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In two more sleeps, on Fri 31st May we will leave French Polynesia and sail approximately 1,100 nautical miles (2,037km) from Bora Bora to Niue. I am feeling apprehensive, excited and a little amped about our first passage in Agápē.
This update is a bit about what we have been up to over the last month and some musings about the reality of yacht life and settling into the cruising lifestyle.
Sailing Mo’orea to Raiatea
At the beginning of May we completed our first mini passage from Mo’orea Island to Raiatea Island. Like how we feel now, we were eager to get going and enjoy our first overnight sail. We left Opunohu Bay in the afternoon with a steady 15-20kn breeze and a moderate sea state. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the sea state to deteriorate as we ended up with two swells combining with wind chop. This equates to a washing machine where your vessel rolls and kicks from one side to the other.
In the end, we took 23hrs to sail 130nm. While it was unpleasant, we took away some great learnings and realised this was just a “taste” of what sailing a passage is going to be like. As we navigated through the pass into Raiatea, all I could think was, “oh my god, that was 24hrs, how will we feel after 9-10days??!!”.
I guess we are about to find out.
Raiatea
After taking a break from scuba diving for 7 years, we decided to get our gills wet and signed up to do a couple of dives with a local operator in Raiatea. We explored the Norby Wreck and completed a fantastic reef dive. I didn’t take any footage during the dives, as I wanted to take it all in and after not diving for so long, I needed to focus my attention on the basics. It was so relaxing to be back in the underwater world, it felt like a good therapy session!
During our stay in Raiatea, we managed to score a mooring buoy at the Apooiti Marina which was awesome, as we could relax a little more at night when the wind picked up. We opted to stay in Raiatea for just one week as we were keen to get to Bora Bora.
Raiatea to Bora Bora
The night before we were due to sail to Bora Bora, I could not sleep. My mind was on overdrive thinking about every small detail and what the 6-7hr sail would be like. Turns out my worry was for nothing… we ended up with no wind. The forecast was favourable, however the weather gods were having a laugh. We persisted with trying to sail for a couple of hours, but reluctantly we turned the engine on so that we could get into the Bora Bora lagoon in reasonable light.
Upon motoring down the lagoon we were turned around by Bora Bora Mooring Services as the mooring field we were heading to was full (we had messaged ahead to confirm there was space and was told there were plenty of available moorings). Thankfully a few moorings were still available in another spot but it did require navigating around reef and a few coral heads. Once we finally stopped, I must admit I had a complete melt down. The sail across had been no big deal, but being exhausted, everything felt so damn hard and I was seriously doubting my abilities to cross an ocean.
Thankfully that night, I got some decent sleep and the next day after some much needed yoga and mediation, balance was beginning to be restored. I have to keep pushing forward and being positive, as this is the adventure we signed up for!
Bora Bora
After spending time in Bora Bora, I now understand why this island is a dream holiday destination for so many people. The island itself is of course stunning and the local people are relaxed and accommodating. The resorts on the island are expensive however they provide absolute luxury for the discerning traveller. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and have managed to fit in a couple of scuba dives, snorkelling, swimming and a ride around the island.
Perspective
In my last blog, I mentioned we felt “over it”. Not much has changed to be honest as we are still adjusting to our new life, but over the last few days, I have given myself a bit of an uppercut. Here we are, in paradise, living on our boat and yes, everyday life is not the same. While life logistics are rather demanding, what do we really have to complain about?
Perspective is easily obtained when you read the news from New Zealand where pensioners are being forced to go flatting and families are choosing between fuel or food due to the escalating cost of living. Countries are still at war, and people are getting stabbed while shopping. My first world problems of feeling tired because I am living the life I choose to live, is actually quite pathetic. As an old friend once said to me “choose your attitude, is how you are feeling a fact or a problem?”
So, it’s time to harden up, snort some concrete and just get on with it. This next part of our adventure is going to be challenging, but it makes for great storytelling at the pub.
Things to Consider When Buying a Boat
After our experience over the last six months, I feel like I need to share some thoughts for those of you who are considering buying a boat of any shape or size. For what it's worth, here are some simple things to consider.
Maintenance Required List
When you ask the vendor, "what's on your maintenance list?", they should produce something that looks like the image below (can be electronic or on paper). If someone is using their boat regularly, their maintenance list will probably be long and distinguished. There is no such thing as "turn-key" and "ready to sail away" as every single boat has maintenance tasks. It's a potential red flag if your vendor can't produce a meaningful maintenance list.
Manuals and Receipts
Boats are complex and there should be manuals (either electronic or paper) for every, single system. Receipts are also important as they give insight into what parts have been replaced and when. Again, if you the vendor can't produce this information, it is a potential red flag.
Trip and Maintenance Logs
When viewing a boat you want to potentially purchase, ask to see the trip and maintenance logs. These should provide valuable information about when and where the boat was used and what work has been undertaken. Trip logs can also provide insight into how the vessel handled in certain conditions.
Standard and Emergency Operating Procedures
New Zealand registered vessels must document their standard and emergency operating procedures for their Category 1 safety certificate. I drafted our manual using the Island Cruising New Zealand template and have attached a copy below as someone might find this useful. Essentially if you find a vessel with this level of documentation on board, it's such a bonus as it will save you hours trying to figure everything out!
Clauses to Add to Sale and Purchase Agreement
We recently spoke to a couple who had an interesting clause in their sale and purchase agreement for the vessel they now own. They basically got to use and liveaboard their boat for two months before purchasing it! Now this may not be feasible for most boat purchases, but can you swing a trip for a couple of weeks with the vendor before purchasing? You'll learn a lot about a boat while using it.
When you do eventually sign on the dotted line, ensure you include a clause to retain a percentage of the total value of the vessel for a few months to address any non-disclosed issues that pop-up.
DON'T BUY A VESSEL OVERSEAS!
If we could do it all again, we would not purchase a yacht in Tahiti! Obtaining parts and services has been really challenging and ridiculously expensive. We also wish we could have time sailing in familiar waters before attempting a passage. So think twice about buying a vessel offshore, especially in remote locations.
It's Time to GO!
Over the next couple of days we'll be prepping ourselves and the boat for our passage. All going to plan, my next blog will be from Niue! We are also looking forward to our trip to Tonga around July. We are going to haulout and get some important maintenance tasks ticked off, such as getting our anchor chain sorted! Thank goodness for the wonderful the services that The Boatyard in Tonga provides!
Our live GPS position and updates can be seen on our tracking page.
Congratulations! Rest up and enjoy Niue😁
You have got this! If you weren't feeling apprehensive for this first passage I'd be wondering what's up. Do you know the poem by J Masefield - Sea Fever? It's a great one to learn and recite. Some poetic learning perhaps during your days at sea.
Happy voyage to Niue. ⚓️⛵️💙