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Lydia - Lydia's Blog 4-8 April 2016



Tuesday 4 April 16

Another perfect day with the wind on our beam, gentle seas with a 10 knot ESE breeze wafting us to our destination on a course of 220 degrees. At 8.30 we furled the yankee and staysail and hoisted the big Crusing Shute which immediately increased our speed by over a knot. In mid morning we were called up by a friendly Chinese cargo ship (S.S. Hangjing Express) who passed some 8 miles astern and was just surprised to see a little yacht so far from home.

Later we came across a Tuna boat but did not pass close enough to disturb his fishing. At noon our position was Lat 20'S Long 142d 20'W with a day's run of only 126 miles owing to light winds earlier. Before sunset at 17.30 we took down the Cruising shute and unfurled the yankee and staysail ready for night sailing. Once again we enjoyed a really beautiful sunset while drinking a tin of cold beer. Steve cooked delicious steaks for dinner followed by apricots for pudding. 460 miles to go before Rangiroa.


Wednesday 5 April 16.

The wind had increased slightly during the night so we had 10-15 knots ESE on a lovely beam reach continuing to fly full main and yankee but half staysail. At midday we had reached Lat 12d 02'S Long 144d 05'W with a better day's run of 164 miles and 310 miles to go. The night sky was beautiful with the stars and Milky Way crystal clear. Alvaro cooked a tasty Spag Bog for dinner.


Thursday 6 April 16.

At 5.30am we overtook an Australian yacht bound also for the Toamotus which slowly disappeared astern. Slightly later I was up to do my last clothes' wash on deck before the sun got too hot. It is a matter of donning a lifejacket and attaching oneself to an after guard rail to stop oneself sliding from one side of the deck to other as Lydia rolls. We use the deck shower attachment to fill a bucket of water held firmly between one's knees with some clothes' washing liquid. It is then scrub a dub dub for each article of clothing followed for two or three more buckets of water to rinse. The most effective way of drying we have learnt is to rig a long line going back and forth between the two main back stays rather than hanging things on the guard rails along the sides. Donald reckons with all our washing hanging there and the wind astern it gives us an extra half knot!

At 8am the wind was gentle enough to furl the yankee and staysail and once again hoist the Cruising Shute. Poor Alvaro was not well and remained a bit delicate for the next day or two. Clearly it cannot have been caused by his cooking the night before since the rest of us remained fine. At midday our position was Lat 13d 40'S Long 144d 45'W with a day's run of 146 miles.

At 15.30 we took down the Cruising Shute as the wind had died and we continued motoring with full main at 6 knots. However, by 17.30 we had more wind so off engine and unfurled yankee and staysail. As the sun went down we could see large clouds about some with sheets of rain under them and saw a double rainbow.


Friday 7 April 16.

When I came on watch at midnight, I could see dark clouds with rain squalls underneath. Half an hour later the rain came down in sheets, Fortunately I had quickly changed into my swimming trunks before so all I got was a tepid bath. After the squalls had moved on, the wind completely died so once at1.30am we again furled the yankee and staysail and motored on with full main to stablise us. By 09.30 we caught our first sight of Rangiroa Atoll with its 100 mile perimeter making it the second largest atoll in the world. All we could see from 15 miles out was the tops of some palm trees and a radio mastnear the main northern pass entrance to the atoll. As we sailed closer the coast and palm trees of the atoll came more and more into view until finally they stretched across our entire horizon. By 11am, (perfect timing by Donald) the tide was almost at slack water through the entrance pass which we could now see clearly together with the two tall, white leading marks taking us through the centre of the entrance. At 11.15 we were surrounded by small standing waves, still with some tide against us so although our engine was pushing us through the water at 6 knots we were only making 1.5 knots over the ground. Finally we passed through the turbulent water and came into the smooth clear waters of the vast lagoon beyond. Going through the entrance we noticed a little restaurant immediately overlooking the pass with its verandah built out over the water. This turned out to be the much recommended French restaurant, "Dauphin Gormand" about which we had been briefed back in Nuku Hiva.


On passing through the entrance we noticed to our left a small port with a coaster alongside, a small settlement with a church and the atoll stretching as far as the eye could see. On the other side there appeared a similar little port also with a small coaster unloading cargo. Beyond in the foreground we saw two ARC catamarans, Kiwi Beanz and Widago anchored outside what was clearly was a very smart resort hotel with individual little huts both on the land and over the water. Donald wished to anchor opposite the hotel Kai Ora which according to the chart we had was situated a couple of miles further down the coast. We thus explored down the coast but could not find anything resembling a smart hotel where the chart marked it should be.

However on radioing our ARC friends we discovered that the smart resort opposite which they had anchored was indeed the Kai Ora hotel for which we were looking and our chart was out of date, or possibly the hotel had moved since the chart was printed.

By 1300 we had anchored in clear bight bluey green waters opposite the Kai Ora and celebated with a salad lunch and cold beer, of which poor Alvaro, still suffering, could only eat a bowl of rice. After this Donald and I went ashore to the report to the local Gendarmerie to register formally Lydia's arrival and my departure from the crew and my onward flight to Tahiti on the Monday.

Interestingly the pleasant French Gendarme was dressed with sidearm, handcuffs and night stick as though he were in France rather than on a faraway atoll the other side of the world from La France.

On our return we all went snorkelling in the warm clear waters watching little damsel and sergeant major fish play around the rocks and coral heads closer to shore.

That evening we all went ashore again to the Kai Ora hotel and had pre dinner drinks in the most pleasant and luxurious of surroundings. We met Guy and Ali Moseley off Widago and Gavin Chittenden and Sarah Le Claire from Kiwi Beanz plus their children. They had decided to take some well earned respite from sailing to stay for a few nights in the hotel in order to luxuriate in the air conditioning, jacuzzi baths and stable beds. Our Polynesian waitress on hearing we had not pre booked dinner said that she, with great effort, might still be able to squeeze us in for a meal. When we did sit down the place appeared nearly empty but we appreciated her successful efforts.


Saturday 8 April 16.

There was little breeze during the night which was very hot and airless making it difficult to sleep. Nevertheless we were all up bright and early to take part on an expedition to see how black pearls were made and harvested locally. At 8am we were duly collected on the main road by a taxi who was not allowed to enter the superior grounds of the Kai Ora. He took us a few kilometers to the main manufacturer of black pearls in the Tuamotus.

There we learnt that black pearls are only to be found in the Tuamotus and some small islands to the south (Gambier?). We saw the delicate work of introducing a very small round object specially maufactured from American oysters from the MissisSippi into a local oyster and then adding some DNA from another sacrifical local oyster. The oyster so operated on was then returned into the sea for at least two years. We saw the whole process including placing the oysters into specially protected bags to be hung at between 3 and 9 meters under the water in closed off areas along the shore.

In due course we returned to have coffee at the Kai Ora followed by a snorkel. Our plan for the rest of the day will be to take a taxi to the local village some 8 kms away to replinsh stores and acquire more fuel for the outboard. On advice from the Black Pearl farm we hope to have supper at a small traditional local Polynesian restaurant called LiLi near the entrance of the atoll.

This is the last blog from me so I thank those who have had the stamina and patience to read some of Lydia's Blog of this unforgettable and enjoyable voyage.

With every good wish from Donald and his crew of Lydia,

Nigel


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