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Saturday July 21, 2007

Looks like another nice day. Early morning and I am out in the cockpit with my first cup of coffee. The air conditioning in the salon gets cold at night and the warmth of being outside feels good. I can hear a baby crying on a blue mono hull sailboat in the distance. There are several boats with kids in the neighborhood. It is surprising how many families cruise with all their kids.

 

The morning has turned out ideal; the sky is clear, blue and sunny. The beach is full of playing children and sun bathing adults, both local and from cruisers in the anchorage. The temperature is cooler than previous days. We could stay here for a very long time and be perfectly happy; like John says you feel like putting down a sand screw as a more permanent mooring and set up a home. Donna takes a final swim after lunch and we raise the anchor for our short passage to Papeete.

 

We will motor all the way as the passage is into the wind and sea. The exit from Opunohu Bay is flat and smooth. Our turn east greats us with head winds and a confused sea; still, it is not too bad. As we near the north east end of Moorea we are greeted with black clouds and light rain. As we make our way between Moorea and Tahiti the conditions worsen; the bad weather is moving in the direction of Opunohu Bay. The peaks of Moorea will block the wet windy weather for a while, but I think the ideal conditions in Opunohu Bay are about to change.

 

Sailing under a black cloud usually means increased winds and rougher sea conditions. Our experience is no exception. Bella Donna is being tossed into a cork screw motion that makes standing and walking almost impossible. In the cockpit I realize I must go below; my bladder is full. Maybe if I walk real slow and anticipate the almost predictable next cork screw motion Bella Donna will make. This works medium good for about 2 steps; then Bella Donna moves in directions that I do not anticipate. Suddenly I make unwanted contacts with tables, chairs, walls and door jams. It is a short trip; shortly we are entering the flat water behind the reef. The airport is busy this afternoon; we have to hold at each end of the runway so our mast is not an aviation hazard. The anchorage is almost full; we try on several gaps for size; one finally fits Bella Donna.

 

We have dinner and hang out until it is time to pick up Don and Nancy, 10:45 PM. The airport is very busy, matching the runway hold earlier today. There is a Polynesian band with dances waiting to perform. There are very long lines for flights to France and Japan.

Soon Don and Nancy walk out of customs and immigration. We visit for too long, well after midnight. The bed looks pretty good.

 

God Bless Bella Donna.