The deluge is coming!

The anchor bays in Raiatea are generally very deep. Vairahi Bay is no exception. However, the small river that flows into the bay has brought a lot of sediment into the bay, so the water level in this area rises very quickly. We anchor in six meters of water, but are more like 1.5 meters from the mouth of the river. This is not a problem for the first few days until the wind picks up and blows up to 35 knots into the anchorage. What's more, the weather forecast predicts heavy rainfall.

Vairahi Bay, Raiatea

We get our first impression when we set off to visit the best bakery in French Polynesia. At least we are told that it is the most outstanding bakery. We actually find it, but unfortunately the door is locked. The opening hours make us confident that we will be able to take a look inside in the afternoon and form our own opinion of the uniqueness of the art of baking. So we continue along the coastal road to the next bay, where a supermarket hopefully sells cold beer. It is humid and oppressive. The grass verge next to the road is soaked like a wet sponge. It is impassable at the moment, so we have to walk on the road, which doesn't suit the traffic at all. However, we reach the supermarket. To our disappointment, we discover that there is no chilled beer. Unfortunately, you can't drink beer when it's warm, which is why we give it up altogether. We walk back again and stop for lunch at a rolotte right on the beach. Rolottes are snack bars (also known as food trucks) that offer cheap local food. You can't expect too much, although the operators always go to great lengths. Nevertheless, there is always plenty of food and it tastes very good if the order is filled. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for me today and I had to make do with a few chips, which would have been left on Gaby's plate anyway. As I haven't fallen off the wagon yet, I can easily cope with that. The sky continues to close in, which finally prompts us to leave. After just five minutes, we give up the idea of perhaps getting on board with dry feet. After another five minutes we are soaked to the bone and after another five minutes we reach the bakery, which is now open according to the opening times. But the baker probably knew we were coming and thought to himself: “Before they ruin my store, I won't open at all. Much to our chagrin, we are once again faced with a closed door. There was nowhere to shelter us far and wide. Meanwhile, the rain is getting heavier and heavier. We trudge along the roadside in single file. In the meantime, the road has taken on the condition of the roadside. The spray from passing cars is indistinguishable from what is falling from the sky. Soaking wet, we reach our Katinka Enjoy just at the moment when it stops raining and the sun's rays shine through the clouds again. There are days when you'd rather stay in bed.

Plotter on the Katinka Enjoy, Raiatea

The weather keeps us in the bay for another two days until we weigh anchor and move to the anchor field in front of the Chantier Naval Raiatea shipyard. It is also very deep here, except for a patch of sand that is 10 meters deep. We catch a corner of it and look forward to SY MariaNoa, which has announced its arrival for the next day. It's always nice to meet up again and spend a nice evening together. Unfortunately, heavy rain showers repeatedly bring our power supply to its knees. Over Easter, the generator runs more often than we would like. After Easter, the weather calms down a bit and we can go ashore. We take the dinghy across and tie up at the shipyard's dinghy dock. I want to see if we can have our empty gas bottle filled here. After asking three times, I stand in front of the right lady, who promises me that the bottle will be filled by noon tomorrow.

Gaby in the marina, Raiatea

We walk to the nearby marina to have a look around. The marina is the base for various charter companies. As so often, the restaurant is closed, but Gaby discovers a casual trouser suit in a nice souvenir store. On the way back, we count the coconut crabs that flee from us into their burrow and watch us curiously. We buy some fruit at a street stall and then the weather forces us to get back on board. Wednesday wakes up gray in gray. The blue and turquoise colors that usually predominate in Polynesia have disappeared. Instead, a brown-grey sludge has spread across the anchorage. Tree trunks, branches and coconuts are floating around. It's not until the afternoon that I can get the dinghy ready and pick up the gas bottle. The Odysseus also dropped off its gas bottle on its round-the-island trip, which I then also take with me.

Raiatea, astern

We let the wind and rain push us through the anchorage for another night until we set off for Taha'a the next day. Taha'a is the island that lies to the north of Raiatea and is surrounded by the same reef. We want to go to the western part on the outer reef. Here you have a wonderful view of Bora Bora and the so-called Coral Garden is located between two motus. I'll tell you about it next time. Until then, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.

Coastal strip in the south of Taha'a