SV Quid Sea – Sailing with Tracy and Cindy – Sharing our sailing experiences with family, friends, and anyone else interested in following what we are doing.

New Zealand – Our first visitor!

My daughter Madeleine arrived on December 16^th for a 2 week visit over Christmas holiday. We are thrilled she came to visit and I planned a whirlwind trip so she could see a good amount of the central North Island in New Zealand. We haven’t done any traveling in this area either and will be discovering it together.

We spent a day in Parnell, Auckland, to have time to relax from her long flight. As I’ve mentioned before, Parnell is very walkable and we enjoyed a couple of leisurely walks and great eating spots over her 24-hour stay.

Our first stop was Hamilton on our way to Rotorua. Hamilton, also known as Kirikiriroa is New Zealand’s fourth-largest city, located in the North Island’s Waikato region famous for its Hamilton Gardens, Waikato River, and vibrant blend of nature, culture, and city life, offering attractions from Maori heritage at the Waikato Museum to outdoor adventures and a lively food scene, serving as a hub for the surrounding region.

We enjoyed the riverwalk, the restaurants and a very friendly coffee shop. The staff/owner was very welcoming and they made a point to say hi and chat with us the multiple times we visited. One of the staff thought Madeleine looked like Mindy from the late 70’s TV show Mork & Mindy. 🙂

Key Highlights:

Hamilton Gardens: A world-renowned destination with themed gardens, including Japanese, Italian Renaissance, and Maori styles.
Waikato River: The longest river in New Zealand flows through the city, offering river walks, cruises, and scenic views.
Culture & Heritage: Home to the Waikato Museum, which showcases Maori art and artifacts, ArtsPost gallery for local art.
Vibrant City Life: Features diverse restaurants, cafes, bars, and shopping, especially along Victoria Street.
Education & Innovation: Home to the University of Waikato and known for its youthful, innovative population.

Walking along the Riverwalk in Hamilton we found these artistic posts. Garnet form’s element is earth, Cluster form’s element is Fire, Chevron form’s element is Water, Orb is Air and Star represents the element Heart.

Located between Hamilton and Rotorua is the Shire, Home of the Hobbiton Movie Set where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies were filmed, our first formal tour. Madeleine and I went on our own as Tracy plans to go when his brother and sister-in-law come to visit. In full disclosure Madeleine and I have not seen the movies or read the books but wanted to go anyhow because that’s just what you do in New Zealand.

We were told by our guide that when location scouts found the Alexanders’ spectacular 1250-acre sheep and beef farm, it was clear this would be the perfect setting for Sir Peter Jackson’s adaptation of these classic works by J.R.R. Tolkien.

We were not disappointed! It was a great tour and very picturesque. We learned a lot, but we might have been able to answer questions and understand more of the jokes if we were more informed going in. 🙂

Photos above from our Shire/Hobbiton tour

After Hobbiton, Madeleine found a great stop on the way to Rotorua called Putaruru Blue Spring. We followed the Te Waihou walkway to the famous Blue Spring, one of the purest water sources in the world. We were told it supplies 70 percent of New Zealand’s bottled water.

The track travels alongside the Waihou River, winding through wetlands, across rolling pastures with grazing cows and past small waterfalls to the turquoise water of the spring.

Flowing at a rate of 42 cubic meters per minute (9240 gallons per minute), The Blue Spring could fill a six-lane, 25-metre swimming pool in just over 12 minutes. It maintains a constant 11°C in every season.

We spent a couple of hours here and our photos say it all!

7 Photos above from Putaruru Blue Spring

Next stop was Rotorua renowned for its rich Māori culture, world-class spa and wellness experiences, and otherworldly geothermal landscapes.

A common nickname for Rotorua is “Sulphur City” due to the hydrogen sulphide emissions, which gives the city a smell like “rotten eggs”, as well as “Rotten-rua” combining its legitimate name and the rotten smell prevalent.

The city of Rotorua and the adjacent Lake Rotorua are located within the Rotorua Caldera that was formed in a major volcanic eruption approximately 240,000 years ago. The caldera is the source of the geothermal activity that is a key feature of the city and surrounding region.

Fortunately for us, we didn’t notice the smell in the central area of Rotorua. However, it was more pronounced during our spa and wellness experience and our geothermal trek.

Our first day, we enjoyed a relaxing soak in the Polynesian Spa. The package we purchased included soaks in 4 alkaline pools from the Rachel Spring, known for softening and nourishing the skin and one acidic mineral pool from the Priest Spring, easing muscle tension and joint discomfort. We ended with a cold plunge to enhance circulation and boost energy.

I’m not sure that we felt all the promising benefits, but it was a very relaxing treat for all of us and we felt refreshed at the end of it.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have our phones with us for pictures, but I found a couple from their website.

I found the photos above and below on the website to give you an idea the Polynesia spa.

Our second event in Rotorua was a Māori tour called Te Pa Tu, a cultural experience with dinner. From our guide, we learned Pa sits at the epicenter of their communities. They were places of physical refuge in times of war, and they remain sanctuaries for the mind and spirit. It’s where they meet to discuss critical issues, celebrate occasions of significance and where they strengthen their understanding of who they are. Te PA Tu brings together these important occasions and presents culture and kai (cuisine) events, sharing Māori history, traditions, and future aspirations across four hours of celebration and feasting.

This was an excellent tour where we spent time strolling through a traditional Māori village, heard Māori songs and learned about traditions aligned to and changing with the Māori lunar calendar. While immersed in the towering Tawa trees and blazing bonfires, we watched a cultural performance and learned local indigenous customs. We were treated with forest canapes of grilled tuna, roasted kawa, (think sweet potatoes), taro and mushrooms.

After this experience we went into their main lodge where a four-course dinner was served with an evening of performances and dance. The show was amazing and the food was excellent. A memorable part of their musical performance is when they asked what countries the audience was from. I believe there were about 12 or 13 countries represented and they proceeded to sing a song from each country. I was impressed that the performers could sing each song in the country’s native language. Soon the crowd was interacting with the performers, making it very entertaining.

Picture of the root vegetable cooked underground for our feast

Leaving Rotorua, we made one more stop at one of their geothermal parks called Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland.

Sculptured out of volcanic activity and thousands of years in the making, Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland is considered to be New Zealand’s most colorful and diverse geothermal sightseeing attraction. We saw a uniquely different natural landscape in one of the most extensive geothermal systems in New Zealand, extending over 18-sq. km.

The sulphur smell was strong but became less noticeable as we were distracted by the beautiful and unusual landscape. This was a great experience and I highly recommend it if ever in the area.

Whitianga

Our next stop was on the east side of the Coromandel Peninsula in a coastal town called Whitianga. It’s known for its Mercury Bay (named by Lt. James Cook in 1769 to observe the transit of Mercury) and associated marine activities like fishing and kayaking, and swimming. We enjoyed walking along the bay and the charming cafes and shops. It was a special place to take in the scenery, run on the beach and walk about town. Madeleine even went for a quick swim in the ocean! Without any tours scheduled there was no place we had to be, and it was just what we needed.

Before we left the Coromandel Peninsula we stopped in the town of Coromandel for lunch and to ride the Driving Creek Railway train. I heard about the train from a fellow traveler that we met on the R. Tucker Thompson tall ship tour. During out tour and from reading their handout, we learned Barry Brickell started this inspiring project in 1973, eventually building 3 kilometers of torturous narrow gauge railway track over a 54-acre area of hilly scrub covered land. Building the Railway from scratch required the daunting task of surveying a route through very rough country. Trial surveys were made with a hand slasher and home-made surveying instruments. This process having to be repeated until a suitably graded route could be found. Much of the track work we see today was done by hand and local contractors were called into help with major earthworks. Bridges/viaducts, three short tunnels, two spirals and five reversing points are required to gain elevation to the EyeFull Tower. The Driving Creek Railway opened to the public in 1990.

To gain the 200 meters in altitude, the train had five reversing points (where the train actually reverses direction in a zig-zag fashion, effectively switch-backing up the mountain). Each time this happened the caboose would become the engine and we manually had to change our seats so they were facing the new direction. We simply lifted up the seat and it became our seat back as the seat back became our seat. This was a new experience and kept us busy.

Gulf Island – Tiritiri Tour

We reserved a place in Gulf Harbor on December 24^th, where we caught a ferry to explore TiriTiri Matangi Island. Tiritiri Matangi means “looking to the wind’ or ‘wind tossing about”. The island is officially called Tiritiri Matangi Scientific Reserve and is one of the most successful conservation projects in the world. Unwanted predators have been eradicated and rare native birds such as the Kokako and the Takahe (once thought to be extinct), survive and thrive in restored habitats within regenerating native forest. Eighty-seven species of birds have been observed on or near the island. Eleven native species have been translocated to the island as part of the ongoing restoration project.

Unfortunately, we woke up to a very wet morning. It was raining quite hard and we had to get to the ferry that would take us to Tiritiri. For a moment we thought about not going but we charged ahead despite the rain. We decided to skip the guided walk and hike the 5-mile, Tiritiri Matangi Perimeter Loop instead. It stopped raining after about a mile and the rest of the day was quite pleasant. It was a good hike with some elevation and wildlife. We saw Tui’s, a brown quail called Kuera, Oyster Catchers, a Bell bird, a Red-crowned parakeet, a Pukeko also known as the purple swamphen and a Kereru also called New Zealand pigeon.

Our first part of our walk started on the beach. That’s Madeleine walking ahead.

The rain has stopped but still wet after we stop for a nice view and selfie.

We captured a few pictures of New Zealand’s Tui in the 3 photos above.

This bird is an Australasian swamphen, commonly know as the pukeko in New Zealand.

Madeleine walking to the Ferry back to Gulf Harbor

After exploring Tiritiri and Gulf Harbor we headed back to Auckland as Madeleine’s trip was coming to an end. It was also Christmas day. We were told that most restaurants and grocery stores would be closed for the holiday, so we bought food for Christmas dinner on the 23^rd and stored it in our Airbnb refrigerator.

While our Christmas was not like our traditional holidays back home, we enjoyed making dinner together and celebrating the novelty of being in New Zealand.

On Madeleine’s last day she found a community saltwater pools called Parnell Baths in Auckland. She and Tracy went to swim laps and enjoy the hot tub.

We dropped her at the airport on December 27^th with many hugs and much sadness as she departed. While this is an exciting and fun journey for us, it is hard to be away from our adult kids. We are very thankful they come to visit us.

New Zealand Part 2 – Northland Region.

Kia ora and Happy New Year from New Zealand!

After our friends and crew left, we started to explore some surrounding areas on the North Island. The closest town is called Paihia and we were told about a great 5-mile walk along the shoreline that eventually leads you to town. Paihia is a charming and popular summer spot for Kiwi’s. It’s a bit touristy with lots of shops and restaurants. We were hungry after the long walk and enjoyed lunch and some homemade fudge from one of the shops. We chose to opt for a cab instead of walking 5 miles back. Our conclusion is we’re glad to have this lovely town nearby and know we will be back!

our path along the shore on our way to Paihai. As you can see this a big fallen tree!

This picture reminds me of hiking in Oregon or Washington.

Interesting details about Paihia:

The town is famously known as the location where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840, a pivotal event in New Zealand’s history.
In the 1820s, missionaries Henry and William Williams established one of the earliest mission stations in Aotearoa (New Zealand) in Paihia.
The missionaries built New Zealand’s first church here.
The mission also set up New Zealand’s first printing press in 1835, which was used to print Bibles and, later, copies of the Treaty of Waitangi in Māori.

The population of Paihia was 1,623 in 2023. The town is a popular tourist destination, and its population swells significantly with visitors, especially during the summer months.

Another nearby town is Russell, smaller than Paihia but very picturesque. You can take a pedestrian/car ferry from Opua or Paihia. We drove over in our rented vehicle to explore more of the island. It’s a great spot and we highly recommend seeing Paihia and Russell, if ever in the area.

Interesting details about Russel

Russell, originally called Kororāreka, was New Zealand’s first European settlement and capital before the capital moved to Auckland in 1841. Since 1865, the capital has been Wellington. It was once known as the “Hell Hole of the Pacific” due to its reputation as a lawless whaling and trading port, but it is now a tranquil resort town known for its history, charming streets, and as a base for exploring the Bay of Islands.

Today, Russell is a charming resort town with a relaxed atmosphere, frequented by tourists. It is also a popular hub for game fishing, with fleets departing to catch marlin, tuna, and shark. Russell had a population of 798 as of the 2023 New Zealand census.

This photo and two above are from a hike with views of Russell.

This sign is from a coffee shop in Russell called Hellhole.

We were surprised to see this sign but that does appear to be a common theme throughout the Island.

Another adventure included a drive to Cape Reinga, the northern most point of New Zealand. It was about a 3-and-a-half-hour drive from the marina. We stopped in Manganui for breakfast and again for dinner on our way back. Supposedly they have the ‘best’ fish and chips in New Zealand. We were later told by our cab driver that the ‘best’ rating was established 20 years ago and since then they have changed owners, and they are not as good as they used to be. Since it was the only place in town, we tried it, and it was very good but pricey. We think the publicity from 20 years ago is still paying off, hence the high cost.

