... There is no HOTSpot WDG relay, so no Internet connection. The only Internet service is MANASpot, which we purchased at the post office (500 francs/hour = $5.20/h,) but the service is dismal and, in the end, we were not able to connect. The 3G phone Internet is good but the chip can only be purchased in Papeete... a lot of good that does us! Some cruisers connected at the local cafe, but it's "a la tête du client." So, we're going without Internet, once more relying on our Iridium connection for weather and email.

All our tide and slack water estimations were off as we got into Fakarava. The North pass (Pass Garuae) is the widest in all the Tuamotus: 1.8 km. We entered the pass with 1 meter swells on our port, surfing all the way inside the lagoon. When was slack water? We have no idea! We're finding out that our predictions are not always accurate, but in the absence of big winds we've never had to face large standing waves... so far! Other yachties agree with us that slack seems to be occurring 30 min. before predictions, perhaps due to the low level of water in the lagoon (so much for rising ocean water levels!!!)

The anchorage at the village is a no-brainer. We looked for the blue hull of Serge and Karyn's boat (they are the dive operators FAKARAVA DIVE CENTER) and dropped the hook not to far from them. After weeks of "wild" cruising, it was nice to be in a town again. The concrete small-boat harbor makes it easy to unload our bicycles, but the small wooden dock on the beach off the anchorage is also a viable option--if you don't mind the village kids using your dink as a toy in your absence!

Fakarava South: Domino anchored just beyond the pass (here from Tetamanu)

When in Fakarava, look for the newly opened FAKARAVA YACHT SERVICES (VHF ch. 16 & 77) (fakayachtservices@gmail.com) - Aldric and Stephanie are a young couple, capable and hungry to serve the cruising yachties. Laundry, Internet, morning fresh bread delivery, bike rental, fuel and water, basic mechanic help and workshop, airport and island transport, etc... they are the cruiser's support for the atoll.

The lagoon at Fakarava South: very much like the rest of the Tuamotus, only better!

What to do in Fakarava North? Plenty! We rode our bikes to the Km 12 (and back) to the "chateau" of Gaston Flosse, President of Polynesia; we stopped at Pascaline's Faka Delices for Eclairs au cafe & Tarte au chocoloat, not leaving without jars of hibiscus jelly and Tiaréjam; shopped for black pearls directly at the farm and at the jewelry stores in town; had a lunch of 'poisson cru" at the Kori-Kori snack on the lagoon --perhaps not a good idea as I was really sick the next day and JP suffered a nasty rash for 2 weeks, only relieved with cortisone! A touch of ciguatera perhaps?)

Coral carpet: the hallmark of the passes in the Tuamotus

But the most intense experience was diving the North pass. Oh yeah! Serge and Karyn of Fakarava Diving Center are THE diving authority for the north pass. Really, you don't want to guess through the 7 different currents that sweep the pass all on your own. Our 45-minute dive started with a 35-meter drop straight into the blue, like parachuting into the deep, followed by a 2 km speed-drift through canyons of iridescent coral. We only stopped for sharks (grey, black tip, white tip, nurse) while grabbing on to dead coral, and rested a few minutes at "Ali Baba's Cavern," a sand depression in the canyons where the water is placid and where you could find shark teeth if you were so inclined to dig into the sand rather than enjoy the sights: schools of hundreds of angel fish, snappers, and all sorts of multicolored lagoon species. A kaleidoscope under water. Honestly, speed-drifting through the canyons, I felt like Luke Skywalker screaming through the ravines of Tatooine. Epic dive! We had some 12 guests on board that night and I have no idea what they said or did: I was still flying 20 meters below... a big thank you to Master Serge Le Magnifique!

From the Obervatoire, Faka South

Unicorn fish

"SHELL BEACH" - S 16°13.95 - W145°33.52 - This stop was recommended by Stef and Aldric (Faka Yacht Services) as an easy stop on our way to the south pass. Yes indeed. We dropped the hook in 15 meters, into sand bottom, and had a blast snorkeling the coral along the shore. Excellent shelling here, where cowries of all sorts litter the coral beach. It's a great spot for kids where the snorkeling is easy and the coral and fish are sparkling and plentiful. But watch out for an enormous head of fire coral!

