Waiting and exploring Tahiti!

La Orana!

Waiting for company from Tromsø, Norway in Papeete has its’ perks! Life slows when you spend time in a small space, bobbing for weeks. I’ve had time to explore Tahiti with folks from my homeland, old friends from La Paz, Mexico and sailors from the Sunshine Coast of BC. The sailing world is small! We seem to run into each other every so often and then make plans to share a rental car, chase waterfalls and hiking trails. We chat about crossings, boat parts, cool places we have been to and where we want to explore next!

I’ve been journaling, reading and fixing odds and ends!

Parts, for the (almost installed) watermaker, is in the mail and should arrive the end of this week! I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some incredibly warm and generous locals. I found, “Poly Insustries” a machine shop down at the big international port here in Papeete. I brought them a leaking high pressure valve, in hopes they could help. They took a look, asked me some questions and said they would see what they could do. They called me the next day and I jumped on the bus across town to pick it up. To my surprise, they didn’t want any money for it, and said “just happy to help”!

I find people here incredibly friendly and helpful, especially if you say a few words, Hello (La Orana) and thank you (Mauruuru), in Tahitian! I’ve had free rides on buses, when my bus card on my phone didn’t work! The bus driver one day, had her two young children on the bus with her; her one-year-old in a car seat, strapped in, sleeping and her pre-schooler sitting beside and reading a book! Women do what needs to be done!

My new alternator (and regulator, pulley, shunt) is arriving tomorrow. It continues to amaze me, how efficient the customs and authorities are to clear incoming shipments to cruisers. The difficulty is dealing with courier companies in the USA to actually ship it. I found that DHL is the most reliable and quickest whereas, UPS down right refuses to send anything to Tahiti. Once, shipment arrives here in French Polynesia, the Customs office moves packages quickly to pick-up locations. This is of course, as long as you have the correct paperwork, such as boat registration document, clearance papers, and of course a passport. Most of my shipments have come from Florida and on average, it’s taken 3-4 business days to arrive.

I’m a bit nervous about the installment of the alternator, but been told “it’s not that difficult” 😳 We will see!!

Two more weeks and there will be five of us, sailing around on Sarantium, in the South Pacific!

Mauruuru!