… since I wrote my last narration.

I simply was too frustrated to write.

The main reason was 2 spare parts I need for my Onan generator.

Onan, which has been taken over by Cummins some years ago, is perfectly protected against contacts from outside, except you are in a country for which you have a valid local phone number.
With such a number you can send a request for a quote to a local dealer.

In Tahiti, French Polynesia, there is a company, which repairs the device but they told me I needed to get the parts myself from any dealer abroad.

As I have the email address of the service manager of Onan France, and French Polynesia is connected to Onan France, I sent immediately an email to the service manager. I also got immediately a response saying he is out of the office for a few days and I was asked to send my request again too three other persons, which I did. From 2 of the 3 persons I also got an immediate reply: we are out of the office …. So I added a few more explanations and resend my email to the 3rd person. 2 – 3 days later I got an automated read-receipt. After another 3 days I got a mail with an apology for the late reply. In total already more than a week after my first email. I asked again to please send me the information on availability of the parts, shipping time, etc. Still now, 2 weeks later, I haven’t got an reply.

Via a web form I could reach Cummins Australia. A very helpful guy send me addresses of dealers in NZ but without an email address. So I was back to square one. Onan dealers are very well protected against customers who want to sent an email. Modern days defence line.

I search the web for Cummins Japan. Found it and Japanese phone number. I asked my OBM to please call and find out about Onan spare parts. It turned out that the Onan service is outsourced to a small company. OBM called. It took a few days and more calls to get the information that they don’t have any parts stock in Japan and order all from USA. A drop shipment is not possible by Onan contract is what we were told. (Drop shipment would be that the US company sends the parts directly to me, and the Japanese company is paid for all.) This would have enabled a delivery time of only 8 days. The required shipment via Japan would result in a delivery time of about 18 days.

Fortunately, a sailing friend, Vili, from my Croatian times saw my problem and stepped in. He found the parts and ships then today by DHL Express to me. Delivery time 8 days. I could get in contact with a very effective person is DHL Tahiti and prepared already for arrival. Now let’s keep fingers crossed that the parts arrive as planned.

Thanks Vili for all!

Conclusion for me: never an Onan generator on board of a ship when you want to sail long distance away from major countries.

My OBM had to fly back to Tokyo thus I’m now single handed again.

We had a good time on board and I’m very happy that I could not only visit with her another bay in the Marquesas but also two atolls in the Tuamotus.

“Tuamotus” is a Tahitian word and means “many islands”. It is indeed a cluster of about 80 atolls.

OBM became a real good sailing companion who learned a lot of important skills and watches what’s going on around MaRe.

When and where will she be back again. Tonga?

Tahiti, and Pape’ete the capital city of French Polynesia, are place name still sounding a bit magically, far away, exotic, and are creating the feeling of wanderlust.

We arrived in the early morning hours of the 01-May-24 on the west side of Tahiti. The west side is completely protected against the strong south-easterly winds, which pushed us forward in the last days.

With the genoa still up, we very slowly had MaRe moving towards the Passe Pape’ete and watched the new day starting at it’s own pace.

Still in the twilight we had breakfast. When it was daylight we furled the genoa and started the engines for the final approach by going through the Passe Pape’ete. On VHF CH 12 I called Port Control Pape’ete to request permission to enter and proceed to the anchorage area at the airport. It was granted immediately. I only had to allow three priority vessels to go through the pass before us.

The passage through the pass was pretty easy. The pass is wide, and well marked. The sea was flat. Only ripples no waves. Especially no waves like we had them outside of the pass a Fakarava.

Once inside, the navigation channel between the island and the outer reef is very well marked.

Surprisingly many outrigger canoes where out in these early hours of the day. Most of them were singled seated. But also 6-seater were to be seen. This sports, called “va’ai, is very popular in all French Polynesia.

The anchorage area is pretty crowded. It is said that this is the only area left for anchoring in Pape’ete. The government of Pape’ete is further said to make strong attempts to restrict the number of boats anchoring in Tahiti. To me this looks a bit strange because here is quite some business to be done with yachts. However every country/island has the right to limit the number of boats going in and boats will prepare to pass such places.

The anchor spot we found is a bit deep. 18 m. However our chain is long.

So far the winds here are weak.