A second tip from our cab driver Wayne included stopping at Gum Diggers Park in Northland. The story begins 220 million years ago when the Agathis family of evergreen trees (Kauri) first appeared on the earth in the time of the dinosaurs (Cretaceous Era). After the breakup of the great continent Gondwanaland, the sub species Agathis Australis were confined to an area which became Northern New Zealand. They do not grow naturally anywhere else in the world. Kauri Gum is the fossilized resin or sap of the Kauri Tree. The age of the gum can vary significantly – anywhere from a few hundred years old to many hundreds of thousands of years old. Some Kauri Gum found in the Otago in the South Island has been estimated by scientists to be over 175 million years old and is Amber. Most of the Kauri Gum found on the Gum Diggers Park site is between 46,000 -150,000 years old.

Although used for generations by the Māori people (they used it as chewing gum, for lighting fires and tattooing) the Kauri Gum industry had its beginnings in 1814 when a trial shipment was sent to London by early European pioneers who were keen to export products back to their homeland. The gum soon became prized in making high quality varnish.

The gum diggers would target their excavations around the bases and crowns of the trees. The timber wasn’t important to them and was often burnt for firewood. The influx of “gum diggers” to the Auckland and Northland areas from about 1830 provided the basis for one of our largest ever export industries earning New Zealand even more revenue than farming in the early 1900s.

Between 1850 and 1950 over 450,000 tons of Kauri Gum, worth 25 million pounds, had been exported to manufacturer varnish. Unfortunately, most of the Kauri gum was exported overseas, mainly to Britain but also to Australia and the USA. Very little remains in this country and there is probably almost none remaining in the ground.

Today the Kauri trees are limited to a few reserves, and they are now absolutely protected. These majestic trees are now attracting many visitors to the natural forest areas and have brought a new awareness about the need for conservation – not only for the Kauri but for all our native treasures.

Old Karau wood – this picture and one above

We noticed lots of sheep grazing on the hillsides during our drive. In trying to get a better understanding around the size of sheep farming, I learned it is a significant industry in New Zealand. According to 2007 figures reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, there are 39 million sheep in the country (a count of about 10 per human). The country has the highest density of sheep per unit area in the world. For 130 years, sheep farming was the country’s most important agricultural industry, but it was overtaken by dairy farming in 1987. Sheep numbers peaked in New Zealand in 1982 to 70 million but have dropped to about 24.4 million as of June 2023. There are 16,000 sheep and beef farms in the country which has made the country the world’s largest exporter of lambs, with 24 million finished lambs recorded every year.

As we were getting close to Cape Reinga the weather changed and heavy fog started coming in. Unfortunately, it covered most of our view but we did manage to get a couple of pictures before we lost visibility.

Cape Reinga is generally considered the separation marker between the Tasman Sea to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. From the lighthouse it is possible to watch the tidal race, as the two seas clash to create unsettled waters just off the coast.

It is a popular tourist site, with annual visitor numbers estimated at over 500,000 people. Visitor numbers are growing by about five percent a year, and the increase is likely to become even more now that the road to the cape is fully sealed.

According to mythology, the spirits of the dead travel to Cape Reinga on their journey to the afterlife to leap off the headland and climb the roots of the 800-year-old Pohutukawa tree and descend to the underworld to return to their traditional homeland of Hawaki, using the Te Ara Wairua, the ‘Spirits pathway’. At Cape Reinga they depart the mainland. They turn briefly at the Three Kings Island for one last look back towards the land, then continue their journey.

Views from the top of Cape Reinga as the fog is rolling in.

It was also a goal of ours to go cruising for few days around the Bay of Islands. It’s famous for it’s sailing and wonderful anchorages. On November 16, we sailed to Mangahawea Bay. It’s one of New Zealand’s earliest known Polynesian settlement sites, showing adaptation by explorers arriving from Polynesia centuries ago. Excavations have uncovered rich layers of cultural history, providing insights into the lives of early Māori.

When we arrived at this Bay, the Hawaiian voyaging canoes Hōkūleʻa and Hikianalia were visiting Mangahawea Bay. We discovered they were here primarily to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Hokulea’s historic first landfall in 1985, strengthening cultural ties with Maori, honoring ancestral voyaging, and engaging communities in sustainability and stewardship before wintering in New Zealand. The journey also served to train new navigators and leaders for the future of Polynesian voyaging, continuing the mission to explore, understand, and care for the Pacific.

Holulea’s boat from Hawaii commemorating 40th anniversary

We arrived to crowds on the beach celebrating the 40th anniversay.

The five pictures above are from Mangahawea Bay as we hiked around the island.

Next, we anchored near Roberton Island for 2 nights. It’s the same island we went to for our Tall Ship tour in late October aboard the R. Tucker Thompson. The Island has a short hike with gorgeous views that we enjoyed hiking again. We were also privileged to see an amazing dolphin show as they swam around our boat and others in the bay for a good 10 minutes.

R. Tucker Thompson at anchor off Roberton Island. We came here previously on the R. Tucker Thompson so it was great to see her here again, especially with the “Dolphin Show”.

Motuarohia (Roberton Island) has been inhabited by Māori since early Polynesian settlement, with evidence of gardens and fortifications. Captain Cook landed there in 1769 and named the region the Bay of Islands. In 1839, the island was renamed after John Roberton, who later died in a boating accident, leaving his wife Elizabeth to manage the island. After passing through several owners in the 19th century, the island became a scenic and wildlife reserve by the 1950s. It was placed under government care in 1979 and is now a popular Bay of Islands tourist destination.

Two pictures from our hike on Roberton Island.

Our last night at anchor was in Otaio Bay, also known as Entico Bay. It’s a beautiful, secluded bay where the water is crystal clear and blue. It was a fun surprise to see the R. Tucker Thompson tall ship in the bay when we arrived. We enjoyed exploring this Island with longer hikes and lovely views.

We noticed several trees filled with Cormorants. This photo has a nest with babies.

I found this picture on the internet to give you a better idea of what a Cormorant looks like

View leaving the bay and heading back to the Bay of Islands marina.

We were invited to a community dinner in Paihia by Kathy, our Kiwi friend, who gave me a ride from the bus stop. Everyone brought a dish to share and your own drinks if desired. There were several folks who were 1st and 2nd generational New Zealanders and one who was 6th generation. It was a nice evening with good conversation and lots of laughter.

Kathy from Wisconsin is the person with her hand up.

The woman wearing a purple sweatshirt is a 6th generation Kiwi!

Another must see in New Zealand is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands are one of the most important historical sites in New Zealand because its where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840, marking the country’s founding as a modern nation. The site is closely connected to key events before the treaty, including the residence of James Busby, the adoption of New Zealand’s first national flag, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today, Waitangi remains a place of national commemoration and reflection on New Zealand’s identity.

After the tour we headed to the cultural show for more education and entertainment. Our guide asked the audience if anyone would be interested in role playing a ‘Chief’ representing Great Britain. After a bit of silence, Tracy volunteered! The Chief of the Māori tribe gave him a peace offering along with a speech to welcome him. In return, acting as Britain’s chief, Tracy also gave a speech to the Chief and tribe. These rituals were done to establish prestige and authority, acknowledge their purpose and create a spiritual connection. It was interesting and educational with a bit of humor watching Tracy act out his role. The music and dancing was beautiful and felt authentic.

These are the flags of New Zealand that they have had since 1834. The top flag is the New Zealand flag. The lower left flag is the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the lower right flag is the Union Flag representing England which has not flown over New Zealand since 1902.

Fun photos with Tracy posing as the Chief!

Tracy and I posing with some of the warriors and dancers from the show.

Kawiti Glow Worm Caves

We visited the Kawiti Glow worm cave in the Waiomio Valley near Kawakaw in the Northland region of the North Island. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the cave because it is considered sacred but we captured some photos around the grounds.

Glow worm caves are natural (or sometimes purpose-built) underground formations, famous in New Zealand and Australia, where thousands of bioluminescent glowworm larvae create a magical, starry night effect on cave ceilings. These tiny creatures, Arachnocampa luminosa, hang sticky threads to catch insects, and their collective blue-green light illuminates the dark, damp caves, offering a beautiful, underground spectacle.

I pulled this photo off their website to give you some perspective of the cave’s size.

Tw0 photos above are from the grounds outside the cave.

Last, we visited Haruru Falls, a 16-foot waterfall located near the settlement of Haruru in the Far North District of New Zealand. See photos below.

In the Māori language the word haruru means ‘continuous noise or roar’. The lagoon on the downstream side of the falls was New Zealand’s first river port, used by both Māori and early missionaries.

New Zealand!

I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, on October 17^th from Tonga. I spent 10 days in the Parnell neighborhood near downtown Auckland while waiting for Tracy and crew to arrive on Quid Sea. We’re both grateful we have found a way to share this adventure that works for both of us.

I love this area in Auckland, as it’s very walkable with shops, restaurants, cafes and groceries. It’s near the airport and I highly recommend it if you plan to visit Auckland. I toured the War Memorial Museum, Domain Winter Gardens, and walked the path to Mt. Eden volcano. Our Kiwi cruising friends connected me with their neighbor Fritha and we met up for drinks one night and she invited me to her home for a Lamb roast another night. Lamb is a popular New Zealand dish, and it was delicious. Fritha was excellent company and a very gracious host. I hope to see her again while in New Zealand.

My first breakfast in New Zealand. Yummy!

Pictures above from the Domain Wintergarden in Auckland

Selfie of Fritha and me after our dinner together.

Fun Facts about Auckland:

1. You can walk from one ocean to another – in just four hours. Auckland is one of the few cities in the world where you can cross from the Pacific Ocean to the Tasman Sea on foot. The Coast to Coast Walkway spans 16 kilometers and takes you through volcanic cones, native bush, and quiet neighborhoods. It’s a peaceful and scenic way to see both sides of the city – and tick off a rare travel achievement.

2. Auckland is built on more than 50 volcanoes. Don’t worry – they’re all dormant. But Auckland’s volcanic field has shaped everything from its rolling hills to its iconic lookouts. Mount Eden and One Tree Hill offer some of the best panoramic views over the city and harbor. For geology lovers, this is a rare chance to see a city designed by fire.

3. It’s rightfully called the ‘City of Sails’. With more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world, Auckland embraces life on the water. Its twin harbors – Waitematā and Manukau – make it a dream for sailing, and you’ll spot yachts dotting the horizon at almost every turn. Harbor cruises, sunset sails, or even just a stroll along the marina show why Auckland has earned its nautical nickname.

4. It’s home to the world’s largest Polynesia population. Auckland is proudly multicultural, and around 28% of its population identifies as Polynesian. Their influence is felt in the music, markets, and festivals that color the city throughout the year. Don’t miss the Pasifika Festival, held annually in Western Springs – it’s a joyful celebration of Pacific Island heritage, with traditional performances, street food, and art.

5. The Māori name for Auckland means ‘a place desired by many’.Auckland’s Māori name, Tāmaki Makaurau, translates to “Tāmaki with a hundred lovers” – a poetic nod to its lush lands and strategic harbours. For centuries, this fertile region was a sought-after home for Māori iwi (tribes), and their rich legacy continues through art, storytelling, and place names all around the city.

6. Auckland consistently ranks among the world’s most liveable cities. With its mild climate, excellent public services, and easy access to nature, Auckland consistently ranks among the top tiers of global liveability indexes. It’s a city where you can hike a volcano in the morning, relax at a winery in the afternoon, and dine on world-class cuisine by evening – all without leaving the metro area.

7. It was New Zealand’s capital city – but only for 25 years. Auckland held the title of capital between 1842 and 1865, before the government relocated to Wellington for geographical balance. But Auckland has grown far beyond its brief political past – today it’s the country’s largest and most international city, known for its business hub, arts scene and natural wonders.

8. Famous Kiwis call Auckland home. This city has nurtured some of New Zealand’s most notable figures. Sir Edmund Hillary, who conquered Everest, grew up here. So did pop sensation Lorde, who made global waves with her chart-topping debut. And Helen Clark, former Prime Minister and UN leader, also hails from Auckland. It’s a place that quietly shapes world-changers.

9. Auckland is the backdrop to New Zealand’s longest-running soap. If you’re curious about everyday Kiwi culture, Shortland Street is a prime-time TV staple – filmed on the North Shore and beloved since 1992. It may be fiction, but it offers insight into modern urban life in New Zealand, with a dash of melodrama. Better yet, the popular TV show One Tree Hill was directly named after Maungakiekie – ’One Tree Hill’, a volcanic cone in Auckland.

10. It’s a city where nature and city life live side by side. One moment you’re exploring designer shops and art galleries, the next you’re picnicking beside a volcanic crater or cruising past dolphins in the Hauraki Gulf. This balance of city and serenity is what keeps Auckland so special – and so endlessly explorable.

