Wutttap Everybody from Tahiti,
This will just be a quick letter about Rangoria and my passage to Tahiti as I am at my wits end with this computer. Evan and Chloe are going to bring me out a new computer which will make this much more enjoyable for me.
My computer woes. Day 1, (this is after checking my e-mail which I have already described to you,) I rent a bicycle and ride to the post office at the other end of the island where you can purchase wireless time. I start to compose e-mail and attach pictures, battery dies, I don’t have European adapter for 240v. Ride to cafe for lunch that advertises wireless, she says I can buy adapter at store but it is closed, most stores close for a good 2 hour lunch. Buy adapter when store opens, go back to cafe, wireless is down, go back to post office it is closed. Day 2, rent a bicycle and ride to the other end of island. Go to post office and the lovely lady won’t let me use a plug, seriously, they sell internet time, the computer they have doesn’t work, can’t have some electricity. Manage to send e-mail with pictures just before battery dies. Go back to cafe, wireless still down. That was Rangoria. Right now I am writing this on the boat the screen is annoying because it only works when it is about 30% of the way open and the short battery life isn’t a problem because I am plugged into my inverter. It is definitely more convenient here as I am tied to the quay at Papetee, the sun is just setting, I can see Moorea in the distance, there is Tahitian rowers in their outrigger canoes, coconut trees, friendly people and cold beer.
Rangoria was beautiful, the only problem was all the amenities where quite far from the anchorage, but enough about that, I am feeling a bit of a whiner. Atolls are pretty strange and wonderful things, Rangoria is the second largest one in the world, you cannot see across it the short way. Basically formed by an ancient volcano it is a ring of long skinny islands making a protected ocean area in the middle of nowhere, once you get in that is. Coral reefs generally surround the outside and there are many coral heads along the shore in the inside. The passes thrive with ocean creatures as they are always moving providing floating food. Rangoria is a major scuba diving destination and there are many dive guiding operations available. Google the Hotel Kia Ora if you are interested in a beautiful but pricey vacation, I treated myself to one meal at their restaurant, very good but I felt guilty after.
After talking to some people I heard the snorkelling was good at the small island in the middle of the pass on the inside. Giddy up, I dinghyed over tied to a buoy there and jumped in. Awesome possum, I had been looking forward to this for a long time. I have always enjoyed swimming and being underwater despite the fact that I live in BC, after my few chilli excursions up north this is what it is all about. Warm clear water and tropical fish, schools of colourful funny looking fish with no other purpose other than to look cool. I had my fish of Tahiti guide book that my sister had bought for my niece when they were in Bora Bora on the boat and with all the excitement of a child went about identifying them. Moorish Idols, Flutemouths, Big Eye Emperors and my favourite the Whiteband Triggerfish to name a few. While snorkelling I met an Australian family who called me on the radio the next day and invited me to go drift snorkelling, for sure! On an incoming tide we motored our dinghies out the pass and then jumped in while holding on to the painter from the inflatable. You could swim against the current and it would only slow down your drift down the pass. We did this a couple of times, I saw my first shark, something I guess I better get used to, just a lemon shark. Also saw a couple Giant Moray Eels which are supposed to be more dangerous than sharks, if they are as lethal as they are ugly then definitely best to stay away.
My stay on Rangoria was quite short but I did find the locals perhaps a little less friendly than at Nuka Hiva. I enjoyed meeting Rick and Connie who sympathized with my fridgeless situation and always had a cold beer for me. I know how to be a sailor but I am still learning how to be a traveller and I don’t doubt I will get better at it as I visit more places.
The sail to Tahiti sucked. I don’t want to sound like I am complaining and I am not but it needs to be known that “living the dream” only happens with sacrifices, discomfort and what some may call misery. I left at the same time as Rick and Connie at slack low water, or just after. Once again getting through the pass was no problem but met with crazy seas on the other side. I wasn’t as worried this time because the depth wasn’t a problem and I got to watch the other boat in front of me. I don’t know how to describe it, imagine you are in your car and suddenly it tilts 45 degrees all four ways in under a minute then does this again and again till you are really wet, something like that. After I am out it is fairly windy, good. Wind gradually dies until it is enough to keep moving but not enough to keep the sails filled, constant slatting of the sails. Like this for the rest of the day, through the next day and into the night, looking like it may be more than two days. Wake up to a gale it is blowing I am doing 7 knots, maybe I will make it in two days. Or not, wind had shifted and coming from the south where I am going. With reduced sail and the chop I can only make around three knots and the boat hobby horses up and down. Try and find a happy medium between going slow and heeling way over stressing the boat, there isn’t one. Make it past Tetiaro Island in the daylight, once owned by Marlon Brando, then tack back towards Tahiti. Don’t get much sleep as I am in the middle of three islands and am a little worried about sailing into one and boat traffic. Thought I would be able to position myself so I would be close to Passe de Papeete at sunrise, nope, end up motoring for around five hours to get to the pass. I hate motoring. One of these days I will have a sweet steady trade winds passage, I am sure of it.
Evan and Chloe arrive tomorrow night, I can’t wait. We will probably spend a day in the city of Papeete then move to an anchorage which is free. If I thought French Polynesia was expensive before it is going to get three times more expensive. We will then visit Moorea, which I have heard great things about, perhaps I can get one of the kids to write about it. Then Isle Huahine, Raitea and Tahaa and finally Bora Bora.
Talk Soon My Friends,
Jonathan