While no flights were allowed into French Polynesia we observed that people went back to their normal behaviour–no masks, kisses for greetings, etc. We were worried that they would not change these customs when the borders were opened again. Fortunately we were wrong: In town almost everybody is wearing masks now (many in colourful Polynesian patterns), people queue with respectful distance in supermarkets and I was surprised when the cashier at ‘Champion’ disinfected every single coin and banknote when I did my shopping there today. No cases in Tahiti so far, we hope for the best.
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2020
25
Jul
2020
24
Jul
Boatyard chaos
Being on the hard means hard work all day long (and a few times into the night–ever tried to apply black antifouling in the dark?). As we live on Pitufa, we cannot walk away from the building site in the evening. We usually need at least one bit from every single one of our many lockers and by the end of the day there’s no free surface available. In order to being able to sit down, we first need to stow away at least the worst of the mess.
Of course such chaos also means searching for bits and pieces and it’s especially annoying when you think you’ve handed down all the stuff that’s needed for a job (by bucket elevator), only to find out that there’s one tiny bit missing–4 m up the ladder, around the deck, 6 steps down into the boat and the same way back again. At least we can’t complain about lack of work-out.
Fortunately we managed to get all jobs done within a single week (antifouling, paint repairs, new shaft seal, new cutlass bearing, new depth sounder in a bigger thru-hull, closing a no longer needed thru-hull, fabricating a platform for a new swimming ladder, having it welded on, installing the ladder, etc. etc.) and we splashed this morning! Hurray!! We spent the rest of the day cleaning up the boat and clearing away the chaos. Oh yes, and Christian of course couldn’t resist finishing the installation of the swimming ladder–a job that turned out to be more complicated that expected needed bits and pieces from hidden storage spaces. Anyway, now we’re done and ready to have an after-work beer!
We needed a new cutless bearing
Toxic stuff...
Birgit's painting the new antifouling
Boatyard chaos
After welding mounts for our new swimming ladder, plenty of fairing was necessary.
Deep draft means working high up on the hard.
After just one week, Pitufa splashes again.
2020
14
Jul
Article on Dangers of Atolls in Blue Water Sailing Magazine
Birgit Hackl, Christian Feldbauer: The dangers of navigating and anchoring in atolls, Blue Water Sailing, Spring 2020, p. 24–29. Read the current issue online.
2020
12
Jul
In Touch with Nature–Article in All-at-Sea July Issue
Birgit Hackl, Christian Feldbauer: Cruising–Living in Touch with Nature, All At Sea Caribbean, July 2020, p. 42–48. Download the whole magazine for free or read the online version of this article.
2020
06
Jul
Arrival in Tahiti
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.
2020
05
Jul
Sailing under a full moon
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!
2020
04
Jul
Water in the bilge
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!
2020
03
Jul
Fast trip
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!
2020
02
Jul
Change of Plans
On July 15 international flights are supposed to resume to French Polynesia and we are a little bit worried that this will lead to another covid alarm and subsequent inter-island travel ban. We therefore have changed plans, will head to Tahiti today and try to get a haul-out, some repairs, some doctor’s appointments, shopping (the yearly routine) done before that may happen.
The weather’s not ideal, a rough start then dying winds, so we hope we won’t be stuck with flapping sails in high seas. 420 nm to go!
2020
29
Jun
Austrian fleet
There’s more Austrian boats than you’d think in the South Pacific, but as it’s such a wide area we don’t run into them very often. At the moment there are two others here in Raroia though and we’ve met up in the Southeastern ‘Austrian corner’. We met Alrisha (www.alrisha.at) in the Gambier last year already, but it’s the first time that we manage to catch up with SY Nomad (www.seenomaden.at). Doris and Wolf have been out for more than 2 decades and their popular presentations and books have inspired many from our landlocked country to go out sailing the seven seas. It’s fun to hang out with those ‘sailing stars’ for a bit!
2020
26
Jun
A perfect day for our 25th
For our 25th anniversary yesterday we had planned to spend a lazy day with Tuamotu entertainment (motu walk and snorkeling). Unfortunately it was grey with pouring rain, so we spent the day in front of our laptops, working as usually. At least we opened a bottle of red and cooked up a gourmet feast. Still a bit disappointing.
Today we were rewarded with that perfect day in turquoise we had wished for: a motu walk with birdies and a huge, old whale skeleton on the outer reef, snorkeling with beautiful coral, colourful fishies and curious sharkies and on the way back a blue-fin jack bit heartily into our lure–as good as it gets 
2020
20
Jun
Dawn on the wrong side
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).
2020
15
Jun
Approaching Raroia
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) 
2020
14
Jun
Fast passage
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!
2020
13
Jun
Fast sailing
The squally weather continues, not much fun, but at least we’re fast, averaging 6 knots. 235 nm to go!