Sailing to Tahiti and meeting Jesper and Melissa

Last week, we mainly rested after our 31-day crossing. It’s only when you can finally relax that you realize how much you’ve been living on adrenaline. We slept a lot and focused on essential tasks to get back on the road: washing, cleaning, repairing cushions, repairing the watermaker and meeting friends from other sailing boats that have made the same crossing, such as the crews of SV Topaas, Lille Venn and Easy One. It was refreshing to share experiences with other sailors who had made the same crossing, and we realized how valuable it is to have a community of like-minded adventurers.

As the morning sun slowly rises over the endless sea, I sit in the cockpit early and scan the water’s surface for signs of life. Then all of a sudden I see them close to the boat, the side fins of the Manta Rays just sticking out above the water surface. As soon as I see them, I shout that the Manta Rays are there, grab my snorkel and fins, and jump into the water. Not long afterwards, Jeroen and Rajesh, still a bit sleepy, are also in the water. Even on the day of our departure to Tahiti, six manta rays swim in the bay, and we cannot resist the temptation to look at the Manta Rays again. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to realize that this is real and I’m not dreaming or watching a documentary. Full of adrenaline and fresh energy, we emerge from the water an hour and a half later, with a broad smile on our faces, and we chat for a while over breakfast. Then we raise our anchor and wave to Lille Venn as we sail past. We will certainly meet again, but we don’t know where exactly. Maybe in the Tuamotus? Who knows.

Still enjoying all the impressions of the past week, we are chatting in the cockpit when suddenly the autopilot fails and reports that there is no longer communication with the rudder. I dismiss the warning and try to turn on the autopilot again, but I get the same message. When I steer myself, I notice that the chartplotter incorrectly indicates which way I am steering. We are about 50 miles off the coast of the Marquesas Islands. Do we have to go back, or can we continue? Jeroen sees only one solution: jump into the water to see if anything can be seen underwater. After a nerve-wracking search underwater, we finally hear Jeroen shout: “There is a line stuck in our rudder.” After Jeroen has removed the line, we can recalibrate the autopilot, and everything works properly again. We all breathe a sigh of relief and sail on into the evening and the first night.

During our crossing to Tahiti our patience is put to the test. The wind is much weaker than predicted. We sail on a downwind course and, therefore, go much slower than hoped. Especially since our downwind pole can no longer be used because a block to which one of the lines is attached has broken twice. With our gennaker that we cannot use, we are forced to continue sailing patiently with what we have. With all kinds of jobs to do before our guests arrive, the stress starts to pile up. Normally, we don’t mind if we’re on the road a few days longer, but now, with guests arriving on May 27, it’s different. There is still so much to arrange in Tahiti: We would like to be in a harbour but are always told that there is no place, our water maker has given up the ghost again, one of the toilets is clogged, and the first attempts to solve this have failed at sea, Rajesh has to apply for a Carte de Séjour, arrange a fuel card to be able to refuel tax-free at some places in French Polynesia, our Genaker has to be repaired at the sailmaker, the boat has to be redecorated for our guests, and I have to I still went to the doctor for an inflammation in my foot, which just won’t go away. Shopping and making a list of what we still need are also on the agenda. This takes time, and we don’t want to bother our guests too much with this.

Then I suddenly heard James’ wise words from SV Zingaro in the back of my mind: “Promise your guests an experience, with all the ups and downs, not a holiday.” He’s right; people learn what this lifestyle is really about when they experience all its aspects.

We arrive in Tahiti on May 26, Sunday morning, at 8:31 am. We give each other a hug and are happy that we are moored at an anchor buoy near Taina Marina. Jeroen immediately started working to repair the toilets (yes, an hour before arrival, our other toilet was also blocked). Never before has so much damage occurred during a crossing that took eight days. The first toilet was repaired fairly quickly, but the second was more challenging. While Jeroen was busy, an employee of the Taina Marina came to us with the message that we were not allowed to moor at the anchor buoy because it had been reserved. I mentioned that we would like to be in the harbour and could talk to the harbour master via his walkie-talkie. Unfortunately, no place. We had to leave immediately. Ten minutes later, we are at the only anchorage in front of the airport. There, we continued with the large list of jobs. Late in the evening, the toilets were intact again, the boat was redecorated, the first washes were done, the supplies on board were checked, and a list was made of what we still needed. Jeroen and Rajesh used the dinghy to investigate whether you could pick up people at this anchorage in front of the airport, but that turned out not to be the case. That evening we lay exhausted in our bed and fell into a restless sleep. The next morning, Jeroen and I discussed the options for a port spot. We decide to go to Taina Marina and ask in person. After 45 minutes, I received a text: we have a spot in the harbour. Rajesh and I immediately feel the tension leaving us. Yes!

As soon as Jeroen returns, we also see the tension release from his body. We pick up anchor and sail to the marina. Once at our place, we look at each other, tired but satisfied. In any case, our guests can enjoy themselves on the mainland without any problems while we are working. They are not stuck on a boat that is completely overloaded with tools. Now they can have a drink and something to eat, walk around, and possibly go hiking or diving because there is also a diving school.

Melissa and Jesper will land tonight at 10 p.m., and we won’t lose any time. Twenty minutes later, we are already on the bus heading to Papeete, where I have found a doctor and where we can go to customs for our tax-free fuel card. A very kind doctor writes me a prescription with a course of antibiotics and a gel to wash the wound twice a week. Relieved, we continue our way, but we discover that customs is too far to walk. It is better to arrange the fuel card at another time. We decide to go back by bus, do some shopping and continue with the jobs on board. That evening we eat pizza in the restaurant and take a taxi to the airport. We wait with enthusiasm until we see Melissa and Jesper come through the French doors. Awesome! Wonderful to see each other live and be able to give a hug. We take a taxi back to the marina and chat endlessly. Once at the boat, Rajesh gives them a tour and shows them where they will sleep for the next five weeks. Then, we take a seat in the cockpit and open a bottle of wine to celebrate their arrival. What fun! After a few hours, Jesper and Melissa are already completely part of the whole. We fall asleep later, tired and satisfied. Hopefully, the jet lag isn’t too bad, and they quickly adapt to the daily rhythm here because there is a twelve-hour difference between the Netherlands and Tahiti.

The following days, we alternate between chores and fun. Jesper and Melissa like to start slowly because the jet lag is taking its toll. After four days of hard work, we have achieved a lot: the watermaker is working again, the water tanks have been cleaned, the generator is working again, our Genaker has been repaired, and the new chart plotter that Jesper and Melissa brought from the Netherlands has been installed and functions well. We also arranged our tax-free fuel card. Jesper tried out our diving equipment while also chipping some barnacles off the keel and looking at the coral along the harbour walls. Melissa went paddle boarding with Rajesh, and we all snorkelled. My foot is doing well, and the antibiotics are helping.

Jeroen, Jesper, and I do the major shopping for a month while Rajesh puts away all the sun clothes and cleans the outside of the boat, and Melissa prepares a delicious risotto. Once back, we enjoyed a delicious dinner, and then Jeroen and I put away all the groceries. Now, all we have to do is fill up the boat, and then we are ready to leave. The real holiday can begin.

How will Melissa and Jesper’s sailing adventure turn out? And discover the most breathtaking moment that made our hearts skip a beat since we started sailing. Dive into the thrills and spills in our next blog post!