can we help
+44(0)1983 296060
+1 757-788-8872
tell me moreJoin a rally

Menu

American Spirit II - Day 96; 40 Knot Squall, Peal Farm and Lots of Rain; Wednesday, April 9. 2014



Rain showers at 3:25 AM. Joel got up to close the boat hatches. The reason he always gets up to do so is that with the hatch over the V-Berth always open at night, he is the first person on the boat to know it is raining because the rain drops on his head.

Got up at 5:35 AM. Stephen spotted a nice rainbow rat 7:00 AM rising up over an island and bracketed by one of the Rally sailboats.

The SSB station we're currently using is located on the island next door to us - Manihi, 19 miles away. Makes sending and receiving emails really fast.

At 8:00 AM a 40 knot squall hit the anchorage. We turned off our wind turbine, as you don't want it rotating in high winds. It wouldn't stop right away. Finally, after a half hour, it stopped because we had turned it off. Even if on, if the winds get too high the wind turbine is supposed to brake and turn itself off.

The weather faxes that Joel has been able to get on our SSB indicate a front has stopped on top of us, and that it wasn't supposed to change according to the 24 and 48 hour forecasts. Not good, as we, Nexus, Vivo, Ghost and Saphir are all planning on heading to Rangiroa tomorrow afternoon. The only good news about the forecast is that the winds forecast are only 10-15 knots. Rangiroa is 90 miles and 14 hours away.

We were supposed to be picked up by a boat at 9:00 AM for a half day tour of a Pearl Farm. At that time it was partly sunny, with the morning's rain and high winds over for now. At 9:45 AM we were picked up by Quentin and another Ahe young lady, after they picked up the crews on Nexus and Vivo. We then proceeded to the Pearl Farm about 20 minutes away. The boat we were on was a large skiff, with no life saving equipment, VHF radio or EPIRB on board. Would not have passed a US Coast Guard inspection. Oh well.

The Pearl Farm we were visiting was a small family operation, with the farm building on stilts over the water 75 yards away from land. The method of 'seeding' the Pearl Farm was demonstrated to us, and included 4 or 5 persons in he process. The Pearl Farms make cultured pearls, which involves planting a small amount of live flesh along with a small pear ball into the mouths of the oysters. Every year the pearl produced is removed and replaced with a larger one. It takes 5 years for the process to reach maturity. When the pearls have reached their maximum size. While at the farm, our guide also cut up some coconuts for us to drink. The fluid in the coconuts was fresh and more watery than coconut tasting.

A couple of fishing boats were at the farm, and two things were unique about them. First, the large skiff type boats were steered from the bow, like mullet boats in Florida. And second, the fishermen fished with a spear that had 4 or 5 barbs in the spear head. This spear was used while the boat was moving, and the driver of the boat used the spear to catch tuna and marlin. After spearing the fish, the spear with the fish attached would be lifted back into the boat and the fish put into a refrigeration type unit until the boat got back home. Like boats back home, these boats could be lifted out of the water. However, instead of using electric winches, there were 4, 4 foot in diameter wheels with line on them and two straps that were turned to raise the boats out of the water when they were not in use.

After leaving the Pearl Farm we proceeded to a beach area with picnic tables, where we had a snack and swam in the water. On the way back to our boats we stopped at a reef in the lagoon, and were able to see clams that had muscles in 6 different colors: black, blue, turquoise, brown, purple and white. I took video of the clams muscles and shell withdrawing into the shells, and pictures. We were dropped off at our boast around 1:34 PM. The half day tour cost each of us 3,000 francs, or about $37.50.

From when we got back to our boats until we went to bed, it rained on and off, sometimes very heavily. The wind roared thru the rigging on and off all afternoon and evening, also.

At 2:20 PM we had lunch which consisted of a freeze dried Beef Stew.

Shortly after that 3 other Rally boats made it to Ahe and anchored near us. I took our dingy and visited one of the new boats, Caduceus of Burnham. The boat was from the UK.

Dinner was at 6:00 PM and consisted of ham steaks marinated in brown sugar, corn, chilled pear halves and crackers with butter, jelly and peanut butter. Until we get to Rangiroa, the crackers will have to substitute for French bread.

After dinner we watch the movie From Dusk to Dawn, a Quenton Torrintino vampire movie. After that, since it was still early, we watch one more episode of The Sopranos.

Lights out at 9:30 AM.

Brian Fox

Previous | Next