Category Archives: Positioner

Tahiti Marina Papete

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Papeete 4/9 – 23/9 2016

We arrived at the guest bridge on a Sunday morning and did not get a tally card until next morning when the gate was opened by another sailor. We could have taken the dingy in but we were too lazy.

From our cockpit on Alexandra we were entertained by all the people passing by in the, very long stretched, beautiful park, “Jardins de Paofai“. People were walking, jogging, cycling, per-cure, relaxing on the grass, having lunch brake or meetings, birthday for the child, playing at one of the many playing grounds. Outrigger canoes were a big hit and every evening after work the bay were filled up with them, especially the ones for six paddler. The teams competed and you could here them shouting. Every paddler had there own wooden paddle with them.

The park have two large monuments. One made out of wood remembering the people that died because of the nuclear testing at Muroroa atoll. The other is a stone with the date of French Polynesian independence engraved.

Every day we walked through the park to the magazine Champion (tiny Carrefour) for provisioning for sailing out to the not so populated islands in the Society Island group of French Polynesia. We could get french cheese and paté but it was expensive. If you by local food it is not so expensive and it was also possible to get it on the market.

The private Pearl Museum, Robert Wan, showed how they make the pearls and the historic background. No entry fee and you had the opportunity to bye pearls of all kinds and prizes.

We also visited the Cathedral on Place Notre Dame were they have a beautiful sculpture in wood of Maria carrying Jesus with a breadfruit on his stomach, witch is a very typical church decoration for French Polynesia.

In the evening we enjoyed the street kitchen at Place Vaiete, a couple of times. Not only for the food, like poisson cru and crep, but seeing the local family’s and a few tourist relaxing in a nice atmosphere. A band of very old people were there playing every time. It is amazing that the mall change character in an hour every evening. Also 3 Barosso restaurant and bar have there own brewery and the excellent dark bear, amber can be recommended.

5/9 Richard and Renee our mechanics dismount the cylinder head of Westerbeke to be renovated, and get two new valves. Lars mounted a new cooling water pump for the fridge that uses much less energy so very good!

6/9 Richard take us with him to Taravao on the south east coast of Tahiti and Patric who together with Richard pressure tested the injection pipes. Afterwards we got a nice Tahiti round trip passing “Trou du Souffleur” the blow hole.

While waiting for Richard to finish the job with the Westerbeke generator we did the following.

7/9 Anchor delivered and Lars mount it to the anchor winch. Bus til Marina Tahina for to bye col-fiber mat and hypoxy for to repair head foil.

10/9 Four of the six battery to 24 volt over heated!

10-11/9 Lars repaired the head foil.

12/9 Main and jib sail and a halyard from Elvstrøm sail Denmark delivered on the bridge by UPS after paying 1000 DKK to the agent but no tax – so good..

13/9 Early in the morning with lesser wind we hoist the new main sail and in the afternoon we got the jib on the furler.

14/9 Richard passes by. Have problems with his mobile.

16/9 Mast Pulpit BB and SB mounted with sika flex. Renovate lockers to drawers and cabinets.

17/9 The washing-machine is taken out in peaces. In the afternoon we took a long walk to Fare Ute to buy a lot of filters to the machines at Sopom.

19/9 Four new batteries to 24 volt replace the six.

21/9 Richard and Renee mount the renovated cylinder head on Westerbeke.

23/9 In the morning Richard test electric fault and diesel distribution. Westerbeke does not start. Richard come back a, couple of hours later, and rinse the high pressure pump and now the Westerbeke start.

23/9 Went to the post office and sent a package to our grandson in Denmark and met Sasha and Rodger from Ednbal. They advised us about the coral garden in Tahaa and also the ice-cream / sorbet bar in Papeete. Thank you so much. We hope you got safe to Gambier and back.

24/9 at 8 o’clock we sailed to Moorea.

Arue Bay – Yacht Club de Tahiti

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Arue Bay, Yacht Club de Tahiti 19/8-4/9 2016

Time 1 day 22 h 57 min., NM 246,3, SOG 4.4 kn avg,. 7.6 kn max., TWA 222, TWS 13.4 kn avg. 22.8 kn max.

At 10:30 17/8 2016 we sail out of the pass at Fakarava north with coarse set to Tahiti. We sat main and jib and kept them up all the way. That should be the last time sailing with the old sails. We had the wind from aft so good sailing. SSB net, making youtube movie on Nurse Sharks and baking bred were there time with. Maria suffer from to bad wounds on the left leg and right wrist but hoped that there were a good pharmacy in Arue.

