Westward Ho

While in Moorea we dinghied with friends to swim with the sharks and hand feed the stingrays.

The sharks were small black tipped reef sharks and said to be harmless. Anyway, they didn`t bite us!

The nearby resort at Oponuhu Bay

Then on to Uturoa on Raiatea where we managed to have a sail repaired and a new thermostat fitted to the freezer. No more managing the temp by hand.

Uturoa from on high. JT alongside near the basin right foreground.

The views of the fringing reefs were wonderful



Bora Bora in the backgrouns

Yachts anchored on the reef

We sailed to nearby Tahaa

Anchored on the reef near some wonderful snorkelling amongst a "coral garden"

We sailed a short distance to Bora Bora, our point of departure for places west.

Downtown, the locals maintianed a so called authentic look for thr tourists

We spent some time exploring around the anchorages inside the reef.



 

 

Black pearls are popular around here and we visited a pearl farm. Tres expensive.



 

From Bora Bora we sailed NW 700 nm to the atoll of Suwarrow, one of the northern Cook Isalnds, in the middle of nowhere, but quite attractive and far enough from the weather systems passing west from NZ

 

The ranger`s "house"

 

 

Suwarrow

Then another 700 nm to Neiafu, Vava`u, Tonga.

A great landlocked harbour. Lots of Aust & NZ flags in tne anchorage.

A true South Pacific town; shabby, colourful and lots of fun.

 

Unfortunately, strong winds have confined us to Neiafu and will prevent us seeing much more of the area before we must move on to Fiji during the next weather window.

 

 

 

 

 

French Polynesia

Our arrival in Fatu Hiva was the beginning of a wonderful experience.

The landscape of the Marquesas was unlike anything we had seen before.

 

 

We explored ashore.





Walked or hiked long distances to waterfalls and astounding views.



Sometimes the gossipers fell behind.

In Hiva Oa we saw this grave, tho who knows why we should be interested in the passing of a diseased paedophile who could paint?

At Taiohae Bay in Nuku Hiva we rolled around the anchor waiting for the next tanker to arrive with diesel fuel. We were rationed until then and our forward journey was on hold.

Finally it arrived and we stocked up.

The landscape again starling.

At Anaho Bay we went ashore and hiked over a mountain to the next village.

It was quite a climb to the top before descending to the village



 

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A pretty spot

with lots of tikis.

 

This poor soul was exhausted after two hours of climb and descent and now faced the prospect of doing it all over again to return to the yacht.

This was part of our haul of wild mangoes and limes collected enroute

We walked to another waterfall..

On approaching Oa Pou the landscape again impressed.

But on to the Tuamotos which are all coral atolls. Here arriving inside the lagoon at Kauehi.

Kauehi

We burned our rubbish ashore.

The Princess and a coconut palm tree



Couldn`t delete this!

Then to Tahiti and the anchorage near Papeete where there were around three hundred yachts in transit. Moorea in the background.

Papeete was nothing to write home about but we were able to stock up from a great Carrefour supermarket and a few chandleries. {New anchor chain at a very cheap price}

 

 

On to beautiful Moorea.  Here, Cooks Bay, an especially beautiful anchorage.

The reef gives good protection from the ocean swell.

Tourist entertainment.

 

 

JT, second from the left, at anchor on the shelf inside the reef at Cooks Bay

 



Sundowners

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