On our way to Tahiti

Well, we're on the move again! This is Gudrun reporting from night shift for a change! We are 111 miles from Tahiti, and should be there around 4:00/4:30pm tomorrow afternoon.

We enjoyed the rest of our time in beautiful Tikehau, spending most of yesterday in the water. Unfortunately it was to clean the hulls, who had gotten a fine green fuzz growing on them. It is this horrible bearded algae and it is very difficult to get off!! Poor Dave and Adrian did the lion's share of the work, I jumped in after school and 2 loads of washing were done. We did the best we could but eventually ran out of daylight.

We had a yummy dinner of baguettes and cheese. Adrian had gone into the village at 4:00pm to pick them up. Our love affair with baguettes started in Panama when we discovered the little store at Shelter Bay Marina sold freshly baked loaves every day...$1 per loaf! We've managed to find fresh baguettes in most places, and of course now we are in FRENCH Polynesia, so the baguettes are delicious!!!

This morning we pulled up our anchor and headed to the pass. I am happy to report that getting out was no problem at all! It was low tide, for starters, so there was less water in the lagoon flowing out, combined with a much calmer sea state, and it made running the pass a breeze! Phew!! We said farewell to Tikehau and the Tuamotus atolls, and were able to put up Guy, our spinnaker, in about 10 - 12 knots of wind. Well, actually, we first put up the main, then Puff, then took Puff down and put Guy up, then dropped the main and flew only Guy!

The wind was light, which we were expecting, but we've had a nice, mellow trip so far. We eventually had to take Guy down and motor, but again, we were expecting that. This afternoon Dave saw a whale shark. The kids were quick enough to come on deck to see it, but unfortunately I didn't see it. Dave said it was right next to the boat, maybe it thought it was another whale shark (we were sailing at the time, so just gliding through the water)? It must have gotten a fright, because it suddenly thrashed its tail (which was huge!) and then dove down...between the hulls!! Maybe it's a good thing I didn't see that...my heart is still recuperating from entering Tikehau's pass!!

Now it's back to passage mode again, even though it's just one night. We did, however, manage to do the one thing we've not yet done on passage, and that is to have G&Ts on the deck to watch the sunset! We've never had a calm enough passage to do that...and it was awesome!!

So now I am sitting here on watch. The only negative is that there is no moon, so it is pitch black. However, it is a clear night and the stars are out in full force again. I've already seen 3 shooting stars! There is effervescent glowing in the water as we slice through it...It is so pretty. I am going to try and enjoy this as I'm sure the hustle and bustle of Tahiti will be a shock to our systems!!

So, until next time, farewell from the Cool Runnings crew!


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