Friday the 19/8 at 9:30, after passing point Venus, we dropped anchor in the beautiful Arue Bay. The holding was not good so we sailed closer to land and after to trial advised by Rodger in Ednbal, we were safe for anchor.

We were advised by Richard on BigFish to contact a diesel motor specialist (Richard Iehl) in Arue but could not reach him by sat-phone or mobile. Lars took the dingy to shore and on Carrefour got a local telephone sim card. It was then Friday afternoon and not possible to reach anybody by phone.

Next day we went to the very large Carrefour, 7 minutes away from the harbour, and got some nice bred and cheese. Our anchor does not hold very good so when talking to the harbour we got allowed to stay for four nights. It was fantastic to be in the little charming harbour and not be worrying about electricity and water, that was included in very reasonable harbour fee.

Monday 22/8 at 8 o’clock Lars got contact with Richard and he came 17:30 to here about our problems with the Yanmar motor and the Westerbeke. Also he took the three diesel injectors to Westerbeke with him for repair. It was a very good birthday present! Before that I was treated with a nice breakfast and birthday present from Lars. Also nice late breakfast, cheese burger, on the harbour café.

Next day the oil cooler to Yanmar was disassembled. The day after, 24/8, we took a bus to Papeete and there getting a new cover for the Yamaha motor (thanks to Christi and Tasha) and a look around on the nice little town. We had a visit by Andreas from Mellifera in the evening. He had gotten a crew to NZ and was happy for that.

Richard came bye on the morning 25/8 and told us that the oil cooler should bee repaired and also the diesel injector to Westerbeke.

26/8 Andreas came by and got the NZ maps on a stick and so did Jeff from Mezzaluna the next day. Also start on Eosin-Coper cure on my wounds after Lars had been to the Arue Pharmacy. I started a penicillin cure the 29/8 after advice from Songhui. Katie and Jeff came by for coffee and nice too get too now them a little better.

Monday the 29/8 we had to leave the harbour because a catamaran from Papeete had reserved the mooring in advance. We had no motor capacity so we got dragged out by the harbour. It was not nice to be out there, knowing that if Alexandra were dragging by the anchor, we could not do anything. Nice to know, though, that the boats around us like Mezzaluna, EyeCandy and Maluhia would help us if necessary and so they did later on. We dared to go in and have a nice Pot-Luck dinner with the other sailors at the café (Monday closed) in the evening.

30/8 Lars mounted the three diesel injectors to Westerbeke that have been repaired but the generator did not start. Lars got dinner from street kitchen. No compression in some of the three cylinders says Richard the 31/8. We are dragging against the reef. Next day a lot of wind on the anchorage. Lars set me of on land so I could go and get some food on Carrefour because he did not want to leave Alexandra. Instead we got nice companies, from neighbour sailors, to a sundowner with newly bought cold beer!

13:00 2/9 Richard and Renee came with the oil-cooler and mounted it. Now the Yanmar motor runs!!! The next day there were still a lot of wind on the anchorage and after David and Kim had checked that our place is empty we sailed into the harbour and there were Andrew, David and Jeff to take the lines. We stayed there until Sunday afternoon when we could sail to Papeete Marina after Lars had mounted four repaired (thanks Hans) diesel injector to the Yanmar motor. Now the motor run and with much lesser dark smoke. On the short tour to Papeete we saw a whale sticking up several times!

Fakarava

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Fakarava south 10/8 -12/8 2016

Time 10 h 40 min., NM 51.2, SOG 4.3 kn avg,. 6.9 kn max., TWA 128, TWS 13.0 kn avg. 6.9 kn max.

Anchor up and out of the pass 6:30 and set main and jib. Nice sailing so time for Lars to do a haircut on Maria and BCD diving vest service. At 16h local time we sail into the south pass of Fakarava atoll. With help from Aislado we got a mooring on a very beautiful place. Sharks and other fish are swimming around Alexandra and the reef with corals and a lot of fish is close bye.

Next day we take the dingy to the Tetamanu diving centre and Tetamanu village close to the south pass and Lars make an appointment to dive next morning with Marc. We had a nice walk around the island were you can see ruins of buildings from times were more people lived in Tetamanu. In the afternoon we took a short ride with the dingy to the reef and swam around there looking at black tipped reef sharks and a lot of colorful fish in different sizes. Also beautiful corals were here.

Next morning Lars sailed down in the dingy to the diving centre and got a nice dive with Marc and others through the pass, drifting with the incoming current. There were hundreds of black tipped sharks there. They dived on 20 meres depth and drifted about 30 minutes to reach the diving centre.

