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Exody - Days 107-113 : ".......et le premier prix pour categorie cruising - Exody !"



So came the announcement to our great surprise and pleasure as we picked up the only 'gong' as part of the World ARC Fleet participating in the 12th annual Tahiti Pearl Regatta. Exody came top on points over the four races for the 14-strong cruising class and we received our locally produced half model boat award at a beach ceremony and party on the tiny Motu Mahaea last night, Saturday 2nd May. Five World ARC boats with crew representation from several others, including ARC yellowshirt Joel as Exody's regatta crew, joined the thirty five boat fleet. We are based in Raiatea which shares its encircling reef and lagoon with neighbour Tahaa. Huahine is clearly visible about 20 miles to the east and Bora Bora a similar distance to the northwest. Together with Maupiti these make of the Leeward Islands of the Society Islands archipelago.

The race series over three days included a 22 mile passage race directly upwind to Huahine (abandoned by all cruisers due to lack of wind), a 10 mile coastal race outside the reef at Huahine (for which we were the winner out of only two entrants - key to our eventual points success!), a downwind coastal race back to Raiatea and, finally, a 21 mile round Tahaa race all within the encircling lagoon. Fantastic sailing on all points of sail, combining open waters and protected lagoons, the latter all very well marked just in case the sun were to be in the wrong place to help one read the rich array of turquoise water and brown coral colour shades that clearly indicate the depths and reefs. It was great to have Joel on board both as a keen, robust pair of hands on the winches, on the deck, at the helm etc., and as genial crew and company. Most of his ARC job is about flying worldwide between stopovers and organising our 'concierge' services so sailing was, ironically, a rare and appreciated treat!

Exody performed well even in the upwind sections including exhilarating short tacking through narrow reef passes. The Regatta included three evening beach parties with food, music, local welcome. A water taxi service delivered us ashore and back also bringing fresh baguettes in exchange for rubbish in the morning!

We had arrived in the small but busy Uturoa harbour on Raiatea on Monday 27th after an overnight motorsail from Tahiti, tying up alongside Garlix against the quay - our berth an equidistant 50 yards from the supermarket, the internet cafe and the fuel station. We moved later to the stern to moorings provided by the regatta, sought out the dedicated internet room in the post office and on Tuesday registered for the regatta in the colourful stalls set up in the town square. Wednesday was skippers briefing, when in my rush to reach on time I managed to fall into the harbour whilst stepping on board - complete with iPad in hand, Panama hat etc- the Panama recovered the iPad did not! By now many more boats were appearing from under 20 foot racers to a 45 foot trimaran so we elected to hold onto our quay space and not to participate in the practice race that afternoon. Petter left for his hotel room and Joel came aboard having just vacated the same room.

Communications for the three days racing left a little to be desired with some scheduled events either late or not happening at all, changes in main race VHF channel minimally announced in English, cancellation of some cruiser races at short notice etc. We put it down to the French flair for concepts not always being supported by similar strength in execution - perhaps exacerbated a bit by the Polynesian culture. We are of course glad to have participated in the Tahiti Pearl Regatta and appreciated the careful timetabling coordination by World ARC to make it possible - we have definitely seen more (at least from the sea) than we would have done in three days cruising!

Last night, anchored off Motu Mahaea in less than 5 metres of crystal water, we could still clearly see the coral heads and seabed at midnight with the near full moon. This morning we sailed the five miles back to Uturoa bringing back World ARC's yellowshirt Victor, who had missed his boat's early hour departure. Petter and Joel have re-swapped hotel for forecabin and Petter is now re-acclimatising after his four nights of air-conditioned, high speed internet bliss.

We leave for Suwarrow atoll a week today so now have a little time to explore Raiatea and Tahaa further and perhaps to visit adjacent Bora Bora less than thirty miles away. In the meantime I am figuring out how to creatively reconfigure our rather large cruising trophy for permanent onboard display!

Peter (Skipper)

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