We had plenty of time to admire the view ofBora Bora as we had to sail miles around the reef to get to the pass on the west side.  It’s not difficult to see why Bora Bora features on so many postcards because the scenery is absolutely stunning.  We visited an island near the reef, which was obviously used as an outpost for one of the resort hotels, to collect some shells and then moved to the bay off the Sheraton which is reported to be one of the best resort hotels here.  They might be the best but they weren’t very friendly and by the time the receptionist had consulted with the manager and security to see if I could leave the dinghy on their dock whilst we had a drink in their bar before Sunday lunch, I was so disgusted that we didn’t bother.  However, our reward for being here was to go snorkelling and see about a hundred rays gliding in formation in the bay – fabulous. 

We shifted our anchorage to a position off Bloody Mary’s restaurant where we could also pick up a wifi signal and Annabel treated us to lunch.  Afterwards we took the dinghy to Viatape which is the island’s main township and Annabel and Tom booked themselves a flight to Papeete.  So much for Annabel doing her competent crew certificate!  The days drifted by and all too soon Moonbeam was like a ghost ship when they had departed literally into the sunset and we were on our own again.  As the saying goes – don’t cry because it is over; be happy that it happened.

We picked up one of the moorings off Bora Bora yacht club to do the washing and otherwise get ourselves ship-shape again.  It was decided to return to Tahaa and Raiatea to provision and bunker fuel before setting off for Pago Pago (pronounced Pango Pango).  We had a bumpy ride back to Tahaa and so congratulated Annabel and Tom on their decision to fly to Tahiti!  We couldn’t understand why the fuel dock was so busy until we were chatting to Ulf from ‘Roxy’ – apparently the fuel price increased on 1st July.  It had gone up by 12p a litre and we needed 700ltrs!  Timing is everything!  We also saw Ian and Julia from ‘Moasi’ last seen in the Galapagos.  He had not been well having caught Denghie fever whilst there.  They gave us email addresses for boatyards in New Zealand which we would later use as our plans for returning to England for Annabel’s wedding, materialised.

We spent a couple of days off Toapuhi and visited the Taravara yacht club to watch traditional Polynesian dancing.  Over once again to Uturoa to bunker fuel and top up our supplies and whilst there, we bumped into Wayne, an American on his own (not surprisingly) on ‘Moonbreaker’ a lovely Irish yacht.  His plan was to sail to Rarotonga and perhaps, Nuie on his passage to Tonga.  It was a shorter sail by about 550nms than our plan to go to Pago Pago.  Additionally it got us thinking about our decision to miss out on Tonga, last seen 9 years before when we chartered a yacht there for our 25th wedding anniversary.  Maybe this would be a better plan and it would avoid the potential problems of entering America.

Back to Bora Bora to check-out of French Polynesia at customs in Viatape.  It was amazing to think that we had been here nearly three months.  Our only regret that it was so expensive we missed out on some of the excursions that we would have normally done.  But then the reward to offset that was the pleasure of seeing our family.  So on July 7th, with the outboard off and the dinghy cover on it was time to leave French Polynesia – destination Rarotonga and then onwards to New Zealand.

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After a couple of days we sailed over to Moorea into Cook’s bay and were welcomed by some dolphins coming to play alongside.  We took Eloise ashore and walked her in her buggy which was protected from the sun by a cover which looked like a birka.  The Mclaren buggy has really evolved since Gemma was in one!  I needed a three week technical course to understand how it worked.  We re-positioned ourselves to Baie d’Opunuho where we got more of a cooling breeze and the water was much clearer for swimming.  I had obviously used the outboard once too often as a depth sounder because the propeller stopped driving the boat.  Unfortunately, I was several miles away from Moonbeam on a shopping expedition at the time.  I managed to beach the boat which has no oars; it can only be paddled, and walked back along the shore to be given a lift back to the boat.  We subsequently retrieved the dinghy by taking the boat back around to Cook’s bay and used the kayak.  Happily, we could replace the propeller in Papeete but in the meantime a jury rig using rigging wire would have to do.

After another spell in Baie d’Opunuho where Gemma and I saw some rays whilst we were snorkelling off the reef, we returned to down-town Papeete for a little retail therapy for my wife and eldest daughter.  Then a day of really mixed emotions because we had had a lovely time getting to know our grand-daughter and seeing what a magnificent mother Gemma was to her, but it was time for them to go home.  However, the tears of farewell were replaced by tears of joy as Annabel and Tom appeared in the arrivals hall.  How’s that for timing?  Luckily we had brought sun-glasses for the first sighting of Annabel’s engagement ring!

We moved around to the anchorage but our plan to celebrate Sarah’s birthday ashore was scuppered by a 30kt wind which would have made the dinghy ride soaking wet, so we made do on the boat.  The next day we transited to Baie d’Opunuho again and then subsequently set off for Hua Hine.  We rocked and rolled all the way – not a pleasant passage but our arrival off Fare was a delightful reward.  It is a cosy little town with a supermarket like a Tardis – a tiny entrance into a huge well-stocked store.

It was here that we ran into a retired Naval Officer, Brian who was headed in the same general direction as us.  He was solo in a boat called ‘Scraatch’ and over drinks that evening we discovered he talked non-stop and listened not at all – most amusing.

Brian brought over a couple of baguettes for breakfast as he was leaving as well.  We were through the pass by 0900 and had a lovely sail to Raiatea which is the southernmost island of two nestling inside a single reef.  We anchored off Uturoa which is the second largest town in French Polynesia, but we were unimpressed.  The next day we motored through the lagoon and out through Pai Pai pass on the west side of Tahaa Island to set course for Bora Bora.  The surf breaking on the reef looked like a cliff of white water – quite terrifying.

 

 


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