Tag Archives: paddle board

What Happens When Matt is Alone on the Boat?

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Many of you have asked, “What does Matt do alone on the boat while you are in America?”  He does whatever he wants, when he wants, and how he wants.  Of course, he keeps busy with the never ending list of boat projects, but he also makes time for fun!

During this trip he has managed to go on several long paddle board rides.  He brings his garmen and then uploads the track to create fun animated videos.  I took snap shots of the final route on a few of them – one he even made a heart!  As you can see, he progressively went on longer and longer routes…starting at 4.7 miles, then 6.5 miles, then 7.1 miles.  Of course, this is his “alone” time even when I am on the boat as you won’t be finding me doing a 7 mile paddle!

Boat Projects

There are always boat projects to do and Matt continues to tackle the list!  He cleaned out both port and starboard diesel tanks, replaced the Raco diesel filter and secured the baffles inside the tanks with bolts.

Matt is famous for starting a project, then starting another project before the first project is complete.  Usually, its because he needs a tool or part.  But when this happens, I ask that he clean up his mess at the end of every day.  While I am gone, he starts piles of projects all over the place – which drives me crazy.  But, it doesn’t matter because I am not there!

He may be alone, but he was a very busy boy:

  • He dropped off and picked up our Genoa which was in for a quick repair with North sails,
  • Picked up our new exterior cushions, sunshades, table covers, cockpit cushions, cockpit pockets, and recycle bags.  Then installed them.
  • Filled our jerry cans with both gasoline and diesel
  • Started installing the bathroom accessories in both heads (needs me on a few pieces)
  • Tested the new Bauer Jr dive compressor, only for it to fry our new inverter charger (guess we will be selling the new to us dive compressor)
  • Mounted our new main sheet line bags on the transom
  • Installed a new 6 button C-Zone controller on the starboard helm

New Cockpit light installed.  We have a cockpit light that we leave on at night so that it is easier to find the boat in the sea of boats at anchor.  The light is white or red.  As you can see our original light was a little corroded.   Our new light is a Nevis2 Engine Light that we bought on Amazon.

I posted photos of the canvas work on the blog “Final Touches on Sugar Shack.”  

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events. This blog post occurred in March 2024.  If you missed our last blog, Road Trip to America, then you don’t know why Matt is alone.

Aremiti 2 Ferry

Fun, Ferry Adventure

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Typically, we are not too fond of ferries.  They cause huge wakes and can be a bit noisy disrupting the anchorage.  We’ve been watching a variety of different ferries come and go at an unusually high frequency during the last 5 weeks of confinement.  Then one day, we decided, let’s take the ferry to Tahiti.  We needed to run some errands and see a few friends who were departing in October.  Fun, a ferry adventure to change our opinion of ferries!

There are several companies that run between Tahiti and Mo’orea.  There is Aremiti which has 2 boats, Vodaphone, and Teravau. 

Vodaphone and Terevau ferries

Vodaphone and Terevau ferries

We wanted to go on the largest ferry, the Aremiti 2.

Aremiti 2 Ferry

Aremiti 2 Ferry

The tickets are normally $10 (1000xpf) each way / per person. But since we are considered residents, we got a little discount.  Sweet. 

The Aremiti 2 Ferry

You enter from the stern of the boat where the cars load.  It is massive space with multiple floors!  This enormous aluminum boat takes my breath away. 

Aremiti 2 Stern Entrance

Aremiti 2 Stern Entrance

We walk up 4 flights of stairs to get to the main passenger area.  And boy oh boy were we pleasantly surprised.  The first section is the “café” area where they serve snacks, hot and cold drinks, and sandwiches.  You can sit in comfortable seats while on your passage.  Once you pass through this area you go to the “front” of the boat where they have more seats.  Which by the way, I loved the seats as they slightly reclined and had great lumbar support!  None of this straight up and done like in the states (I mean really, who sits like that?).

Before we enjoyed a cold beverage and a seat, we decided to go upstairs to the viewing outdoor area.  Another expanse of seating.  How many people take this ferry?  Gesh!

The view out the front section was spectacular.  As the ferry runs smoothly across the turbulent waters, you can hardly feel a thing.

The ferry averaged 22-23nm per hour and arrived within 45 minutes of our departure.  This trip would have taken Sugar Shack several hours and would not have been nearly as pleasant.

Arrival in Tahiti

Many of you know we have two inflatable paddle boards that we bought used in Bonaire 5 years ago.  They are ok.  1) they are meant for kids so they are short (like 8’9″) and they only  work/float for about an hour before they deflate.  We have had to patch them numerous times.  In fact, Matt has patched the entire seam around each board at least once!  Needless to say it was time to replace them, especially when you consider the fact that Matt uses the board at least 3-4 times a week.  Matt had been watching the Facebook Marketplace for the area and found a hard board for sale.  On the ferry, we texted an offer and he accepted.  Wowza, we were not expecting that!  So, immediately when we disembarked, we found an ATM and met the seller downtown Papeete.

This is a 4-year-old paddle board and is made by Riviera, and designed by Jerry Lopez.  It stands at 11’3” and is 29” wide.  It is a HUGE board!  The seller met us promptly with the board tied to the top of his truck.  Matt had to carry it from there to our friend’s boat which was about ½ mile.  The bottom left photo is the board coming off the ferry in Mo’orea.  It is at the top extending beyond the front and the back – too funny!

Matt buys an 11' stand up paddle board

Matt buys an 11′ stand up paddle board

Errands and Friends

Matt and I run a few errands.  We go to both ACE mart stores, NautiSport, and Sing Tung Hing.  We end up separating as he continues on to Ocean 2000 and HyperBrico.  I had to go to a store in downtown Papeete and the post office before meeting my friends for lunch.

I meet up with my friend Jen from Slingshot and Wendy from Due South.  We did not take any photos as Wendy is in the middle of chemo treatments and was not feeling it.  But, we had a spectacular time with tasty food and a beautiful view!

It was a crazy busy and productive visit to Tahiti. It was time to head back to the ferry.  On the way back to Mo’orea on the ferry we enjoy seeing Sugar Shack at anchor!

Can you see Sugar Shack in the distance?

Can you see Sugar Shack in the distance?

Here is the route while underway in each direction on the ferry.  We though the ferry, Aremiti 2 hit speeds in the 30’s but we never saw anything above 22-23nm.

Faces of Tahiti

Being in Mo’orea gives us a great view of Tahiti.  We have seen many different faces of Tahiti over the last month.

Disaster strikes time and time again, read the gory details In the last blog.  Events from this blog post occurred the end of September.  Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind our adventures.