Last, As of November 2025, Auckland’s population is estimated to be around 1.71 million, while New Zealand’s total population is approximately 5.34 million. This means about one-third of New Zealand’s population lives in the Auckland Region.

I left Auckland on October 26^th and took the bus north to Opua. I needed to get to Bay of Islands Marina where I will meet up with Tracy once he arrives. I was dropped off on the side of the road in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere! My phone didn’t have very good service and was challenging to find directions. While I was deciding what to do and trying not to panic, a women in a car arrived to pick up another bus passenger and asked if I needed a ride. I told her where I was going and she said, “hop in, it’s on the way.”

It turns out the other person she picked up is a WWOOFer from China (I don’t recall where). He is here to help Cathy do some work on their property for a week. A “WWOOFer” on a farm is a volunteer who participates in the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) program, which is a global network connecting volunteers with organic farmers. In exchange for a few hours of daily work (typically 4-6 hours) on the farm, WWOOFer’s receive free food and accommodation. This is a non-monetary exchange focused on education and cultural experience, allowing WWOOFer’s to learn about organic farming and sustainable living from their hosts.

Another fun detail is Cathy is from Green Bay Wisconsin. This is not too far from where I lived until I was in my early 20’s and still have family in the area. We exchanged contact information, and she invited us over for dinner once we settled. Before leaving, she helped me locate my Airbnb and dropped me at Opua’s General Store. It was a great place to hang out and have lunch until I could check in the Airbnb, a short walk away.

Two views from the bus ride, Auckland to Opua

My first night in Opua I met up with sailing vessels Terrapin (US) and Walk About (Netherlands). Walk About had arrived earlier that day and it’s a tradition for them to celebrate each passage with some bubbles!

Because I arrived early to Opua, I rented an Airbnb overlooking the marina so I would be in the immediate area when Quid Sea sailed in to the harbor. The place was big enough for Tracy and crew because I heard they were excited to get off the boat, enjoy a hot shower and get a full night’s sleep. Good news, they arrived safely around 9:00 PM on Monday, October 27^th in very strong winds. Because it was late they had to stay on the Quarantine Dock until customs could check them in sometime in the morning. I wasn’t able to enter the dock and could only wave to them from a distance. By noon next day, everyone was off the boat and settling into the Airbnb. Yay!

View from the Airbnb in the Bay of Islands Marina

That night (Tuesday), we had a party for about 17 other cruising friends who had arrived a few days earlier or same day as Tracy. They were from 7 different boats originating from US, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada, England, and New Zealand. These are boats we have been traveling with since Mexico which was about a year ago. We didn’t see them at every stop but on and off throughout our passages. It was quite a celebration to finally arrive in New Zealand!

We left our lovely apartment and moved back on the boat on Friday, October 31^st. Tracy’s cousin Tim left for home and Peter stayed on for a few more days.

With many of our cruising friends still here with us, we joined them for dinners and touring around the area. We visited Omata Winery on Friday, October 30^th, a boutique winery specializing in Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rose and Syrah’s. They also offer lunch with their wine tastings, and we enjoyed their wood-fired pizza’s. The wine was good and the company even better! I highly recommend this winery, not just for the wine and food but also for its beautiful views and setting.

Pictures from the Omata winery in Russell New Zealand.

On Saturday we went on a tour aboard a ship called R. Tucker Thompson. We can’t seem to stay away from boats! This magnificent traditional tall ship is a dedicated non-profit, committed to transforming the lives of Northland’s young people. Every dollar they collect from tourists like us directly funds their life-changing, 7-day youth voyages. R. Tucker Thompson runs Youth Development Voyages for young people aged 14-18 from Taitokerau Northland. These voyages are designed to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership. Trainees learn traditional sailing skills and explore the Bay of Islands, empowering them with transferable skills and a sense of belonging.

The trip for visitors includes hands-on sailing for anyone who wants to be more involved. We helped raise the sails, I climbed the rigging and Peter and Tracy steered the boat for a bit. Peter also jumped in the water on a rope swing and swam back to the boat! It was a great trip where we were also able to go ashore for a hike, enjoyed tea and scones for breakfast as well as a wonderful lunch spread.

Peter and Tracy getting ready to board the R. Tucker Thompson

Tracy helping to raise one of the sails.

Connor is delivering our breakfast of scones with clotted cream and hot tea. So tasty!

Peter anxiously waiting his turn to take the helm!

We hiked to the top of Roberton Island and were rewarded with wonderful views.

We’ve been here about a week and Peter has left us and most of our cruising friends have moved on too. We are feeling a bit lonely but also glad to have some quiet time. We plan to spend the next few weeks exploring the area around Opua and getting some boat repairs done.

Our expectations were quite high in terms of finally getting to New Zealand. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. We loved it from day one and can’t wait to explore more of the Islands during our six month stay here!

Sailing Tonga to New Zealand

Thursday and Friday, October 16^th to 17^th

These were our transition days as Cindy prepared to depart for Auckland and my crew started to arrive for the passage from Tonga to New Zealand.

The first to arrive was my cousin Tim whom I had just recently reconnected with back in Mexico. Tim and I had not talked for a few decades. No reason except time, distance, and simple failure to stay in touch. The years seemed to just melt away but there is a lot of lost time in between. A mistake we don’t intend to repeat!

My next crew member, Peter, arrived on the 17^th. Cindy left in the morning and Peter arrived in the late afternoon. Peter happened to arrive in the middle of a 3 hour parade as part of events supporting the Tonga national rugby league team. The team is associated with the phrase Mate Ma’a Tonga (English: Die for Tonga). The team was in Nuku’alofa for 3 days with a lot of celebrations. The Tongan’s are very enthusiastic about their rugby!

Here are a couple examples of Tongans demonstrating their support for their team.

The parade ran down the main thoroughfare in Nuku’alofa but because it was so long, it was periodically interrupted for traffic to get through. It was during one of these interruptions that Peter arrived at the dock from the airport.

Peter arriving during the parade for the Toga national rugby league team

Saturday and Sunday, October 18^th to October 19^th

Peter, Tim, and I spent the next few days doing some sightseeing as well as provisioning the boat and planning for the passage from Tonga to New Zealand. Here’s a few pictures of our time in Tonga waiting for our departure window.

Me, Tim, and Peter, at a popular coffee shop.

Tim and Peter with Simon and Robin from Kallisti. We’re waiting for our water taxi to take us back to Big Mama Yacht Club.

Quid Sea at anchor off Big Mama Yacht Club

Tim and I are loading the dinghy with provisions to bring back to Quid Sea.

Beach in front of Big Mama Yacht Club. The club was severely damaged by the 2022 tsunami but they are still operating and are great hosts.

Some locals that came over to Big Mama Yacht Club for a gathering of family and friends. They’re roasting pigs on spits over the open fire. A common menu item at special Togan events.

Preparing for departure:

Sailing from Tonga to New Zealand can be a challenging passage. It’s not a trip for the faint of heart and requires some good offshore experience. The optimal weather window is October and November so we are in that window. The passage is about 1,100 nautical miles and often takes 7 to 10 days, depending on weather conditions. The trip may involve a layover of a few days in Minerva Reef to wait for a good weather window to New Zealand. Minerva reef is only 250 nautical miles from Tonga and is still in the region of consistent trade winds. Further south into the Southern Pacific, weather becomes more dominated by systems moving from Australia to New Zealand across the Tasman Sea. These systems can be less stable and often require a wait in Minerva for the systems to the south to pass.

We are planning to make the trip with Kallisti who is another sailboat we have been cruising with and have become good friends of the owners. Robin and Simon are Kiwi’s, returning home after 10+ years of cruising! We are consulting with them and a Weather Router looking for the best time to leave. A Weather Router is a professional who recommends routes and departure times based on weather forecasts and the boats performance. Weather Routers are often experienced sailors, professional meteorologists, or both.

Our Weather Router, Bruce, has told us that we can probably make the passage from Tonga to New Zealand without a stop at Minerva Reef. This would get us to New Zealand in about 7 days rather than 10 which would include a stop in Minerva. We like the 7 day window because it also aligns better with Tim’s and Peter’s flights back home. They were both willing though to change their flights if weather made it necessary. That’s one of the challenges with sailing and schedules. Sailing is very dependent on weather. There’s a saying that a sailor’s worst enemy is a schedule!

Based on Bruce’s recommendation we are planning our departure from Tonga for the afternoon of October 20^th. Our goal is to arrive in New Zealand as early as possible on Monday, October 27^th to beat a cold front that is forming west of New Zealand and expected to arrive at the north end of New Zealand early Tuesday morning bringing heavy winds. If we can’t make good time or something changes, we should plan on stopping at Minerva to wait out the frontal system.

Because we may have to stop at Minerva, we are planning to provision for at least 2 weeks at sea. There is nothing in Minerva so we need to provision for a possible stay there.

Monday, October 20^th

We spent the morning and early afternoon stowing gear and securing the boat for the passage to New Zealand. The past few days the wind had been blowing pretty strong, 20+ kts, but it was starting to reduce to more reasonable speeds, i.e. less than 20 kts. At 15:00 (3PM) we raised the anchor and set sail for New Zealand. Kallisti set sail about 1 hour after us.

Here we are leaving the anchorage in Tonga on our way to New Zealand.

We sailed through the Tongatapu Island group with the wind off our starboard quarter on a nice broad reach with just the Genoa. As we exited the island group, we raised the main but put in a 3^rd reef. The reef reduces the sail area and is important because we expected strong winds through the evening and didn’t want to be reefing the sail in the dark.

We exited the lee of the Tongatapu Island group around 18:00(6pm). Exiting the lee means we entered open ocean where the islands weren’t protecting us from winds. The winds are blowing 20 to 25kts from the ESE which is right on our port beam. This means the wind and waves are hitting the boat from the side which translates to very rough conditions and very unhappy crew.

Tuesday, October 21^st

Same conditions continued into the late afternoon, beam seas at 20-25kts. We were still sailing with the main reefed. Here are some pictures of Kallisti sailing about a mile or so away from us. Kallisti is about the same size as Quid Sea so what you see Kallisti doing is the same thing we were doing. Sometimes the waves are high enough that you can’t see the hull and sometimes it looks like you are pointed down into the sea as you slide down a wave.

Kallisti sailing about 1nm away from us. Hull barely visible above the waves.

Kallisti sailing about 1nm away from us a little later in the day. Hull still barely visible above the waves.

Kallisti sailing about 1nm away from us pointed down at the bow like she is about to submerge.

As evening approached the wind dropped below 20kts and shifted more easterly. What that means is the wind and waves are more behind us and the boat is rolling a little less. Still a very rough ride and wearing on the crew and captain.

Wednesday, October 22^nd

By morning the wind was down to 17kts and becoming more north easterly. Conditions continue to calm and crew is feeling better. We took the reef out of the main and sailed with full sails. It was a relatively good day of sailing.

Thursday, October 23^rd

Mid-morning the wind has shifted more NE and is down to 14-17kts. We are heading more southerly now as the wind has shifted. Our goal is to make more westing so as the wind shifts more north, we expect to have to gybe and go onto a starboard tack. What this means is we’ll turn more westerly and put the wind on our starboard (right) side instead of our port (left) side.

At 10:20 we crossed the International Date Line from the Western to the Eastern hemisphere!

About noon we started motor sailing to charge batteries and check for water in the fuel. Kallisti is about 6 nautical miles away and reported some water in their fuel tanks. They suspect the water came in through leaky fuel caps on deck where the fuel is put in when filling the tanks. That’s one of many things that can happen when taking waves over the boat. Since we had also been taking waves on deck, we thought it prudent to check also. Fortunately our tanks appeared to be free of water.

We shut off the motor about 17:30 (5:30pm) and sailed into the evening. We started talking about the cold front that is coming. Spirits continue to improve as wind and seas are more manageable but we know rougher weather is ahead.

Peter and Tim relaxing in the cockpit. Tim is on watch.

Peter with a smile on his face. Can’t tell if Tim is smiling.

Friday, October 24^th

A little after midnight, we gybed onto a starboard tack and starting heading more westerly as the wind had shifted more northerly. Overcast and light rain in the morning. Weather is changing as we approach a smaller frontal system. This is not the big system approaching northern New Zealand that we are worried about and trying to beat.

In the evening the winds started to shift from NNE to NW. It was a rough night trying to make more westing as we had to start sailing more into the wind on a close reach. Our goal was to make as much way west as possible before the next wind shifts to the SW. If we can’t get enough westward distance, we’d end up sailing into high winds on our final approach to New Zealand.

Saturday, October 25^th

We continued on a close reach trying to make as much westing as we could. Sailing on a close reach means sailing into the wind and waves at an angle and is usually rougher sailing conditions. The wind continued to build so we had to put a reef in the main and Genoa. About 17:00 (5pm) we started passing through the cold front which brought squalls with wind gusts and heavy rains. The wind shifted to the SSW which made it difficult to find a good sail angle that would allow us to stay on schedule and beat the big front heading for the north end of New Zealand. We decided to start the engine and motor. We motored into the wind and seas through the night which made for a very rough ride.

