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Exody - Days 114-118 : "It is an expensive way to get to Bora Bora!"



.....is how Marian frequently described our decision to enter this rally and now we can report having finally got there! The World ARC stopover was in fact switched from Bora Bora to nearby Raiatea with its better infrastructure for yachts in transit and, perhaps, the benefits of co-location with the Tahiti Pearl Regatta base.

We set off around midday on Monday 4th May from our town-centre alongside berth at Uturoa, Raiatea. Headed northwest for Bora Bora, firstly back between the now familiar reefs between Raiatea and Tahaa, then through the Passe PaiPai out into the large swells of the Pacific - delivering tremendous waves over the coral reefs either side of the pass. Aretha was ahead of us with Ayama and Hugur not far behind. The passage is only 25 miles but there was little wind and we motor-sailed all of the way and around two sides of Bora Bora's encircling reef to the Passe Teavanui on the protected west side, making it in through heavy showers about an hour before nightfall. Neither yacht club had moorings available - and anchorage was not desired in 25 metres plus so we followed the other three boats down to Bloody Mary's a well known restaurant and bar where they picked up the last three moorings! Exody found her way to a 5 metre anchorage about half a mile away tucked into a patch of mid blue water lying a little oddly- mainly to the current and perpendicular to the wind.

Petter elected to relax and keep anchor watch whilst we smartened up to dinghy across in the dark to join the other three crews for 7pm dinner at Bloody Mary's - opened in 1979, the floor is sand, the tables and chairs highly varnished handcrafted wood, the menu all displayed and explained uncooked by most elegantly attired staff - interesting and creative hair adornments of flowers, leaves, etc. The list of the rich and famous customers is prominently displayed at the entrance like a list of school captains, though undated - white copperplate on highly varnished wood. The meal and venue did not disappoint! The three flashes of an east cardinal mark led us back to Exody late on and we slept well.

After treating ourselves to both internet then lunch at Bloody Mary's, we dinghied the 1.5 miles across to the village of Vaitape on Tuesday afternoon. We found it surprisingly less well groomed than other towns here, perhaps as the roads were all being fixed - but we found cash eventually, a snatch of internet at the post office and Petter homed in on a cafe in the shade serving cappuchinos. Hugur had booked the 'other' headline restaurant for dinner at MaiKai Yacht Club so Marian and I joined them and Ayama on the rickety shuttle bus provided - again the meal did not disappoint and the restaurant was in a 'hut on steroids'- 19 metre high pyramid all thatched- we had to be moved to a prime position over the infinity pool as the roof leaked in the torrential rain over our first table!

An island tour mainly by boat on Wednesday morning together with crews of Hugur and Ayama - snorkelling with stingrays and black-tipped reef sharks then over a coral garden, circumnavigating the island inside the lagoon (it is only five miles long and two wide) then ending up at a 'lagoonarium' - caged sharks turtles and rays that you swim with - this time bigger lemon sharks. Petter agreed with Lonely Planet's advice- "you may not like this" and we tended to concur. The trip was worth doing overall but it is the first that we've been on with so many folk - 35 on board- it is normally a more manageable 10 or 12! The lagoon, reefs and water are all stunning but not particularly more so than elsewhere in French Polynesia.

We set off back to Tahaa immediately on our return soon after 13.30, judging that we'd make it by nightfall- and so we ended up after motorsailing the whole way rafting up with Garlix on a mooring in the deep indentation of Baie Hurepiti opposite Passe PaiPai just before 18.00. The quiet rural atmosphere here was so different from Bora Bora and we regretted that the round island 'Vanilla Tour' was full up for Thursday. So we made our way back early on to Uturoa, refuelled, watered and tied stern to the town quay between Ayama and Hugur. The sailmaker came with our new see-through sun screens for the cockpit bimini - good job and good value! By the time of the formal rendezvous on Thursday evening, there were eight boats here, five at the marina a few kilometres away and three still at Papeete or Moorea. We had a good night with cocktails, good food and music at La Cubana, preceded for me by an hour of reasonable quality internet.

Ten of us joined World ARC Joel to climb the 985 foot Mount Tapioi behind the town at seven this morning, Friday 8th - stunning views before the rain set in! The rest of the day, a public holiday here, was spent fixing our water pump and getting the boat back to cruising mode from racing - spray dodger back up etc. We managed to skype our daughter in India for her 25th birthday, standing drenched outside the closed post office with its hotspot, where Marian incidentally had nearly got locked in the day before.

As I write on Friday evening it is still pouring with rain as it has been most of the day - more like home than the tropics where we are more used to short sharp showers or squalls - it is possibly the same weather system that is unfortunately forecast to deliver us very light winds through to the middle of next week. Some boats are thus reckoning to stop on the way and wait for the wind so Bora Bora may yet get more World ARC visitors!

Peter (Skipper)


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