Bora-Bora: racing myself
Bora-Bora: racing myself
Music from ashore woke me at 2 a.m. I think it came from the a club that is closed when I walk past on my way into Vaitape. It was not loud, though another good reason to moor or anchor away from the shore. I got back to sleep and was woken an hour later by heavy rain that lasted until dawn.
Yesterday I made my last market walk. Tomorrow, Monday, I’ll go into Vaitape, clear with the Gendarmes, reclaim my bond, and spend my last 6000 Polynesian Francs--about $75 US--on something. And leave on Tuesday.
If you sail to Bora-Bora you should spend more time here. You should anchor on the west side of Toofua in 18’ of crystal clear water and snorkel; you should rent bicycles and ride around the island, which is five miles long. With indentations the entire ride is about 15 miles, with only one small hill that I can remember. You should pick up a mooring off Bloody Mary’s and have dinner there.
But I’ve done all those things.
I was here in 1979 with CHIDIOCK TICHBORNE and Suzanne. In 1985 and 1990 with RESURGAM and Jill. And 2004 with this boat and Carol. And I’ve learned that special experiences cannot often be replicated. So I will keep my memories and sail on.
The passage will be about 2200 miles southwest from
16º 30’ South, 151º 45‘ West to 35º 19‘ South, 174º 08‘ East. Along the way I will pass close to some of the Cook Islands and New Zealand’s Kermadec Islands. When I made this passage five years ago I saw Rarotonga and two of the Kermadec rocks.
There are two distinct parts: the first 1500 miles from Bora-Bora to where I cross 30º South at approximately 175º West should be mostly a trade wind passage; the last 700 miles to New Zealand anything can happen. In 2004 I had a gale on the nose for two days.
It will also be much colder. I realize that I have been concerned about having enough to drink because I am naturally hot and thirsty in the Tropics. I won’t be as I near New Zealand where the night temperatures are presently around 45ºF/7ºC. Maybe I should spend most of my remaining cash on another bottle of Calvados.
With good trade winds I’ll cover the first half of the distance in seven or eight days. With completely unpredictable weather the last several hundred miles, I expect the entire passage to take about 2½ weeks, plus or minus two days.
Since leaving Opua on April 21, 2008, my sailing time through Bora-Bora totals 168 days 19 hours. I will lose a day crossing the International Dateline that will compensate for the hours I’ve gained going west, so call it 170 days. That gives me 31 days to reach New Zealand and beat EGREGIOUS’s then world record time of 202 days.
If everything holds together, I’ll make it.
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Some of you may recognize the above photo as taken from the lookout on Roberton Island a few miles from my Opua mooring.
My mind is already there.
Sunday, September 13, 2009