16 May 2010
Agony is taking part in a race. Ecstasy is going to the après sail, in other words.... the parties! David and I are not cut out to be round the cans racers. We have neither the skill, the patience nor the nerve. With fifty boats tightly packed together with a spinnaker start off the town of Uturoa, the first venue of the Tahiti Pearl Regatta it was a nerve wracking experience. Craft of all kinds were bearing down on us from all directions. Many crews had chartered boats especially, and not feeling as precious about their craft as we were. There was the merest zephyr of a breeze which meant that the boats remained in very close proximity to each other for quite some time.
Half an hour into the race and the unmistakeable sound, a sickening crunch of keel on coral, thankfully not Voyageur. I looked astern to see Grand Filou, a World ARC boat, firmly aground on the reef within a couple of metres of a cardinal mark. Desperately unfortunate but that it is the risk you take when flying spinnakers inside reefs and was the reason that David and I entered the white sail only class. Sean on Wild Tigris, a 72ft Swan, stood by and eventually pulled him off. The day wore on as we made slow and painful progress out through the pass and across to the neighbouring island of Bora Bora. When it became obvious that we would not make the anchorage before nightfall we retired, as did quite a few other WARC boats.
We set the anchor down in a clear, calm lagoon and toasted the fact that that at least we were by no means last. A water taxi took us ashore for a "White Party" (it means everyone has to dressed in white), held in the most idyllic setting of the motu owned by the Hilton Hotel. It was a sophisticated affair, the dancing more professional than we have seen of late, followed by a really great fire dancing display. If anything really spoiled the evening it was the fact that we had to sit on the water taxi for over an hour while everyone was dropped off. Although ourselves and Ciao were the only boats to anchor in the designated spot we paid the penalty for it. It was miles away from the evening venue and it was not until midnight that we finally made it back aboard. We were exhausted.
It was another early start for the race return to Taha'a. Going through the passé we were shouted at by a French yacht. Although we had right of way being on starboard tack, they wanted us to jibe as they were on our starboard but on a port tack and it did not suit them. Before we can jibe we have to centre the main and mizzen booms, and furl the genoa. With only two of us this takes a little time. There were six crew on this 40ft boat. "The course is that way", the lady yelled at me as she jabbed a finger to the south east. I shouted back for all the good it did for we were forced to jibe anyway. This time we gave up after four hours of light and fickle winds. We were tacking back and forth and going nowhere. Ciao sailed brilliantly winning first prize. We were very thrilled for Srecko and Olga. They really deserved their win.
Anchoring opposite a motu on the east side of Taha'a we went ashore this time for a Polynesian evening, which comprised traditional music, dancing and Polynesian cooking. Day three and David and I had an "at home" day and left the rest of the fleet to it. They were racing around the island inside the reef. We had had quite enough of sailing in close proximity to others! David fitted the new low pressure pump for the water maker which had arrived by air from Tahiti. Spending an entire morning we found to our dismay that the circuit breaker still trips out after a very short time so we are no further on with the problem. Very depressing indeed. We did however assemble our new tender and are happy with it. The party held that night at a pearl farm was fancy dress. The dinner, a barbecue, was the best yet.
Again though, we waited an hour for the water taxi, by which time the predicted bad weather system had arrived and we clambered back aboard amid torrents of water. Gusts up to 30knots with lashing rain continued throughout the night. We delayed our planned departure for Bora Bora. Ciao now the only WARC still competing but they are required to if they are going to win the overall prize.
That was our first ever yacht regatta racing our own boat. Twelve World ARC boats had taken part making up 20% of the whole fleet. If David and I have learned one thing about the experience it is that the most exciting moments are when another boat is going to smack into you. The worst moments are when you are merely drifting with the current. Yes, there are times we are a little envious of the lighter weight boats, with deep fin keels that skitter across the surface of the sea with their huge powerful genoas, but when the going gets really tough and we are faced with big winds and heavy seas there is no question which boat I would rather be on......
Bring on the dancing girls!
At long, long last I have seen my dancers. It was during the party on the motu Ceyran, situated on the edge of the reef on the east side of Taha'a. Last time it was a male troupe on Nuka Hiva that enthralled. It was the girls turn this time. Slim, shapely, exquisitely graceful. Graceful hips, arms, hands flowed like water in time to the rhythm of the drumbeat. Their dance routine so expressive, watching them was like watching a love story. All the men around me were drooling. I was just mesmerised by the beauty of it all. I can now leave French Polynesia happy in the knowledge that I have seen the very best.
Susan Mackay