Quasar V of Lleyn - the leak is found!
Tuesday 1st April
THE ILLUSIVE LEAK IS FINALLY FOUND!
Went across to Hakatea Bay arriving around 14:00 with Malcy already in
progress of cutting holes underneath the battery box in the aft cabin. With
help from others including chief drainer, JB, the water was cleared away
another hole was cut underneath an electrical box and the discovery of water
seeping in through a tiny crack in the hull every time the rudder is moved!
Malcy thinks it has been like this for a relatively long time, but the boat
will have to come out of the water in Tahiti to be repaired!
In the meantime our anchorage is full of BWR people who are staging an
international cricket match on the beach, which GB unsurprisingly won! We
get the impression that BWR seem to organise more events for their yachts
and move with them more, but we may be wrong! JB, Lindsey and Barry went on
a 4-hour walk to the famous waterfall having engaged a guide in the village.
JB: Our walk to the Vaipo waterfall, the highest in French Polynesia with a
height of 350m, was a swift 4 hour walk with a guide called Tonga and his
dog Toto. The reason for our swiftness of pace was due to the fact that
darkness was descending fast and we had set off at 3.00pm, as soon as we had
arrived at the anchorage. The walk was adventurous with us clambering
through craggy terrain and surrounded by an abundance of tropical
vegetation. We had a couple of streams to wade through, one which involved
us clutching on to a branch precariously balanced across the fast flowing 6
ft deep stream. The approach to the waterfall was magnificent. We followed
the stream up a steep valley and arrived at a delightful pool at the foot of
the waterfall. We all jumped in; Linds and I jumped in with our walking
boots on and were in fits of giggles as we slowly started to sink such was
the weight of our waterlogged shoes. After a pleasant swim we indulged in a
lager; Marquesan's finest "Hinano" and set off on our return, mindful of the
setting sun and the darkness of the thickly wooded walk back to the beach.
Our guide, Tonga, was lovely and kept up a brisk pace. His loyal dog Toto
disappeared occasionally to try and catch a wild pig; you would occasionally
hear a squeal followed by a triumphant bark - followed by Tonga's harsh
command for Toto to return immediately to his side! We got on so well with
Tonga he invited us to his home, made of wood and which was sparsely
decorated. An assortment of fruit trees were scattered around his garden
and he gave us bags of bananas and limes. The bananas tasted divine. Our
guide also assisted us in launching the dinghy in to the water, because of
course us round the world yachts people, ventured out, sans torch.
Schoolgirl error. We returned to the boat thankful the skippers had agreed
on delaying our departure to the next anchorage until the following morning.
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