I have managed to send some stories and pictures from Tahiti and, more recently, some of our story from Moorea. I have now been able to assemble some photographs, which may help to tell more of the story of the Blue Water Rally visit to these amazing places.

Tahiti - Work, Play and Farewells

Plenty of activity
Our programme in Tahiti organised by Tahiti Tourisme has already been reported and much make and mend continued with the help of various local contractors. However, there was time each evening for Ralliers to eat out in the unique style of the Roulottes (fondly known as the Roach Coaches). Each night fast food vans opened up on a specially paved area close to the yacht quay and drew large numbers of Rally crews to dine out both cheaply and well. Others discovered restaurants in town, notably the Three Brasseurs - a pub restaurant which does, indeed, brew its own beer on its own premises. There were also daily visits to the amazing public market in Papeete - the largest and best in the South Pacific.

Thank you to the Yacht Club
During the build-up to the stopover we organisers have received an enormous amount of help from our friends at the Tahiti Yacht Club. In particular the Club Secretary/Manager, Michel Alcon, has been a close friend of ours for over 12 years and each day came to the pontoons to deliver mail and to offer assistance. I was, therefore, delighted to be able to present a Blue Water Rally plaque to the Yacht Club President, Jean Sjilyagi, and a much more personal gift to Michel Alcon (illustrated!)

A sad farewell to Reinhard and Sheila
The Blue Water Rally always creates strong bonds of friendship. It was therefore with great sadness that we had to bid farewell to Reinhard and Sheila Baildon of Blue Raven, who had reluctantly decided to leave the Rally at Tahiti for family reasons. We wish them fair winds and happy cruising over the coming months until their return to the UK late this year.

On to Moorea!
Most yachts departed Papeete last Saturday for the short crossing to Cook's Bay in Moorea, although several were forced to stay for work which was still in hand. Nonetheless, there was a gathering of over 20 yachts at the rendezvous anchorage at the head of the bay close to the Rally HQ, The Club Bali Hai Hotel.

The Bali Hai Hotel has been our base for all our 6 previous Rallies and extended their usual warm welcome to myself and to the crews whenever they came ashore. Many took advantage of the excellent breakfasts and lunches in the hotel restaurant and briefings were held there on two mornings covering cruising through the islands and onward to Tonga.

Getting around, a Welcome Return and a BBQ and Dance Show
The island of Moorea has much to offer the tourist and Ralliers were soon getting around by rented scooters and cars, whilst others did it the somewhat harder way - by bike or on foot. In fact a strong walking group left early one morning to hike to the Belvedere - the viewpoint at over 2000 feet overlooking Oponohu and Cook's Bays. Some slight navigational error led to the trip taking somewhat longer than expected, but I can report that they all arrived back smiling 7 hours later and the Bali Hai bar was kept very busy!

Yachts always have their problems and on this Rally Ian and Lesley Bloom (Tapestry) seem to have had more than their fair share. My colleague, Tony Diment, took a gearbox to them in Nuku Hiva, but their problems continued there and they were only able to catch up with the rest of the fleet in Moorea. The welcome was warm and Ian and Lesley were immediately made to feel part of the family again. Rapidly cleared in and with technical support being organised in Tahiti, we hope that their problems will soon be fully resolved.

During our stay in Moorea it's a Rally tradition that we enjoy a BBQ and Dance Show at the Bali Hai Hotel. A great evening was had by all and we were delighted to learn that Eric and Marianne Plante's daughter, Rosemarijn, had become engaged to Marcel that day. We wish them every happiness.

On through the islands to Bora Bora
Over the next three weeks Rally yachts will be cruising independently to Bora Bora for their rendezvous around 25 May. There will be no position reporting and we shall start to update you nearer that time.