Tahiti-Taha’a and a birthday
1626| 17 32.38’N 149 34.20’W
In-Port
Leg 6 crew are on board and ready to go see some islands! With new regulations in French Polynesia that require booking anchorages (I’m all for this idea as it protects the reef, but it would be nice if it was on a website that works more than 12% of the time), we’re having to be slightly more regimented than the ideal of moseying around and popping in wherever looks nice. That being said we have quite an exciting itinerary ahead of us.
As the intrepid crew we are, we’ve decided to forgo the well know Bora Bora in favour of exploring some of the other less famous islands- namely Taha’a and Huanine. Today we’ll set off for Taha’a once we’ve finished safety briefings. I was initially nervous of the crews reaction for the incinerate proposed- this is after all the Tahiti- Bora Bora cruising trip. However the allures of a drift coral snorkel, manta ray feeding station and vanilla farms available from the anchorage at Tapuamu bay was met with very positive reactions.
The wind, as seems the usual on my passages, isn’t playing ball with us. It’s looking like those lovely east trade winds and deciding they’d like to come from the NW today, i.e. exactly where we want to go. It’s a chance to dig our upwind sail out of the locker though and give it some fresh air. A first for all of us on board! The trade winds do immediately plan on switching back to their normal direction once we’ve arrived, so lucky us get even more upwind sailing when we make our way back in a couple of days!
Happy birthday to Maddie today!
Mary
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The Human Factor
Thus our existence slowly reverted to a much simpler form of being. We start to notice the smaller things, we start looking up and around, we start observing our thoughts. Sailing can be a great social accelerator. Sharing hardship and milestones, friendships are born and evolve at a speed that would seem impossible from land. And after those three weeks spent with you, I am getting ready to leave our vessel with the profound conviction that those bonds will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
The Penultimate Blog from Adrienne II
After 20 days, and 3000+ nautical miles, we're back on land. The motley crew of Adrienne II, consisting of 7 happy amateurs supported by 3 professionals, have completed an epic journey many dream of but few realize. So much of this trip has been about being present - with nature, with each other, with this boat. My biggest takeaway from this trip is the amazing crossing of the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone). We all hope you've enjoyed the blog as much as we've enjoyed creating it.
Mother Nature, you’ve outdone yourself!
It’s been a great experience to have a non-traditional trans-Atlantic, as it’s been packed with genuinely cool features. The Doldrums!! A place sailors have been talking about for centuries. The unpredictability is what made it such an exhilarating experience. While some might be frightened or alarmed by this kind of weather, I was embodied with a sense of calm and awe. There’s something wildly beautiful about being reminded how small you are, while feeling so incredibly alive.