It was very wet for most of the week we spent at the marina in Papeete. One day was so rainy we never even left the boat. The weather was unfortunate because it was a big splurge for us to spring for dock time but we did enjoy the social environment and being able to walk to the shops and explore the town without a dinghy ride.
Monday morning the sun made its first appearance in days and with hope in our hearts we untied the dock lines, called harbor control, motored out the pass, raised the sails and set a course for Moorea, just 15 miles away.
Then the wind dropped to nearly nothing and we motorsailed for a while, then dropped the sails altogether and just motored the rest of the way to Cook’s Bay, another tick on the Legendary Landfalls List. We arrived in a dreary late afternoon but even with the drab light the surrounding peaks form a dramatic, welcoming cocoon reminiscent of Fatu Hiva.
We dined on a huge salad made with all the gorgeous produce we bought at the Sunday market in Papeete, a real treat after weeks of scrounging for rare and expensive fruits and vegetables in the Tuamotus. We’re hoping the weather improves this week. Listen to us; a few days with no sunshine and we get cranky. In Pittsburgh I loved rainy and dreary days because it made our little house seem so cozy and inspired bouts of cooking, baking and craft projects. I’m only impatient now because our time here in French Polynesia is limited and we don’t want to miss a minute of it.