The sunsets are very nice. Especially the one we had yesterday over Morea, the island close by Tahiti’s west coast.

The outboard motor repair guy came yesterday. And quickly found the motor’s problem. The diaphragm of the fuel pump got a whole. Via this hole fuel got into the oil, the level of oil-fuel mixture increased far above the oil level and is being pressed via the breather hose into the air intake part of the carburator and causes the engine to stall. Conclusion: the fuel pump needs to be replaced.

The next dealer for Polynesie Marine is located Australia. Now I’m curious how long it will take to get a new fuel pump.

As being without an outboard while at anchor, is like being without legs, I asked the technician of he has an outboard, which I could possibly borrow until mine runs again. Now I have a small 3 HP 2-stroke motor. That’s like getting pretty well crutches while having a leg problem. The alternative is rowing long distances. The next dinghy dock is 2 – 3 miles away.

Seasick Ruslana left yesterday with the friendly help of our neighbor boat SV WHY KNOT.

Tomorrow OBM and I plan to go ashore.

When I started my night watch at 2200 I saw at about 10 o’clock the first lights of Tahiti. However, these lights are not light houses. There are no light houses on the eastern side of Tahiti.

Today we saw the first other vessel. A Spanish freighter was on NEE course. Just now the Singaporean CAP JERVIS cargo vessel, runs on a NE course about 20 NM away from us.

We have winds around 20 KN.
Unfortunately mostly from SE. I prefer an E wind. Thus, I set the wind vane to 105 deg and curiously watch what happens when the wind is changing.

Ruslana, although seasick, came out of her cabin, for her watch. She only left her cabin today to eat a bit. Poor her. Seasickness is not the nicest thing to have.

I made myself a pot of tea and I’m curious what will happen tonight.

…. being freshly showered with sea and a bit of freshwater, drinking another cup of tea, eating cookies with which my OBM spoiled me, watching the swell rolling onto MaRe from about 120 – 150 deg PRT at a height of 2 – 4 m and a wavelength of around 100 m, feeling the pleasant temperature of the wind, I’m just happy.

What a contrast in weather and mood!

Yesterday afternoon and all night long we had frequent rain showers. Not strong ones but due to the wind direction of AWA of 120 PRT, we needed to close the salon door. This makes the atmosphere inside warm and humid. Now doors are open thus, even inside it is nice. But nothing beats now the sitting in the cockpit.

Sailing from it’s best sides.

Yesterday I tried to get information about anchorages in Tahiti. The Marina Pape’ete is fully occupied and doesn’t take reservation. “First arrives… First gets in” is a part of their business model. The other two contacted marinas don’t even bother to reply.

Already a few days ago I had a golden hit. Tevai, the salesman who sold me my Highfield tender, is a very friendly and helpful person. So I contacted him to ask him about companies who can repair my Tohatsu outboard motor and my Onan generator.
It’s turned out that for each of my problems his group company has specialized companies. He got me via a service manager in touch with “Sopom” (Onan generator) and “Polymarine” (Tohatsu outboard motor).
Yesterday, I asked him about possibilities to anchor so that these people can work on my “problem points”. “They can work wherever you anchor” was the first part of his reply, the second was three anchorage areas.

I’m really grateful to Tevai and look forward a lot to meet him in person in Pape’ete.

Right now I’m watching MaRe and how she takes the big waves of the swell. When a big swell comes, she turns a bit windward on top of the wave and goes down the wave turning back into her course.

Watching this and listening to the sound of her wakes is a great real life “movie”.

Sailing at it’s best!

It’s my 2nd watch this night and I catching up with my narrations.

Yesterday morning we arrived at the SE entry of Fakarava. As usual, under engines we went as close as possible to the entry of the pass to have a look at the sea conditions in the pass.

The first thing we saw was catamaran wanted to go out. Coming closer we recognized that this catamaran was not moving at all and was on a position a bit west of the pass. I’m pretty sure this poor cat was sitting on the reef. A small boat visited the catamaran but we could not recognize more. We hope that with the next high tide she became afloat again.

Back to us.

I didn’t feel comfortable to enter the narrow pass in the 6 Bft winds with waves of 1 1/2 – 2 m. Although I could see that inside the lagoon there were no high waves, I could neither clearly see the wave situation in the pass, nor could I see the tidal situation. Two very important factors were not understood. Therefore I didn’t want to go in.