Sunday, October 26^th

The wind shifted more westerly by morning and we raised sails and motor sailed until about 10:30. We sailed on a more comfortable tack for most of the day and conditions were more comfortable. Here’s a glimpses of what conditions looked like.

Nice sunset on Sunday. Conditions are still pleasant.

Monday, October 27^th

About midnight the wind finally backed more to the north, coming from the NW. This allowed us to sail on a comfortable broad reach with the wind behind us. We are now sailing SSW directly for Opua, New Zealand. By 08:00 the wind was blowing about 20kts and the boat is moving at about 8kts. Great sailing conditions but we know winds will be picking up soon as we get closer to the major cold front coming around the north end of New Zealand. At this time, we decided to put a 3^rd reef in the main in anticipation of the higher winds.

Here’s a picture of the skipper checking things out, making sure we’re secure, before the big winds we expect later in the day.

Around noon the winds built to about 30kts. By 16:00 (4pm) we were in 35-40kt winds which officially are gale force winds. We clocked some gusts as high as 47kts which is 54mph. Not only were the winds high but the waves were 2-3 meters (about 6 to 10 feet). Waves that high are not necessarily bad except in this case their period was 6-8 seconds which means they are big and coming close together. We were in very rough conditions.

Rough conditions on our last day as we approach the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.

We entered the Bay of Islands about 19:00 (7pm). The wind was still blowing hard but the waves started to subside as we entered the protection of the bay. We dropped sails and started motoring to our destination, the Bay of Islands Marina in Opua. We arrived at the Q-Dock in Bay of Islands Marina at 20:45 (8:45pm). The Robin and Simon from Kallisti, who had arrived a few hours before us, were ready at the dock to help us tie up. Q-Dock is the quarantine dock where we are required to wait until we can be cleared by customs and immigration. We were relieved to have finally arrived and were able to crack a few beers with Robin and Simon. Cindy and some other boating friends cheered us on from the docks across the way but they could not be with us as we are “in quarantine”.

Tuesday, October 28^th

We woke up to a beautiful morning on the Q-Dock.

Here is Quid Sea with a beautiful rainbow welcoming us to New Zealand.

Customs and Immigration as well as a representative from Biofouling management came onboard around 10:00 to clear us. Customs and Immigration are checking for proper documentation and visas as well as declarations for items onboard. Biofouling management is making sure we are not bringing any pests or invasive species both inside the vessel and outside on the underwater part of the hull. We were cleared by all and were able to move to our slip in the marina. We tied up at our slip at 12:00 anxious to meet up with Cindy at the Airbnb where she was waiting for us. We are really looking forward to hot showers and I am really looking forward to hugging Cindy!

As we gathered later in the day on Tuesday for a get together with friends and fellow cruisers, our trip was described by many as “Epic”. Needless to say, Quid Sea’s performance was stellar, and the crew’s resilience from one day to the next made the trip one we’ll not soon forget.

Tonga

We left the US on September 29^th and arrived in Tonga on October 1^st. Total travel time was 27 hours and 35 minutes. Included was a 4-hour layover in LA and a 7-hour layover in Fiji. To add further confusion, Tonga is also a day ahead because they are on the other side of the international date line. It was the longest flight I ever experienced, and we were happy to reach our destination. Tracy got to experience the same trip in reverse when he flew back to the US from Tonga. Yikes!

We had a great time at home in the Vancouver/Camas area visiting family and friends. We stayed with my sister and brother-in-law, caught up with lots of friends and enjoyed a few visits with Tracy’s brother and sister-in-law. It was extra special to spend some time with Lucas and his fiancé Annika who will be getting married next July! We are grateful to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

Besides enjoying our hometown, we spent time traveling to Ohio, Houston and Denver. In Ohio we visited Marina and Dakota and we were very happy to be there to celebrate their marriage. It was a beautiful and intimate ceremony with just family and Marina’s brother Lucas officiated. It was great spending time with them, seeing their new home and meeting Dakota’s family. We left them in good hands!

Tracy and Marina walking down the forest aisle

Lucas and his fiance Annika walking through rows & rows of sunflowers.

We also traveled to Houston to visit Tracy’s Mom, sister and brother-in-law. It’s been a while since we visited and it’s always so nice to spend time with them. We enjoyed Jason’s cooking, playing games, great conversations and wonderful hospitality. What more could you ask for!

Tracy with his Mom in front of Texas A&M at Galveston where he went to College.

We went to the Houston Aquarium and I recommend it to anyone else visiting Houston.

Last, we flew to Denver to see Madeleine, her boyfriend Evan, and their two dogs, Virgil and Frankie! It was a fun packed weekend exploring their neighborhood and doing the Georgetown loop to see the Aspen fall colors.

A couple of pictures of the Aspens beautiful fall colors

Madeleiene ran the Portland Marathon– her first marathon. I cheered her on from afar.

But now back to Tonga.

Our anchorage for about 10 days in Neiafu.

Tonga is the only Pacific Island nation that was never colonized, has a constitutional monarchy, and is nicknamed the “Friendly Islands”. It’s known for its unique wildlife, including migratory humpback whales and flying foxes that belong to the king. Sundays are a day of rest with a ban on most activities, and the Tongan alphabet only has 17 letters.

The island nation of Tonga is a deeply religious country with Christianity being the dominant and integral part of its culture and society. Religion is so central that it influences daily life and is even enshrined in its constitution, which prohibits most forms of work and trade on Sundays

October is the end of the dry season and the beginning of the wet season in Tonga. It is considered a “shoulder season” month, transitioning from the cooler, drier conditions of winter (May–October) to the hotter, more humid, and wetter conditions of summer (November–April). What this meant for us is that it was not as hot and humid but we experienced some rainy days.

We started out on the Island of Vava’u. Vava’u is an island group, consisting of one large island (Vava’u) and 40 smaller ones, in Tonga. It is part of Vava’u District, which includes several other individual islands. According to tradition, the Maui god created both Tongatapu and Vava’u but put a little more effort into the former. Vava’u rises 204 m (669 ft) above sea level at Mount Talau. The capital is Neiafu, situated at the Port of Refuge.

Our first 2 nights were spent in a hotel since the boat was still in the boat yard on the ‘hard’, (on land). On Friday, October 3^rd, Quid Sea was going back in the water and so were we. It’s routine for the boat yard to have us start the engine once in the water, before detaching the bindings. We had a bit of scare when the engine wouldn’t start. Tracy tried to get it going without any luck. The owner of the boat yard came on board and also tried the engine without success. They were about to pull us back on shore when Tracy made one more attempt and this time it worked! They quickly detached us and we motored to our next stop in Neiafu where we tied up to a mooring ball.

We spent about 10 days in Neiafu and caught up with some cruising friends and shopped for provisions. It’s a great place for boaters because they offer many repair services and they are convenient to get to. Tracy continued to work on the original starter by spraying WD-40 into the starter to help lubricate the drive pinion. It seems to be working fine now. He also took his back up starter to the boat yard for servicing just in case we need it. We’ve been starting the engine every day to ensure we’re not continuing to have issues. Apparently leaving your boat out of the water for a couple of months is not good for the engine and other systems.

Neiafu is the second-largest town in Tonga with a population of 3,845 in 2021. It is situated beside the Port of Refuge, a deep-water harbor on the south coast of Vava’u. It is the administrative center of the Vavaʻu group and has government offices, banks, schools, a police station and a hospital. It is also an important center for tourism with many yachts anchoring in the Port of Refuge.

The town is now powered by a 300kW solar PV farm with battery backup in the hamlet of Kāmeli.

A large Catholic church in the center of Neiafu called St Joseph-the Worker Parrish.

The Hideaway was small restaurant and bar on a floating raft which happened to be parked right next to Quid Sea. The owner’s name is ‘Bear’ and he is from Canada but has been living in Tonga for 10+ years.

Outside the Kraken, a fun restaurant we enjoyed.

We left Neiafu on Sunday October 12th and headed south to the island of Tongatapu. It was about a 30-hour passage, and the seas were rolling, yawing, and slapping, all at the same time. It was a rough journey early on but got a little better towards the end. On a fun note, as we were leaving the bay of Neiafu we saw a pair of humpback whales breaching. It’s like they came out to say good-bye.

We arrived Monday afternoon and anchored in Fanga’uta Lagoon near the town of Nuku’alofa. We needed to come here to pick up Tracy’s crew for the New Zealand passage, and for me to catch a flight to Auckland. Lots of changes this week!

We are anchored in a beautiful bay with several other boats at Pangaimotu Island. It’s a bit isolated but there’s a place called Big Mama Yacht Club on Pangaimotu. Big Mama’s is an iconic stop for cruisers but sadly it was damaged by the tsunami associated with the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai eruption. It has more limited offerings today but is still a cruisers hangout and Big Mama and Earle are great hosts.

Another important service Big Mama’s provides is a water taxi to Nuku’alofa which we used almost daily. It’s about a mile across the bay to Nuku’alofa where customs, grocery stores and restaurants are located. But the waters can be choppy so having the water taxi option is great. It’s a shorter ride and we stay dry as opposed to taking the dinghy.

One of our neighbors in Fanga’uta Lagoon. Note the rainbow in the background.

This old boat may have sunk from the Cyclone back in 2018. Now it’s resting in front of Big Mama’s advertising their name.

Our first task was to go to customs and check in. It’s interesting that we must check in and out of inter Islands even though they are all part of Tonga. After being responsible, we found a coffee shop and later went to a place called ‘Friends’ for lunch. We were also able to explore a few stores for provisioning.

Two cemetery sites as we walked through town.

The Centennial Church, also known as the Free Church of Tonga, is an iconic structure in Nuku’alofa damaged by Cyclone Gita in 2018.

Local High School on a street that also contained primary school, middle school and college.

Two students on their lunch break across the street from the high school. Note the uniform and it is common to see boys & men in skirts.

After the water taxi ride and coming back to Quid Sea in our dinghy we discovered a snake climbing up the back of the boat. It turned out to be a sea snake which is extremely venomous. They rarely inject their venom when biting, so thankfully venomous bites to humans are rare. Tracy grabbed it and flung into the water but a minute later it was back. We pulled up our boat ladder, and he removed it again, but it kept returning. Next, we turned on the engine hoping the sound and diesel fumes would deter it and sure enough that worked. As an extra precaution, I plugged up all our drains in the 3 sinks to make sure it didn’t try to sneak in from the through hulls.

Nuku’alofa is the capital and largest city of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the country’s southernmost island group. The population of Nukuʻalofa, the capital of Tonga, is around 22,000 to 27,600.

We have seen lots of influence by China and Japan. Most of the grocery markets are owned by Chinese people and there was a Red Cross hospital ship from China in the harbor for a few days. They were offering free medical services to Tongans.

First western records of Nukuʻalofa

On 10 June 1777, British captain James Cook wrote of his arrival at their anchorage place. His description of the place confirmed, with his map, that this was the bay of Nukuʻalofa.

“At length, about two in the afternoon, we arrived at our intended station. It was a very snug place, formed by the shore of Tongataboo on the South East, and two small islands on the East and North East. Here we anchored in ten fathoms water, over a bottom of oozy sand; distant from the shore one-third of a mile [500 m].^”

Cook never used the name Nuku’alofa or any alternative spelling for the reports of this voyage, but he mentioned the island of Pangaimotu (where Big Mama Yacht club is located) which was to the east of his anchorage position. Captain Cook also wrote that he traveled by canoes to visit Mu’a where Paulaho and other great men lived. The house that Paulaho provided was on the beach 500 metres (¹⁄₃ mi) from the ship. Reference to his map shows that he must have landed and stayed in the Siesia area, the eastern part of modern Nukuʻalofa. Cook also drafted the first map of the bay of Nukuʻalofa.

We enjoyed Tonga but didn’t really get enough time here to explore all the Islands. We’re thinking we may come back next May on our way to Fiji.

Our next stop is New Zealand. I will be spending about a week in Auckland and then meet up with Tracy and crew in Bay of Islands. Yay!

Bora Bora to Tonga

Cindy’s Departure – July 17th

Cindy left on July 17th for the long voyage by air back home where I’ll be joining her after I sail Quid Sea to Tonga. My plan is to leave Bora Bora in a few days when the weather window looks good. I’ve booked a flight from Tonga back home on August 7th so I need to be in Tonga a few days before that flight.

Cindy and I waiting for the ferry that will take her to the airport in Bora Bora.

Cindy waving goodbye from the ferry on her way to the airport. I’m on my own now and preparing for my upcoming solo trip to Tonga.

Day 1 – July 19th – The solo adventure begins!

