Back in Tahiti again

We sailed strait from Bora Bora back to Tahiti. We left early one morning in the rain. Before we got past the South end of Raiatea, it was clear again. We were sailing a close reach and by the next morning we could see Maiao, which has no harbor. We tacked up toward Moorea, but the sea was weird and sloppy. We think it was wrap around of the swells as both Moorea and Tahiti lie directly in the SE trade winds. Night was coming on again as we passed the South side of Moorea and entered the channel near Marina Taina on the NW side of Tahiti.

Back where we had been anchored before, but mostly different boats now. We saw a gal paddle boarding with her cat, like I used to take Sophie. The cat did not seem to mind, but jumped up on her friends boat and was not real excited to get back on the board and go home to her boat.

We came back to Tahiti because we had do more planning for our wedding. We checked out the Intercontinental Tahiti, which is very near where we anchor. It is a huge complex, not unlike the one in Moorea. They have their own little lagoon with fish, an infinity pool that looks like it goes into the lagoon and access to the harbor for diveboats and jet skis.

Inside the hotel they had a model ship of the Bounty.

It is a great story and based on what we have seen, no wonder those guys wanted to jump ship and stay here!! Be sure to see one of the movies (it was made 3 times “Mutiny on the Bounty”), but the locals favorite is the second one with a very young Marlon Brando. He was so popular here, that he married several local ladies (not all at once) and bought the island of Tetiaroa, which was where the French had exiled all of the Kings and Cheifs, not far from Tahiti. Unfortunately it also has no harbor, so we can't sail Avatar over there. But there is always the possibility of a day charter on a local boat with little to no draft that can sneak over a slightly low spot in the reef. (Maybe in the future ;-) . OK back to the Intercontinental. There were some cool tapa cloths framed inside stairwell too.

And from the upper level where Reception is, there is a fabulous view of the pool, lagoon and Moorea in the distance.

It would be a great place to go out for a special dinner. The bungalows over the water cost $250 per night or more.

On a Sunday when everything is closed here, we decided to cool off and go for a snorkel. We had heard about a plane wreck near the end of the runway, so we went in search. There is an area that is quardoned off for no fishing and this is where we found them. First we saw the hull of an old steel sailboat.

Then a small plane was next to it, with one wing jaggedly ripped off of it.

Mike dove down to check it out in about 25-30 feet of water. You can tell this area is protected and the fish know it. People must feed them here regularly as they swarmed around us. Mike could hardly see me dive for the airplane, there were so many fish!!

We don't know if anyone died in the plane wreck, but there were no bodies or skeletons.

We swam on past the wrecks and found some coral. Hidden in one of the crevasses was our first sighting of a Lion Fish. Their spikes are poisonous, so we left him well enough alone!

As we were getting back into the dingy, this cow fish swam strait at me, then turned when I moved. It was about a foot long!

We never get tired of the view of Moorea. And of course the sun sets behind her now as the Sun is on it's trip South.

There are almost always clouds covering one of her many peaks, but one day Mike caught this great shot of her with no clouds at all.

By this time, in late August many of the “staybehinders” were putting their boats to bed, while they fly home for the upcoming hurricane season. We met Steve and Lili aboard Liward over in Huahine. This is their 4^th season of cruising the Society Islands!! Steve had to play his guitar one more time for a going away dock party. He invited a young local guy to play with him. The kid was only 16 or 17 but he could rock out with Steve.

Lots of both old and new friends showed up for the music and we all brought some snacks and drinks. It was a good time!! The kid's family and other locals showed up to watch them jam as well.

Then some other musicians, a drummer and flutist showed up later and we got to hear an even deeper mix of music, including some Jethro Tull.

 My buddy Robbie Kupps, who I taught sailing with in Puerto Vallarta, finally got his boat out here to the South Pacific as well. So many days we had talked about making this trip and we are both finally here!!

The days are dripping slowly on the page as time goes by. The sun continues its march South and the rain is beginning to happen more often as the rainy season is now approaching. But I never get tired of watching the sunset! It is like a religion my Grandmother taught me. Take time every day you can and enjoy life to the fullest!!

                              rain in this sunset

Bora Bora part 2

As we headed back around the North side of Bora, we noticed a very steep road heading up past some houses to a radio tower. I was thinking, it is a good thing they don't get snow here, or they would never make it up that road in the winter time!

As we were motoring past Faanui Bay, the view of the peak was just about reversed from the view at the SE corner. 

