Friday 18 June to Sunday 20 June Tahiti Moorea Sailing Rendezvous

The reason why we are in Papeete this weekend is to take part in the annual Tahiti to Moorea Sailing Rendezvous. It's an annual event sponsored by the tourist authority and local business with the aim of promoting Tahiti as a destination for yachts crossing the Pacific.. This year 70 boats and their crew are invited to take part.


On Friday we awoke to howling winds shaking us at the end of our anchor chain and dinghy swamping waves breaking over the reef into the anchorage. We needed to go into town to register for the Rendezvous, clear into Tahiti at Customs & Immigration and go to a Rendezvous cocktail party in the evening. After lunch the winds had calmed slightly and we stepped into the dinghy dressed more appropriately for a wet weekend in Cleethorpes than Polynesian idyll. David wore his red Kagool with the hood pulled up and I had a yellow oilskin, hood tied tightly under my chin and a dry bag with our party clothes in. We bounced across the waves and into the sheltered dock. Other bedraggled cruisers stepped ashore cunningly disguised as fancy dress punks, that is weaning black bin liners to keep dry.

A fast and dry bus ride down town to the registration tent on the quay where we were presented with a goodie bag from the sponsors. A fancy carrier bag with a t-shirt each, discount vouchers from Hertz Rentacar and a small soap and bath oil. My small t-shirt fits David and it's 11 months since I had a bath. Before you go euhhh! I should explain the bath was on my last visit to UK and I do shower every day.

David and Colin from The Road proudly display their feminine side at the evening reception.

The cocktail reception was a splendid affair at the 19C town hall. Like the rodents following the Pied Piper we were led from the quay to the party by a drumming band where we had a group photo on the steps and were presented with flower leis. There was a traditional Tahitian blessing for the Captains, local dancers and the drummers again and then a splendid buffet and lots of yachtie chats.

The next morning we got up bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for the race / rally the neighbouring island of Moorea 18 miles away. At 09.25am the 70 boats jostled, or tried to jostle, in 1 knot of wind for the best position approaching the start line. At 09.30am the horn blew, the drummers began to drum and we were off. Or rather the race had started, more race of the tortoise than the gallop of the hare in the wind shadow of the island. It took us 15 minutes to pass over the line. Gradually, as we inched away from the island the winds built and then they built some more. As we approached Moorea is was blowing a hearty 30 to 35 knots on the beam. The experienced racers kept full sails and were heeled right over. We are newbies sailing and took the prudent approach to reduce sail and live to fight another day. Jackster is our home and we didn't want to tip her on her side and shake her, and us, about. Three catamarans took the honours and although we didn't win we didn't destroy a sail or stress the rigging. Next time....

Our destination was the ruggedly beautiful Oponuhu Bay on the north coast of Moorea. A film buff might go 'ahah' at this name because this, and the neighbouring Cook's Bay, are where South Pacific and the Mel Gibson's Bounty was filmed. Cook's Bay is named after Capt. James Cook who spent many years in the Pacific naming islands and bays. For some reason we won't be visiting Disappointment Island on this trip. If Cook didn't like why should we?

The strong winds continued through Saturday night reinforced with buckets of rain. Saturday night was barbecue on the beach under marquees the organisers had erected. Wet Sunday was Sports Day, sadly a wet and cold sports day, with crews organised into teams to compete in outrigger canoe races, carrying a large bunch of bananas races, getting the husk off a coconut races, a traditional earth oven lunch, and to finish the day prize giving and more local dancers and musicians. Jackster 'won' another large t-shirt which I gratefully wore to keep warm and an engraved shell as a memento of the weekend just for turning up.

This dancer had a special way to keep from freezin' his butt. Don't try this at home without adult supervision.

The next Rendezvous is in Tonga in September...... We could be there.