Tag Archives: marina taina

Derelict Boats of Tahiti

Yeah, we are in Tahiti still.  Can you feel the sarcasm oozing off the page?  I know, most people think of Tahiti as a truly exotic and beautiful place to holiday, but for us as cruisers it is a congested, city where we have to provision, refuel, and get boat parts.  In addition, we are sandwiched between many derelict boats.

The tourists typically stay in resorts with private, white sandy beaches, negative edge pools, air-conditioned rooms and a full staff to wait on you hand and foot.  We unfortunately do not have the same experience.  Where we anchor, which is directly across from the Intercontinental hotel’s over the water huts, there are lots of derelict boats.  Why do we anchor here then?  I’d like to say it’s because these ugly, abandoned boats make Sugar Shack look like royalty, but that is not why (really, its not). We anchor here because the water is shallow, 2m, sandy, and good holding.  And we can get internet, for free, from the hotel.  Yep, you got it, that is really the real reason we anchor here.

Derelict Boats

Marina Taina is about 1-1.25nm from here.  The airport anchorage, where most boats anchor is another ½-3/4 of a mile away and downtown is about 2.5-3nm away.  Not convenient, but these are our only anchoring options.  The marina is saddled with many abandoned boats.  They move these derelict boats from the marina slips (where they can fill with a paying customer) out to the mooring fields (which they own as well).  And then they are left to die.  It is so sad.

The last time we were here, there was a small monohull tied to another monohull called Voodoo Child.  We returned 5 months later and the small monohull had sunk with its mast sticking above water.  It sank in 2 meters of water so it is no surprise that the mast is above water.

Sunk derelict Boat in Tahiti

Sunk derelict Boat in Tahiti

I swam over to it and got some photos of the inside which has been stripped clean (looters).  You can even see where they tied the rope to a wench and the broken line that is tied to the mooring.

There is a blue boat that is abandoned but still floating happily.  However, when you swim underneath it you find a sea garden on the prop, rudder, and hull.

A neighboring catamaran lost its mast last year.  It is super close to the boat that sunk.  And another mono is left abandoned near those two.

Derelict Boats

Derelict Boats

Takai Boat Sinking

A small monohull on a mooring in front of Sugar Shack looked like it had owners because there was a canvas tent over the cockpit.  But we never saw anyone on the boat during the entire time we were anchored here.  Then one morning we work up to it sinking.  Yep, the entire bow was taking on water.  We took photos, posted it on the local French Polynesia Cruiser Facebook page, emailed the marina, Port Authority, and DPAM.

They responded within 30 minutes and the marina sent 4 people out with a pump to make repairs.  They worked for hours to get all the water out and then fix the issue.  Since we don’t speak French, we don’t know what the issue was, but it has been floating since they left.

We’ve heard that France has strict laws about jettisoning derelict boats. I am not sure what those rules are but evidently, they are strict and French Polynesia cannot take abandoned boats (devoid of batteries, fuel, and harmful elements) out at sea.  All of the marinas and yards have abandoned or derelict boats that they can’t get rid of which costs them lots of money.  It is really very sad.

But, lucky for us, we are still in crystal clear turquoise waters, with sunny skies, green hillsides, and lovely Tahitians.  Always a matter of how you look at it and we chose to look it through rose colored glasses.

Our Yamaha 25hp Enduro gets repaired in our last blog.   Events from this blog post occurred early November.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind our adventures.

Papeete Anchorage

Tahiti Anchorage

We are anchored in Tahiti at the anchorage called Marina Taina, on 11 June 2021.  It is extremely unusual for us to be in this particular anchorage for an extended period of time.  But, it is what it is.  We arrived a few weeks before my trip back to the States, then I was in the U.S. for 3 weeks and then we waited 2 weeks for my family to arrive.  Sure, we could have moved the boat during the last two weeks, but we were busy doing boat projects and visiting friends.

Technically, there are two anchorages in the Tahiti area. One is called the “airport anchorage” and the other is called “Marina Taina anchorage.”  The airport anchorage is right across from the airport and can be a bit calmer than the other location.  It is equidistant between downtown Papeete and Marina Taina (about 2.5-3nm miles each way).  Sugar Shack has only anchored here once, for one night and found it to be very crowded, but decent.  We typically, anchor directly across from the Intercontinental Hotel swimming pool and over the water huts on the reef side.  We drop the hook in 3 meters of crystal clear, turquoise water and face Mo’orea.  It is much prettier, a bit quieter, and closer to Marina Taina (1nm) but a lot further to downtown Papeete (4.5-5nm).