See dive video at our Youtube channel Diving in the Fakarava south pass

Back on Alexandra, 8:30, we released the mooring-boy and sailed towards Fakarava North.

Fakarava north 12/8 – 17/8 2016

Time 4 h 53 min., NM 28.5, SOG 4.7 kn avg,. 5.9 kn max., TWA 144, TWS 11.4 kn avg. 16.5 kn max.

We sat main and jib and went for sail the whole day. There were problems with the motor so it should not be used until when dropping the anchor. Every other lateral or cardinal marks were missing so taking the coral passage we had to be awake. We took the passage for not to come close to the pearl farmers installations. We were passing several resorts so there were a lot to look at. Getting to the north pass we so a lot of boats there that we new and it was so nice. Also moving to a mooring boy later on made our stay here much better. Finding WiFi, water and food were most important because we could not make water when the gen-set was not working and also not turning on the fridge and freezer so we had to buy fresh food every day. Filtered rainwater we could get from a big cistern in the harbor. Shopping in Rotoava village was difficult because there were closet on Sunday. Monday was also closed because it was a religious holiday. We visited Fakarava Yacht-service several times and got WiFi, laundry and filling up with gas,. The pink café was popular for WiFi and lunch for us sailors. One restaurant was open only Friday, Saturday and Sunday and there we got good food and nice companies. Also invited to sun-downer on the beautiful New Zealand Yacht Exit Strategy.

We herd that, at the resort, we could swim with Nurse-sharks and at the second trial we so several sharks on very close distance. Thanks to Terry and Cindy.

Tahanea

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Tahanea – Toamotu Archipelago 6/8-9/8 2016

The 6/8 at 7 o’clock in the morning, on slack time, we sail out threw the reef at Raroia north pass and 7:18 we sat the main and sailed, the 143 NM, towards the atoll Tahanea. Very nice sailing because we finally could sail downwind. There are time for bred baking and reading during the day and in the evening we had a beautiful new moon and several planets like Jupiter to look at. The next day we should sail in, threw the pass, at 13 h and had problems getting the speed down, for not to come to early. We ended up with a half furled in stay-sail and arrived just on time, to go threw the pass, in an easy way.

Tahanea is a beautiful atoll with only to houses were people leave when they collect nuts and fruits and a lot of coral reef with fish. Around Alexandra, on anchor, you can and see sharks swimming.

We took the dingy to the shore and snorkel´d. There were fresh corals, a lot of nice coloured fish and our first black tipped shark.

The catamaran “BigFish” was on anchor too and we got advice, from he captain Richard, of a mechanic in Papeete.

We had also a visit from Andreas, from the boat Mellifera, that we first met in Fatu Hiva and we decided to go snorkelling with the ingoing tide and so we did that afternoon. Lars had the dingy tied around his hip and the GoPro in the hand so he got some nice film. It was beautiful with a lot of healthy corals and fish, especially a big Mantarey.

Raroia

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Raroia Toamotu Archipelago 3/8-6/8 2016

We had a nice view to the village from the anchorage and took the dingy in to visit a couple of times. We saw the young locals coming in with fish and a group of young boys learning to play on the ancient Polynesia´n drum. The day after an aircraft landed and al of the older children left the island for to go to school in Makemo or Papeete, now when the summer holiday was over. Unfortunately Lars had to use a lot of his time on the Westebeeke generator that did not want to start. Al filters and oil were changed but still it did not run. So now we save on water and hope to manage until we come to Papeete. There we can get three new dysse instead of the once we have and hope that the problem is solved.

Daniels bay

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Daniels Bay, Bay of Hakatea 27/7-29/7 2016

Time 00:46 h, NM 6.6 SOG 4.3 kn avg 6.0 kn max, TWA 180.9, TWS 11.2 kn avg 19.6 kn max

After filling up with diesel, at the big key used for the cargo/passenger ship, we sailed to Daniels Bay. From there we hoped to be able to make the famous water fall tour, to see the worlds third highest waterfall. The Hakatea Bay was beautiful and the swells were not so high. We had a relaxing evening on Alexandra. The next day we took the dingy up the river to the village. We met Paul who, we herd, should resembles the latter King, working on his land. When he goes to Nuku-Hiva he ride on his horse or take a water taxi. He gave us some tip but did not tell us how whet it was further up. Anyway it was a nice walk and yes we did not reach the water fall. Very dirty we turned back after passing threw the first wet area. On the walk back we stopped at Monique house and bought bananas and at the first house bread fruit and papaya. During the night, at four a-clock, we had to re-anchor, even if our anchor hold, because a catamaran came to close to us. but.