There is another pass at the NW side of the island. However when going in there, under a 6 Bft SE wind, MaRe will not make much STW and this effects the efficiency of the rudders, which in turn poses a risk inside the canal. Therefore, I also didn’t like to enter there either.

The weather forecast for the next days indicated in the 3 best models no improvements.

Fakarava was on my list of atolls I wanted to visit already since I was in the Gambiers. Now I had to give it up. I didn’t feel well but the concerns for MaRe and her crew had and have always priority.

So we set sails to head to Tahiti. Because of the wind direction we only set the genoa.

With 6 Bft winds we made pretty good speed but the ride was and is pretty bumpy. Yesterday I change the wind vane angle by about 20 deg to get the waves more from behind. However it was not the biggest influence thus we continue sailing on and mainly in bumpy MaRe.

Ruslana was and is seasick and spends her time in her cabin except for her watch duty.

OBM prepared a surprisingly complex dinner. She simply is a good OBM. When we enjoyed her creation, we talked about eating simpler meals in weather conditions like that.

During her watch the wind increased to 30 KN and we reefed MaRe’s genoa for a few hours down to only 3 bars.

All day and night long we had a lot of drizzling rain and clouded sky. Even heaven seems to be sad about the forced abandonment of going into Fakarava.

What will come up today?

… and this within a minute.

I knew in advance that even with the small sail size, we will arrive at the south pass of Fakarava far ahead of the noon slack tide. Therefore, I considered and prepared for a heave-to maneuver. (German: beidrehen, beiliegen)

For safety reasons I had the engines started and OBM steered MaRe the way I told her.

Within a min the main thing was done. The genoa was in the “wrong” direction and the genoa STB sheet was still the working sheet. I shifted the main traveler fully to PRT side and OBM turned the rudders fully to STB. Boat speed drop extremely fast to 0. The wind came from STB at an angle of about 70 – 80 deg. MaRe was drifting in 6 Bft winds and her movements were subdued.

A few minutes later I used the barber hauler and pulled the clue of the genoa towards STB to ensure that the genoa does not chafe at the inner stay. With this the AWA changed to 90 – 110 deg STB, MaRe drifted with 2 KN down the wind, and her movements were even further subdued. A very comfortable situation!

We stayed like this from yesterday 2220 until this morning 0705. During that time we drifted 16 NM down wind. Especially work on the kitchen became easier. The ones who were off watch slept better because no waves slammed at the tunnel between MaRe’s hulls. All what needed to be done, was to look every 20 min at the radar screen to make sure there is no other vessel in our way.

Since 0705 we are sailing again in winds of around 20 KN TWS at STW of 6 to almost 9 KN.

Ruslana prepared spaghetti during the night, but I was too tired to eat anything. A pity because it smelled good. OBM slept. The spaghettis will be eaten later.

OBM made sandwiches for breakfast and a Japanese desert. This meal is finished now.

In about an hour I plan the next heave-to maneuver and we will drift towards the entrance in die time for checking the entrance conditions.

How will it be inside? Where can drop the anchor?

In the night we had a SW wind blowing with about 12 – 20 KN. The waves built up to 1/2 m to a bit above 1m. The wind was the same in the morning. Batteries lost net only 5 Ah compared to about 80 Ah without wind during the night.

Anchor up was a challenge, especially for the OBM who needed to steer according to what I signed signaled from the bow where I was with Ruslana to enable her to get experience in the anchor up procedure on today’s strong wind and waves. Ruslana’s task was to pull up the hook using the remote control whenever there was enough slack in the chain. It was my job to make sure that both, OBM and Ruslana did the right thing the right time.

When the anchor was up, I took over the steering wheel. OBM and Ruslana took positions at the bow pulpits to look out for coral banks.

As expected the wind slows down MaRe a lot. At cruising RPM she moved forward with about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 KN STW.

With that slow speed I got concerned about the arrival time at the pass. The theoretical slack tide was pretty much at 0800. Considering the long blowing SE wind I needed to consider a later slack tide because a lot of water gets pushed into the lagoon by the strong wind we had and have. At 0830 MaRe still was running against wind.