We do get lovely sunsets behind Mo’orea.

Sunset of Mo'orea from our anchorage

Sunset of Mo’orea from our anchorage

Waiting for a Change

So, here is where Sugar Shack has sat at anchor for the past 6 weeks.  She will be more than ready to make a move soon.  While Sugar Shack has been patiently waiting for us to head to our next destination, we have been busy finishing up boat projects, making repairs, cleaning, and running to town.  

View towards Mo’orea from the stern.

Mo'orea view

Mo’orea view

And a beautiful sunset behind Mo’orea

View of the dilapidated boats abandoned by their owners. Several boats were left in the marina and or in their anchorage.  The marina moved them to the shallow reef side to simply rot away.  So sad.

Dilapidated Boats left to rot

Dilapidated Boats left to rot

View of the Intercontinental Hotel over the water huts (the swimming pool is too far to see in the photo).

Intercontinental Hotel Tahiti

Intercontinental Hotel Tahiti

View in front of the boat toward the airport anchorage

Looking out toward Airport Anchorage

Looking out toward Airport Anchorage

Why We Don’t Like this Anchorage

Anchoring here is a necessary evil.  We have to come to Tahiti to provision, stock up on boat parts, and do general errands.  The outer islands do not have the resources that Tahiti has so we come here.

Even though the water is crystal clear where we are anchored, it is dirty.  The sides of our boat become filthy from the pollution in the water.  You can’t see it, but it is there.  This is on top of the trash that is actually in the water as well.  The dirt on the waterline (between the black bottom paint and the red stripe) is from a little over a week of being in the water.

Dirty waterline from the water

Dirty waterline from the water

After several hours of scrubbing and elbow grease she looks wonderful. Of course, it will be dirty in a day or two, but for now she looks gorgeous.

In addition to the water quality, there is a lot of traffic that comes by us. We are after all located near the channel.  Big boats, small boats, fast boats, jet skis, and party boats all pass by us creating huge wakes and noise.

We are surrounded by dilapidated boats (see above) which make a racket because nobody is tending to them.  The airport is extremely close so we hear every airplane, jet, helicopter that lands and takes off.  The town is close so we hear traffic.

So, not our favorite place to be.  We prefer the isolated motus in Gambier or the Tuamotus.  But, we are here and making the best and most of it.

Heading to Town via Marina Taina

We hop in Sweetie and drive the 1+nm to Marina Taina where we tie up to the dinghy Dock.  On the way, we pass by all the beautiful super yachts.

Marina Taina Super Yacht Dock

Marina Taina Super Yacht Dock

Even Mother Nature favors these beautiful beasts of the sea

Marina Taina Super Yacht Dock

Marina Taina Super Yacht Dock

Once we secure our dinghy, we walk 1/4 mile to the bus stop, then wait for the bus to take us to downtown Papeete which is about 30 minute ride.

Beautiful Artwork 

All around Papeete you will find beautiful artwork on and around the buildings.  Tikis are scattered throughout downtown as well as creative artwork on the side of buildings.  Here are just a few that I have found.

Tahiti Wall Art

Tahiti Wall Art

Tahiti Wall Art

Tahiti Wall Art

Check out our previous posts in Tahiti.

Events from this blog took place around the last two weeks of July.  The blog posts 6-8 weeks behind our actual adventures.

Tahiti Marina Taina

Tahiti: The Land of Plenty

Toau was so beautiful that we did not want to leave.  However, I needed to get to Tahiti to prepare for my visit back to the States and we had a laundry list of chores to do before I left.  So, we head to Tahiti – the land of the plenty.  Tahiti is a necessary evil.  We go here to provision (with real grocery stores), obtain boat parts, bulk items (TP, paper towels, trash bags), hardware stores, and run errands (oh so many errands).  But first we have to get there.

Passage to Tahiti

The passage from Toau to Tahiti is about 250nm from pass to pass.  We estimated it to take 2 days to get there based on light winds from the NW.  Originally, we had hoped to fly the spinnaker for the first day and then switch to the working sails when the wind shifted to SE.  Unfortunately, the weather gods were playing tricks on us again.  We had winds directly on the nose at 2-4kts.  Not good for sailing so we ended up motoring for the first 20+ hours.  Finally, the wind filled in a smidge which allowed us to sail at 5-6kts.

We arrived into Point Venus, Tahiti in the middle of the night.  We know this anchorage and have been here several times before.  So, we felt comfortable coming into this very large, well-marked anchorage at night.  We dropped the hook, went to sleep and moved the boat to Papeete in the morning.

