The Sing Tun Hin Marine store is located outside Papeete, at the end of an industrial area that is home to numerous nautical and other businesses. The way there is, as already described, long but not boring. In the city center of Papeete, you will encounter street musicians who entertain passers-by on ukuleles and homemade bass garbage cans. Mostly a group of four to five men; you can hear their singing and the unmistakable sound of the ukuleles from afar. A little further on, you pass the large ferry terminal where public transport to the neighboring island of Moorea is maintained. The ferries shuttle between the two islands every two hours, from 5 am to 5 pm. This means there is always something going on at the terminal. Cars are loaded, people board the ferry via the long gangway, goods are loaded and unloaded. On the large forecourt, arrivals are directed by security staff or instructed to park their vehicle elsewhere. Of course, the incessant traffic, which has been battling its way along the four-lane road since the early hours of the morning, sometimes slowly, sometimes less slowly, but always loudly, is of little interest to what is happening at the terminal. People are probably so focused on the traffic that they don't even notice the ferries' activities. Next you pass the naval base. The base is of course locked and barricaded, with a barrier and heavy iron gates at the entrance. No one is allowed in here without special permission and certainly not unchecked. The top of the fence is secured with another roll of barbed wire and is probably also under video surveillance. You can catch a glimpse of the harbor area between the buildings. There is usually a frigate or a navy speedboat moored here, often both. Sometimes you can also find a US Coast Guard ship on the neighboring jetty. I was wondering what they were actually doing here in Papeete. After the naval base, the extensive industrial area begins. There is practically everything here. From the DIY store to the marine store to the computer store, paints are mixed, drinks are stored and sheet metal is processed. There are a few larger and smaller shipyards and even a store that sells pianos. There are tire dealers and car repair shops as well as discotheques, which don't bother anyone out here. Due to the constant heat, most of the gates are open and you can see what goes on in the individual businesses. A canalized waterway that flows into Papeete's large harbor basin leads to the quieter area of the industrial complex. After a good half hour's walk, I reach the Sin Tun Hin Marine store. I want to build up the pressure a little and ask for my spare parts. I'm well aware that this action won't help in Polynesia, and that the Polynesian won't be put off by my presence. But Tevaite tells me the name of the person responsible for the spare parts. Tevaite is the secretary in charge of the engine service, and when I pay my bill, I ask her for the name, which she readily gives me. So I ask for Johann and find him straight away. After a little small talk - small talk is very important in Polynesia to build trust - he pulls out a piece of paper with my spare parts list. He immediately knows who he has in front of him, and by now I know that I've landed in the right place. Some of you might think that I've reached my destination. By no means, small talk and confidence building cannot change the processes in Polynesia. The parts are there, but they can't be taken out of the warehouse because the big boss hasn't released them yet. At least I learned that it will take about a week. Let's hope that Bigboss isn't on summer vacation and returns after three weeks. The WhatsApp number is exchanged for the tenth time, and they promise to get back to me. This has never worked before either, so I'll be on my way again on Monday to pay a visit to Sin Tun Hing Marine in the hope that Bigboss has released the delivery. But it's not as if we have nothing to do on board. The Starlink antenna has now found its permanent home, and I've also found a few spots on the David that need a touch-up. The water pump that we replaced last week is doing its job and so we can cross at least one item off our long, long to do list again. We haven't forgotten how to party either and so we spend a nice evening in the Cocoon Lounge and in Lou Pescadou, both of which we can highly recommend. In the meantime, our newspaper article from the Stuttgarter Newspaper has made it halfway around the world. We're already being approached at the anchorage: “Hey, you're the guys from the Stuttgarter Newspaper!” “We've read your article.” Of course, we think that's great and are happy about it. It's amazing how an article like that spreads. With this in mind, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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| Starlink mount on board the Katinka |
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