I left the Bora Bora mooring at 10:00 to start my longest solo voyage yet. It’s with mixed feelings I leave Bora Bora. Leaving a lot of good cruising friends who will be following after me by about a week. Cindy and I both would like to have stayed and explored Bora Bora more but alas, our 90-day visa for French Polynesia was expiring on July 21^st. I am looking forward to the “challenge” of a solo sail. I expect the 1300nm trip to take between 9 to 12 days.

I am a little concerned about the weather. A cold front is approaching Tonga from the south that will bring some heavy rain and high winds during the last part of my trip. I am using a weather router to provide guidance as well as talking with other cruisers that are out here near me (near meaning within a few hundred miles) and cruisers that are leaving Bora Bora after me. A few days before, the weather forecasting tool I use showed winds in excess of 40kts near the cold front. More recent forecasts though show the winds to be in the 30kt range which is more manageable. Hopefully, the forecast continues to improve. Based on weather models and input from my weather router, I started out on a more northerly heading to avoid the higher winds to the south and take advantage of the Edeerasterly trade winds more north.

I spent the morning before leaving getting the boat dialed in and ready for 9-12 days at sea by myself. I prepared a couple of meals ahead of time, made water, charged the batteries, and secured everything on deck and below deck. I also prepared the storm jib on the inner forestay and setup for a 3^rd deep reef in my mainsail should the high winds forecast later in the voyage develop.

I exited the pass from Bora Bora about 10:30, shut off the engine, and set sail! It’s a beautiful sailing day. Clear skies and following winds in the 10-15kt range. Perfect for sailing. I’m sailing almost directly downwind so I am only using the genoa. I use the Hydrovane autopilot during the day to save power on the batteries. She is doing very well holding my course.

The difference between the Hydrovane and the electronic autopilot is that the Hydrovane is purely mechanical. The Hydrovane has a wind vane and auxiliary rudder. The direction of the wind vane is adjusted until it is pointed in the direction of the apparent wind. When adjusted properly, the wind vane controls the auxiliary rudder and keeps the boat at a constant angle to the wind holding the vessel’s course unless the wind shifts. The electronic autopilot has a hydraulic ram that is connected to the main rudder and controlled by electronics. It has several modes of operation but essentially keeps the vessel on course through the electronics. The main advantage of the Hydrovane is to save on battery power. Another advantage is the auxiliary rudder that is part of the Hydrovane system can serve as an emergency backup rudder should the primary steering system fail.

Around 18:00 (6:30pm), after the sun set, I turned on the electronic autopilot and prepared to get some sleep. The Hydrovane requires some attention and occasional adjustment, especially if the wind direction changes. The electronic autopilot generally requires almost no attention once set. I feel safer sleeping with the electronic autopilot.

Sleeping when sailing solo is complicated. Where to sleep and for how long is a challenge. With more than 1 person onboard, someone can sleep comfortably while another keeps watch. When alone, you need to decide how long you can safely sleep without keeping a lookout or checking on sails and wind. The current conditions are steady 10-15kt winds, 3 to 5 foot seas, and no traffic. I have not seen another vessel since leaving Bora Bora. Even though I don’t see any other traffic and the wind and sea conditions are nice, I still decided to sleep in the cockpit my first night. I can quickly manage any adjustments to the autopilot. I also set my radar and AIS alarms to warn me of any vessels that appear.

Day 2 – July 20^th

Conditions are pretty much unchanged in the morning. Started out mainly downwind but then the wind shifted a bit, so I was able to raise the mainsail. The weather is beautiful, good Easterly trades and clear skies. Sailing with both sails and starting to relax and enjoy the experience. The first 24 hours are usually tough on a passage whether alone or with crew. The time is spent getting the boat dialed in, establishing routine, and adjusting to being at sea again.

In the afternoon, the wind dropped to about 10kts and my SOG (Speed Over Ground) dropped to 3-4kts. I turned more southerly for the night.

Sunset on my second day. Relatively calm seas and clear skies.

I’m still sleeping in the cockpit, but I’ve figured out how to make myself more comfortable with my beanbag chair, cushions, and a pillow.

A glimpse of life in the cockpit. The big blue and white bean bag helps me get comfortable.

Day 3 – July 21^st

Continued on the same southwesterly tack. The winds had picked up a bit during the previous night to 10-15kts. Making better speed today, SOG averaging 5-6kts.

Clouds starting to build and some rain way off in the distance. Still great sailing conditions.

Passed through some rain squalls later in the day. No heavy winds or lightning in the squall and Quid Sea enjoyed the freshwater washdown.

As evening settles, rain is getting closer and looking a little ominous.

Still sleeping in the cockpit. Not sure how much confidence I have to be below and sleep in the cabin.

Day 4 – July 22^nd

The wind is still consistent at 10-15kts but shifting more northerly. It started out coming from the NE but through the night shifted to the N and then the NW. I’m starting to approach the zone where the weather is changing.

Slept in the cockpit again because of the shifting winds, the autopilot needed a lot of adjusting.

Day 5 – July 23^rd

The wind dropped to about 7kts, and my speed was about 3kts. Winds are getting light and variable. At this point I started motor sailing. Motor sailing is using the engine as well as the sails to make headway. It also helps charge the batteries . While motor sailing, I was making about 6kts SOG. I motor sailed for a couple hours until sunset and then went back to just sailing. It’s quieter and more peaceful but slow in these light winds. I’m back to about 3kts SOG.

Sunset on Day 5. Relatively clear skies and calm seas. Very pleasant sailing.

Day 6 – July 24^th

Wind dropped to less than 4kts during the early morning and the water is like glass. At this point I started motor sailing again.

Wind has died and seas are flat. Clouds and rain look to be building in the distance. This is literally the calm before the storm.

Although conditions are calm, I know the strong southerly winds are coming so I decided to put the 3^rd reef in the mainsail while conditions are calm, and I have daylight. The sky is clear but there are some darker clouds on the horizon.

About 9:30PM, I was hit by the first squall. Winds picked up to about 17kts, but Quid Sea is performing solidly with the 3^rd reef in the main and the genoa fully deployed, no reef.

Wind is picking up now with more clouds developing and rain very visible in the distance.

Day 7 – July 25^th

By morning the winds are now coming from the SSE at about 20kts and waves are about 10ft. That is combined wind waves and swell. It’s also overcast skies now. Sailing now with 3^rd reef in the main and 2^nd reef in the genoa. The wind was gusting to 25kts which is why I reefed the genoa. SOG is now about 7kts. Quid Sea is doing great under these conditions. We’re heeled over about 5 degrees and rolling an additional 5-10 degrees but occasionally the waves and swell align causing us to roll 35-40 degrees. It’s getting difficult to move around a lot below deck because of these rolls. Lunch and dinner is now just sandwiches. These are the conditions that start to wear me down physically and emotionally.

Day 8 – July 26^th

Wind has built to 20-25kts and seas are now 15ft. Skies are still overcast. Quid Sea is still doing well although we are taking the occasional wave over the port side. The Hydrovane is performing great even in these rough conditions.

Day 9 – July 27^th/July 28^th

I decided to change the ships clocks to Tonga time today which is UTC+13. I am currently on French Polynesia time which is UTC-10. What that means is I will cross the international date line and change clocks one hour earlier and one day ahead. So, 09:00am on Sunday, July 27^th, changes to 08:00am on Monday, July 28^th. Confusing, right?

Winds built to over 30kts today. I trimmed the genoa more to take strain off the rigging and adjusted the heading to a wind angle that keeps the wind further abeam to reduce stress on the rigging.

The AIS alarm went off about 05:00 meaning another vessel is close. A trimaran, S/V Oceans Tribute, overtook me. She passed within about 1 mile but I never did get a visual sighting. Still, it was nice to know there was another boat out here. The only one I’ve seen since leaving Bora Bora.

About 09:30, the wind dropped back down to about 20kts and the sun came out. That really helped lift spirits. The heavier seas along with overcast skies definitely wears on a person.

Day 10– July 29^th

Winds built overnight and are ESE at about 25kts. I’m doing about 7.5kts SOG with a DTG (Distance To Go) of about 240nm. If I maintain this speed, I’ll arrive in Tonga around 18:00 tomorrow, July 30th. It’ll be just before sunset. I’d prefer to enter a new place in daylight, especially since the dock I must go to in Tonga for customs check-in is tricky. If I can get some more speed, I’ll try for arrival tomorrow.

Day 11– July 30^th

Winds are still blowing about 25kts but have shifted more Northerly and are coming from the ENE. It’s forcing me to gybe so that I am not sailing directly downwind. Gybing is changing course when the wind is from behind so that the wind direction changes from one side of the boat to the other and the boom swings from one side to the other. In heavy winds, a gybe can be dangerous if not well controlled. If the boom swings too quickly and not well controlled it can damage rigging and gear. I gybed to a starboard tack for a while. I noticed on my gybe that the viewport on the genoa was blown out. The viewport is a circular “window” in the sail about 8 inches in diameter that lets you see the telltales on the leeward side of the sail. Not sure how it blew out but now I have an 8 inch hole in the sail. I’m a little concerned a tear could start so I gybed back to a port tack and kept the sail furled enough that the view port is not exposed.

My navigation displays showing TWS (True Wind Speed) of 38.4kts on the upper display and Boat Speed of 8.4kts on the lower display.

By the afternoon the winds had built to over 30kts, gusting to 40kts. I furled the genoa completely and now I am just sailing with the mainsail, and it is still on the 3^rd reef point. I’m lucky all this wind is behind me.

Looking through the aft cockpit windows in 30-40kt winds. Conditions like this, I really appreciate the fully enclosed cockpit. I am well protected from the wind and sea spray.

As I came around to the leeward side of Vava’u Island, the wind dropped to 25kts but still gusting over 30kts. At about 19:00, I approached Faihava Passage which is the entrance to Vava’u Island. At this point the wind is blowing 25kts, it’s pouring rain, it’s dark, and I have limited visibility. On top of that, a Tsunami alert was issued for the Pacific Ocean which included Tonga. Tonga itself had not issued an alert and the bay I am heading to is well protected and really not at risk. Still, with the weather, darkness, and now a tsunami alert, I decided to stay at sea and sail around until morning to enter. Forecasts are showing the rain and winds should reduce my morning.

Day 12– July 31^st

By 07:00, the winds had dropped, the rain had cleared, and the sun was up. After a long night of sailing back and forth in 15-20kt winds and 10ft seas, it seemed like heaven as I entered Faihava Passage and came into the shelter of the island and bays. I had a very uneventful sail into Neiafu and tied up at the customs dock to clear customs. It took about an hour to clear customs. By this time the wind had picked up and Quid Sea was being pushed up against the dock. With the help of several other boaters, I got Quid Sea safely off the customs dock and picked up a moorage. By 14:15 I was comfortably moored and finally able to relax and enjoy a well-deserved cocktail!

Calmer seas and skies starting to clear as I enter Faihava Passage coming into Tonga.

I’ve cleared customs and am motoring over to the mooring field in Neiafu to moor and relax after my trip.

August 1^st to August 7^th

The next several days involved getting Quid Sea “hauled out” and put “on the hard”. This means pulling her out of the water and storing her on land while I prepare to head home to join Cindy.

Quid Sea moored over by the Vava’u Boatyard waiting to get hauled out.

I arranged to have Quid Sea hauled out at the Fava’u BoatYard. It’s one of only a few places in Tonga where this can be done. They Fava’u BoatYard has a large hydraulic lift trailer for boat haulout. Unlike travel lifts which lift the boats out by straps, this hydraulic lift trailer is placed under the boat while in the water and listed up with underwater straps and hydraulic arms and then pulled out of the water with a tractor.

Quid Sea hauled out by the hydraulic trailer in the boatyard.

Quid Sea off the trailer and secure on stands. Her resting place for the next 6 to 8 weeks.

Me standing by Quid Sea on her stands. I stayed on Quid Sea for the 4 days between haulout and my flight home.

Quid Sea is safely tucked away on land. I left for home for a 6-8 week break to visit family and friends and take care of business items. Cindy and I will return to Quid Sea and Tonga in late September.

Bora Bora

We arrived on July 12^th and enjoyed a beautiful ‘short’ motor sail that took us about 5 hours. We decided to run the engine while sailing to charge our batteries. Tracy discovered earlier that the batteries were running at low voltage and needed to be re-calibrated. The voltage was showing a lower rate of power than the percentage of charge for the batteries and they need to be in alignment.

Bora Bora only allows boats to hook up to a mooring ball as opposed to anchoring. They charge $40 per day eliminating the free anchoring we’ve been enjoying over the rest of French Polynesia. We understand as this provides revenue for the island and will deter boats from overstaying their welcome. It also helps protect the coral from damage by anchors. Part of the fee includes a secure mooring ball and the collecting of our trash. We are moored right in front of the Bora Bora Yacht club which is not really a yacht club but is a nice restaurant. On our first day we took the dinghy in to explore the area and later went to dinner to at BBYC.

Our view of Bora Bora Yacht Club as we made our way to shore by dinghy.

Bora Bora is a tropical island lying in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. A territory of France, French Polynesia has 118 islands lying in five island groups. They’re spread across an area the size of Europe.

