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ADIEU HUAHINE

By on April 24, 2015 in Domino
ADIEU HUAHINÉ

April 11, 2015 – Motu Murimahora, Huahiné

This is where our love cruising was born, 20 years ago: Huahiné.  At the time, we anchored our chartered Jeanneau 42’ in the 30-meter deep Port Bourayne (probably using just 40 meters of chain, inexperienced as we were) and we just fell in love with everything: the view, the peace, the lifestyle, the isolation, the water, the people.  Things have changed in Huahiné, some for the better, some not, but it remains our favorite of the Society Islands.  And since I haven’t written about it yet, I’ll indulge in a lengthy report.

NAVIGATION NOTE –  Be super extra careful at the south end of Huhine … The reef extends farther than on th charts.  One of our friends lost his Oceanis 43 on the reef a month ago.  Last week a chartered catamaran was destroyed on that reef… Watch out!!!!

Be careful at the southern point!!!
The reef extends way out.
Keep an eye on the Western end as well!!!!

NEW MOORINGS– When we breezed through a year ago, we had to drop anchor everywhere.  In the last year, the Ministry of Tourism — in partnership with the islands of Huahiné, Raiatea and Tahaa– has installed very strong moorings in the most popular anchorages.  In addition, floating docks have appeared in many places, again with cruisers in mind.  We love the sight of those yellow diamonds and have no problem catching their long pennants, even with our 14-foot boat hook!

2 mooring fields: in front of the village of Fare
and between the 2 passes 

FARÉ – 5 moorings in town; 5 moorings between the 2 passes.

Dinghy dock in front of the Huahiné Yacht Club. 

We are not surfers, but if we were, that’s where we’d hang out.  There is always some good surfing around here, according to American Surf Gypsy Liz Clark who is moored behind us.  She’s been here several months and plans on staying as long as she can!

            We came to town not only to provision at the Super-U, famed to be the best provisioning spot in the islands (we agree, except for the eggs) and to visit our friends Robert & Valerie.  Many years ago, JP spent a week vacation at their home; this time, they enjoyed a bit of cruising on DOMINO. 


Lagoon fish grow on trees!
           What else goes on in Faré?  Friday night Happy Hour at the Yacht Club, bare feet in the sand; Saturday morning garage sale: lighten up your load and make a few bucks; Sunday morning town market along the waterfront: fri-fri (beignets), poi roti(roasted pig), nêmes (spring rolls), fresh fruits and vegetables, and the obligatory lagoon fish hanging from the tree.  Of course, on any afternoon, you can look out for a poti mara (local fishing boat) unloading at the town dock and ask for fish: Mahi mahi or tuna.
PORT BOURAYNE – 16°46.95S – 151°01.700W

                                    3 mooring balls SE of Motu Vaiorea (Beach)

The beach at the entrance of Port Bourayne… possibly my favorite snorkeling spot in all of FP
            This, of course, is my favorite spot in all of French Polynesia.  There is so much to see and do from here.  There used to be an American hotel in that spot, but it closed some 15 years ago and the structures got wiped out by Hurricane Ollie.  All that’s left is the beach and SIKI, the beach caretaker.  Great guy!  He’ll cure your marriage, your cancer, your hunger with whatever Juju and power he’s got.  If you don’t need his help, he’ll try to sell you shell necklaces (cheap and better-looking than at the Papeete Market.)  He’s always got fresh coconuts and will gladly bake an uru(bread fruit) for you on the fire.   You can even camp on the beach.  This is really a fun place.


            
Snorkeling here is also one of my favorites.  There are 2 distinct areas:

– the grass bed between the mooring balls and the beach where you’ll find all sorts of juveniles, gobies and blennies; and



– Motu Vaiorea (southeast end) where the fish population is incredibly varied and plentiful.  This is what the Society Islands used to be like, and unfortunately no longer is. 

Motu Vaiorea, at the entrance of Port Bourayne.  Spendid snorkeling, tons and tons of fish


You might even spot a cowrie: just look!


But Robert & JP preferred going hunting.  Just a quick dinghy ride to the outer reef and they came back with 2 nice jacks.  Yes, there is fish along the reef… and sharks too, so DO take a buddy with you and don’t stray far from your dink when you hunt.


The frisky lives of nematodes!
For a morning outing, we took Do-mini for a mini-cruise.  


Inside Port Bourayne, Motu Vaiorea closes this hurricane hole
Once across the circular hurricane hole of Port Bourayne, we just followed the Passage Honoava, under the bridge, and entered Maroe Bay.  This is the large, deep bay where all the cruise ship drop anchor.  You just don’t want to be there on those days, since the bay is marred with spewing jetskis and annoying ship tenders.  (In doubt, ask Siki: he knows the ships’ schedules.)  But this was a quiet day and we anchored “Little D” on the sand shelf. 
Yellow goatfish

We were curious about the 2”-wide round holes in the muddy sand and about the girl sitting in the sand, waist-deep in the water, keeping an eye on a makeshift fishing pole.  “Fishing the varo,” she said.  

Fishing for Varo
A cross between a shrimp and a big caterpillar, with a bit of lobster in it, the varo –or “ski” – (Lysioquilina Maculata) is a prized food.  At $10 apiece on the market (you can bargain…,) it’s a delicacy.  But don’t venture to capture it yourself; its front legs are razor-sharp and many a fisherman have suffered deep slices into their fingers.  The tail peduncles are pretty sharp and nasty as well.  Just buy them and make the locals happy!  Varos are excellent simmered in butter (garlic and Pastis if you like, too!) –

Lunch is served!

For a different snorkeling experience we dove the wall along the sand shelf, between the 2 red marks.  Although the water is not very clear, the drop is interesting and the fish population plentiful: royal angelfish galore!

Boxfish on the prowl

I could have stayed at this mooring forever, but nasty weather was upon us and we had to seek shelter.  Inside Port Bourayne would have been good (though 30-meter deep,) but we heard of new mooring balls in Haapu Bay, another hurricane hole.

Baby lionfish will grow and be nasty!

