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0549 UTC | 1636.92’S 15132.69
ANCHORED
A warm tropical hello from the West Coast of Taha’a in the Society Islands,
The crew of NORDIC FALKEN are settled into our mind-blowingly beautiful anchorage for the night. A crew that started as strangers a few days ago are all chatting away up on deck as if they’ve known each other for years. The deck showers are rolling after a much needed swim to beat the day’s tropical heat. Skipper Mary is manically singing in the galley (if you’ve sailed with her, you know) while cheffing up a mushroom risotto for us. We sailed for roughly 24 hours and 136nm to get to this gorgeous slice of the planet and are relieved to have escaped the hustle and bustle of Papeete, soaking in the peaceful quietude of what we all dream of when we dream of remote anchorages in the Pacific.
When we arrived at our anchorage, the crew wasted NO time changing into suits and splashing into the vital waters around us. I popped up on deck, the last one in, to see ten little heads floating all around the stern of the boat, massive, satisfied smiles on their faces, luxuriating in the cold water after a windless motor for our last few miles of the passage. Andrea masterfully crafted a scavenger hunt for the crew, setting little clues all throughout the boat (including a meter down below the water line on the anchor rode!). It ended merrily in the discovery of cold beers and snacks on deck for all!
The sun set for us today with a golden glow of light and brightly illuminated pink clouds all around us. A light but very much welcomed drizzle of rain was refreshing us as folks were getting their final swim in for the day, and the sun set over the motu’s to the West of us with Bora Bora in the distance. Vibrant tropical flowers from the local flora are floating all around the anchorage, setting an idyllic scene for this grateful crew. We also laughed as we navigated through the reef, dodging coconuts and thinking to ourselves, “does it get anymore tropical than this?!”
Although this trip is shorter than others, we have every intention of packing it in with as much exploring and enjoyment as we can! The crew have already gone ashore for a reconnaissance of the local shops and restaurants. Stay tuned for tomorrows updates as we have plans to go find some manta rays to snorkel with and find one of the worlds best coral drift snorkels! Hearts are full and the team is happy!
First Mate Pheebs
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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!