Information about Bora Bora

•    Bora Bora’s unique and sensational geographical formation is the remnants of an extinct volcano that is still above water.

•    The main island of Bora Bora is surrounded by a ring of sandy, coral islets called motus. Luxury resorts are set on these motus, and most have incredible views across the blue lagoon to the black-rock peak of Mt. Otemanu which rises from the lush green slopes.

•    The main language spoken is French and the islanders speak Polynesian at home. You can always find someone speaking English in the places frequented by tourists.

•    The French influence can be experienced in the cuisine and some chefs create exotic gourmet dishes combining island ingredients.

•    Bora Bora has several small villages. Vaitape, the main one, located on the western side of the main island, has a post office, banks, and a variety of small shops.

•    Bora Bora has extraordinary white sand beaches, edging the lagoon, including one award winning 2 mile stretch of public beach.

•    The Bora Bora lagoon only has only one pass opening to the ocean, which is what makes this lagoon such a warm, calm place to swim and snorkel. The water temperature averages 28 degrees Celsius.

• Bora Bora’s airport is on a small island! For safety reasons planes can only land in daylight. Unless you fly in by helicopter, everyone must take a boat to get to their hotel.

• Bora Bora’s main form of transport is boat.

Source: Bora Bora Island Guide

July 13^th, we took the dinghy to town and located the ‘gendarmerie’ to begin our check out process from French Polynesia. We also found a couple of grocery stores for provisions and a great place to have lunch.

Gendarmerie is a police force that is part of the armed forces in France and some other countries where French is spoken. It has law enforcement duties among the civilian population.

July 14^th, we rented a car for the day and drove around the island. We enjoyed finding a beautiful public beach but the most interesting site was hiking up to the cannons which were positioned to help the US during World War II.

Our car for the Island tour. We were encouraged to choose one of their small electric cars. It’s top speed was 45 km/h

During our drive we discovered Matira Beach, the only a public beach on Bora Bora.

Translation: Maohi Protestant Church Tona (Anau) Parish

We discovered this church during our drive around the Island.

The first missionaries arrived in 1797. After 1815 the majority of the population identified themselves with Christianity, and formed this national Protestant church which spread from Tahiti to the four archipelagos. The official founding date of the church is 1815.

Source: Wikipedia

Historical cannons installed as part of Operation Bobcat during World War II.

Bora Bora and World War II

On December 7th, 1941, the Japanese air force attacked the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and the United States entered the Second World War. The US Navy needed a refueling depot between Australia (the last bastion of resistance to the Japanese offensive), and the Panama Canal. The strategic position of Bora Bora, the deep-water bay at Faanui and the fact that it had only one easy to control pass, made it the ideal candidate. In 1942, the Americans launched Operation Bobcat, and 3,500 US military personnel arrived in Bora Bora.

Canons that can still be seen today were positioned at strategic points to defend the island from an eventual Japanese attack, and the enormous logistic task of installing the base began. Roads and a quay had to be built, a fuel depot installed, and an airstrip constructed on one of the motu. (The airstrip remained the only international airport in French Polynesia until 1963.) Bora Bora was a tranquil little South Sea Island of 1,200 souls at that time, and suddenly 3,500 military personnel arrived with Admiral Tuner’s fleet of destroyers, cruisers, cargo ships and transport vessels. The base remained in Bora Bora until June 1946. A total of 1,000 ships were refueled at the military base on the “Pearl of the Pacific.” Today, vestiges of the American presence, including the canons, can still be see at various sites around the island.

The American presence in Bora Bora inevitably had an enormous influence on the local population. The entire face of the island was changed, with impressive new infrastructures, including an airport and a quay. Fortunately, the anticipated Japanese attack never materialized, so the canons never had to be fired in anger. However, their incongruous presence on this beautiful South Sea paradise is a reminder that nowhere is completely safe from tyranny. Remember, when you go hiking in Bora Bora, as with everywhere in The Islands of Tahiti, set off early to avoid the hottest part of the day, wear some kind of headwear and take plenty of water with you.

Source: TahitiTourism.com

We enjoyed wonderful sunsets in Bora Bora most nights. It never gets old!

July 16th we did work on the boat during the day and went into town for a Heiva cultural event. We met a few cruising friends and had dinner together before the event started.

What is Heiva i Bora Bora?

From June 27 to August 3, 2025, the island of Bora Bora is transformed into a living theater of dance, song, music and traditional sports. The Heiva i Bora Bora is an annual celebration that brings together the island’s six villages to share and preserve their cultural heritage.

The most colorful cultural experience in Bora Bora is surely Heiva i Bora Bora, the annual festival of song and dance. The Tahitian word Heiva (hei meaning to assemble, and va meaning community places) is also known as “The Celebration of Life.”

Taking place each year (mostly in July), Heiva occupies the square of Vaitape at Place Tu Vavau and is known for its soul-stirring music, dancing, singing and sporting events that highlight the beauty and culture of the Polynesian people of French Polynesia. The competitions of Heiva highlight ancestral traditions and legends, where participants are judged by a group of experts who specialize in dance, traditional percussions and musical compositions, singing and lyrics, all set to live music performances.

We continue to enjoy connecting with our cruising friends in Bora Bora. We met a couple of new cruisers, both from Sweden. We all met up for dinner a couple of the nights during our stay in Bora Bora. We also got to know one of the waiters, named Albun (sp?) who is from France but has been traveling and before Bora Bora, worked in Reunion Islands, and Argentina. France will pay their citizens a bit more to promote working in other French territories. He spoke great English and shared a few stories from his travels. He said it is great to travel alone because it forces you to meet people, and you acclimate quicker. He’s fallen in love with Bora Bora and plans to stay.

We loved Bora Bora and wished we could have stayed longer to explore other areas. All the islands we visited in French Polynesia were wonderful and each one a unique experience. Two of our favorites include Bora Bora and the Atoll, Fakarava.

As I wrap up this post, I have an update. We decided to take a pause and fly home for a few months. I left on the 17^th of July and Tracy is making his way to Tonga doing a solo sail. While it’s worrisome that he is alone, it is something he has wanted to do for a while. He left Bora Bora on July 19th and should arrive in Tonga within 9-11 days, depending on weather. Tracy’s flight home is booked to leave Tonga on August 7^th. We plan to head back and join Quid Sea around the end of September and then on to New Zealand.

Tracy is documenting his passage and we will share in the next blog. Cheers!

Mo’orea

We left Tahiti and headed to Mo’orea on Thursday, July 3^rd, the same day the kids left. It was about 5 hours, and it was a bit rough but helped that it was a short trip. We are quickly facing the end of our time in French Polynesia and planning to experience a few more destinations before our check out in Bora Bora. These will be briefer stays but hoping to prolong our adventure in FP by seeing as much as possible.

We arrived in the afternoon of 7/3 to lots of sunshine in a beautiful bay and anchored close to a public beach called Plage de Ta’ahiamanu.

Our views from Quid Sea in our anchorage

Mo’orea is tropical paradise not to be missed. Known as the sister island because of its proximity to Tahiti, Moorea, like Bora Bora, Raiatea and Huahine, is in the Society Islands. The distinguishing feature of the destination is its two large bays, Cook and Opunohu, which are separated by Mount Rotui and give the island its trident form. Formerly called “Aimeho” or “Eimeo”,

Moʻorea is an atoll whose main island consists mainly of igneous rocks. The island, like neighboring Tahiti, formed as part of the “Society Chain” from a hot spot on the Pacific Plate and is between 1.5 and 2 million years old.

The population for the commune of Mo’orea-Mai’ao, which includes Moorea and the smaller atoll of Mai’ao, had a population of 18,201 according to the 2022 census. Of this, 17,858 individuals resided on Moorea itself.

The main source of income is the tourism from the decade of 1960. An American company constructed in 1961 the Bali Shark Hotel, the first hotel of luxury of Moʻorea, in the north coast, near the town of Maharepa. Since then, the tourism has continuously increased, so that at the present time – according to affirm some guides of trips – Moʻorea has even more tourist hotels than Tahiti. The hotel complex are located mainly on the north and northwest coast. Most of the beaches on the northwest coast belong to hotels and are not open to the public. On the northeast coast, in Temaʻe, near the airfield, there is a public beach.

Until the end of the 20th century, coffee was still grown on Moʻorea. Due to falling coffee prices, this is no longer profitable and the cultivation of agricultural export crops has shifted to pineapple and Tahitian vanilla. Some small family farms continue to produce copra in the traditional way. Breadfruit, yams, taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, coconuts, and other tropical and subtropical fruits are grown for home consumption and hotel kitchens. Fishing continues to play an important, though declining, role in the island’s economy. Source: Wikipedia

We opted not to get a car in Mo’orea since Tracy and the kids had already explored some of the key areas of interest. So we settled in, enjoying the scenery and contacted our cruiser friends from Polaire Bear and made plans to go to lunch the next day. Unfortunately, a front rolled in and kept us on the boat for a day and we had to postpone. On Saturday the weather improved and we left in our dinghy to find our lunch spot. It was a unique place on the water where we could tie up and enter the restaurant from the beach.

We used a mooring ball to tie up our dinghy and walked to shore.

Restaurants greeting sign: Hello! Suggestions of the day: Good thoughts, Good words and Good deeds.

The next day we went to shore on our own to explore and ended up at the Hilton resort for a drink and walked around the grounds. It’s beautiful hotel and we found out they have bungalows over the water for only $1200 a night. Yikes!

The bungalows over the water at the Hilton Resort

We walked back toward the public beach and went to a local poke bowl and smoothie restaurant. There was a long line, so we assumed it was good. We both got tuna poke bowls to go and headed back to the boat. After eating and relaxing we both went for a swim off the back of the boat.

Note the large yacht with the blue hull. They have been showing up in some of the same anchorages.

Raitaea

We left Mo’orea on July 7^th, and headed to Raiatea. This was approximately a 16 hour passage and we left about 1:00 PM to ensure we don’t arrive in the dark. It was again a rough crossing with confused seas and winds. We didn’t sleep much but felt better as soon as found a place to drop anchor. We arrived about 10:00 AM on July 8^th in Opoa Bay. We napped and took it easy our first day.

Raiatea, meaning “faraway heaven” and “sky with soft light” is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It’s the second largest island in the Society Islands and holds significant cultural and historical importance, being considered the center of religion and culture in French Polynesia for over a thousand years. It’s also known as the “Sacred Island” and the “Birthplace of Polynesia,” according to Tahiti.com.

The island of Raiatea, part of French Polynesia, has a population of approximately 12,500 people. It is the largest and most populated island in the Leeward Islands. Raiatea is the second-largest of the Society Islands.

The next morning (July 9^th) we went to shore to visit a UNESCO World Heritage site called Taputapuatea in Opoa Ra’iatea. We did a hike up to the top and saw great views. After the hike we walked around the various cultural sites.

Taputapuātea is located at the centre of the “Polynesian Triangle”, a vast maritime area dotted with small remote islands between Hawai’i, Easter Island and New Zealand. A large oceanic territory called Te-Moana-Nui-O-Hiva, inhabited by the ancient Ma’ohi civilization. It is believed to be the last region to have been settled by human soicieties about 1000 years ago. A religious, intellectual, cutltural and political crossroads bringing together all the archipelagos of the Polynesian Triangel and beyond, Taputapuatea was the center of expansion and convergence of networks of lineage and sovereignty extending on a considerable scale, for centuries.

The remains of the site “Tahua Marae Taputapuateai Opoa” form an ancient religious, cultural and political ensemble that played a vital role in the immemorial history of the Ma’ohi people; it stretches over 14.82 acres, located between land and sea, on the tip of the Matahiraitera’I peninsula. Emblematic of the marae of the great chiefdoms who genealogies date the most ancient ones back to well before the 10^th century, the history of this high place begins with the cosomongic myth and the creator god of the ma’ohi universe, Ta’aroa-Nui, and takes us to its last period with the god ‘Oro, whose cult was widely spread in Eastern Polynesia. Many marae Taputapuatea were founded on important islands in this vast oceanic expansion network, from an original stone of Taputapuatea i Opoa.

Marae

Marae are sacred, ceremonial and political paces of worship, of which the first mythical one was built by the Great Creator Spirit of Ta’aroa-Nui. The last marae constructions by the Ma’ohi people date between the 14^th and 18^th centuries. In the Society Islands, Marae generally have a quadrilateral paved courtyard, with a rectangular platform called ahu standing at one end.

Taputapuatea cultural landscape

The archaeological site “Tahua Marae Taputapuatea I Opoa” is at the heart of the Cultural Landscape inscribed on the World Heritage List. The entire property is bounded by natural elements carrying symbolism, and extends from the Te-A’e-Tapu Summit to beyond the Te-Ava-Mo’a sacred pass, including the Toa-Hiva and Toa-Tapu bays, the Fa’a-o-Hiva, and Fa’a-o-Hotopu’u valleys and the famous Matahiraitera’I Peninsula which harbors the large marae on it tip.