Yellow-banded pipefish

HAAPU BAY – 16°47.461S – 151°00.502W


The Beach at Port Bourayne, and the deep Haapu Bay
           


3 mooring balls



            We entered Haapu in whiteout conditions, 35 knots of wind, a deluge of rain and no visibility.  But the channel into the bay is well marked and our Furuno radar picked up every mark, so we made it carefully and safely into the bay.  What a lovely spot, like no other we’d seen so far.




            The village of Haapu is very small and, of course, fishermen wanted to befriend us first, take us to the store to find fresh baguettes and eggs next, and sell us some varo last.  We were only too happy to indulge them, making friends in the process.

            We spent a few days there, not just to wait-out the storm, but to finally repaint the aft deck.  The waters in Haapu are so protected and flat that it’s the perfect spot to work on the boat, especially to paint.  We finally have a no-skid, clean-white aft deck.  (Awlgrip Matterhorn White + Griptex coarse/fine + Accelerator X98, rolled.)

Upside-down Manta ray, feeding!!!!

AVEA BAY – 16°48.606 S – 150°59.777W

Avea Bay has no mooring balls, but a very large sandshelf.
            No moorings

            Although we prefer to anchor in deep waters (13 meters in Avea) most yachts anchor on the sand shelf in 2 meters of water, in front of the restaurant Chez Tara.  That’s where we rejoined Irie for Mark’s birthday.

Happy Birthday Mark!
           
We had just tied Do-mini to Irie for a visit when we noticed a large white disk cruising along the drop just a few yards from us.  

This Manta surprised JP


MANTA RAY!!!  Pronto, mask, fins, cameras and hop in the water.  What a treat!!!  The rays kept cruising back and forth along the drop, doing back flips and coming so close to us we could have touched them (never touch a ray: your touch can remove their protective mucus and leave the ray open to skin infection and disease.) 



This one surprised me!
            The deeper part of the channel is home of enormous anemones and a good population of clown fish.  It’s a bit deep (5-6 meters) but well worth the free-diving effort!





            And check the sand shelf too!  Thousands of Rori (sea cucumbers) lay around, and it’s only when you take a much closer look that you notice the tiny snake-eels the roris feed on. 



            
On Sundays, Chez Tara offers a traditional Ma’a Tahiti cooked in the traditional Ari Ma’a.  For about $30/person, you’ll enjoy a feast: Poisson cru (raw fish in coconut milk), Pahua (giant clams in curry sauce), roasted pig and veal, and the obligatory taro, Fafa (spinach), Uru(breadfruit), fei (banana) and all types of Poe desserts (tapioca-flour cooked with fruit pulp: banana, papaya, mango, passion fruit, coco…) 
Traditional Sunday fare
  Oh, were we ever full!!!  But totally happy, while Mama Tara crowned us with Tiaré necklaces (they don’t call them Leihere, but Couronne) and a duo of old guys kept pounding on their Ukuleles, singing traditional Tahitian tunes.  
Avea Bay, Huahine
What better way to celebrate Mark’s birthday?

Tahitian oven

 MOTU MURIMAHORA – 16°45.72 S – 150°57.732 W

           
On the east side of Huahine, at the entrance of Maroe Bay (that’s the bay where all the cruise ships go), you can find secluded anchorage behind Motu Murimahora in 3 to 5 meter of sand.  The channel is well marked and you can drop anchor about half way down the motu.  We only had one night to spend, so we didn’t do much else than snorkel around.  But there is plenty to do.


Can you say, BLUE ???

            – Paul, the local deaf-mute guide, is sure to approach you on his yellow Va’a and at least have you sign his guest book, if not selling you a tour.  And he’ll leave you with a fresh coconut, peeled and ready to drink!  Nice guy.

            – The locals on the motu are friendly and enjoy company… see if they’ll invite you over.

            – Dingy along the mark channel (black/white posts) and you can reach Parea Village.  We snorkeled the area off Passe Araara and found notably a few sea anemones and their symbiotic clown fish!

There is nothing like being able to see where you frop your anchor.
            There are trails too, but I’m not much of a walker and usually abstain from trekking… much happier in the water!

We just love Huahiné, its variety of snorkeling experiences, its hurricane holes and, of course, its new mooring balls!!!

Nana, Robert & Valerie
Now, it’s time to continue our farewell tour.  Next stop: Tahaa.

Until then…

dominomarie

Adieu Tahiti

By on April 19, 2015 in Domino
ADIEU TAHITI

Friday, April 10th, 2015 – Marina Taina


Marina Taina: an excellent spot to watch sunset over Moorea, some 10 miles away
It’s always hard to say goodbye, and leaving Caro, William, Mamie Catherine and the kids gave us the blues.  Still, we were able to enjoy some good times before taking off.
The Poti Marara is the mavelous fisherman’s power boat.
The helmsman steers the boat with a stick,
well enclosed inside his turret.
From there, he can chase and spear Mahi Mahi… that’s a sport!
But some good news first.  PAPEETE HARBOR MARINA is almost completed, set to be inaugurated on April 23rd, just on time for the arrival of the ARC Rally.  There are 60 slots for sailboats and 20 spots dockside for super-yachts.  The boardwalk will, in time, include a fish park.  When?  Soon, if the project doesn’t run out of funds by then.  Still, it’s an improvement for all yachts, even if it doesn’t have the charm of the old Quai Bir Haykem (sp?) –  For all info and checking in and out of Papeete, contact
Mr. VERNAUDON KEN

Responsable du QUAI DES YACHTS – PAPEETE

PORT AUTONOME DE PAPEETE

Tél.  (689) 40.47.48.54


At the Salon du Tifaifai, Mamie Catherine is mesmerized by Benjamin’s cutting technique


We were treated to 2 local events that are typically Tahitian.  The Salon du Tifaifai and the Polynesie Premiere Va’a Marathon.

Tifaifais from the Marquesas… insane 2-tone reverse-applique

SALON DU TIFAIFAI – Those who know me also know that I’m an avid quilter.  It was a very special treat to visit (3 times!) the Salon du Tifaifai and make friends with Mamie Biret, THE legend of Tahitian quilts, and with Benjamin Ragivaru, the most talented Tifaifai designer among the younger generation.

