Stuart and Shirley Visit

March 30,2018

We had two busy days in Tahiti. First thing was to get a new duty free diesel certificate and fill up the almost empty tanks! We also filled up all of our water tanks and jugs, plus took on some fresh provisions. Then we were off to Mo'orea where we were to meet up with Mike's old car racing buddy, Stuart and his wife, Shirley. They go way back together. Like back to the late 70s. Also helped get Stuart hooked on sailing! And then there was the trip across the Atlantic on Stu's new catamaran. So they go way back!

It was a perfect day to sail to Mo'orea!

Approaching our old favorite, Cook's Bay.

Mount Muaroa comes into view and we see some other cruisers we know anchored off the village of Maharepa.

Almost to the pass in the reef, it is a perfect view of Cook's Bay. There's Mouaputa to the left with a hole in it, Mt. Tohive'a, the tall pointy one and the flat top mountain which I can't seem to find the name of.

Stuart, his wife Shirley and a few other friends had been on a charter catamaran over in the Leeward islands, but stayed a few extra days to see Mo'orea and to catch up with us. I went shopping with the girls, while Mike and Stu spent the afternoon catching up. Mike and Stuart in their fancy dress up shirts.

Shirley and Stuart having a fun evening. 

We all went to a dinner dance show at the Manava Beach Resort. Turned out the group that was performing was the same group that had done our wedding ceremony! So I had to get up and get my photo with them!

We gave them a tour of our boat and met them for dinner at the Kaveka resort where they were staying. It was 3 fast days of fun! Here we are on the dock at Kaveka with Cooks in the background. Thanks for visiting! It was great to meet you guys!

It was full moon, just after Easter, so as the sun was setting........

The moon was coming up in the East. Ooooooo lala!

Passage to Tahiti March 18, 2018

The trip started with plenty of good wind and some rain falling from the sky.

We sailed around this white squall. Water dumping heavily into the sea.

That is the nice part about the ocean, you don't have to stay between white and yellow lines. Sail where the wind is that you want and avoid the nasty stuff if possible. Tack! The dark cloud is now behind us.

This eerie UFO looking cloud was just ahead of that big black cloud.

The wind was good for sailing, but the squalls kept coming.

A big thunderhead off in the distance.

Then suddenly, the skys cleared except for this wild looking spiral cloud. Reminds me of the movie Moana (which means Ocean, by the way)

The winds were getting light and fluky, but the sunsets were still a show in themselves. I love the little color topped finger tip clouds.

And just like that the clouds went away and took the wind with it.

I just can't help myself, when the clouds glow this orange color, I must photograph them.

You would think a sailor would get tired of looking at nothing but sea, sky and clouds, but the amazing thing is, that it is always changing.

Not sure how the sun refracted to make this one crazy little spot turn so orange.

Rain dumping out of a cloud in the distance.

Sail on, sail on, this is what we do.........

Still another amazing sunset. The low clouds over the horizon look like they might be islands, but not this time.

These clouds looked like Mr and Mrs Santa riding their sleigh across the sky.

The next day was glassy calm again. Not a ripple of a breeze! But still that incredible blue!

There are still bumpy swell waves rolling under the water, but no wind waves.

Can you see the cloud reflected in the glassy water? Like a painted ship upon a painted ocean......

There is the cloud that was being reflected.

When we started to get a puff of a breeze, it was the perfect time to hoist the spinnaker!

The spinnaker reflected in the Pacific Blue.

The refraction of the sunlight in the sea, along with some spinnaker glow.

Hangin loose baby, waiting for that next puff! We had very little diesel, so sailing was the order of the trip.

March 25^th, Land Ho! Mahetia, a volcanic cone island due West of Tahiti.

The wind finally has come back! Yea! The sea looks quite different now.

Little shinny wind waves on top of the rollers.

Every once in a while a growler rolls up behind us now.

Mahetia, are you getting closer yet??

She has steep greenery on this side.

Which turns into blank black lava rock on the other side.

There are cracks in the rocks, like the lava slowed, then came again later.

We disturbed some Boobie birds swimming on the sea surface and they flew off.

Brown Boobie was circling us for a while. Please leave our lure alone!!

Probably a masked Boobie with a mostly white chest and underbelly.

What is that thrashing in the water?!?!

Yellowfin Tuna, that's what! Nice work Miguel!! Must have been what those Birds were watching!

The night of the 26^th we were hit with a squall that brought the boat speed up to 10.2 knots!! That is a bit fast for us!! But the morning of the 27^th we see Tahiti getting pelted with some rain in the early morning light.

The city of Papeete is coming into view and the deep crevasses of Tahiti show in the sunlight.

The perfect way to end a 10 day passage, sailing right into the end of the rainbow!