Doing a drift dive or a drift snorkel in the pass of an atoll is a magical experience: you take the dinghy out against the incoming tide, hop into the deep azure of the Pacific and watch the underwater world glide by while the crystal clear ocean water sweeps you back into the lagoon. The coral on the walls and even on the bottom of… Continue reading »
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2014
25
Sep
2014
22
Sep
Coral
Between Tahiti and the Ile Gambier the Pacific is adorned with almost 80 turquoise-white rings–the Iles Tuamotu. These atolls are the remnants of volcanic islands that have long sunk back into the sea, leaving only the fringing reef with its little islands on top behind. Many of the Tuamotus have gaps in their barrier reef, the passes that allow sailing ships to slip into the… Continue reading »
2014
19
Sep
Arrived in Tahanea
This morning This morning we reached the sandy, all-around turquoise atoll Tahanea. No villages, no shops (no way to spend money!), just nature
2014
17
Sep
Sailing close-hauled
We weren’t too lucky when buying veggies and fruit on the market, despite our efforts to get the greenest available from all species we’re already under pressure eating ahead of decay We got more wind than predicted and Pitufa’s pounding close-hauled into high seas (30 knots in the beginning, now down to 20-25), but she’s storming ahead bravely, even though we overloaded her yet again… Continue reading »
2014
15
Sep
Through the Tuamotus
Pitufa and her crew will spend the next few months exploring the atoll chain of the Tuamotus (French Polynesia), working our way slowly upwind eastwards.
2014
15
Sep
Yacht services in Tahiti
During our repairs we’ve made some experiences with yacht services in Tahiti and the Societies, which we’d like to share with other cruisers. We cannot recommend the haul-out facilities at Technimarine in Papeete. It’s expensive, the personnel was unfriendly to rude and Pitufa still bears the rust marks from the sanding of rusty fishing vessels in this boat yard. The only advantage of Technimarine is… Continue reading »
2014
15
Sep
Finally ready to leave
The last 4 months have been quite rough on Pitufa and her crew. Hauling out twice to fix different problems on the shaft, replacing part of the rigg and installing a new antenna system for the SSB, changing the engine mounts, servicing the engine and dozens of other little jobs meant chaos on Pitufa, worries about the outcomes of the projects, flat feet from countless… Continue reading »
2014
07
Sep
Watersport in French Polynesia
The Polynesians have a long and proud tradition of navigating between the islands and even crossing oceans. Even though much of that knowledge was lost after the Europeans arrived and deprived the locals of much of their culture, watersports seems deeply rooted in the Polynesians. Here in the anchorage in Arue we hear pirogues (va’a) splashing by as soon as dawn sets in. Single paddlers,… Continue reading »
2014
03
Sep
Good-bye Dingsy
Right after buying Pitufa in 2008 we got our first dinghy. It was a cheap boat+outboard set from an Austrian DIY store and made of PVC, so nobody expected it to last very long in the searing tropical sun. In our rookie ignorance we towed it in rough conditions in the Med and tore off most of its straps, rolled it up on deck with… Continue reading »