This year’s theme: Joseph’s Dream
We took the time to exchange techniques and design styles, each of us broadening our appreciation for quilt art.  I let the pix speak for themselves.
Red-and-white, flowers, reversed applique: modern design on traditional themes

 

If women love their traditional Tifaifais, men are into their Va’apaddling.  This weekend marathon saw hundreds of paddlers competing in the Tahiti-Moorea-Tahiti 6-man outrigger race. 



The Top-20 group paddles furiously towards the Tapuna Pass, on to Moorea (in the background)

 Imagine: 1 ½ hour to cover 22 km, rest 1 hour, return and cover another 22 km , slushing through waves and currents and pouring rain!  Seeing the paddlers’ staccato rhythm, just as fast at the finish line as it was at the start, I wondered if these specimen didn’t belong to another specie!


60 teams paddle out!  Powercat JAMBO in the background
From DOMINO’s flybridge, we hooted and cheered and encouraged them.  

The winner of the Top-40 group will go up one division and will compete in the Top-20 next year.
Arch-rivals? EDT and Shell, who now counts 2 teams in the top division.
Winners? EDT in the Top 20 group, and SHELL in the Top 40 group.  This was an electrifying race and a stunning display of sheer manpower. 

We never mind letting paddlers surf DOMINO’s wake!

After a last dinner downtown Papeete at the “Roulottes,” it was time to chug along towards Huanine.

Another look at the Poti Marara, a beast of a fishing boat, nimble in the waves and soooo powerful!

  We picked a delightful morning, without a breath of air and unleashed DOMINO on a glassy sea. 
We don’t care if there’s no wind… Actually, we LIKE it when there’s no wind!

Adieu, Tahiti… Next stop: Huahiné.  Till then…

dominomarie

DOMINO 20 2015-04-19 09:16:00

By on April 19, 2015 in Domino


ADIEU MOOREA

Vaiaré (Moorea), March 29th, 2015

Eighteen months in French Polynesia and we’ve visited all of the Marquesas, 8 atolls in the Tuamotus and all of the Society Islands.  And now it’s time for our “Adieu” cruise as we are touring our favorite places one last time, starting with Moorea.

Adieu, Moorea

Nothing beats Cook’s Bay and Opunohu Bay.  The high mountains and “Pierced Mountain” are spectacular.  However, we had not explored the area we first knew, 20 years ago, the site of the ancient Club Med.

PAPETOAI REEF – 17°29.29S – 149°52.7W  (“Opunohu West”) – Since it is no longer OK to anchor off the PasseTaotoi, we entered through Passe Tareu into Opunohu Bay and turned west instead of going to our usual anchor spot on the east end of the bay.  Keeping the black/white post on our port, we found anchorage into 6 meters, sandy bottom.  There is enough to do here to spend 3 days happily.  And you can get fresh baguettes from the store at the town dock at Papetoai.

Looking for shell is a major activity.
I swim miles and miles, free-dive for hours looking for them.
This green turban  with black/white spots is not in my book and the locals don’t know it.
Found in Moorea.  Anybody knows what it’s called?

           The underwater Tiki garden is only a few yards away and snorkeling is good all around, from the anchorage all the way to the reef.  I spent a whole day swimming around, finding a Turban shell that even the locals had never seen, and even taking home a Burgo (local sea snail, very big) for our dinner: Pasta with Burgo sauce!

How do we love a nice yacht!  Zembra at anchor in Marina Taina
         Trying not to stare at the gorgeous Nordhavn 86’ Zembraanchored a few yards back from us, we took Do-miniaound the marked channel towards Passe Taotoi.    OK, this is a major tourist spot, the Shark and Ray feeding attraction. 

In protected areas, these jacks grow to 3 feet long and come and graze at your snorkle if you let them

We went early to beat the crowd and dropped in with the rays, puppies who come close to get a friendly pat.  Black tip reef sharks behave like kiddy cats, but I’m not even going to try to feed these kiddies.  Accidents in Moorea happen often.  In the last month, one tourist has been bit and one child killed, all during shark feeding operations.  Always be careful and sensible, just don’t hand the shark his dinner!

Black tip reef sharks come close enough since they expect to be fed, but let the professionals do that!
            Continuing towards the Motu Tiahura along the well-marked channel.  This is just across the location of the old Club Med, an area that we have enjoyed many years ago and that, sadly, has been ditched by the Club Med organization when the local landowners tried to send their lease sky-rocketing.  Trigano said NO!  The site is now embattled in a bitter dispute between landowners, those who want to sell to the Polynesian Territoire, and those who hold down to the idea of through-the-roof leases.  There is a new “Comissaire for Big Projects,” a post created this week, to try and come to terms with this particular site and do something of it (a pod for the fishing industry?  Aquaculture?) as well as, by the way, dealing with the project Mahana Beach by Marina Taina in Tahiti, a project that would fill the lagoon, build a hotel-cum-convention center, and of course put an end to the free, deep anchorage in Taina.  Boo!!!!
One of the many splendid varieties of trigger fish: striped triggerfish
            Back to Motu Tiahura: excellent snorkeling there, with enormous blue jacks and a giant Moray eel that attacked JP not once, but 3 times!!! 
This 2-meter long Giant Moray went after JP’s camera 3 times in a row!
“Unusual behavior,” said the divemaster on site.  We had no idea what got the animal angry at JP.

Even the “Nemos” are big at the lagoonarium
VAIARE South – 17°32S – 149°46.18W –  It was time to move again and bid our Adieu to Mark and Liesbet on Irie.  They were waiting for us in Vaire, hanging off the southern sand shelf while waiting for their spot at the local marina.  They told us about the best snorkeling spot in all of French Polynesia:  The Lagoonarium de Moorea.

