Pitufa.at

After a fast sail we were running out of wind on the last miles. Tahiti was ahead all day long–still 10 nm to go at sunset. Fortunately anchoring in the dark is no problem in the bay off Pt Venus, so we’ll sleep in our bed tonight again.

Despite the so-so forecast this passage has been fabulous. 6 knots average on the first day, 5 from then on and all that under sunny skies without a single squall. The nights are magic as well with a full moon lighting the way. 65 nm to go!

Yesterday the water alarm in the bilge went off and we discovered about 40 l of water sloshing around… We quickly got a manual pump out and dried the bilge–not much fun on a rolling boat. Then came the frantic search for the lead–fortunately it was quickly found. The seal on the rudder stock needs redoing. Another little project for Tahiti… 185 nm to go!

Yesterday’s start was a bit bumpy: we sailed through squalls with 30 knots across the lagoon, doubting our decision to head out. The outgoing current rushed us out with 12 knots (4 knots boatspeed, 8 knots current), but then the ocean conditions were not so bad. Now we are rushing along downwind under headsail only, doing 6 to 7 knots. 320 nm to go!

We’re in the trade wind belt, so the wind usually blows from somewhere between Southeast and Northeast. When a Northwesterly comes it’s normally during or at the onset of a depression or trough, but this time it slowly clocked from the Northeast to the Northwest with sunny skies because the trough is rather weak. We’ve used this unusual weather to explore the western side of the atoll.
As I’m writing this blog (with the laptop on the bimini to find a few bars of mobile phone connection) the seldom visited motus ahead of us awake with red-footed boobies roaring, reed warblers singing and terns adding their shrill calls. There’s not many places left where you can listen to this morning choir anymore… Behind me the sunrise paints the sky in a bright orange that fades to a dark purple above me with the last stars twinkling faintly.

Today the wind is expected to turn to the west and we’ll use this breeze to sail trough the bommie-strewn lagoon all the way down to the Southeast corner as there’s a mara’amu (strong Southeasterly) precidicted for tomorrow (and a couple of days).

Last night the wind turned into a light breeze–ideal timing or we would have arrived too early. Now we’re sailing down the western side of Raroia towards the pass, it’s a beautiful sunny morning, just a few tiny rainclouds around and we hope to catch one of them as Pitufa’s in dire need of a boatwash. In the shade of the island it’s calm, so Leeloo has declared the passage for over and has left her sea berth for a second breakfast (during a rough passage she only gets up for urgent errands–water, toilet and back to bed)

The fast ride goes on, fortunately it’s the tack heeling towards the galley, so cooking’s still okay… We’ve had the lure out since we left, just the right conditions for an oh-no-not-now fishy, but still no luck. Apart from that the fourlegged and twolegged crew are doing well. 100 nm to go!

The squally weather continues, not much fun, but at least we’re fast, averaging 6 knots. 235 nm to go!

Last night one squall followed the other, keeping the watch busy. We had mostly 20 knots from the NE, gusting 30. Now conditions have settled a bit. 370 nm to go!