Tahiti to Moorea Sailing Rendezvous

Hi everyone,

We've just completed the Tahiti to Moorea Sailing Rendezvous with 23 other yachts.  It was fantastic.  It exceeded our expectations and was great value.

Zen Again in Moorea
(Danish sv Enterprise photo)

On Friday afternoon we attended the event briefing at Papeete Marina.  The weather wasn't ideal and we got a ride with US sv Wanderlust in their RIB.  We got there in 15 minutes vice 90 minutes in our little rubber ducky and electric outboard.  The briefing was thorough, including anchorage and mooring information for the rest of the Society Islands.

Briefing

On Saturday morning we weighed anchor (it's heavy) and headed out from the Airport Anchorage to Papeete Port and though the pass into the open sea.  At 1030 we started with the other boats in a light W breeze.  Within an hour most of the catamarans were motoring although the fleet was led by trimaran Oceans Tribute and catamaran Southern Wing.

Farewell Tahiti

Sailing to Moorea

We sailed until 1400 in a light W wind under full sail.  By then it was clear we needed to motor to get in before sunset.  So the motor went on and we motor-sailed with a group of boats towards Moorea.  The island has a spectacular profile with impressive mountains.

A view of Cook's Bay, Moorea

We passed Cook's Bay and finished at Opunohu Bay a little further west.  We proceeded down into the bay and anchored in 12m over mud.  We immediately launched the dinghy and went ashore to join the welcome event  with free rum punch followed by dinner.  After dinner a troupe of Polynesian dancers entertained us all.  A very impressive welcome.

Into Opunohu Bay, Moorea

Polynesian dancing

With fire

And audience participation

Zen Again in Opunohu Bay

On Sunday morning we dinghied ashore after enjoying breakfast of fresh baguettes delivered by the organisers.  The day whizzed by with canoe racing in the morning, a wonderful lunch of local produce, and an afternoon of games including tugs of war, banana running and stone lifting.  The highlight was an excellent Polynesian band with dancers.

Fish pedicure

Gift stalls

Canoe racing

Sitting down for lunch

Lunch with cruising pals

Tug of war

Ladies preparing to dance, and the band

Lads dancing with fire

Impressive performance

Dancers with Sailing Rendezvous organisers

The final event on Sunday was a presentation on Polynesian navigation techniques by the Tahitian Historical Society which hosted the event on the island.   Interesting presentation.

Lecture on Polynesian Navigation

Monday morning saw the final part of the event following breakfast provided ashore.  Teams from Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu described the attractions of their countries and the regulations applying to visiting yachts.  Very interesting and useful.

Tonga briefing

NZ briefing

We expect to spend a few more days in Moorea.  The Sailing Rendezvous is an annual event.  Its a great way to experience a little Polynesian culture, learn about future destinations and spend time with like-minded cruisers.  Recommended!

The Sailing Rendezvous has a web site here.

Trust all's well where you are.

Tahiti

Hi everyone,

We've spent 9 nights in Tahiti so far.  We expect to depart tomorrow with the Tahiti to Moorea Sailing Rendezvous.  Our first week was spent reprovisioning, refueling, rewatering and doing minor boat jobs.

Sunset over Moorea from Tahiti

One morning we borrowed Let's Go's dinghy.  That took us the 2nm to Marina Taina for fuel and water.  From there we walked to the nearby Carrefour supermarket for an initial provisioning run.  It would have taken three runs in our little dinghy and the battery is only good for one trip, and that in calm weather.  Thanks guys!

Borrowed dinghy full of fuel & water at Taina Marina

Pit stop at the marina cafe

Heading home

One afternoon we went for a snorkel with the EBBYC crews of Let's Go, Matahari and Adriana1.  We swam on the reef adjacent to the anchorage.

Every day a set of Tiki Bar boats come out to the reef near the anchorage.  They're fun to watch but the doof-doof music gets tiresome for the boats anchored near them.  Happily we can barely hear them.

Tiki Bar boat passing by

We spent two days touring the island with the Aussie sv Southern Wing crew.  We hired a car and spent one night at a small beach-side chalet hotel near the isthmus of the island.  We visited a museum, two Maraes, a water garden, several waterfalls and a lookout near the top of the "small island" east of the isthmus.

The museum

Recovered anchor from Cook's HMS Adventure

In the museum

We visited two Marae - sacred Polynesian sites.  Constructions of volcanic rock and carved stone tiki statues.

The water garden is an ancient Polynesian series of water streams and ponds fed from waterfalls and draining into the adjacent ocean.  Very interesting and colourful.

Later on day 2 we drove along the S coast of the "small island" to the site of the 2024 Paris olympics surfing events.  A long way from Paris!

Our accommodation was basic but clean, and very affordable.  It offers a set of small chalets or a terrace of rooms with a common area.  Twas a nice little place to stay and they recommended a great place for dinner.

Chalets

Posh dinner at La Manoa restaurant

On day 2 we explored the N side of the "small island", including driving up to a lookout point.  There were several walks from the lookout point and we took a short one.

We then returned to the "big island" and drove back to Papeete along the E coast.  We stopped at several waterfalls along the way.

Approaching Papeete we stopped at Pt Venus where Cook observed the transit of Venus.

Pt Venus lighthouse

In Papeete we visited a couple of the chandlers.  We managed to get everything we wanted which was a pleasant surprise.  From there we went to the Carrefour supermarket for our final Tahiti reprovisioning.  Then back to Taina Marina for happy hour drinks with OCC sv Nimue.  It was great to see so much of Tahiti.  We were very lucky with the weather, dinghying in and out in flat calm conditions.

Returning back to Zen Again

Our next planned stop is Moorea.  That's only a 15nm sail and we'll have a couple of local school kids with us (and a chaperone).  Then we have Sailing Rendezvous cultural events on Sunday and briefings on the Cooks, Tonga and NZ on Monday.  Should be fun and educational!

Trust all's well where you are.