Tahiti to Tuamotus

Our home for far too many months now, the sun is setting on our time here in Marina Taina. This boat in the sunset was from Bermuda and they were celebrating Bermuda Day, and having the America's Cup, with all their flags a flyin. And more tourists arrive to Tahiti by plane.

I have to admit, the sunsets from here have been truly spectacular!!

Oh those purple colors!

On the North side of Papeete city is the Tahiti Yacht Club. The dolphins welcome us there.

There are quite a few boats both anchored and at the dock, while the kids learn on Optimist sailboats. One of the kids from this club represented France in the last Olympics, so they do take sailboat racing seriously here!!

This side of the island gets more rain and the mountains are a bit more dramatic. The rainbow entering the giant cauldron behind the houses on the hill.

The other end of the rainbow is in the direction of Point Venus, our favorite black sand beach anchorage.

Very intense colors in this rainbow!

We moved to this side of the city because it is closer to take the dingy to town and do last minute shopping to buy heavy things. On the way, we pass this amazing valley, where the mountain at the top is giving us the Shaka (hang loose) symbol. Poke out your thumb and little finger, then roll up your middle three fingers and there you have it!

After almost a week of going to the city every day by dingy, we were finally underway to the Tuamotu Island group 250 miles East of us. We had been waiting for quite a while for the wind to stop blowing from the East, so it would not be right on the nose, which makes for uncomfortable sailing. Wind came from the NNE and we set out for the 3 day voyage. Last time we were in the Tuamotus it was June of last year! We are excited to be under sail again.

We have Fritz, our windvane, back steering the boat and our brand new Yamaha 15 hp OB, one of our purchases while in town.

We are sailing close to the wind, but a beautiful day none the less!

The moon had just passed full and came up in front of us to light our way!

On the second day out, we had a lot of birds flying around. Some Frigit birds, several kinds of Boobies, including Red Footed ones, Noddies and Terns.

Normally when you see lots of birds flying over the ocean, it means fish! And sure enough one nice tuna decided to bite our line and give his life for us to have 4 dinners! He was delicious!

The sun was setting, and if you don't know the saying: “red sky at night, sailor's delight!”

Land Ho! Low lying atolls ahead! We had left Tahiti on Saturday night just before sunset, June 10. By Tuesday morning we had spotted Tahanea and Faate. We went between the two atolls and then on Tahanea we entered the main pass through the reef on the East side where our friends were waiting for us.