23-06-15
Wednesday
0830
departed Anaho Bay, Nuku Hiva.
Engine:
1632.2 hours.
Sadiqi's
anchorage had become very uncomfortable with a northerly swell
wrapping into the bay.
The
winds along the north of Nuku Hiva were 10 to 15 knots from the East.
In the lee, west coast, of the large island the wind were from the
north west then all over the place. The seas were rough and vile
tossing Sadiqi around like a cork. The Volvo chugged away to get
Sadiqi through the rough seas as quickly as possible.
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5
Oops,
forgot to set the alarm for midday!
1335
Sadiqi eventually escaped the rough seas in the lee of Nuku Hiva.
Winds
18 to 20 knots ESE.
COG:
222 deg M, SOG: 5 knots.
1700
Beer o clock was observed with libations to absent family and
friends.
24-06-15
Wednesday
It
was a pleasant and uneventful sail through the night under a waxing
crescent moon.
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5 hours
Wind
10 - 12 knots (T) ENE
Lat:
09 58.44 S, Lon: 141 36.53 W
COG:
225 deg M, SOG: 4 knots
Engine:
1635.2 hours
125
miles since noon the previous day.
25-06-15
Thursday
Slow
sailing overnight dead downwind with poled out jib and single reefed
main.
Wind
8 – 12 knots (T) NE
Sails
flapping and banging with the uncomfortable seas. The skipper was
wondering what had happened to the south east trade winds.
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5 hours
Wind
8 - 12 knots (T) ENE
Lat:
10 33.16 S, Lon: 143 11.35 W
COG:
225 deg M, SOG: 4 knots
Engine:
1635.6 hours
89
miles since noon the previous day.
1515
dark clouds and rain on the horizon.
Wind
10 – 12 knots (T) NNE.
26-06-15
Friday
The
winds dropped to less than 10 knots early in the night. With sails
flapping and banging Sadiqi was hardly making one knot. I started the
engine, which rattled away for most of the dark hours.
0600
With relief I turned off the engine.
Winds
8 to 12 knots NE.
Sailing
slowly downwind with poled out jib and single reefed main.
COG:
225 deg M, SOG: 3 knots (sometimes).
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5 hours
Wind
10 - 15 knots (T) ENE
Lat:
11 27.79 S, Lon: 144 32.91 W
COG:
225 deg M, SOG: 4.5 knots
Engine:
1647.9 hours
97
miles since noon the previous day.
27-06-15
Saturday
It
was a pleasant, fast sail overnight.
Wind
10 to 16 knots (T) NE
COG:
215 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5 hours
Wind
10 - 15 knots (T) ENE
Lat:
12 52.09 S, Lon: 146 09.49 W
COG:
218 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots
Engine:
1647.9 hours
126
miles since noon the previous day.
The
wind eased after midday making for an uncomfortable, banging and
flapping downwind sail in knarly seas/swell.
28-06-15
Sunday
It
was a roly sail overnight with wind from behind – single reefed
mainsail and poled out jib.
Wind:
8 to 12 knots (T) ENE
Noon
1200 UTC -9.5 hours
Wind
15 - 20 knots (T) NNE
Lat:
14 01.75 S, Lon: 147 40.98 W
COG:
205 deg M, SOG: 6 knots
Engine:
1648.4 hours
113
miles since noon the previous day.
The
wind dropped to less than 10 knots shortly after noon.
I
had planned on skipping the Tuamotu archipelago of French Polynesia
and heading straight to Tahiti. However, I was going to pass close to
the the most western atoll, but one, Tikehau around midnight. I
decided to slow Sadiqi by reducing sail and visit Tikehau. The reason
for skipping the low lying Tuamotu archipelago was the risks of
entering atoll passes and the incidence of coral bommies once inside
the atoll. I had sufficient information and the entry looked doable
regardless of the tidal flow.
Sadiqi
rolled from side to side, not so gently, slowly south west.
1700
- Beer o clock UTC -9.5
Change
time zone to UTC -10 hours
1700
Beer o clock UTC -10 :)
29-06-15
Monday
A
slow sail overnight with double reefed mainsail doing only 2 to 3
knots. This was planned to arrive at passe to Tikehau atoll around
1000. The cruising guides (Bonnette and Deschamps) advise to only
navigate inside the atolls between 1000 and 1500 to be able to see
the shallow coral heads.
