Day 237, Year 1: Another Change of Plans—Now Headed to Moorea
Date: Sunday, June 11, 2006
Weather: Another Windy Day, NE 30 Knots (plus or minus 10), Lumpy Seas
Latitude: 16 degrees 34 minutes
Longitude: 148 degrees 32 minutes
Location: Tuamotus to Tahiti (Moorea) Transit, Day 2
Estimated Time of Arrival: Noon Monday, ~100 Miles To Go

We continue to “fly” to the Society Islands. This group of mostly high volcanic islands is the western most archipelago in French Polynesia. The Societies are divided into the Windward Islands (les iles du Vent) and the Leeward Islands (les iles Sous le Vent). The Windwards include Tahiti and Moorea which are the most populous, and Tetiaroa (privately owned by the Marlon Brando estate), Maiao, and Mehetia. Of these, we will be visiting only Tahiti and Moorea. The Leewards include Huihine, Raiatea and Tahaa (which share the same lagoon), Bora Bora, Maupiti and a few atolls further west. Of these we will be visiting Huihine, Raiatea-Tahaa, and Bora Bora.

The wind out here has been crazy. We are getting a pretty steady 30 knots, plus or minus 10. We are getting a northerly component to the wind that is always possible, but was not predicted. Evidently this year it is hard to predict any weather! If things continue to go well, we will arrive in the morning, probably just before noon. We have changed our minds once again and are not going straight to Papeete, Tahiti. The island of Moorea is just 10 miles from Tahiti and we have decided to go there to decompress before entering the big city world of Papeete.

The skies have cleared and we are hoping for a night without squalls. Last night was incredible with the light of moon dancing on the top of the white capped swells. As the sun came up this morning, the moon went down. I love that symmetry. It makes a world of turmoil come into balance for me.

060612 Day 237 – Day 238 Tuamotus to Moorea