Nuko Hiva

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Nuku-Hiva, Taiohae Bay 20-27/7 2016

Time 18:02 h, NM 89, SOG 4.9 kn avg 8.6 kn max, TWA 134, TWS 11.0 kn avg 26.8 kn max

The 20/7 2016 at 16:30 we launch the two anchor and unfortunately the good old stern anchor did not come up because the anchor rope went of. We should not have trusted it…. Hopefully we do not need stern anchor before Papeete and can get a new one there and of cause a new rope too. The swells were high, out of the bay, going for engine and the wind disappear when leeward of Hiva-Oa. Main sail and stay sail was launched after 1½ hour. After one hour we start the motor when no wind. After 1½ hour we stopped the motor and sat sail again. We had shifting wind strength during night. In the morning, 9:30, we sail into the bay of Taiohae.

We had some nice days in Taiohae, shopping good French food and getting nice lunch like “poisson cru” when you order fish at the harbour café. Yacht-service at the harbour had excellent wifi, for only 300 CFP (5 kr) per day so Lars could upload a lot of pictures. Also a good meeting place for sailors. Nice walk along the bay to the cathedral and also up the hill to the hardware-store to get important grease for the rudder stock.

Hiva Oa

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Hiva-Oa, Tahauku Bay 15-21/7 2016

Time 8:08 h, NM 45.6, SOG 6.62 kn avg 10 kn max, TWS 4.5 kn avg 22.6 kn max

We sailed out of the beautiful bay at 8 a-clock and the direction was NE (79). Out of the bay and one hour for motor we sat mainsail with two reef and jib. Later on stay-sail. The swells were large. After 4 hour there were no wind so started motor. After 1½ hour main and stay-sail again.

Almost immediate, when sailing into the anchorage, we saw MariAnnII with John and Julie on board and that was so nice to see them after have been taking with them on the SSB radio during the crossing.

We drop anchor and also stern anchor in Tahauku bay, Hiva-Oa. The swells were uncomfortable but with stern anchor we were better of. We had red that they use it in this bay, behind the big brake water that is occupied, every other week, by the important cargo/passenger ship.

The peace were suddenly broken when a boat on SB side wanted us to move because he did not have a stern anchor and because of that maybe would come to close to us. We were tired and said we could move tomorrow but he got angry and moved himself out in the swells on the entrance to the anchorage. Early next morning we moved further into the bay and he moved surprisingly to the brake water that was reserved for the big cargo-ship and for filling up with diesel. The problems with anchoring did not stop with this. A French sailor came around in his dingy and sad that we had to move further into the bay because he did not have a stern anchor and needed the space and because he had an aluminium boat he was not afraid of leaving his boat the whole day. Lars told him that he were not afraid because he also had an aluminium boat. Anyway we move again, and it was really bad because it was Saturday and we had to reach immigration/custom at the gendarmerie, wifi and supermarket before they close for siesta 11:30 and maybe not open again until Monday morning.

We hurried in to, the very run down dingy doc, and took the 3 km long, but very beautiful, walk in to the very nice little town, Atuona. At the gendarmerie they took everything with a smile and paperwork went therefore fast compared to what we are used to. Post office were we wanted to by a wifi card and the supermarket were now closed but the The Cyber Café (tipped by Keith from New Zeeland) was opened so we could get in contact with our two sons in Denmark after being away several weeks, crossing the Pacific. It was almost like sitting in there home and good wifi. Also herd from Keith that they had a sport tournament event on the beautiful green grounds near the bay so we went down there and got an excellent, not too expensive, lunch. On the way back to the anchorage a nice local man stopped several time and wandered if we were OK and finally took us up in his four wheel drive car. He handed a delicious sweet pay and a bottle of water around. He were going out fishing with a boat on the harbour.

Sunday morning we had lots of rain but it cleared up and we had John from MaryAnnII on an afternoon visit.

Monday morning we went into the village again and went to the post-office to send a confirmation, from custom and immigration to Papeete custom and immigration, that we have been cleared in to French Polynesia for a total of 90 days. Here we bought a MANA SPOT Wi-Fi card (did not work on Hiva-Oa). Afterwards we went to the Gauguin museum and saw local copy pictures of Gauguin. Also his atelier, and in the entrance some photo of the Swedish language researcher and adventurer´er Bengt Danielsson who studied the old Polynesia´n language and wrote it down, we visited just before the siesta. A good supermarket, recommended by John, had some wonderful baguette, cheese also from sheep and goat for Lars and we could not wait to get some taste of it. After a snack outside the supermarket with the excuse that it was raining we took of for a 3 km walk to the harbour. Lucky this time too we were taken up, when we had reached the hill, by three young men on their way to the harbour.

