Bora Bora
Tuesday, 28 May, 2025 | Moored off Bora Bora Yacht Club
The forecast wind was somewhat underestimated for our sail from Tahiti to Bora Bora. The sea state was also larger than expected, but nonetheless, the crew dug deep and we sailed our way through 20 hours to make landfall at 0800 yesterday.
The entrance to Bora Bora is very manageable, with a predicted outflowing current and in the lee of the prevailing winds and sea. We had planned to use a mooring buoy just off the Bora Bora Yacht Club, and there were plenty free when we arrived. As it transpires, anchoring is prohibited here and instead the Bora Bora mooring services manage five different sites, costing just the equivalent of $30 US per night.
The Bora Bora Yacht Club is a separate entity, but for a small fee allows dinghy dockage, showers, toilets, laundry, and rubbish disposal. The cost is subtracted from the bill if you choose to eat at the restaurant, which we did—and it was excellent.
Today the crew spent the morning ashore recovering from our fruity passage before a buffet lunch on board, then headed out to an organised snorkel safari. As I type this, I can hear them regaling tales of their adventure, which took them around the entire island and was seemingly a huge success for all.
Mary is prepping a dinner of fresh tuna steaks and new potatoes with salad as we make water and anticipate another spectacular sunset from Bora Bora.
- Emily
EmilyCaruso
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Seasickness
But maybe, I thought, with some drugs I could stay ahead of it. The first 48 hours I felt horrible. But luckily with 3 health care professionals on board and in a very encouraging environment, my body found its way. Anyway, someone offered me a patch (unavailable in Canada) and someone else gave me some pills for nausea and now I feel much, much better.
Dolphins and Bioluminescence
We had a good run with the sails but weather has changed and we are once again chasing the wind. Everyone is getting a chance to practice helming in big swell; starting to get a feel of the wind and water and how it pushes and pulls the hull. A pod of dolphins came to visit at night, splashing in the bioluminescent water, and again in the day, dancing in the bow wake. For now enjoying the calmer sea state and falling asleep to the rumble of the engine and the gentle whooshing of the water on the hull.
Greetings from Lala Lemonshark
The brave crew is toughing it out and staying cheerful despite being tossed around. The engine is off and we are true sailing-main and jib. In the first 12 hours we saw two pods of Orca and four humpback whales, two of which were 20 yards off the starboard beam!