 We took a mooring again at the Maikai Yacht Club because it is a good central location, they have an easy access dinghy dock and the best free wifi yet anywhere in Polynesia!!

We decided to put together our bicycles and tour the island by road. Our first stop was Bloody Mary's Restaurant. They have a landing dock across the street.

 They have been in business since 1979. 

 The courtyard while waiting for a table is quite lovely.

 And the Tiki in the yard was definitely masculine! 

 Later we took the boat down closer and picked up one of their moorings. The end of the dock has a lovely little covered waiting area to keep out of the sun or the rain.

 And a great view from the boat of the rock from there!

As we kept riding, we saw a pier with another little thatched roof building at the end of it. This turned out to be “The Farm” where (if it was open, closed on Sundays) you can go out and dive for your own oyster and you get to keep the pearl inside.

 They have a bunch of cool Tiki's around their parking lot. 

 One of which I swear looked like Homer Simpson!!

 They also had a lovely Buddha overlooking the water.

When we came around the corner, we saw Matira Beach, which is where the big Canoe race, the Hawaiki Nui will finish in November. This day it was empty, maybe because of the rain?

My bike decided to break down where the bearing for the pedals started coming out of it's holder, so we headed back to the boat. On the way we saw some nice places to chill out, in a hammock under a tree by a piroge (actual spelling of Proa, I found out), which is really just another name for an outrigger canoe.

People here keep their boats out of the water for safe keeping when not in use and so no grass grows on the bottom.

We stopped into the Bora Bora Yacht Club, which is on the opposite side of Farapiti Point from the Maikai Yacht Club, for a drink and a t-shirt.

While hanging out, the Island Packet, Harlow Hut showed up with our friend Mike O'Neill aboard as crew. Before they headed off to Hawaii, we all went for a snorkel.

The fish were thick on the reef at the coral garden where we went. We saw green and blue lipped clams,

Orange Lined Trigger fish,

and a Clouded Lizardfish camouflaged in the sand.

Then Mike spots something big.

It is the giant Moray Eel!!

He dives down for a closer look.

Then so does Mike O and Mike H gets a close up with his camera on a stick.

I dove and got this great shot of him. Look at his beautiful markings.

The colors in the coral were also amazing.

Back at the Maikai Yacht Club, I organized a big happy hour party for the cruisers. We had a whole gaggle of us there, so I herded the cats together for a photo. Most of the people in that photo have now sailed on.

Bora Bora is the last island in French Polynesia on the West side where you can check out for the next country. Harlow Hut was headed to Hawaii.

Our friends Patryza and Djidji aboard Donazita sailed out for the Cook Islands.

We are still here, now known as the “staybeinders”. The sun was setting past the island of Maupiti to the West as our friends sailed on.

For us, the rainbow of French Polynesia continues.

We finally got to tour the Motu Tapu (like you are not supposed to go there). We found out earlier that when ever a cruise ship is in, they rent this island for their guests to hang out for the day. We were asked to go away and come back on a day when no cruise ships were in, so we did. They have a nice easy landing dock to load and unload passengers and supplies.

It is a different view of the rock from here too.

There is a big kitchen for the workers and lots of tables for the guests to eat.

We just wanted to wiggle our toes in the sand a bit and not be bothered by honeymooners or other tourists.

The only ones on the island that day were the Terns. Note that this Motu is by the channel entrance, just inside the reef and there is a boat going by on the outside of the reef.

We motored around Motu Toopua and found no good anchorages because of the hotels built out over the water. While on the mooring near Bloody Mary's we took a dinghy tour around Raititi Point where the once luxurious Bora Bora Hotel was. Apparently it was quite destroyed in a storm and is a sad reminder to stay safe during the hurricane season.

Around the point off of Matira white sand beach we saw a boat anchored out. It looked familiar, and sure enough it was the Pearson we had sold many years ago to a Frenchman who sailed it to the South Pacific and sold it here. Obviously the new owner never changed the registration!

Some of the houses on this beach were in sad shape, like the hotel.

Others were just magnificent.

Many homes have lots of boats and beach toys ready to be used.

And we saw many local families playing in the water.

As we motored Avatar back for one last stop at the Maikai Yacht Club, the ever changing view of the monolith of Bora Bora continued to be spectacular.

The sun was setting on our own stay here in this beautiful island.

The piroges were paddling in the sunset.

But on the day we sailed away, it was cloudy and raining again, as tho the island was crying for us to return again some day.