Tuesday it is raining and it is very whet trying to get up the hill to the yacht service and Wi-Fi. Here we met lots of people we new from Fato-Hiva. The next day is not lesser whet but we will try the net on the hill and by some nice frozen lam shops and burgers in the harbour store, before we sail to the third Marquesas island.

Fatu Hiva

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Fatu-Hiva, Hanavave Bay local name, Baie des Verges original name, Baie des Vierges missionary name 12-15/7 2016

After prolonging the anchor chain with a strong rope we could relax a little and had a good night sleep. The swells in the bay were strong and wind up to 20 knots so we did not leave Alexandra the next day but stayed on-board. The bay was absolutely marvelous so it was not a punishment. It was Frederiks birthday so we called him on the Iridium telethon. The old halyard came out of the mast and the reserve put in their place by Lars. The next day (after setting stern anchor) we took the dingy to land and had a walk on the main street and found out that without local money we could not by anything in the nice little magazine. It was OK because we still had food on- board. After a rest on-board we took the dingy in again for the waterfall tour. After taking several wrong turns we finally reached the very beautiful waterfall and got a swim underneath. Unfortunately I got a skratch below my right knee and suffered from it a long time because of infection. In the evening there was a final show, in a competition between the islands of Marquesas, in traditional song and dance. To reach the show place we had to wade over a river in darkness and luckily Lars had a head lamp with him and we had to sailors, familiar with the place, with us. It was a very impressive show and also a plus that only traditional language (Tahitian or other?) were used. A lot of people from the island was there and a few sailors.

Early next morning we stood up and prepared for sailing to Hiva-Oa, the next Marqueas island.

Pacific Crossing – Sailing to Fatu Hiva

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Pacific Ocean crossing From Santa Cruz Galapagos to Fatu Hiva. Marquises, French Polynesia 22/6-12/7 2016
20 days and 13h 39 min., 3027.2 NM, best distance per day 200.6 NM, COG avg. 6.3 max 9.3, TWS avg. 14.09 TWS max. 28.8 knots.

Due to our warned out sails we could not sail the way we wanted. We did not reef the poorly repaired main sail so ivor up, without reef, or down under the whole crossing. Our asymmetric spinnaker had a serious damage from the ARC-Atlantic Crossing were we, with 6 person on-board, maximized our speed with the sails. We have not been able to get it repaired.

We had lot of wind al the way but hoped for lesser wind so Lars could go down and cut the fishing-line, we caught a few days after leaving Galapagos, free of the propeller.

Our philosophy about the crossing was to have as good conditions on board as possible though we were just to persons, and not look at the time being spent.

The SSB radio were on, several times a day, talking to Karsten in Panama (thank you so much for weather forcast in Danish), Ben in Panama on The Pacific net and our own created group with MaryAnnII and Coolrunnings.

Sometimes on days with lesser swells you moved around cocking, cleaning, baking bred and cookies, washing clothes you felt relaxed and enjoying being out there. Lars finally got started playing the guitar and I enjoyed listening. Also more detailed plans for the next 4 years of sailing were there time for.

Repairer on the way: With GoPro film the fishing line on the propeller 5/7. Measurement for new sail to Thomas 4/7, strop to main sail sawed back on 5/7, new comutato coal on cooling water pump, problems with furling the jib 9/7, new (old) motor to fresh water pump, servicing the generator so it could run again 12/7.

We had dolphins visiting us a couple of times and when we came closer to land the beautiful boobies came flying.

Cargoship from Kiribiri passes Alexandra 27/6. Fishing-boats from Korea 10/7 and also fishing-boats from Japan and China are seen..

On the 7/7 we had a beautiful Mai Mai on the hook but it managed to get away. Finally on the 10/7 we get a tuna on the hook. It gave us to nice meals during the passage.

The 12/7 at 16h we tacked into the very beautiful bay of Hanavave, Fatu Hiva. We were met by sailors from the bay leaded by Tasha from Cheeki Monkey asking us if we needed help. We said that we had too sail in under sail and drop the anchor as we drop the mainsail. They did not like the spot we had chosen. Finally we reached the good spot, but when releasing the main halyard, it did not come down. The halyard was stack in the mast. Now we got al these nice people on board except Ryan that kept running his rib sidewise Alexandra. On third attempt to drop the anchor al went well and we were finally safely anchored in Marquises after over 20 days on the Pacific Ocean. Lost of thanks to al of you that helpt us.