April 28-29, Logged 112 Nautical Miles

8 ½ Hours Sail, 11 ¼ Hours Motor

May 1, Logged 27.5 Nautical Miles, 5 Hours Motor

May 3, Logged 5 Nautical Miles, Motoring

April 28 – May 5

Huahine and Raiatea

Huahine and Raiatea were our next stops in the Societe Islands, they are over 100 miles Northwest of Tahiti and are part of the Leeward Islands Group. Huahine is composed of two islands enclosed in a single lagoon connected by a bridge. It is an old Island, born from three distinct volcanic eruptions.

To ensure a daytime arrival in Huahine we left Tahiti in the afternoon. The full moon passage started with great sailing flying the spinnaker until 10:30 pm, when the wind quit and we motored the next eleven hours. Entering through a cut in the reef called Pass Avapehi, we motored inside the fringing reef to a southwest anchorage in Avea Baie. Joining Kim and Zim from “Someday” and Gary and Tori from “Solitude” we relaxed with cocktails in the water off the beach. The next morning we cleaned the boat bottom and transom. When other boats arrived, we went on a nice short walk with “Cayuse” to Marae Anini. It was on the southern tip of the island that had a beautiful rugged reef and sandy shore. Later a large group of us gathered at Hotel Mahana for happy hour. Jane from “Lebicco” shared information on places to visit on other Societe Islands from the ARC provided charts.

As we prepared to leave the next morning, Dan discovered the port engine had no oil pressure, he thought it may be a sensor. With no repair facilities on Huahine we left for Raiatea. We stopped part way up the coast of Huahine and cruised with the dinghy through Port Bourayne between the two islands, then headed for Raiatea.

Raiatea is the administrative center of the Leeward Islands. It is a mountainous Motu within a wide deep lagoon rich with fish. It has a unique navigable river and the biggest Marae of Polynesia. Deep into Faaroa Bay we picked up a mooring and we were then invited to sailing vessel “Christine” where we enjoyed snacks and sundowners. We enjoyed talking with Dieter, Ursula and their daughter Christine, who lives in Australia and was visiting. We left early the next morning, in the dinghy with Gary and Tori to visit Taputaputea the International Marae. This ancient site is a cultural and political complex which played a major role in the history of Polynesian civilization. Located on the beautiful shore of Opoa Bay, the area is surrounded with shallow reefs and dominated by the sacred Teaetapu Mountain forests. That afternoon a fleet of six World ARC dinghies’s set out to go river cruising. At times the trees made a canopy over the river with vines hanging down. The river banks were lush with foliage and green cloaked mountains were in the background. We stopped on the muddy river bank and a Polynesian man showed us around his fruit and vegetable farm. That evening we gathered in dinghy’s for sundowners at the back of “Libeccio”.

With our port engine not oiling, we left our fellow cruisers the next morning and motored to Apooti Marina on northwest Raiatea. There was a Mooring’s Charter Base there and Patricia who worked here was very helpful. She told us we could use the mooring ball, gave us their WIFI password and later gave us two used alternator belts. Hal from”Cayuse” had done some research on mechanics in the area and we found Thierry near the shipyard in the next bay. He determined we need a new fuel pump, with customs and declarations it would take 2 to 3 weeks. We are scheduled to leave French Polynesia in less than one week, so this is not a good option. Our next port with repair facilities and possible parts is Fiji, but that is two months from now. Dan talked to a mechanic form our home town in Port Charlotte, Florida to confirm the problem and see if he would order the parts. Claudia from Port Charlotte will rejoin us in Fiji and could bring the part with her. This may be our best option. It is the weekend and many businesses are closed so we are leaving Raiatea to meet up with some of the ARC boats in Tahaa, a short distance away.

Huahine and Raiatea were our next stops in the Societe Islands, they are over 100 miles Northwest of Tahiti and are part of the Leeward Islands Group. Huahine is composed of two islands enclosed in a single lagoon connected by a bridge. It is an old Island, born from three distinct volcanic eruptions.

To ensure a daytime arrival in Huahine we left Tahiti in the afternoon. The full moon passage started with great sailing flying the spinnaker until 10:30 pm, when the wind quit and we motored the next eleven hours. Entering through a cut in the reef called Pass Avapehi, we motored inside the fringing reef to a southwest anchorage in Avea Baie. Joining Kim and Zim from “Someday” and Gary and Tori from “Solitude” we relaxed with cocktails in the water off the beach. The next morning we cleaned the boat bottom and transom. When other boats arrived, we went on a nice short walk with “Cayuse” to Marae Anini. It was on the southern tip of the island that had a beautiful rugged reef and sandy shore. Later a large group of us gathered at Hotel Mahana for happy hour. Jane from “Lebicco” shared information on places to visit on other Societe Islands from the ARC provided charts.

As we prepared to leave the next morning, Dan discovered the port engine had no oil pressure, he thought it may be a sensor. With no repair facilities on Huahine we left for Raiatea. We stopped part way up the coast of Huahine and cruised with the dinghy through Port Bourayne between the two islands, then headed for Raiatea.

Raiatea is the administrative center of the Leeward Islands. It is a mountainous Motu within a wide deep lagoon rich with fish. It has a unique navigable river and the biggest Marae of Polynesia. Deep into Faaroa Bay we picked up a mooring and we were then invited to sailing vessel “Christine” where we enjoyed snacks and sundowners. We enjoyed talking with Dieter, Ursula and their daughter Christine, who lives in Australia and was visiting. We left early the next morning, in the dinghy with Gary and Tori to visit Taputaputea the International Marae. This ancient site is a cultural and political complex which played a major role in the history of Polynesian civilization. Located on the beautiful shore of Opoa Bay, the area is surrounded with shallow reefs and dominated by the sacred Teaetapu Mountain forests. That afternoon a fleet of six World ARC dinghies’s set out to go river cruising. At times the trees made a canopy over the river with vines hanging down. The river banks were lush with foliage and green cloaked mountains were in the background. We stopped on the muddy river bank and a Polynesian man showed us around his fruit and vegetable farm. That evening we gathered in dinghy’s for sundowners at the back of “Libeccio”.

With our port engine not oiling, we left our fellow cruisers the next morning and motored to Apooti Marina on northwest Raiatea. There was a Mooring’s Charter Base there and Patricia who worked here was very helpful. She told us we could use the mooring ball, gave us their WIFI password and later gave us two used alternator belts. Hal from”Cayuse” had done some research on mechanics in the area and we found Thierry near the shipyard in the next bay. He determined we need a new fuel pump, with customs and declarations it would take 2 to 3 weeks. We are scheduled to leave French Polynesia in less than one week, so this is not a good option. Our next port with repair facilities and possible parts is Fiji, but that is two months from now. Dan talked to a mechanic form our home town in Port Charlotte, Florida to confirm the problem and see if he would order the parts. Claudia from Port Charlotte will rejoin us in Fiji and could bring the part with her. This may be our best option. It is the weekend and many businesses are closed so we are leaving Raiatea to meet up with some of the ARC boats in Tahaa, a short distance away.

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