East from Tahiti — Fit2Sail

EASTBOUND?

After wrapping up loose ends from our incredible Christmas vacation, we sailed over to Mo’orea to wait for a good window to head east against the trades. It’s summertime here in the southern hemisphere, cyclone season, and we’ve opted to head back east to be further into the “less risk of cyclone” zone.

Mo’orea’s beauty is well-known. Sailing into Cooks Bay (though we chose to anchor outside) and then over to Oponuhu Bay was pretty magical. Every few yards the perspective on the multiple mountains changes, and I think it might be the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

Heading east takes some patience, or some bull-headedness, or some combination of the two. You can wait (and wait and wait and wait) for the right combination of fronts and backing winds for a chance to sail east. You can wait (and wait, just less time) for the winds and seas to die completely and plan on burning a lot of diesel. Or you can decide you’re going hardcore and will tack your way against the trades.

*Shot from our snotty leg, Makemo to Hao*

Yeah, we’re not doing the last one. Small amounts of upwind work in flat water and maybe 10 knots of breeze? A fun way to test our skills. Longer passages in open ocean, swells and all, and 15-20 knots of wind? Not our idea of fun, not when we have options.

Ideally, we were looking for the “wind to sail comfortably” kind of window. But when the second kind, the “no wind so you will motor the whole way” kind came up our 4th morning in Mo’orea? It took us all of about 10 minutes to decide we were taking it.

*Motorsailing in flat seas towards Gambiers*

And off we motored to Fakarava. We went in the north pass at 3:30 am, and by 5 we were anchored and getting the dinghy pumped up. By 9 am we’d filled up on diesel, been mystified by the complete lack of fresh anything in the stores, and had picked up the anchor to sail down to the Hirifa anchorage.

*Sunset from Hirifa anchorage, friends on Catalyst in the photo*

Hirifa is a good spot to hang out while waiting for weather. Jeremy pulled out the sewing machine for some canvas projects and even got in some foiling practice. We enjoyed some socializing time with friends. And when the next window opened up, to get us to Makemo, we were rested and ready. Out the south pass and on we went.

In Makemo’s west pass at daybreak, and sailing in the flat water inside the lagoon to anchor right near the airport. And the window was still open, so the next afternoon we sailed out the pass and headed for Hao.

Rough uncomfortable 36 hours later, a passage during which the galley was largely closed due to seas that had the stove bottoming out with regularity, we timed the pass into Hao perfectly and headed across to anchor in the basin.

*At anchor in the old Navy basin in Hao*

Hao was another spot where fueling was a possibility (not frequent in the Tuamotus) and we knew the supply ship had just been in so had some hopes for fresh goodies. Fuel and beer and wine were success stories. Fresh stuff not so much. (not even an onion to be seen)

Turns out the month after Christmas all the ships take the time off, so one regular ship cycle is skipped, so ALL fresh stuff is snapped up in a hot second. Ooof.

*We had a delightful lunch at a local snack in Hao (more like crashing a family Saturday drinking session)*

4 days later, we had a window to head the last 500 mile stretch to Gambiers. I prepped some food in case we faced similar conditions, we topped up on beer (intel told us it’s an additional $1 a bottle in Gambiers), and off we went in search of the promised westerlies.

*Sunrise and land ho after 5 nights at sea*

It was a slow passage but a comfortable one until the last day, when a larger swell combined with zero wind made for a very rolly existence on board.

And on January 31, we cleared the pass into Rikitea and dropped hook in our 4th of the island groups that make up French Polynesia. Our buddies on Tino Pai are nearby, there are green hills around, and there’s a rumor of fresh produce. Bring on a new spot!