From Bora-Bora back to Tahiti

On a sailing yacht, far from shore,
We ride the waves, a bond to explore.
The wind that sings, the sea so vast,
In every moment, memories cast.

The first step on board, full of wonder,
A spacious deck, where thoughts can ponder.
The horizon calls, the masts stand tall,
We venture forth, beyond it all.

The quiet moments, serene and free,
The waves that whisper, in harmony.
But fear can rise when storms draw near,
With sails pulled tight, we persevere.

Whales that breach the ocean’s blue,
Their graceful dance, a stunning view.
In Bora Bora’s dreamy bays,
Where water sparkles in sunlit rays.

Sharks that glide in depths below,
Their shadows near, but fear won’t grow.
Manta rays float like angels grand,
In dark blue waters, so calm, so planned.

Rough crossings, seas untamed,
The swell’s rhythm, our hearts are claimed.
With hands on helm, and eyes on chart,
Each wave a test, each breeze a start.

But the magic of travel, air and sea,
Transforms our minds, sets spirits free.
The romance, fleeting as it may seem,
But beauty and peace fill every dream.

So raise the sails, embrace the wind,
This journey’s tale will never end.
The ocean calls, her voice so pure,
in every wave, adventure’s allure.

By Aagje

From the moment Jeroen, Rajesh and I reached Tahiti in May, the weather has been stormy. There are no idyllic, calm crossings where you can gaze at the stars for hours. No, during these trips, we had to be constantly alert. Shifting winds, stormy gusts, high waves – it was all present here all the time.

After enjoying Bora-Bora and Raiatea for more than ten days, we received a favourable weather forecast that allowed us to sail back to Tahiti. The wind would come from behind, which should ensure a smooth trip. Julian and Nathalie were a bit tense and even considered flying back. However, due to a firefighter strike, no flights were being carried out between the islands, so that was not an option.

We left at half past four in the evening, after we had all eaten. We were soon on the right course and sailed in a straight line to Tahiti. According to plan, we would arrive there around noon the next day. It was heavily overcast, and as soon as the sun went down, it became pitch black. The moon had no chance to shine and show us the way. Nathalie and Julian saw the bioluminescence in the water – something you see better when there is no moon. The water seemed to sparkle like stars caught in the waves.

Everything went smoothly, and as Jeroen wrote in the logbook, the crossing so far could be described as “smooth sailing”. During my watch, the wind increased to 28 knots, and together with Jeroen, I reefed all sails. Because the wind was coming from behind at an angle, it remained wonderful sailing. Rajesh also had no other special events during his watch.

At five in the morning, Jeroen took over from Rajesh. Not even ten minutes into his shift, he noticed that we were suddenly deviating from our course and that the autopilot was not working. Together we assessed the situation, and when I wanted to switch on the other autopilot, I saw that the chain had broken. This chain is used by both autopilots, which meant that neither of them was functioning anymore. I took over the helm from Jeroen and continued to manually steer the boat, while Jeroen and Rajesh assessed the situation and tried to make an emergency repair.

Manual steering in these conditions required all my attention. The wind was pounding against us, and the waves were trying to force us off course. Jeroen and Rajesh worked on an emergency repair, and eventually, they managed to find a temporary solution. However, the lifespan of this repair was unpredictable. I switched the autopilot back on, and we kept a close eye on everything.

After more than half an hour, we got the message that the rudder was not responding. The autopilot had failed, and I could not turn the rudder to port (left), which caused us to go off course. The wind was blowing hard against the wrong side of the sails.

At that moment, Jeroen, Rajesh and I had to act quickly. We started the engine, rolled up the sails as quickly as possible and managed to regain control of the rudder within five minutes. Then, we set the course in the right direction. We motored for half an hour while continuing to steer the boat by hand. When everything else remained calm, we rolled out the sails again. Jeroen reassessed the emergency repair and indicated that the autopilot could be switched on again. The autopilot continued to work for the rest of the crossing, and we reached the anchorage Te’avaro on Moorea safely. A storm with high waves at sea was forecast for the coming days. The wind raged over our anchorage for the next two days, which gave us the opportunity to talk a lot, eat delicious food, play games and watch movies.

One morning, we saw dolphins close to the boat. We tried to watch them underwater, but even up close, they remained invisible. We also spotted whales outside the reef. The realization that these impressive, colossal animals are swimming so close, just outside the reef, is an indescribable feeling.

When the wind died down a bit, we weighed anchor and headed for Point Venus on Tahiti. There, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Mama’s Beach Bar. To our horror, we saw a boat that had been beached by the storm—a sailor’s nightmare! It was a relief to exchange the roar of the wind for a nice, calm breeze.

The next day, we sailed to Papeete. On the way, we saw whales and stopped to admire them for a while—a beautiful moment. Unfortunately, there was no space available at either Papeete Marina or Taina Marina, so we anchored at the airport anchorage. We took the dinghy to the centre of Papeete, where we strolled through the streets and visited the market. Nathalie found two nice dresses. We then found a terrace and had something to eat before going back to the boat. The next day, Nathalie and I went back to Papeete again; I liked the dresses Nathalie had bought so much that I decided to buy them too. Then, I bought some fabric to make cushions, and we took the time to chat on a terrace. With a bag full of groceries, we returned to the boat. The dinghy was much faster with the two of us, and Nathalie immediately had visions of a scene from Miami Vice.