Wind:
10 -15 knots ENE
1100
Entered Passe Tuheiava, Tikehau, Tuamotus.
Sadiqi's
transit of the Tuheiava passe was uneventful. The pass is wide with
fish traps on either side.
1130
Dropped anchor Teonai, Tikehau, Tuamotus
Engine:
1649.6 hours
 |
| Tikehau, Tuamotus |
 |
| Sunset Tikehau, Tuamotus |
The
Teonai anchorage was small and sheltered by Teonia island to the
west, a reef to the north and east on which were the remains of a
resort. On the second day two local fishermen came by the boat and
generously offered me a couple of fish. I gladly accepted one,
filleted and cooked it that night for dinner. I was hoping that my
lips would not go numb and I wouldn't start baying at the full moon
with a bout of Ciguatera poisoning. The fish was excellent and to my
knowledge I did not suffer any neurological disorders – no more
than usual.
01-07-15
Wednesday
In
the morning I downloaded the weather GRIB file using the SSB radio to
check for wind – there was little forecast. I had planned to head
to Tahiti that day. There was little point in rolling around in nasty
seas with no wind. I decided to stay – not a hard decision given
the location. I did, however, decide to motor 6 miles south to the
main town on Tikehau atoll – Tuherahera. The navigation markers in
French Polynesia are excellent. I arrived at Tuherahera and dropped
anchor. I checked for WiFi Internet access so I could update the blog
with pictures. It existed but was very slow. I had lunch and motored
back to Teonai anchorage. Tuherahera looked far to civilised at with
tourist resorts, airports and cars etc. The wind did not exceed 5
knots throughout the day. It was the most benign wind conditions I
had experienced since leaving Ecuador.
After
nearly 3 months since leaving Ecuador I still had Ecuadorian Pilsener
beer. The first 3.3 Kg propane tank had only just run out – having
lasted 3 months. I still had sufficient food on board for possibly
another month. Sadiqi did appear to be riding higher in the water
than when she left South America. It must have been the dwindling
food stocks.
I
checked the GRIB file the following day – there was going to be
even less wind for the next few days. I set up camp putting up the
awning on the boom for shade. I had not inflated the dinghy to go
ashore and felt no need to. I went snorkelling in the afternoons. The
visibility was no so great being only a few hundred metres from the
passe into the atoll. It was a beautiful location with stunning
sunrises and sunsets and an amazing full moon reflected over calm
waters
 |
| Sunrise Tikehau, Tuamotus |
 |
| Sunrise moonset Tikehau, Tuamotus |
 |
| Tikehau, Tuamotus |
 |
| Moonrise sunset Tikehau, Tuamotus |
I
read “The Happy Isles of Oceania” by Paul Theroux – a candid
account of his travels, much of it in a collapsible kayak, around
South Pacific islands in the 1990s. An entertaining and enlightening
read.
The
fishermen came past Sadiqi again and offered fish. I gladly took one
and filleted it. I threw the carcass and bits over the side, which
attracted about 6 large black tip sharks. Apparently, snorkelling or
scuba diving in the passe was supposed to be very good – swimming
among the sharks.
The
wind forecast on the GRIB files was increasing with south east winds
around 25 knots. This was considered a little excessive for a sail to
Tahiti. Tikehau atoll is about 12 miles across, the passe and
anchorage near Teonia island are on the west. This made for a
potentially uncomfortable even dangerous fetch in strong winds. I
sailed 6 miles south to the main village on Tikehau atoll –
Tuherahera. It looked like my departure was going to delayed again.
Saturday night the wind howled between 20 and 30 knots. Despite the
protection from the island the waves still tossed Sadiqi like a cork
making for an uncomfortable night. When at anchor or moored I usually
sleep in the fore cabin. Sadiqi's bow was rising and falling a metre
or so in the wave chop. In the fore cabin berth when the bow plunged
I was rendered momentarily almost weightless. I had to retire to the
saloon, where I sleep when under-way, with the lee clothes holding me
onto the bunk. It is amazing that conditions can change so quickly
from idyllic calm to dangerous rough.