            Lagoonarium –  Located just at the northern tip of Motu Ahi, south of Vaiare, the Lagoonarium of Moorea is an absolute MUST!  And it’s FREE!!!   From our anchorage at Pte. Patoe, we just dinghied over to Motu Ahi, following the black/white posts.   When you get there, thread between the last buoy and the sand spit, grab a mooring ball and tie your dinghy up.  Jump in the water and ENJOY!  


Pinktail Triggerfish: one of our favorites
Fish the size of like you’ve never seen in French Polynesia, at least not in the last 20 years!  Shark, ray, jack, oodles of butterfly and surgeon fish and, if you look well and search a bit off the beaten path, an octopus might treat you to a color-morphing show! 





If the current is strong, just hang on to the ropes and follow the track.   I know, it sounds very touristy, but it’s by far the best underwater experience in the Society Islands.


This Long Nose Emperor reached 3’…
not even in the Tuamotus did we see such an imposing specimen
We took our leave of Mark and Liesbet, sounding our Pou (shell horn) and waving furiously to friends we’d been cruising with for the past 2 years.    Next Adieu?  Huahiné.  Till then….

dominomarie


Coris are always fun to look at.  Here, a Coris Clown

The Wirie Pro

By on February 20, 2015 in Domino
The Wirie Pro joined us in Huahine

The WiriePro

February 20, 2015

  

Huanine, French Polynesia

Good news on the Internet-for-boaters front.  Our trusted Wirie AP has been improved and now offers seamless 3 & 4-G Internet access.  Since “Island Consulting” is on a mooring right behind us, I’ve asked Mark to provide us with his press release to give you the scoop. 

As for us, we’ve upgraded to the WIriePro and the jump in customer satisfaction is significant.  The screens have been streamlined, the number of passwords required reduced, and the performance enhanced.  Here, in French Polynesia, where the WiFi service is iffy at best, it’s marvelous to be able to switch from WiFi to 3-G at the click of a button with lightning speed… see, I’m posting this in a jiffy while JP is taking a nap!

As for technical terms, I’m leaving you with Mark’s words….


Long Range Internet Access Revolutionized with The Wiriepro: Island Consulting, Inc. Launches The Wiriepro, a Marine Grade Internet System for Boats and RVs, Supporting Both WiFi and 3G/4G.

Newbury, Massachusetts, January 5th, 2015: Island Consulting, Inc. has introduced an affordable “all-in-one” internet product with The Wiriepro. By redesigning its product line from the ground up and using the latest technology available, the company has added worldwide 3G and 4G data support to its popular long range WiFi systems. Having the ability to switch seamlessly between a remote WiFi connection and a 3G or 4G data connection provides a level of flexibility and convenience never before available to smaller yachts and RVs.

The Wirieprobuilds on the success of Island Consulting’s first and second generation Wirie products. It includes a wireless access point (router), the best long range WiFi adapter available, and a worldwide commercial grade 3G/4G router. The Wiriepro continues the tradition of being a fully waterproof, self-contained unit, powered by a 12-24V DC electrical cable, which eliminates the need for Ethernet and USB cables. No software is needed to run The Wiriepro.  Completely redesigned, a single user interface manages the onboard local network, long-range remote WiFi connections, and 3G/4G data connections.

The Wiriepro allows all WiFi enabled devices, like laptops, smart phones, tablets, chart plotters, and printers to connect to the local WiFi network and in turn share the long range internet connection from either a remote WiFi network, or a 3G/4G data connection. Mark Kilty from Island Consulting, Inc. reports “3G and 4G data services are becoming more prevalent in the cruising community as their popularity and accessibility has spread throughout the world. They typically provide a level of reliability and speed not always found with WiFi connections. With The Wiriepro, users can easily choose either option based on their location and availability. This offers them the ultimate flexibility to get online, without the complications of similar systems currently on the market, and at a very competitive price.”

Mark is proud of his “baby”

Island Consulting, Inc. is also introducing The WirieAP+ and The WiriexG. Using the same hardware and marine grade components, The WirieAP+supports long range WiFi connections while The WiriexG supports 3G and 4G data connections. The WirieAP+ is upgradeable to The Wirieprofor customers who want to start with a WiFi only solution. The WiriexGallows for integration with any existing Ethernet based WiFi system.

All of The Wirie products are built with high quality marine grade components and are easy to use and install. A one-year warranty, 10-day return policy, and suburb customer service are standard.

For the introductory price of US$599, The Wiriepro will fulfill all internet needs while cruising and anchoring by boat or while traveling and camping by RV. The WiriexGis available for US$499 and The WirieAP+ for US$399. On February 1, 2015, the price for The Wiriepro will increase to US$649.

For more information, please visit www.thewirie.com.



A very nice upgrade, thank you Mark!


About Island Consulting, Inc:

Island Consulting, Inc., located in Newbury, Massachusetts, USA, manufactures and distributes The Wirie. The Wirie was invented in the Caribbean in April 2009 to provide a cost-effective, user-friendly, long range WiFi solution for boats and RVs. It was quickly expanded to a U.S. operation to allow a larger distribution. In January 2015, the company introduced The Wiriepro, a new and innovative product with a local access point that allows all WiFi enabled devices to share the internet connection provided by a long-range WiFi or 3G/4G network. Island Consulting, Inc. is committed to continuous improvements and to making sure every customer is extremely satisfied. Website: www.thewirie.com. Document3

Contact:

Liesbet Collaert

Till next post….

dominomarie

Tender Do-mini

By on February 19, 2015 in Domino
Do-mini on the flybridge in Huahine



TENDER Do-mini

February 19, 2015

Faré (Huahiné – French Polynesia)

Meet our new tender, Do-mini.  This is JP’s 3rdhard dinghy construction, after Scrappyand Pitufina.  Hopefully, three is the charm.  From what I can tell at this point, Do-mini seems to deliver the performance and service JP was seeking.

Side-by-side: the AB 7 Do-mini

Since the first day we bought our AB 9.6 inflatable, JP has been ranting against RIBs. The shortcomings of the AB (as well as of any small size RIB) were the following:

1.     No room inside, most available space eaten up by the inflatable tubes; once the gas tank and anchor are on the bottom, where do you put your feet?

