The year 2025 is only a few hours old and has given us a very wet welcome. Fortunately, we experienced a short dry spell right at the turn of the year, so we were able to toast our friends on the deck of the Katinka Enjoy. Of course, we also thought of all those who couldn't be with us or who had been lying in their bunks for a long time because they had already finished their New Year's Eve celebrations. With American Samoa, we here in Tahiti are one of the last to experience the turn of the year. As far as good resolutions are concerned, this year we have resolved not to have any good resolutions, which is of course another good resolution. So it's not so easy to get out of this dilemma. Ultimately, we don't care if the year 2025 at least sees decisive changes for peace in the world. As we have already written several times, we are becoming very sensitive here in Polynesia when it comes to world peace.
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| Polynesian Society, picture of Papeete City Hall, Tahiti |
Even the weather can't change that. The southern summer in Tahiti is accompanied by very heavy rainfall. You have to plan your daily routine in advance to avoid getting caught in one of these downpours, which can soak you within seconds. But even if you avoid these hours, such a downpour can still take you by surprise. The wind has now shifted from its main direction of east to north and northwest, bringing warm, humid air to Tahiti. Pubs without a roof can sometimes lead to an involuntary refill of the beer glass. We are now dependent on shore power because the sun's rays no longer cover our energy needs. The temperatures have only dropped slightly and are still around 27°C. All in all, an exciting period of weather that reminds us that we are in the typhoon season. However, as far as typhoons are concerned, the weather has remained largely calm in the La Niña year so far. Nevertheless, you have to be on your guard, because as experienced last year in the Caribbean, all it takes is one hurricane to cause devastating effects. Weather forecasts therefore remain an important element of seamanship.
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| Summer in Papeete, Tahiti |
At least with the weather leaving little room for exploration, I have the opportunity to get to know the boat better. It's been a long time since I last got to grips with a boat this intensively. Every day I discover something new, every day I need a solution to a technical challenge. It was similar when we bought the Katinka. However, we had two years to get to know the boat before we set off on our circumnavigation. It has to go a bit faster now. Especially as we have a visitor coming.
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| Polynesian hospitality |
Brigitte and Peter come to visit us. Although the visit was on the back burner at first, everything has now been finalized. As the most sensible way to travel to Tahiti is from Europe via the USA, a visa or waiver, known as an ESTA, is required. In America, there is no transit area at the airports, so all passengers entering American soil are routed through customs. In order for the Americans to be able to process this, they need at least one waiver via the ESTA procedure, which can be processed online. In itself, this is a simple matter if certain restrictions are observed. For example, people who have already been to Cuba and answer “yes” in the application will not be issued the waiver. However, depending on how busy the American embassies are, a visa application can take several weeks. In addition, the cost of a visa, whether B1 or C1, is currently 182US$, while a waiver costs just 21US$ (if you don't fall for a so-called agent who sells you the waiver for 200US$ - right Peter!) However, Peter has made his visit to our Katinka Enjoy quite expensive. We are all the more pleased that it has now worked out after all, now that the hurdles of the embassy visit have been overcome and the C1 visa has hopefully been stamped in the passport in time. What we have learned from this story: honesty can sometimes be a hindrance and can cost a lot of money.But it is important to remember that you must not be caught being dishonest, otherwise it could be even more expensive.We have two more good resolutions for the new year.1. always be honest and 2. if you are dishonest, don't get caught. With this in mind, always fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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