Coral Garden

We are lying in just under two meters of water. The white sand is reflected by the sun shining through the turquoise water. As if that wasn't kitschy enough, we also have a front row seat with a view of Bora Bora. However, our stay is repeatedly spoiled by storms. Some of the rain showers lasted the whole day with brief interruptions. The accompanying gusts of up to 35 knots whistle through our anchorage. A charter catamaran underestimated this and started to drift during the night. I wake up to loud screams and see the catamaran lying next to us at a distance of ten meters. The shock sweeps through my limbs and I'm on my feet in a flash. The crew is just about to pick up the anchor and a few minutes later it is gone. Nevertheless, I stay up for a while and watch what the people in front of us are up to. Only when I'm sure that nothing more can happen do I lie back down in my bunk. When the sun shines again, we take the opportunity to go shopping in the nearby town of Tapuamu or drive to the motu to snorkel in the Coral Garden.

Bora Bora

The Coral Garden is a narrow passage between two motus, which is full of corals and species-rich fish. We make the most of a sunny day and take the dinghy to the motu. The approach is already very shallow, so we have to raise the engine. I get out for the last 50 meters and we go on foot. We were here once before on the day we arrived. Back then, Anette and Nico from SV Destiny came to us and asked if we wanted to go snorkeling. Of course we did, and so we went to the motu where I tied the dinghy to a palm tree again today. The path leading to the outer reef is well trodden and easy to spot. When we were here for the first time, there were a lot of excursion boats here. We feared a tourist attraction that would turn out to be a flop and were then pleasantly surprised by the wonderful, intact corals and the abundance of fish. 

Coral Garden, Taha'a

It was clear then that we absolutely had to come back here to take some photos. Yes, and the day is today. Significantly fewer people and almost perfect light, which means we can expect good shots. We enter the boat on the outer reef and drift between the two motus. I keep stopping at sandy spots to capture the life between the corals on video and in photos. The colors are magnificent and the life is so diverse. You can't stop looking and time flies by. But one visit is not enough today. A second one follows and there is always something new to discover. Back on Katinka Enjoy, we arrive just in time to be visited by four blacktip reef sharks. They leisurely make their way through the water, which is only two meters deep. A pilot fish does not leave one of them. The water is very clear so that every detail is visible. It's only dusk that pulls us away and we realize that we're pretty hungry. Time to cook dinner. We play a round of Mexicon Train with Destiny.

Corals in the Coral Garden, Taha'a

Blacktip reef shark, Taha'a

The next day we head over to Taha'a. There is a petrol station and a small supermarket in the small village of Tapuamu. The last few weeks have brought few hours of sunshine and we have had to keep using the generator to cover our electricity needs. Of course, this costs diesel, which I want to replace. So I pack up the canisters and off we go. We meet the Tuvalu and the Odysseus in Tapuamu. We quickly do the shopping and fill the canisters. There is a small tapas bar on the opposite side of the bay. A houseboat with a terrace is moored on a jetty. The Fare Miti is not exactly cheap, but the service is nice and the atmosphere is cozy. You can moor your dinghy at the jetty and it's only a few steps to the terrace. 

Gaby in the tapas bar Fare Miti, Taha'a

On this day, it is already dark by the time we reach our Katinka Enjoy. The next day is a working day. The tanks are filled using the canisters and the non-return valve in the intake line of the cooling circuit for the generator is made operable again. In the afternoon, I paddle to the outer reef in my kayak. About half a nautical mile. Halfway there, the white sand becomes more and more interspersed with coral reefs and the fish around me become more and more numerous. A beautiful excursion.

Kayak trip to the outer reef, Taha'a

Unfortunately, we're stuck again at the moment because the weather doesn't really want to adjust to an easterly wind. What's more, from next week there will be strong winds from the south-east and a wave of six meters is expected. These are not the conditions we want to experience on our way to the Cook Islands. That's why we'll wait a little longer, according to the motto: the patient skipper always has the right wind. With this in mind, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.