Yacht Zen Again: French Polynesia to Samoa Passage Summary

Wednesday, 20 August 2025

French Polynesia to Samoa Passage Summary

Hi everyone,

Here is the summary of our passage from Bora Bora in French Polynesia to Apia in Samoa. It was a 1200nm passage by our route which took us NW into the trades before turning W for Samoa. We had light to moderate winds throughout, except for rain squalls which gusted to 28 knots max so were quite benign. No thunderstorms whatsoever. We had rain squalls on three consecutive days only. Otherwise it was sunny and pleasant apart from swell. Overall it was nice passage in a very good weather window.

Amazing sunsets

Here are the usual plots...

Track

Arrival

Graphs

Here are the vital stats for the passage…

• Distances/Speeds

• Route Distance = 1200 nm

• Logged Distance = 1452 nm

• GPS Distance = 1413 nm

• Duration = 12 days 1 hour

• Average speed = 4.9 kt

• Average day's run = ~126nm

• Best day's run = 128 nm

• Minimum boat speed = 3.5 kt

• Maximum boat speed = 7.0 kt

• Weather

• Minimum wind speed = 3 kt

• Average wind speed = 12 knots

• Maximum wind speed = 20 with gusts to 28

• Apparent wind angle range = 90 to 150

• Seas 1m to 2m with very sloppy sea state near rain squalls

• Swell 4m initially reducing to 2m for most of the passage

• Clear with 1/8 cloud mostly except overcast when rain squalls around

• Full moon waning to 1/4 moon

• Engine

• Total = 36 hours

• Driving = 36 hours (motoring clear of rain squalls and their surrounding calms/chop)

• Charging = 0 hours

• Failures

• Compass light

• Stars

• The boat - as always

• WindPilot vane gear - steered except when motoring, down to 6 knots apparent

Zen Again in Bora Bora

Outside Bora Bora pass

Our departure from Bora Bora was quite exciting. There was a 4m swell running. The swells were much reduced in the pass itself but were breaking spectacularly on each side. We had at least 3 knots of current with us. Once in a which a swell in the pass got near to breaking. Zen Again went through one of those with green water back to the mast and along each side deck. Then we were out.

Once out we motored for 3 hours to get out of the lee of the island and into the gradient wind. The big swells really messed with the apparent wind in the light breeze. For the rest of the passage we only motored to get out from under rain squalls or to escape the calms they left behind.

The first 5 days saw us broad reaching NW to the latitude of Samoa from where we broad reached to and fro W. The larger excursions from this route were to avoid areas of very light winds, initially in the S then in the N. We had only the first reef in the main for much of this time which shows the winds were quite light (10-15 knots).

First reef in the mainsail

Days 6 to 8 produced rain squalls. None developed into thunderstorms. They seemed to start from small cumulus clouds, get big enough to produce heavy rain, then exhausted themselves and evaporated away entirely. While growing they expanded in all directions, sometimes at a rate exceeding the gradient wind. So they 'grew' to windward. So an all-round lookout or approaching rain and wind was necessary.

Evaporating rain squall

Dodging a rain squall

The last three days were mostly sunny. We had a few minor rain squalls which didn't produce much wind, perhaps gusts to 20 knots only. Happily we arrived off Samoa at dawn so could admire the island as we approached Apia.

Samoa Ho!

On arrival we contacted Port Control via VHF and we allowed to enter the harbour. See the preceding post for info on clearing in. Yesterday we went into town for a look around and to get local cash. We plan to tour the island and will post on that in future.