The marae Hauviri was the investiture temple of the paramount chiefs of the Tamatoas’ great lineage that would rule the Leeward Isalnds until Christianization.

The marae of the Tau-‘aitu or Hititai was where ascetic priests consecrated the rites of the rahui watched over the image of the god (to’o) and fed the two guardian sharks of the sovereigns. Human sacrifices were perpetrated on the Ofa-i-tapu-ta’ata’ stone placed in front of the courtyard.

The Taura’-tapu Beach was where the large canoes of the allied or younger chiefdoms, invited to major inter-island gatherings or returning to their origins, besides their elders to renew alliances or share and acquire knowledge, drew up.

The Opu-teina’ marae was that of the younger lineages, who left for the great ocean during the expansion period, following the great maritime routes plotted out by the mythical octopus Tumu-Ra’i-Fenua.

The great marae Taputapuatea is the most emblematic and deified element of the site. Erected in primordial times as a founding marae by the creator god Ta’aroa, it would be dedicated to the god of peace and war.

Raiatea

Notice the same boat from Mo’orea. This is how the billionaires cruise. haha

We left for another anchorage soon after our UNESCO tour and headed to another spot on Raiatea called Faaroa Bay. It only took us an hour to get there. We met up with cruiser boats, Kallisti and Polaire Bear and took a tour of fruit farm hosted by Andre. He met us in Faaroa river traveling by Kayak and we were traveling by dinghy.

The river is located on the eastern side of Raiatea, flowing into Faaroa Bay. It is the only navigable river in French Polynesia. The river winds through the lush interior of the island, offering a scenic route through dense tropical vegetation.

Andre was waiting for us and eager to help us ashore. His farm boasted star apples, lychees, bananas, coconut, passion fruit, guava, green beans, vanilla beans, turmeric, breadfruit, Polynesia papaya’s seedless variety. . pampelmousse, rambutan (Lychee’s fuzzy cousin), abiu which looks like a lemon, He provided samples and he climbed the trees to harvest the fruit as needed. We ended up with several bags of fresh fruit which we split among the 3 boats. After touring the fruit farm we went across to the other side of the river and walked through a lovely botanical garden.

Later on, we all met on SV Polaire Bear to divy up our fruit and enjoy happy hour.

Robin and Simon following Andre to the farm

Drinking coconut water from a freshly cut coconut.

We all want bananas and we typically get them green so they last longer on the boat.

Andre cutting off some green beans for the group. Notice the length.

Andre harvesting fruit, I’m not sure what kind.

Andre showing us the best way to cut off a bunch of bananas.

Four pictures above from our walk through the botanical garden.

Taha’a

We left July 11^th and headed to Point Toamaro on the Island of Taha’a. We enjoyed a beautiful sail that took us approximately 2 hours. We are only here for one night and glad we were able to make it even if our stay is short.

Taha’a is also known as the Vanilla Island. Its fertile land and climate produce what chefs and gourmets around the world think is the tastiest, most fragrant vanilla on earth. Tahitian pearls are also produced in Taha’a.

The island offers a more laid-back and authentic Polynesian experience compared to some of its busier neighbors.Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of Bora Bora on the horizon, especially during sunset.Taha’a is surrounded by a coral reef, creating a calm lagoon perfect for water activities such as snorkeling and kayaking.

Taha’a, formerly named Uporu, has a rich cultural heritage, with ancient Polynesian marae (temples) and traditions still present on the island. An ancient tradition called “rock fishing” (tautai-taora in the local language) was once popular on Taha’a and is still practiced during the October festival.

The local economy is based on fishing, vanilla and pearl farming, and tourism,

This tree had split an fallen but continues to grow out towards the sea.

Taking a stroll around part of Point of Toamaro.

We signed up for a Champon Pearl Farm tour in the afternoon.

Champon Pearl Farm is a family-run pearl farm that has been in operation for over 20 years.Originally founded by Bernard and Monique Champon, the farm is now gradually being taken over by their children, Aymeric and Maeva. Aymeric, who has managed the production side of things for over 15 years, has now acquired a certain expertise and still maintains the same goal of prioritizing quality over quantity. Maeva, after a master’s degree in environment, is in charge of various projects in partnership with research institutes such as IFREMER ( French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea), CRIOBE(Island Research Center and Environmental Observatory) or the DRM (Directorate of Marine Resources of French Polynesia) for the improvement of production techniques.This is to make our farm more ecological and sustainable by improving the quality of the pearls.Our farm is a small structure with a young, local and dynamic team focused on improving the quality of pearls with a view to sustainability.

Attention paid to the environment

We want to have the least possible impact on the environment and that is why we have chosen to develop more sustainable production methods.

In particular, we are moving towards natural oyster cleaning rather than manual cleaning, which can be harmful to the environment and is still commonly used. Indeed, we have encouraged the establishment of a colony of small fish that “gently” eliminate the parasites that disrupt the growth of mother-of-pearl.

We also limit the number of oysters we farm so as not to disrupt the lagoon’s natural ecosystem. We work with the seasons to optimize:

the pearl oyster grafting operation
to avoid stressing them as much as possible
to ensure a better retention rate
better quality pearls.

Finally, a water harvesting and solar energy production project is also under development. Our goal is to achieve a production method that is in symbiosis with the rich environment that surrounds us. Source: Champon Pearl Website

Our guide talked about their unique process of harvesting pearls. It was an interesting tour and we were all impressed by her knowledge and passion. The pearls were exquisite.

The next morning, July 12th, we left for Bora Bora.

Tahiti

We arrived in Tahiti on June 14^th around 9:30 PM and anchored at Point Venus in the dark. Fortunately, it went smoothly, and it helped that we were the only boat in the bay. In preparing for this trip, we talked to other cruisers and were told Point Venus has a sandy bottom without any bommies. That’s good news because they would be hard to see in the dark.

A little history on Point Venus: It’s located on the northern coast. On June 3^rd, 1769, Captain James Cook, naturalist Joseph Banks and naturalist Daniel Solander recorded the transit of Venus from the island of Tahiti during Cook’s first voyage around the world. Transits of Venus occur in a pattern that repeats itself every 243 years, with two transits that are eight years apart, separated by breaks of 121.5 and 105.5 years. These men along with a crew of scientists, were commissioned by the Royal Society of London for the primary purpose of viewing the transit of Venus. Not only would their findings help expand scientific knowledge, but it would also help with navigation by accurately calculating the observer’s longitude. At this time, longitude was difficult to determine and not always precise.

Source: Wikipedia

Our views from our anchorage in Point Venus.

We woke to a beautiful bay and sunshine. We headed over to Marina Taina where we had a slip reservation for 18 days! We decided to motor through the scenic pass going by the airport, resorts and other sites. It was a bit harrowing experience docking as Tracy had to back up down the fairway to get to our reserved dock. It was narrow and then we had to back into our ‘slip’ which was really on a quay where we tied up on one side. We also had a boat in front of us, another one alongside and the dock behind us. We made it without hitting anything and we both felt proud of that accomplishment. Tracy did the heavy lifting in the steering the boat. My job was to fend off other boats, or dock when we got to close. We settled in for a bit and then went to a late lunch to celebrate Father’s Day, June 15^th, 2025.

We passed the Island of Moorea on our way to Taina Marina.

Happy Father’s Day! Our first meal out in Tahiti.

The marina is great and reminds us of how easy it is to just step from your boat onto land. Taina Marina is one of 2 marinas in Tahiti, and it is the bigger of the two.

Details about Taina Marina:

Since 2012, the Taina marina has been awarded the “Blue Flag” ecolabel, which recognizes the efforts of municipalities and marinas to promote a quality environment. The marina can accommodate approximately 550 boats or pleasure craft at the quay, on the quay or in the dry port. It is equipped with a quay dedicated to large yachts, a fuel station, a pump for black water, a laundry, a harbour master’s office, sanitary facilities, three restaurants, technical workshops and access to the beach, WI FI Internet coverage and nearby shops.

Definition of quay: A concrete, stone, or metal platform lying alongside or projecting into water for loadings and unloading ships.

Quid Sea tied up next to the Quay. Our home for the next 18 days!

We spent the first week taking care of the boat, doing laundry and stocking up on groceries. We took down the mainsail for repairs which was a big project for the 2 of us. The main sail measures about 408 square feet. Tracy removed it and then we both laid it out on the quay to fold up, so it fit in a sail bag. The sail repair service (Tristan) will come pick it up and take to the sail loft where they will make repairs as needed. We later decided to have the head sail services as well. The head sail is about 720 square feet. We may not have another chance to have this work done before New Zealand and the sails have been well used and it’s worth getting this done for safety reasons. Tracy serviced the genoa cars which control the sheeting angle of the genoa so the sail has a more efficient shape. He also purchased new sheets (lines) for the genoa. The existing sheets were a bit frayed in spots. We’re working to make sure everything is in good working order as we make our way to New Zealand. Last, he went up the mast to make sure everything is order. The top of the mast is 58 and 1/2 feet off the water and he uses his ‘mast mate’ canvas steps to climb up to the very top. Not an easy job!

Tracy going up the mast-he looks pretty small at the very top. Notice the ‘mast mate’ steps.

A picture of one of the genoa cars (there are two) and new head sail lines.

We met up with cruising friends again and our happy hours continued. Kallisti, (New Zealand), Terrapin, (North Carolina) and Polaire Bear from Canada. We also met some new cruisers (Nimue) from the UK.

We enjoyed a shopping center called Carrefour that was within walking distance from the Marina. It reminded us of a Fred Meyer back home where they not only sell food, but also, electronics, tools, kitchen supplies, towels, etc. It felt a bit overwhelming at first because we had become used to the small magasin’s within French Polynesia. Within the shopping center, we were able to get our hair cut and pick up some basic needs from the pharmacy.

Pictures from the American aisle at Carrefour.

Interesting Facts about Tahiti

Tahiti is made up of 118 islands and atolls spread out over five archipelagos. The whole archipelago spans 4.000.000 square km, which is the equivalent size of Europe.
- The Tahitian alphabet is made up of 13 letters; the vowels a, e, i, o, u and the consonants f, h, m, n, p, r, t and v. Noticed that there is no b? That’s why Bora Bora is actually pronounced “Pora Pora”. It means “first-born”, but early visitors heard it as Bora Bora.
- A typical Las Vegas hotel has more rooms than on all 118 islands of French Polynesia.
- The shopping and retail on the island is monopolized by the Chinese population. When you hear Tahitians talk about going shopping, they say they are going to “la Chine” or to the Chinese.
In ancient Tahiti, archery was considered to be a sacred sport, and only people of high rank could participate. And while they were expert marksmen, bows and arrows were never used as weapons of war.
There are no poisonous snakes or insects in French Polynesia.Tahitians are considered to be the most genuinely friendly people in the world.
The official languages of the islands are Tahitian and French, however, English is widely spoken on most of the islands.
The word tattoo originated in French Polynesia. Tattoos have long been considered signs of beauty in Polynesian culture, and in ancient times were ceremoniously applied to the body when reaching adolescence. The English word ‘tattoo’ comes from the Tahitian word ‘tatau’.
Hawaii receives more tourists in a day than Tahiti does in a year. Tahiti is therefore one of the most exclusive destinations in the world.
Tahiti” or “The Islands of Tahiti” is technically an ‘Overseas Country of France’, though it has it’s own government which makes all international decisions on behalf of French Polynesia.More than half of the population of Tahiti is under the age of 20 years old.
- The overwater bungalow was invented in Tahiti in the 1960’s on the island of Moorea.
If you were new to the island, you would think the boxes outside the homes of Tahitian residents were for mail. They are actually for French bread delivery. Residents get a fresh loaf dropped off twice a day.
The Tiare flower is the national symbol of Tahiti. Both men and women wear these flower, either as a necklace, crown or behind the ear. You wear a Tiare flower on your left ear if you’re taken, on your right ear to indicate you’re available.

Our pace picked up when Tracy’s kids (Lucas & Marina) and their significant others (Annika & Dakota) arrived. Their visit started on Monday, June 23^rd and they booked an Airbnb about a 12-minute drive from us. We rented a car for most of their stay so we could get back and forth easily.

Marina and Dakota were the first to arrive and landed about 5:30 AM. They picked up their rental car and came right to the boat since they couldn’t check into their Airbnb. We went to the Tahiti Market which is a bustling marketplace where locals and tourists alike can find items like hand-woven hats, bags, jewelry, wood carvings, Tahitian pearls, and local textiles. You can also find fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables, and ingredients for traditional Tahitian dishes like raw fish in coconut milk.

We found a place to have lunch and then drove to Point Venus to check out our first anchorage from land. It’s a nice park, with black sand beach and is a great area for swimming, sunbathing and walking around. Point Venus lighthouse marks the north of the island and marks the bay of Matavai. It was the first lighthouse in the South Pacific, and remains the only lighthouse in Tahiti.