Tetamanu's old church

FARARAVA SOUTH PASS - PENSION TETAMANU - S 16°30.378 - W 145°27.446

One of the may bommies that
love to catch your anchors

Anabelle and Sane invited us for breakfast

We're here at last. The legendary Tetamanu Village, its genial hosts la Belle Anabelle and Sané, and the very first church in the Tuamotus. Anchoring was a bit difficult. We did not grab the mooring in the pass; it's a private mooring belonging to Aqua Tiki and you never know when that charter yacht is going to appear and kick you off the mooring. We arrived when the current was outgoing and did not appreciate the magnitude of the "mascaré" that would later sweep into the lagoon. We anchored a bit too much in the center of the small pass, only to be rocked by the current some 30 minutes later... time to move closer to shore. We dropped the hook in 13 meters, coral heads all around. Inspection diving showed our anchor lying on the bottom, neatly surrounded by 6 or 7 tall coral heads standing guard over Big Bertha, sure to hold her tight in their grip if any kind of weather decided to tug on it. We re-adjusting the chain to lay over the "bommies," secured the floating fenders to buoy the chain, and hoped for no wind... which was granted to us for the following 2 days.

Diving with the MRCC team

Of course, diving "Faka South" is THE thing to do in the Tuamotus. Feeling better with sharks after our dives in Anse Amyot and Faka North, I was ready for this dive, even more so since 2 guys from Papeete's MRCC (Marine Rescue and Coordinating Center) were joining us.

A wall of sharks indeed! We spend most of the dive holding on to dead coral, just observing dozens of sharks (mostly grey and black tips) doing figure eights in front of us. I did stray a bit to observe giant Napoleon wrasses and very large queen triggerfish, anemones and more Nemos. The coral in the pass is incredibly healthy, the water gin-clear, and the current a blast!

Napoleon wrasse

The next few days were spent in more speed-drifts with the hookah and quiet excursions at the Pink Sands beach. Soon, it was time to leave as the winds were promising to return and we didn't want to have to dive and dig Big Bertha from under the coral heads.

Triggerfish: watch out for those teeth

Our diving orgy continues... next: Faaite and Tahanea. Till then...

"Hey Wilbur, you hungry yet?"

dominomarie

FAAITE

March 27 - Faaite Atoll - Tuamotus (French Polynesia)

I'll be brief on Faaite, as brief as our 24-hour stay. There is no doubt that this small atoll is lovely. The village at the entrance of the pass is colorful and attractive. But the anchorage suggested in the pass did not appeal to us. Neither did the anchorage outside the atoll, not any more than the anchorage in front of the village although the sand bottom looked pretty safe. We looked deeper into the lagoon for adventure.

No desire to anchor in the pass

Nor in front of the village

Pearl farms, still

Faaite East anchorage - S 16°45.425 - W 145°07.368 - Since the Easterlies had piped up into the 15-20kt range, we were glad to have seeked refuge at the east end of Faaite. But, as it seems to be the case at the closed end of lagoons, there was not much to experience. On one end, we loved to drop anchor in pure sand, not having to float any buoy over coral heads. On the other end, there was not much to dive or fish.

We did, however, take advantage of the calm lagoon conditions to dive a few "Karenas." These are reef formations that bloom in the middle of the lagoon, on which colonies of coral and red Ca. algae develop. They are typical and abundant in Manihi and Ahe, but can be found all over the Tuamotus. They are much fun to dive as they harbor plenty of life. But they can be deadly for yachts that transit the lagoon with poor visibility. We learned how to recognize them from far away. Sometimes, it's just the different ripple of the water barely distinguished from the chop that gives them away.

Faaite's east cost is very low, the reef almost submerged, a danger to the yachtie as evidenced by 2 major shipwreck on the reef. But what a beach to walk! Miles of white sand and a trove of shells. We took advantage of the nasty weather, 18-20kt winds and pouring rain to do nothing much more than clean the decks and hulls, ready for our next stop: Tahanea.

Until then...

dominomarie

April 15, 2015 - Marina Taina, Tahiti (French Polynesia)

S 17°34.717 - W 149°37.187

Taapuna Pass: S 17°36 - W 149°37.75

Meteo: VHF16 @0803, 1200, 1803 - AM 740 shortly after 7 AM

Contact: MRCC Papeete - VHF 16 & SSB 8291 kHz

Tides: solar tides (high at noon and midnight) 50cm high

HERE WE ARE!