2.     Impossible to row;

3.     The outboard sits too much aft, which sinks the stern of the boat.  As a result, the dinghy rides bow up.

4.     The effective length at the waterline is only about 2/3 of the total length of the boat. 

5.     (3) & (4) make the boat extremely difficult to get on the plane and the boat slams down in even a small chop.   The AB could not plane with more than 3 (light weight) passengers on board, in spite of our 18 HP outboard.

6.     There is no step-down to board the AB, which makes it hard for people with limited knee range of motion to get in and out.

7.     Boarding from the water isn’t easy.  Hopping up into the RIB’s pontoons requires strength.  We’ve seen people using strap ladders or stirrups to manage the re-boarding.

8.     And, of course, inflatables deflate and become unglued.  A small fishing hook perforation can wreck havoc in the Hypalon, and we’ve ripped several handles while carrying the craft ashore. 

9.     Cleaning is a bear as well.

Bringing Do-mini in: see how the AB rides bow up?

For my part, I did like the rugged aluminum bottom and the soft inflatable tubes: I could blissfully bottom-scrape over coral heads and bump softly into other yachts!

Do-mini fists just between the hulls

Now comes Do-mini.  JP had to deal with a number of constraints:

–       A 3.29 meter width between the hulls: the dinghy had to be no longer than that if we wanted to hoist on the davit.

–       Need to optimize the LWL for stability and efficiency.

–       Find a way to float the stern

–       Fit on the davit aft of DOMINO without limiting the view from the aft deck

Trimmed nose, fitted with fenders for shock protection

How did JP do?

–       Length: Do-mini is 3.00 meter long, 1.33 meter wide

–       LWL: 2.88 m

–       Construction: All built of Corecell/glass epoxy,  with expanding foam for the floor and boarding platforms.  The bottom consists of 11 cm of foam, making the boat self-bailing and unsinkable.

–       Moderate V in the bow, almost flat bottom at the stern

–       Two aft boarding platforms extend 48 cm astern of the transom bulkhead with a 9 cm thickness for buoyancy, separated by a cut-out sufficient to allow the outboard shaft to rotate.  These aft platforms not only keep the boat flat in the water at rest, but also make an easy start for planning (the boat planes easily with 6 passengers and the same 18 HP outboard); the platforms make re-boarding from the water a cinch!

–       The all-around bench would allow room for 10 passengers… not that we’ve tried (yet).

Removable bench, oars, gas line neatly stowed under the port side bench


–       Oars, rowing bench, gas tank, gas line, and ground tackle are all stowed out of the way and tucked under the benches. 

Clutter-free sole; a big dry locker at the bow; step-down access; stowed gas tank and ground tackle






–       Never forget the fuel filter: the Racor fits under the bench as well.













–       There is a large dry locker at the bow.

–       Boarding is easy with 3 levels of stepping down.

–       Rowing is sweet!  Just pop in the removable bench, slip the oars into the stainless steel oar locks and row away!

Rowing away in Cook’s Bay

–       Don’t forget the 2 fishing pole holders for trolling and room for a fish bucket!

–       Hard dinghies are notoriously… well… hard and need shock protection.  The boat is entirely surrounded by fenders: at the bow (whose nose has been cut-off to maximize waterline length), behind the platforms, and all around.  Two more moveable fenders can be taken in and out as needed.

Hoisted on the davit: nicer to look at than the AB and less obtrusive;
Carrying handles; permanently-fixed fenders for protection

–       Carrying handles consist of nylon lines, permanently threaded through the topsides, and covered with lengths of hose.

–       Cleaning?  We coated the bottom with antifouling paint and the rest is Awlgrip topcoat: just wipe it off.  As for repairs, nothing is easier than a bit of epoxy compound!

Aft boarding platforms are also fitted with permanent fenders for shock protection

The first sea trials yielded some very wet rides.  JP had to tweak the bow a bit. He added some bow-wave deflecting wings.  He cut some triangular length of foam and epoxied them in place, strategically to deflect the bow spray.  Now, we have a very dry ride.

Wave-deflecting ridge at the bow

Though I will have to learn to steer Do-mini clear of other yachts (OK, I’m kidding) I love the roominess and the speed.  It certainly proved true during our last trip to the Tuamotus, when we were 5 on board, with luggage and provisions for 10 days, and still got the boat on the plane for a fast ride back from the airport; or in Toau, when 4 adults went out with 4 fishing poles and fishing tackle, fish bucket, 4 underwater guns, snorkeling gear and reef shoes for everyone, and no clutter under our feet.  That was sweet.

At the dock, against an army of RIBs

            That’s Do-mini: roomy, easy to get on the plane, clutter-free sole, easy to board, easy to stow, and, at roughly 90 lbs, not any heavier than the AB.  We love it!  Well done, JP!

The best part: fishing!

Till next blog….

Dominomarie

Up on the flybridge, stowed for long passages

Cruising the Tuamotus

By on February 17, 2015 in Domino
February 16, 2015

Huahine, French Polynesia

In Tahanea, Williams enjoys the moonrise
HOLIDAY CRUISE

I’ve been silent for so long, you might wonder what happened?  Are we still cruising?  Yes indeed, now reaching our 27,000 NM.  That’s 2,000 NM in the last year, proof that—indeed– we’ve been moving around French Polynesia; and we’ve been spending a lot of time at Marina Taina.

Do-mini – JP has finally built his dream tender, Do-mini.  It took him 4 months of planning and design, and 3 months of building (thanks to our friend Williams who loaned us space and tools and car and support and friendship), followed by 3 weeks of tweaking the details, and now you have it: the perfect tender (blog to follow.)

Do-mini is a very stable platform for fishing
CYCLONE Season in FP – November through April is Cyclone season here, and we must remain vigilant.  Indeed, we closely avoided Cyclone NIKO in mid-January, a weak tropical cyclone that skimmed just east of Tahiti but was followed by heavy rains and high surf.