We decided to explore Tahiti by car and drive around the Island. Unfortunately the forecast is rain for most of the day. There is one main road, and the entire loop is approximately 72 miles. Our first stop was Grotte De Mara’s where the site is composed of three natural caves hollowed out of the rock. The permanent trickle has formed pools of cool clear water and the ceilings of the caves are covered with ferns and moss. An optical illusion gives the impression that its arched ceiling stoops down at the edges making it seem much smaller than it is.

Next, we stopped at Vaiphai Water Gardens, a little haven of peace and beauty with waterfalls and pools that make it a refreshing break. The gardens are built on the site of an ancient marae. Marae are portals between Po, the world of the gods and darkness, and the Ao, the everyday world of people and light, so that people could communicate with their ancestors.

Annika and Lucas touring the water garden.

We found a nice place to have lunch inside (still raining) but with view of the bay. We enjoyed great seafood dishes and drinks before heading out to the Peninsula west coast of Tahiti, referred to as Tahiti Iti. The peninsula is known worldwide because of the legendary wave at Teahupoo. It is one of the best and heaviest left-breaking waves in the world and is only suitable for the very best surfers. Each year it is home to an international surfing competition.

Surfing at the 2024 Summer Olympics took place 27 July – 5 August 2024 in Teahupo’o reef pass, breaking the record for the farthest away a medal competition has been staged from the host city. A total of 48 surfers (24 for the men’s and women’s competitions each) competed in the shortboard events, eight more than in Tokyo 2020. Source: Wickipedia

Trying to capture the waves out on the reef.

Dakota found a waterfall off the beaten path, and we headed their next. It felt like we were miles into the jungle but it was 10 minutes off the main highway with a parking lot for visitors. Below are some photos:

We spent several days hanging out at the Airbnb with the kids, snorkeling, swimming, playing games and catching up. Dakota purchased a spear gun at Carrefour and he speared a parrot fish, squirrel fish and a white banded goat fish. He cleaned them and prepared them for us so we could try a bite. They were small and didn’t provide a meal for all of us but tasted pretty good.

Dakota’s drone shot of the snorkeling area off the Airbnb!

beautiful pool and right off the pool is the beach!

Annika, Lucas and Marina hanging out on the patio in the Airbnb.

Nice dinner out at a restaurant right on the beach that we walked to from the Airbnb.

Tracy is writing the next 2 posts because I missed the trip to Moorea and the 4X4 tour of the Island. I wasn’t feeling well. Bummer!

June 29^th we took the ferry from Tahiti to Moorea to explore Moorea. Moorea is a small island just NW of Tahiti, about a 45 minute ferry ride. Our plan in Moorea was to circumnavigate the island, do some snorkeling, and check out Belvédère Lookout. We walked of the ferry and rented a car directly across from the ferry landing. Then we were off! Our first stop on our trip was a public beach called Plage de Ta’ahiamanu It was a lovely beach with quite a few sailboats anchored just off the beach. We thought that maybe we would come back later to swim.

Our next stop was Belvédère Lookout. Belvédère Lookout is at about 240M elevation and overlooks Mount Rotui, Cook Bay and Opunohu Bay.

After Belvédère Lookout, we went to find a beach or snorkeling spot. We talked to some locals and looked on No Foreign Land and decided to head for Plage de Tiahura to snorkel and grab lunch. Apparently, there are an abundance of sea anemones at this plage (beach). We had a nice lunch at Restaurant le Sunset and then Lucas, Annika, Marina, and Dakota went snorkeling. As I had decided not to bring my snorkeling gear, I hung out at Restaurant le Sunset and had a beer while they snorkeled. After snorkeling, we continued around the island heading back to the ferry landing. We then dropped the car off, boarded the ferry, and headed back to Tahiti. It was a nice day on Moorea.

June 30^th we took a 4X4 tour across the island of Tahiti. There is a road that crosses the island that is only passable with high clearance vehicles. Our guide was Noa and he was of Marquesian and Tahitian descent but had spent a lot of time in the US. His English and grasp of American Music was fantastic and he blared songs from the 60’s and 70’s that were appropriate for particular parts of the road. Here’s a shot of us in the back of the 4X4. It’s a Toyota pickup with benches and rails in the bed.

Noa educated us on a lot of the plants on the island and we sampled a lot of the fruit. We stopped at so many beautiful viewpoints. There were numerous waterfalls across the interior of the island along with some small rivers and lakes. There were a few dams as these small rivers are a source of hydroelectric power for the island. Here are some pictures from the center of the island.

Dakota took this great drone shot above Tahiti during the 4X4 tour.

For Lucas, his trip to Tahiti included bigger plans than just a vacation. He planned to propose to his girlfriend Annika. It was surprise for Annika but everyone else knew and of course we couldn’t talk about it. We were getting a bit nervous as the days went by and no proposal! In his defense, he wanted to propose on the beach at sunset, and we had quite a few rainy days during their visit. But in the end, he found the right day and place. On July 1^st, he proposed, and Annika said yes! It was wonderful to be part of the event and share in the celebration. Afterwards we went to dinner and continued to celebrate.

Now both Marina and Lucas are engaged to be married. We were excited to hear the news of Dakota and Marina’s engagement in March and we are very happy for them.

Luca and Annika engagement photos off the beach of the Airbnb.

The six of us raising a glass to their engagement!

Wednesday, July 2^nd

Our last Day in Tahiti for all of us. We spent a good part of the day getting the boat ready for our departure on Thursday morning. This includes things like bringing the dinghy up to the bow of the boat and tying it down. Tracy had to put the repaired main and head sails back on. We went shopping for final provisions as this will be our last big store until we get to Bora Bora. I also did a couple loads of laundry because who knows when will have laundry service again. It will be back to washing a few things in the sink and hanging them out to dry.

We had dinner with the kids on our last night together and took a few more pictures. Is it OK to call them kids when they are in their 20’s and early 30’s? Some things never change. We really enjoyed having them here and appreciate the effort they made to come see us. Part of this incredible journey is making great memories with family and friends.

Until next time, I hope you all are well and enjoying your summer.

Rangiroa

We ended up leaving Fakarava as scheduled on Sunday June 8^th for better or worse. It was an interesting morning. We knew there was rain forecasted with some wind during our passage on Sunday, but didn’t look too bad. We raised the anchor around 11:00 AM and soon realized it was stuck on something, probably a rock or a bommie. Tracy did a free dive to check and ruptured his ear drum. In the process he discovered our anchor chain was wrapped around the tip of a rock. With his ruptured ear drum, he couldn’t put his diving gear on to go down to unwrap the anchor chain so we were thinking we would stay another day. We radioed our friends to let them know and Simon from New Zealand offered to put his diving gear on and see if he could unsnag our chain. By now it is raining hard. Simon dives, following our anchor chain to the bottom, unwraps it from not one rock but two, and in less than 10 minutes, he is giving us the good news. Since the anchor is up, we quickly start the engine and make our way to sea. In spite of these challenges, we end up being only 30 minutes behind schedule.

It is still raining as we make our way out of the Atoll. We timed it so we would be leaving at slack tide and going out with the current. All went well. The passage to Rangiroa is about 140 nautical miles and ETA is Monday afternoon. As we head out to sea, the wind is picking up and we are experiencing beam seas which are not very comfortable. The wind is now about 35 knots, and we decide it is too windy to raise the sails. I am seasick, and Tracy is uncomfortable. The high winds last for about 5 hours, but beam seas continue. It calms down during the night, the rain stops, the direction of the wind changes and we can sail again. We both start feeling better and can catch a few hours’ sleep, taking turns of course. The next morning is beautiful with sunny skies and light winds. We got through the Rangiroa pass around 2:00 pm during slack tide, riding a current of 3 to 4 knots. We were happy to find a mooring ball to tie up to instead of anchoring.

Rangiroa is in French Polynesia. It is in the Tuamotu Island group and part of a subgroup of islands called the Palliser group. It is home to about 2,500 people on almost 80 km² (31 sq mi). The chief town is Avatoru, in the atoll’s northwest.

Because of their large size, and the existence of only two passes, each high tide creates a strong incoming current, while each low tide creates a strong outgoing current within the two passes. While flowing inward through Tiputa Pass, nearly 200 individual sharks will gather at the entrance to the pass, at a depth of 50 meters (160 ft). Led by the strong current, sharks can remain motionless. Divers are able to observe them without difficulty. Large manta ray, green sea turtle, and humphead wrasse are also seen. During summer (December-March), tiger and hammerhead shark are present. In January, large numbers of stingray gather in the Tiputa Pass, as do the hammerheads that feed on them.

It is believed the first settlers arrived on Rangiroa around the 10th century AD.^[2] The first recorded Europeans to arrive on Rangiroa were Dutch explorers Jacob le Maire and Willem Schouten during their 1615-1616 Pacific journey.

During the 1950s, the economy of Rangiroa was driven by fishing and the production of copra. The inauguration of the Rangiroa Airport in 1965 allowed rapid development of the tourism industry as underwater diving facilities and hotels were built.

As in the rest of the Tuamotu Islands, the majority of the inhabitants are Christians, as a consequence of missionary activity by both Catholic and Protestant groups.

Pearl farming is done in more than 30 atolls of French Polynesia and is the main activity for numerous families in the Tuamotu archipelago. In Rangiroa, a few farms exploited about 1,000 acres (4.0 km²) of water surface in the lagoon loaned by the Tahitian government. The biggest farm, Gauguin’s Pearl^[15] employed more than 50 local workers, with a strong impact on the economy of this 2,000 person atoll. A school dedicated to the pearl farming techniques and a research center on pearl oysters are also implanted on the atoll of Rangiroa, which make it a kind of pearl center for this industry.

Tourism is a major economic activity of the island: daily connections with Tahiti, an exceptional lagoon and passes which are good sites for scuba diving attract a steady number of tourists. These are accommodated in hotels and family-run guesthouses, a small number of which exist on the island.

Source: Wikipedia

Here are some fun facts about Rangiroa Atoll in French Polynesia:

World-Class Diving: Rangiroa is renowned as one of the world’s top diving destinations, with legendary sites like the Tiputa Pass, famous for its strong currents and abundance of marine life, including various shark species like grey reef sharks, silky sharks, lemon sharks, and even hammerheads in season.
Vast Lagoon: The atoll boasts one of the largest lagoons in the world, so large that the island of Tahiti could fit inside.
“Vast Sky” Name: Rangiroa’s name in the local language, Tuamotuan, translates to “vast sky,” fitting its expansive lagoon and open ocean views.
Unique Vineyard: Rangiroa is home to the only vineyard in French Polynesia.
Dolphin Encounters: Tiputa Pass is known for dolphins that jump in the waves, especially in the late afternoon, offering a special natural spectacle.
Abundant Marine Life: The atoll’s lagoon is teeming with diverse marine life, including dolphins, manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, and a wide variety of colorful fish.
Pink Sand Beaches: Rangiroa offers excursions to stunning locations like the Blue Lagoon and Reef Island, which feature unique pink sand beaches.
“Infinite Lagoon”: Rangiroa is often referred to as “the infinite lagoon” due to its immense size and breathtaking beauty.
The “City of Sharks”: The waters around Rangiroa are a popular location for encountering various shark species, sometimes referred to as the “City of Sharks,” offering incredible diving experiences.

It turns out we were lucky to leave Fakarava when we did, in spite of the rough weather. We were told later by our cruising friends that Rotoava bay was hit by 35 knot winds and rain in the anchorage on Sunday. A catamaran slammed into Kallisti, our friends who helped clear our anchor during the storm and took off. Our other friends were moving around trying to secure a better spot and their anchor also was hung up on a rock. Kallisti ended up helping them too.

We were happy to get a secure mooring in Rangiroa and catch up on our sleep. Another cruiser (Terrapin) stopped by to say hello and we made plans to meet them the next day at the pointe with the hopes of seeing dolphins.

We rented bikes on our first day on shore and rode about 5 miles where they had a few markets or ‘magasin’ as they are called here. We stopped and had lunch on the way back and headed back to the boat. We met our friends from Terrapin to see the dolphins but alas they did not come by. Instead we ended up going to a beautiful resort for happy hour and that did not disappoint.

Rangiroa was not as eventful as we hoped. It is known for great diving and snorkeling but with Tracy’s ruptured ear drum, we crossed that off our list. We were also hit by a storm with rain and high winds that kept us on the boat for 24 hours. Once we saw a good weather window, we decided to head to Tahiti sooner than originally planned.

On Thursday evening, we met up with our friends from Terrapin to discuss our exit strategy through the pass. We planned to leave the next day, Friday, June 13^th since the weather forecast looked good. We left on Friday around noon which was 2 hours before slack tide. We experienced 4 to 5 foot standing waves and took a couple over the bow but safely made it out of the Atoll. Fortunately, we ‘buddy’ sailed with Terrapin and another boat called Tui, making our way towards Tahiti. We anticipate arriving Sunday, June 15^th, also Father’s Day.

Until next time…