Goodbyes always come faster than you think. Because we couldn’t get a place in the harbour, Gert-Jan, Nathalie and Julian went to a hotel for the night. We had a lovely meal together in the hotel and enjoyed a day at the pool, which was a lot colder than the sea.

We said goodbye to all three of them. For me, this goodbye will be shorter. I will return to the Netherlands at the end of October for four months to work. Jeroen and Rajesh will stay on the boat and spend the cyclone season in the Gambier Islands and/or the Marquesas Islands.

Of course, I also asked Gert-Jan, Nathalie, and Julian to share their experiences with you.

Gert-Jan, Nathalie and Julian on board

A warm welcome on board

Gert-Jan: My first impression of the boat is very positive. The boat is spacious and fully equipped—in short, a beautiful sailing yacht. You can be very proud of it.

Nathalie: My first impression was that it was a beautiful boat, which looks impressive in real life. It’s great that we have our own cabin with a bathroom.

Julian: It’s very special and cool to live on a boat for three weeks.

Highs and lows

Gert-Jan: What I liked most was the feeling of freedom and peace. It’s great to see everything from the boat. The least fun was the rough weather and the movement of the boat at that moment. During a crossing I lay down on the bed and experienced the swell.

Nathalie: The best moment I thought was sailing to Moorea, which was my first experience on the boat. Admittedly, on the engine, but the sea was wonderfully calm. The least fun part was the crossing to Bora Bora and back. For non-sailors, it was an intense experience. I wasn’t really scared, because I know you are very experienced, which gave me a safe feeling.

Julian: The most fun part was the crossing to Moorea. The sea was wonderfully calm, and we already had a beautiful view of the beautiful island. The least fun part was the crossing to Bora Bora. For non-sailors, this was quite intense, and it made me suffer from seasickness.

Surprises and discoveries

Gert-Jan: Seeing the whales was really great!

Nathalie: I thought seeing the whales was super special.

Julian: Although it wasn’t while sailing, I didn’t expect to see sea turtles and dolphins swimming so close to the boat. This was a really big surprise.

Favorite places

Gert-Jan: Bora Bora, especially in the first bay where we were—the real paradise. Also, in Tahaa, we saw the manta rays.

Nathalie: Bora Bora, the first place we moored at a mooring ball. Here, you really saw the beautiful blue water, the palm beaches, and the resorts in the distance. Actually, it’s hard to name just one thing because swimming with sharks and rays was also super special. The visit to the dance show and the Pearl Farm were also great.

Julian: Bora Bora was, for me, really the most special place we’ve been. The beautiful clear water and the big palm trees were beautiful to see.

Overcoming fears

Gert-Jan: Swimming with sharks. Never thought that snorkeling and swimming with sharks could feel so good—great!

Nathalie: Actually, that started for me with my very first flight, which was 100% fine. Also the rough crossings, where I didn’t have to think too much about it.

Julian: To start with, swimming with sharks and rays. It felt very exciting at first, but once you’re in the water with them, it’s wonderful to see them up close. In addition, swimming in really deep water, especially when we went swimming with the manta rays. This was also very exciting because such an enormous animal suddenly comes at you from the depths. But it was certainly a wonderful experience.

Changed image of sailing

Gert-Jan: Yes, especially when it comes to a crossing—you really need sea legs. Hats off to how the three of you do that.

Nathalie: You romanticize sailing in advance, but life on or near water is great. Sailing also brings challenges. Hats off to how you do this.

Julian: A sailing trip is often very romanticized, but in reality, it is quite different. Yes, you see the most beautiful places there are, but a lot precedes that. Especially for non-sailors, sailing on the open sea can be very intense. The sea can be very rough, causing quite high waves to come at you. You have to be able to switch and act very quickly to ensure that everything goes well. Now, there was not a single moment in which I felt afraid because I knew that Aagje, Jeroen, and RK kept a close eye on everything.

Suggestions for the future

Gert-Jan: Nothing. I would go on a new adventure again.

Nathalie: Actually, nothing. I felt more than welcome. Delicious food, good sleep, and you take good care of your guests and each other. Thank you very much for this fantastic and special experience. I look back on a wonderful holiday in which we were well spoiled. I am glad that I got on the plane for this.

Julian: Actually, nothing. I really had a great time on board with you, and I want to thank you very much!

Words of thanks and closing

Gert-Jan: Apart from sailing, you really did everything you could to introduce us to your life on board. We lacked nothing. For me, it was a pure luxury not to have to cook. Aagje is not only a wonderful sister, sister-in-law, mother, and wife but also a great cook! In addition, I even played the Wizard game almost every time, which was a very fun game. RK made beautiful recordings of the beautiful underwater world. And my dear brother (brother-in-law) was a great activity leader! Furthermore, it was wonderful to be able to chat. I’m already going to miss you. 😘😘😘