Things to do:

  • Pick up Matt’s new passport from U.S. Consulate
  • Pick up both of our new carte de sejure (long stay visas) from Tahiti Crew
  • Pick up 50L of rum from Airiki Noa Noa (Tahitian Rum)
  • Obtain a duty -free fuel certificate (saves us 40% on diesel)
  • Provisioning (Carrefor, Super U, Champion)
  • Big Box Stores (Maxi’s, Polynesian Trading, Tahiti Pas Cher, etc…)
  • Boat Parts (Sing Tung Hing, Ocean 2000)
  • (3) Hardware stores
  • Bank ($, $, $, $)
  • Shell Gas station to buy 20L of oil (for both diesel engines)
  • Errands: Electrosav, Auto Parts, Wing Chang (25kilo flour)

 

  • Fix outboard at Yamaha (not shifting properly)
  • Inspect and fill Dive Tanks and repair regulator
  • Get fuel (both diesel and gasoline)
  • Provision for fresh goods (fruit and veggie), frozen and cold goods

Normally, Matt and I have to make a bazillion trips to each of the stores because we don’t have a car and can only carry so much.  Typically, it is a 2+ mile walk, a bus ride, and another 0.5 mile walk to the dinghy, load the dinghy and then transfer onto Sugar Shack. 

However, we had to go to the U.S. Consulate which is well over 10 miles away with no direct bus route, and a $30+ cab ride one way.  So, we decided to rent a car last minute to get there and  then get all our heavy lifting out of the way (rental $55).  We were able to complete the top 10 items above in one day! It was one hell of a long day, but it got done!  We had to make 2 trips back to the boat to unload the car, but we got it all done. 

Fuel the hubby and the boat.  40L of beer, 50L of rum (blue drums) and 20L of oil.

Tahitian Beer and Rum

Tahitian Beer and Rum

Picked up boat and cleaning supplies.  The items in the photo came from about 8 different stores.  No such thing as a one stop shop.

Bulk stores provided great buys on American brand snacks and treats. This batch of stuff will last us 8-9 months.

My 25kilo bag of flour – yes, we do a lot of baking.  We make our own bread, pizza, dough, English muffins, focaccia, muffins, cakes, cookies, etc…

Big Bag o Flour from Tahiti

Big Bag o Flour from Tahiti

Beautiful rainbow over Marina Taina which is in Papeete, Tahiti.  We anchored outside of the marina.

Tahiti Marina Taina

Tahiti Marina Taina

Errands and Chores

We continue to work on boat chores when we are not running around.  Slowly knocking the projects off the list.  Stay tuned for the major redo of all of our exterior teak that took me well over 4 days to complete.

It is a necessary evil to be in Tahiti, the land of the plenty.  We love it because we can get a lot done and reprovision the boat.  But hate it because it is a huge city, filled with lots of people, we spend tons of money, and that boat get’s dirty from the busy anchorages.

But we got a lot done.  Matt will continue to check things off our list as I make my way back to the states.  In the meantime, life is good and we feel blessed.

Va’a Race Mo’orea to Tahiti

Shell sponsored a va’a race from Mo’orea to Tahiti with 6-man teams in each va’a.  A va’a is like a canoe with an arm out to one side, which is called an alma.  The teams of 6 members would race from Mo’orea to Marina Taina.  It as a flood of speeds boats in the channel causing all sorts of rocus.

Va'a Race Mo'orea to Tahiti

Va’a Race Mo’orea to Tahiti

As the va’a teams approached our boat, they entered a marked off area called the “transition area”.  Right in front of Sugar Shack, they changed teams in the va’a.  It was so amazing to see the hordes of boats around the transition area.  A boat would drop off 6 men/women in the water. Then their team would bring the va’a up to them.  The team in the va’a would jump in the water as the team in the water jumped in the va’a.  It took only a few seconds for the transition and then they were off again.

Va'a Teams

Va’a Teams

The 6 teams spent well over 6 hours paddling and trying to win the prize money. The top transition time was 4 seconds and the worse was when one team capsized and had to regain their loss time.

Pretty amazing event.  It takes a lot of skill and expertise to paddle these va’a’s.  Especially today as the weather was not cooperating and it was rainy and windy. They had to cross 15nm from Mo’orea to Tahiti!

Just for Fun

A few Tahiti happy hours to end the busy days.  Some of our cruiser friends.

Events from this blog post occurred during mid-June, 2021.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind our adventures.