NIKO left us with spectacular skies
During our stay in Marina Taina, Tahiti has been hit with an epidemic of Chikungunya, a Dengue-like fever whose rheumatismal effect may last for months.  Over 70,000 cases have been officially reported.  Of our little family of 15, fourteen of them (including JP) contracted the disease.  Only Yours Truly, slathered in DEET and wearing long sleeves and pants in 90F temperature, and not getting off the boat very much, was spared.  Phew!
JP & Williams in convalescence mode
TAHANEA (again!) – To give everyone a break and a healthy convalescence, we took our little family for a Tuamotu Cruise.  Williams joined us to our favorite Tahanea for 3 days of great hunting, catching grouper, “Tarefa” and “Carangues,” cleaning fish all day long, freezing it and eating it as never before!  Our fishing trip was a great test for Do-mini who loves trolling, stable and roomy.
Nothing makes Williams happier than a great fishing day: “Tarefa” & “Carangue” (rainbow jack)
The trip from Tahanea to Fakarava landed us a 25 lb wahoo that William expertly cleaned, skinned, vacuum-packed and froze, not without a sashimi degustation; our favorite? Just a dash of salt and a few drops of olive oil, marinated 30 minutes, served cold, lime optional.  Yum!
A Wahoo is always a spectacular catch

 In FAKARAVA NORTH, we picked up Caro and the kids for a Christmas and New Years vacation. With the westerlies blowing a skink, we crept as high up in the northern part of the lagoon as we could and found anchorage in sand, in 16 meters (16°03.195S, 145°37.534W) and were reasonably sheltered from the 25-30Kt winds.   Once the winds shifted to the NE, we chugged towards Tetamanu Pass to the south.

Chrismas lunch on board

HIRIFA (Fakarava SE) 16°27.09S – 145°22.09W – – This was a new anchorage for us, just NE of Tetamanu pass.  It is well sheltered from the N,E, & S, but not suitable when westerlies blow.  Since the winds were stubbornly coming from the North, we postponed staying at the Tetamanu pass and opted for the good shelter at Hirifa.  But beware of the flies: pigs on the motu!!!

HIRIFA is a lovely anchorage… except for the flies!
With more fishing came more eating of the supposedly “Safe” and non-ciguateric lagoon fish: rainbow jacks, marbled groupers and “Bec de Canne.”  It was a fish-fest soon to be regretted as we all started to feel a touch of ciguatera poisoning: itchy palms and sole of feet, itchy skin, “bubbly” tip of the tongue, numbness of the throat and, for Caro who was worst hit, extreme fatigue and chills.  Ooops… no more lagoon fish for us for at  least 90 days, then only small amount and only once or twice a week.   We shipped Caro and the kids back by plane, their cooler filled with vacuum-packed frozen fish that, I hope, they will wait a while to eat.

As usual, Temana serenades us
TOAU – On the return trip from Fakarava to Tahiti, Caro’s brother Andre joined us and we made a 3-day stop at yet a new atoll: Toau.  This was a very disappointing stop, sad to say.  Although the lagoon is well marked and navigation is very easy, the diving and fishing are poor. 
Land crabs: all we eat are the claws, very yummy!

15°52.21S – 145°55.77W – Our first anchorage, in front of the old village, was easy enough anchorage in sand.  The coral, however is totally dead and there is no sealife.  Our night hunt for coconut crab was futile: they are all gone.  However, sand crab are plentiful and the boys brought back a very healthy dinner!

Another lovely morning in the Tuamotus

15°56.17S – 145°58.18 W – The second anchorage (south of the Otugi Pass)  proved equally disappointing at the shore level.  However, just cross the motu and you have access to the reef where cast-fishing is great…. Just make sure you toss the fish back, all ciguateric, but nice size red snappers and rainbow jack: fun to hook up! The diving at the pass is OK, but nothing to compare with Tahanea or Fakarava.   We took  Do-mini on a little trip south towards the hoa with access to the reef.  It’s a good outing, even though the snorkeling is poor. 

Stormy day on the reef

 We came across a few beautiful “Feos,” scoured the reef for Ma’oas (sea snails,) surprised a few red-and-green octopus who fleeted between our feet, and did more cast-fishing from the reef ledge, tossing more fish back!  At last, we found a few “bommies” (large coral columns) worth exploring: excellent variety of coral, teeming with multicolor lagoon fish, and surprised 2 very large nurse sharks that were basking in a quiet, super-warm,  sandy pool.  The trip was marred only by the sight of a rudder and its post resting on the “bommie,” reminder that we need to remain ever vigilant when navigating the lagoons.

FEOS are ancient coral formations.  The best were in Rangiroa

Back in Papeete, we released Williams to his family, sad to see our favorite “Petit Mousse” and master fisherman leave us (not without catching 3 large mahi-mahis on the way back!) 



Welcome, baby Juliette

It was also time for me to head over to the US, to meet our very new granddaughter Juliette… Oh my!  What a joy to hold a newborn and see our children become parents!  Baby Juliette is “perfect in every way.”

Rebuilding the water pumps: one more project

Serendipity worked a little magic: I was in Newport Beach just as the Women’s Sailing Convention was being held.  Sweeeet! Holly Scott reinforced my understanding of marine diesel engines and Judy Fusco made the multimeter my new best friend.  Betsy Crowfoot was on hand, selling the book she co-wrote for Joy “The Ultimate Sailing.” Even the Hellmers paid us a visit since they happened to be in Burbank… what a treat!

Entering Cook’s Bay is always breathtaking

And back to Papeete again, we were itchy to leave Marina Taina and cruise again.  A quick provisioning trip, a thorough bottom-&-props cleaning, a rebuild of all our water pumps (both engines and the genset) and we were off for a Valentine’s day cruise to Cook’s Bay (Moorea.)

 Alas, JP had caught the flu (or something) and our sweet dinner date Chez Roger (the best restaurant in FP) was cut short as we sped back to DOMINO and put JP to bed!

“Chez Roger” – Our favorite eatery in all of F.P.
Roger also owns “Les 3 Lurons” in Papeete, always full!

