[password] pilot25041
[position] 16 22.0s 151 42.5w
[status] Wednesday 1st Aug morning ....... Hi from Bora Bora ........ we had a great sail all day from Moorea to Huahine on Friday, getting through the "reef pass" around 8pm and anchoring in our favourite spot a short time after. There were a lot more yachts anchored there this time and we were very surprised how many didn't have anchor lights showing, particularly those that appeared to be anchored in the main channel, as there were 2 cargo ships coming and going over the next couple of hours!
Saturday morning dawned fair and the grown ups went ashore for wifi and some supplies, supplies good, wifi not so as internet cafe was closed, Barry serviced the watermaker, when the crew returned from their run ashore they reported that the dinghy outboard was running badly, a quick check of outboard fuel filter and pump, when Barry stupidly managed to drop the fuel filter 'O' ring seal into the deep, whilst getting rid of the crud from the filter bowl ....... it's surprisingly quick how fast things disappear with a 2-3kt current, but hey ho, nothing that some trusty ptfe plumbing tape wouldn't fix! The outboard still wouldn't run properly, so more invest required. We then left Fare and motored down to the little secluded Haapu Bay and had a very quiet night before we depart further west.
Sunday morning, we had a "gentleman's" start and departed for Bora Bora about a 50nm passage and again downwind, so after getting out into the breeze we set the gennaker and had another fab sail, going through Passe Teavanui just after dark. We had decided to anchor down the back of Toopua Island and whilst motoring down towards it and not even thinking we were anywhere near getting to the narrow channel, clipped a bombie with the port skeg ....... we immediately turned tail and headed across to the Bora Bora Yacht Club, with no mooring buoys available we dropped anchor.
Monday morning .... Allan & Lyn departed ashore in the small dinghy for wifi, whilst Barry & Ron removed big outboard and stripped the carburettor, we found the main jet blocked, so a quick reassemble and test run ....... everything 'seemed' fine, we then departed for Vaitape town quay, a quick run ashore for essential supplies before we went to the narrow channel just off Toopua Iti to an area that Charlie's Charts identifies as good for snorkelling. Well it is good, but you just need to be an Olympic class swimmer to get back to the boat against a 3+kt current! ...... Barry was certainly glad he had flippers on! We then motored around the back of the island, past the hotels and anchored where we had originally planned to the previous evening! Allan & Barry then spent an hour or so scrubbing the weed, that had grown during the stay in Papeete Marina, off the hulls, also checking the port skeg for damage from the previous evening's coming together ......... nothing that a b
it of filler, rub down and anti foul won't sort, it hurt our pride more.
Tuesday morning dawned bright again and we could see loads of tourist boats heading out across the bay towards the reef where they were anchoring/mooring and everyone was in the water, so we decided to launch the big dinghy and find out what was going on ........ outboard was again back to its old tricks, so carb off and after another strip/inspection/clean/reassemble made no difference there was some scratching of heads. Barry did some internet searching via 3G and found that these faults with 2stroke carburettors were normally sorted by ultrasonically cleaning the carbs ....... obviously not an option for us, however, we thought some carb cleaning solvent might do the trick. Off to Vaitape again and past the area where we clipped the bombie, we found that the chart plotter in that area is over 30m out from reality, whereas in other areas of Bora Bora it is spot on. Unfortunately, there was no room at the town quay, so whilst most of the crew held off in the bay, Barry &
Lyn launched in the small dinghy, the town was very busy with tourists as: Aranui 5, Wind Spirit & Paul Gauguin were all anchored in the bay, eventually after failing to find carb cleaner Barry sourced some 3in1 Solvent Degreaser, that came with a fine tube to squirt down 'jet orifices' .... and the only one left in the shop! Back to Surreal and Allan set off towards the top of the island and around past the airport, after carefully picking our way through the reefs and bombies and going past all the hotels on the eastern motus we eventually dropped anchor in the south eastern corner of the reef near Taurare. It was now time to see if the 3in1 would work ....... 40mins later, its surprising and even without a maintenance manual, how quick you can strip and reassemble a carburettor with a little practice, the outboard was now running like a dream, although Ron was again disappointed that we didn't have any bits left over or spare! So we all climbed aboard the big dinghy a
nd departed around the back of the motu for what Charlie's identifies as the "best snorkelling in Bora Bora", this time even Lyn participated as her leg is now sufficiently healed to allow her to get it wet. The snorkelling was pretty good, we then got back to the boat for showers, sundowners and roast leg of lamb for dinner ....... absolutely scrummy after another successful day!
The cruising life is hard, but you'll be pleased to know we are all bearing up well under the strain!
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