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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HMS Night Watch Party
Wing on wing worked well until the wind shifted then the helm became the cone of despair for our night watch crew of three (H, M and S) Alex made the decision to drop the pole, shifting wing on wing to a close reach. Wind increased to low teens and speed picked up to a flying pace. Day spent wandering toward Ensenada. Alex, Adam and David got us into port under another starry night.
No Kitemares Today
After a night marked by sudden wind accelerations peeling off Point Conception, and a vibrant, pulsating sky blistered with shooting stars, the off-watch woke to commotion on the foredeck. The wind had gone light and the swell had tapered just enough to raise the spinnaker. The sail filled with an urgent pop, the sheet strained and Falken charged down the face of the next wave. By mid-day, we doused the spinnaker and set our minds to the more precise task of safely punching through a gap in the notorious Cortez Bank. The border to Mexico looms ahead.
The California coast
We had a very lively first day of sailing with steady winds between 25 and 30 kn gusting to mid 30s. All of the crew got experience at difficult downwind helming as we covered 200 nautical miles in the first 24 hours. This morning brings winds in the teens and calmer seas. The sun is still shining, and the green monster has been slayed by those afflicted!