 As marvelous and breathtaking as Cook’s Bay always is, we don’t like the gusty conditions at the bottom of the bay and decided to take off for Huahine.  That’s where we are now, probably for the next month or two!  Until then…

Happy Valentine’s Day

 dominomarie

Pause in Papeete

By on December 12, 2014 in Domino
Papeete, Tahiti

December 12, 2014

Sunset on Moorea, from Marina Taina, Papeete
Booh… I’ve been silent for way too long.  I must say that Internet connection in French Polynesia is probably the worst we’ve seen anywhere in the last 8 years.  Slow, unreliable and super-expensive, so many reasons to be “fiu”of using the Internet at all.  A quick check on our e-mail server, a quick Facebook hello, and that’s it.  Posting this page and pix is probably going to take over an hour!  Actually, the site is blocked and I can’t access it… so says the Network administrator…  But, here we go…
New, better-fitted bow rollers, and re-galvanized anchors
We’ve spent the last 3 months in Papeete, at Marina Taina, with only a short jaunt across the channel to Moorea for a week of R&R.  We’ve been working super-hard and are pretty exhausted.  Doing what?
Will this be the dinghy of his dreams?
JP is on his 7th week of building Do-Mini, our new hard dinghy.  Our friend William, who lives in Tahiti, has been kind enough to lend us workspace and machines so that JP can build his dream dinghy.  After “Scrappy” (too wet) and “Pitufina” (too small), we’d purchased a 9.5 AB inflatable, aluminum bottom.  I liked the alu bottom, but JP has hated the craft since day 1.  He found it unstable and a real engineering nonsense, lots of wasted space, and the outboard sticks out the back, hitting DOMINO’s hulls every time we raise the dink.  He’s wanted to replace it for years, never finding his dream.  So, he planned it, made a model, and built it.  Tonight’s the night!
Before
We also hauled out… 23 days at Technimarine, Fare Ute, Papeete.  This is the only facility to haul out larger yachts in all of French Polynesia.  Titaina and Alain are real pros.  Tita runs the yard with an iron fist in a velvet glove.  
After
Our main goal was to fix a few scrapes (Pegase III had hit us and left our port sides full of cuts and bruises) and to change the chain and bow rollers.  While we were out, we decided to do our bottom painting.  It took 12 days of sanding … TWELVE days!!! Before getting to the bottom layer and finding micro-bubbles in many places, but mostly where we had lain Kevlar: water had gotten into and behind the Kevlar, needed to scrape and dry and prime, etc…. It was an ugly job.  Kevlar is NOT a good thing to have below water: it does not absorb the resin but will absorb water!  While fixing the scrape from the reef encounter, JP removed entire strips of waterlogged Kevlar!

12 days of sanding… 

A week in Moorea was all we needed to recover our strength:  Tuna sashimi and Hinano Beer!
Nothing like it!
With all these boat-related activities, we found a few occasions to participate in the local life.
Our Tahitian Mamies visit at the Quai des Bateaux, Papeete
Tahiti is France: Cheese!  “Meitei”
A one-night stay at the “Quai des Bateaux” (former Quai Bir-Haquem) was welcome. Note that the city is planning a big marina downtown… to come, some day… 

Nothing like being in the middle of town, at a hard dock, and going out for a drink!  Oh, but at 2 AM, a local had decided to climb on the flybridge to have a beer and taunt his friends.  At first, I thought it was just a rat scampering up the deck, but that sounded a bit big for a rat, light-footed as the youngster might have been.  I opened the saloon hatch to peer up to the flybridge, and sure enough, my party animal was enjoying the view from the top.  “Ben alors, on s’embête pas! (Well, No worries, uh?” I boomed at him… “Desolé, je suis un peu bourré (sorry I’m a bit drunk)” and he scampered back down, across the dock where the rest of his party was hollering!
We’ve been in Tahiti many times over the last 20 years, so we’ve skipped the museums and galleries and tried to catch the current events.  La Foire Agricole gave us an idea of the wealth of flowers, fruits and vegetables of this rich territory, the Tahitians’ beloved “Fenua.”

Blue orchid… string each little bloom and you have a stunning necklace!
But it was the evening at the “Hura Tapairu,” the traditional dance competition that won our hearts.  Unlike the “Heiva” (Le Juillet, The July Festival) which is held during the entire month of July and rounds up thousands of participants in all the islands,  the “Hura Tapairu” sees “Ori” (traditional dance) schools compete for the crown of best dancers in 2 main categories:  The “Mehura” (short traditional tableau with all the right moves) and the “Hura Tapairu” (long, multi-tableaux story, legend or tale.)  
Winner, Mehura
In the final contest, 6 Mehura troops and 4 Hura Tapairu troops battled it out.  There is no way I can convey the assault on the senses: the energy, the blissful smell of Tiare and coco bloom, and a million flowers and flashing smiles…

“Hei Rurutu” (Australes) – 2nd place, Hura Tapairu
I’ll leave you on this thought… the marvel of Tahitian legends!

Winner, best female dancer… sprinkling coconut flower pollen: heavenly smell!

 We’re off to the Tuamotus for a month, just to give JP and William a rest since they both are recovering from the Chikungunya (like the Dengue, but stronger)… so is the entire family, as a matter of fact 70% of the Tahititan population is affected, so we’re all going to the Tuamotus!  (Out of the 12 in our little group, we’re standing at Mosquito:11, Marie:1) since I haven’t gotten bit yet and have been able to avoid the Chik… for now, fingers crossed!

Pineapple quilt: “Nights in Moorea”
  Happy Holidays to all (here is my Holiday Quilt:  “Nights in Moorea.”)


Tahiti, Punaauia, at sunrise… from our anchorage
Dominomarie

Marina Safety

By on September 21, 2014 in Domino


Marina Safety

September 21, 2014

Marina Taina, Tahiti

Coffee time at Mai Kai Marina

The Dufour women having a moment

 The Dufour boys preparing a MECHOUI

 James and Sekah and their 1st hens

JP’s always good to make early morning coffee

Like grandfather, like grandson

We’re BAAaack!  Oh boy, that was a very long break: 3 months!  But what a great time we had, hopping around from on kid’s home to another, getting to really know them, their wives, their kids, and understand their lifestyles. 
                                                                               

Zoe’s 1st weing project
Celbrating my bday with family, for once!
JP always ready for a project: DONE!