Did I estimate the delay of the slack tide sufficiently correct?

Will we make it in time to and through the pass?

Will the wind remain blowing from its direction?

All these thoughts went through brain over and over again. The same time I felt and saw MaRe bouncing in the waves she split with her hulls. Her bows go up and dive then into the waves. She works hard and feel her working. We know each other since quite and we sailed a few miles together.

Looking into the pass in saw white waves. They look like the already in streaming water against the wind That makes them step and high. How big they are really?

What will the eddies do? How much will they push MaRe into the direction they want and I don’t want?

Then came the point of no return!

The deep water channel is too narrow to turn her around.

I turned into a narrow angle towards the pass. Wind came more from behind and pushed us now. I had 6.4 KN STW. Now pressure on the rudder helps with precise steering.
“That’s good!”, was my thought

Then the last small change in direction and MaRe was in the channel. STW was up to 7.3 KN. “Even better”, flashed through my mind.

Fully focusing on MaRe’s course. I have to steer her very precise.

The white water I saw turned out to be more on PRT of MaRe rather than in the middle of the pass. Good. But adrenalin didn’t go down. I saw, I have to go through the middle of the eddies. They can push MaRe around because of the strong flow of water from somewhere below the water surface.

Still far above 7 KN STW. Great!

Then we were through the pass. Deep water from our PRT side via the bow to STB side.

Adrenalin went down.

SV Little My called to inquire about the status inside the lagoon. It’s basically fine. Our anchor was down in sand and the long chain gave MaRe the hold she needed.

Then we started sailing towards our new destination Fakarava. For this I wanted first to go with main in reef 3 and the genoa adjusted that she runs as balanced as possible. However, my wind direction feeling was wrong or the wind changed a bit. We got the wind from 170 deg PRT AWA. The genoa was in lee of the main. Thus down with the main and sailing only with the genoa.

This proved to be the best sail in the current wind conditions. 6 Bft from about 160 – 170 deg PRT.

MaRe enjoyed being let loose and ran with peaks of 9 KN towards the next WPT. At the WPT a course correction and kept running.

Now we are on a course with an AWA of 100 – 110 deg PRT. The wind vane is set to 80 deg PRT. AWS is 20 – 25 KN. She runs with around 9 KN towards the next WPT about 2.5 NM south of the Katiu atoll.

The swell increased in the meantime to 2 -3 m, so not constant that high, and she takes these waves easily. She just ploughs through the water. I feel she knows that in about 5 NM and bit the wind angle will move back to a broad reach course. This makes sailing at solid 6 But again comfortable.

After breakfast I prepared the dinghy and made a test to see if I can row the dinghy against the 4 – 5 Bft wind with waves nicely about 1/2 m high. It was not that difficult.

We went ashore and started walking into the village to see were we are and what’s going on here.

The first impression was the friendliness of the people. I have been on many Polynesian islands but here more than 99 % of the people greeted us. Often faster then we greeted them.

The main street we reached quickly. A long straight line. Longer and wider then in other islands. Not too surprising because the island here is just a very long stretch of land. At outer coast of the atoll its volcanic origin is still to be seen an also the growth of a coral reef.

Walking the main street towards NW we quickly found a store at the right side. We had a look and bought only water & cookies for OBM and me, and Ruslana brought a coke and a beer. Poor Ruslana she had to pour away her coke because it tasted diluted. Luckily she had her beer.

We parted. OBM and I went our way, Ruslana her’s.

Accidentally OBM and I found pretty immediately another store with a better offer on vegetables. OBM bought ice cream for us and we kept walking.

We reached the beach following a small canal between the outer and inter part of the lagoon. Locals use this canal to keep a few motor boats moored there. One of them appeared to me as unnecessary. A speed boat with 2 x 300 HP engines. But that’s only my opinion. I’m a bit conservative in this respect.

The water, crystal clear about 1 – 2 m deep. Groups of smaller black and yellow striped fish searched for food and whatever they wanted to do.

Then we reached the beach. The sand came from tiny pieces of corals but still to coarse to call it a fine sandy beach. Still quite some years necessary for a fine sandy beach.