- 4 years, 3 months;

- 31 countries;

- 400 anchor drops;

- 1 trans-Pacific crossing; AND

- 25,000 nautical miles... all this to get from our origin (Asuncion, Paraguay) to our dream destination: Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Our goal had been to dock downtown Papeete, at the "Quai des Bateaux" (originally Quai Bir Hakeym) but we were directed to Marina Taina in Punaauia, some 9 miles south of Papeete Harbor, because the downtown dock is being converted into a marina and is out of commission, the "front de mer" on Blvd. Pomare obliterated by palissades (though we've heard of yachts overnighting there anyways.) A coffee at the "Retro" somehow doesn't feel the same without the view on the docked yachts.

Here is the deal with Marina Taina. There is no room for boats the size of Domino inside the marina, neither any mooring for large yachts (>50') on the mooring field. What was left for us was a small patch of free anchoring between the marina and the moorings south of the Beachcomber Hotel in 15meters of water and a very crowded anchorage, rotting boats included. Another tricky part of Marina Taina: the unmarked reef that extends north of the dingy dock and that we unhappily hit while dinghying over to the dock... a word of advice: give the dinghy dock a wide berth if you approach from the anchorage area!

Docking at the "Quai des Bateaux" at marina Taina was indeed an option, for $200/night and a hideous surge that generally slaps the yachts into the dock, no thank you.

This said, Marina Taina is great. The 24-hour gas station-cum-convenience store outside the marina has fresh baguette every morning; Carrefour is a block away and you can take your shopping cart with you (make sure to get a free Carrefour Fidelity card on your 1st trip: more savings to you!); a shipchandler can arrange for most of your pressing needs; and 2 really good restaurants can relieve you from your galley slave duties... for a price, but the food's great. A Casa Blanca on Wednesday nights you can be sure to find a member of "Les Freres de la Cote" having a drink and waiting for a visiting brother. We were invited to join their dinner and oh-what a happy and helpful bunch of yachties they are! How helpful? Claude ("s.v Moemiti")had helped us contact John Deere Panama when he provided us with Inmarsat Internet access the morning we got hit by lightning in San Blas 2 years ago, and we were very glad indeed to reconnect with him in his home harbor of Papeete.

Of note: while we were at Taina, we met the most extarordinary boats. First, "JAMBO," the Sunreef powercat owned and designed by French great sailor Laurent Bourgon. Then, "NEODIS," a Hobie-cat style catamaran owned by Laurent's younger brother, Yvan, currently doing a solo-around-the-world... yeah, on that little cat: sporty, even if Yvan has a support boat following him! Best of luck to you, Yvan!

Of course, our Tahitian friends Caro and Williams were waiting for us too, letting us use their car as we needed. How nice! No need to dinghy in the lagoon for 20 minutes to Papeete; no need to wait for the elusive bus to town (awe... the "trucks" no longer exist;) no need to hail a cab that is sure to charge the tourist double for the fare. We were free to drive and hit the good spots as we pleased: the haulout facility Technimarine, the ship chandlers in Fare Ute (Papeete harbor) and, not to be missed, the Sunday morning fresh produce market at the Papeete market.

It was a full week of shopping, maintenance planning, visiting with friends and hardly time to breathe before the big Easter weekend that will see us in Moorea, with of course Caro and the kids for an Easter egg chase in Moorea...

Until then...

dominomarie

Our 31 Countries....

1-Paraguay	7-Trinidad & Tobago	13-Antigua	19-Puerto Rico	25-Guatemala
2 -Argentina	8-Grenada	14-Barbuda	20-Bahamas	26-Honduras
3 -Uruguay	9-St Vincent & Grenadines	15-St. Barth- elemy	21-Cuba	27-Panama
4 -Brazil	10-St. Lucia	16- British Virgin Islands	22-Mexico	28-Galapagos
5-French Guayana	11-Martinique	17 - U.S. Virgin Islands	23-U.S.A. Florida to Nantucket	29-Marquesas
6-Suriname	12-Guadeloupe	18-Spanish Virgin Islands	24- Belize	30-Tuamotus 31-Society Is.

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