They were all very gracious in accommodating us and we are grateful for their hospitality and their kindness.  And now, here we are, back home, wherever the boat is—this season: French Polynesia.

Grandaughter Maddie is such a joy

We got back to Mai Kai Marina in Bora Bora to find DOMINO in good shape.  Teiva took excellent care of our boat, airing it frequently, adding fenders when other yachts were at the dock, adding dock lines when the big swells came from the SW, hosing down the deck so we would find a clean boat.  Teiva take such great pride in catering to his clients that it’s no wonder he was shocked and ticked off when he had to report an incident.  DOMINO had been hit by another yacht, suffering damages beyond just a paint patch.

What happened?  A sailboat docked windward of DOMINO decided to leave the dock unassisted.  During the maneuver, a wind gust side-swept the aluminum yacht and flung it against our port hull.  Ouch!

The question we’ve been debating with JP is, When do you ask for help to get out of your slip or dock?

Personally, I’d say: always!  There are never too many experimented hands (novices abstain, please.)

Teiva takes pride in his work: DOMINO at the water dock

JP is more discerning.  If you know your boat, the marina, if the weather is calm and the water is flat, no problem.  But some areas are notoriously tricky; case in point: the Mai Kai Marina, where the wind often rushes down Mt. Otemanu, Bora Bora’s spectacular granitic piton.  At Mai Kai, Teiva insists on assisting all yachts, arriving AND leaving, free of charge: line handling, dinghy support, additional hands, all with efficiency, knowledge, calm, and a smile.

Why did this particular sailboat (we had met that couple in Salvador de Bahia) decide to leave the dock unassisted is beyond our understanding.

Mai Kai Marina’s dock: megayachts welcome

Lesson learned: when leaving a marina, inform the owner/manager or dockmaster, and ask for help… even if you have to pay a few extra bucks for line handlers, it’s cheaper than having to repair the boat you might damage on your way out.

Wind funnels down that mountain, pushing yach

Now, it’s grinding, laminating, and painting time for us!

Till next blog…

dominomarie

Mai Kai Marina (Bora Bora)

By on June 25, 2014 in Domino

At Mai Kai Marina, Bora Bora, Domino looks small compared to Megayacht SalpertonJune 25, 2014Huntington Beach, CaliforniaWe’re off the boat for the summer.  It’s the first time we’re “abandoning” DOMINO in the five years we’ve been cruising, and I…

Moorea: Vaiare

By on May 17, 2014 in Domino
April 29, 2014
Vaiare – Moorea (French Polynesia)

S 17°30.468 – W 149°45 838

4/25 – The weekend is upon us again and our Tahitian family is joining us from Papeete.  how do they get to Moorea?  By ferry, of course.  Ferries run from the Port of Pappete to Moorea’s port of Vaiare several times a day.  The trip lasts 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the ferry) and costs 1,500 CP (about $20) for tourists, but show that you’re a senior and you only get charged 950 CP.  Yes, sometimes I really like to look as old as I am.

Moorea is a beautiful island, even on a chart.  It’s heart-shaped, with 2 big notches to the north (Opunohu and Cook’s Bay.) Vaiare is Moorea’s main harbor and town, 12 NM from Papeete harbor: ferries, shopping and ATM in town.  There is also a marina but you’d be hard-pressed to find a spot.  If you so desire, contact Papeete’s harbormaster.  There are 2 main anchorage areas, on each side of the passe.  We decided to follow the advice of the local yachtie “Ratafia” from Freres de la Cote and anchor north of the pass, close to the PGEM marker.  There are also 3 mooring buoys for smaller yachts, 1st-come, 1st serve.  But I must say that when the Ma’aramu started to gust from the SE on our last night, I was on anchor watch: not for our own anchor, but for the boats on mooring balls that were swinging into us, just a few yards off our bow.  A word on this anchorage: the current can be swift at the WP indicated above, coming from the north, and when the Ma’aramu starts blowing from the SE, you’re in a wind-against-current situation: DOMINO sat cross-current and on top of her anchor… not a comfortable situation for most yachts.
Oh! The color of the water!  Sapphire blue, gin-clear… imagine a bottle of Bombay gin with Lady Di’s sapphire ring at the bottom.  The white-sand bottom is covered with a black weed, the water runs fast and clear with the current, and all this contributes to the most stunning water I’ve ever seen.  Seriously!  I spent hours just sitting there and staring at the measly 5 meters under our hulls… it’s not quantity, it’s quality!
It’s a 10-mn dinghy ride (when the ma’aramu isn’t blowing) from that anchorage to the ferry dock, so JP gathered our little family and we had ourselves a great weekend, never going to shore!  While flocks of “meduses” were invading Moorea’s beaches and the authorities had decided to close all beaches, the reef side was clean. 
It looks like the PGEM (Management Plan for Marine Environment) in Moorea is bearing fruit.  The reef in Vaiare is very healthy, vibrant, with lots of life.  Just take a swim and enjoy, don’t gather the wildlife, no fishing on the reef side.
4/28 – The kids went wild, jumping off the platform for hours, kayaking and swimming… and, yes, doing their homework and practicing their violin.  They’re very much at home on board DOMINO… we’re thinking of putting them to work when it’s time to paint… but again, maybe not!
Tahitian Tifaifai, reversed applique, entirely hand-stitched.
Here: Tiare Crown, in traditional red-and-white
I’m in heaven!
On Monday, I took the early ferry to Papeete to visit the “Salon du Tifaifai.”  But that’s a story for the next blog.  When JP picked me up again in the late afternoon, the Ma’aramu was blowing at 25 knots, he was soaked from the dinghy ride and we had a rather anxious night, exposed as we were to the SE winds.  Time to seek shelter to the north, back to Cook’s Bay!
Till Next time…

dominomarie