Out there was MaRe and another cat which came in with the slack tide at about 0600 this morning. Two other catamarans left already. MaRe was hanging and swinging at her anchor. OBM mentioned that I sailed her now all the way from Europe to this Polynesian atoll in the Tuamotus. I looked back for short moment. Indeed I sailed her for thousands of miles half around the globe and here we are here already pretty close to the antipode of Croatia where we used to sail before. I’m just glad that OBM could sail with me also several thousand NM together. She’s a fine OBM getting better and better.

Back to the main street, we kept walking NW, when we on the left side I saw big poles pocking holes into the air. My curiosity jumped up because I saw them already when we came into the lagoon and looked for a good anchoring spot. Next I saw steel ropes attached to the poles. Coming closer I suddenly recognized that this is an abandoned wind park project with six wind converters.
It seems the company ran out of money just days or even hours before they could put up the first wind converter. What a pity, I thought. These six wind converters would have reduced the consumption of diesel fuel for the village by a bit chunk.

In general, I saw many places on my longer way, where wind and solar could cut diesel consumption by very big chunks. However, going for an alternative energy source requires understanding of environmental issues, technologies, and financials. On top of that a lot of initiative of individuals and even groups is required.

What is possible I saw on
one island in the Gambiers The power needed for a family with deep freezer, refrigerator, washing machine, TV, etc is produced by solar panels and stored in a block of batteries, which are not even yet lithium batteries.

Back to Makemo. We passed also the “Collège de Makemo”.
Nice buildings with beautiful paintings of sea and islands motives on the walls a visitor sees first. Across the street a sports ground indicated the community of Makemo consists of the island of Makemo, Katiu, Taenga, Raroia, and Takume. Thus, I assume that the college students are coming from these islands and live on the campus.

What a difference to the schools I visited!

Makemo is even divided in several smaller settlements. When seeing the street signs indicating the end of one settlement and the beginning of another one, I smiled. However, it’s also a way to indicate how far one lives down the long road.

On the way back we got tired and the heat also wore us out. So we decided to have a look into the church. It was s good decision. It was very cool inside and a breeze flew through the church.

There was also a kind of service attended by about less then 10 people. Among them a child of about 2 – 3 years. The child just enjoyed the freedom of running around and sometimes away from the following mother. A Polynesian relaxed service.

At the end we kept sitting to simply enjoy the quietness, the coolness and also the peacefulness of this building.

Towards 1500 we went back to the first shop where we agreed to meet all again. Together wl the three of us walked over to the shop with the better offer and the ladies bought what we needed on provisioning.

I should mention that I got a new pair of “heavy mountain boots”, as I call my beach sandals. I’m using in 99 % is all times when I go ashore. Well equipped for the next 6 – 12 month.

Finally we returned to MaRe and I had to row back all the way. A nice workout!

Dinner and preparations for departure next morning follow.

We could sail all day long with the Big Blue at averaged SOG of 5 KN. For the very weak winds we had it was a good speed.

With the sun set we doused the gennaker. With the new stock it was incredibly easy. However, the real dousing test comes when it needs to be done at winds of up to 15 KN TWS.

With the wind from almost 180 deg we only set only the genoa and gave her the wind from 160 deg. This was a bit off course but the genoa, even with a barber hauler opene, is not as good as gennaker on a real 180 deg AWA course.

The speed we got was enough to reach the SE pass of Makemo hours ahead of the slack tide.

The same thought was applied when we reach the WPT at the N corner of Taenga atoll where we changed the course from about 260 deg to 195 deg. With this thinking we are now sailing only with the genoa. I don’t need to work during the night at the mast to put up the main sail with reef 2.

Our current ETA at the SE pass is still 0745 and the slack tide is at about 1200.

OBM slept a bit in the afternoon and came out of our cabin with a sore throat. Thus, after dinner for which she still prepared a chirashi sushi, we sent her to bed and took her out of watch duty.

Ruslana took the first watch with a bit of overtime. Just before she went to bed we jibed MaRe to stay better on course and to be prepared for the course change ahead of us. Then she went to bed for her deserved sleeping time.

I continued with the dough for the freshly baked bread for breakfast (you see how the skipper spoils his crew!) when OBM came out of the cabin saying she wants to start the shift at 0100. Thus, after having uploaded the narration I’ll take another rest.