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.
