Tahiti

Tahitian time really passes quickly as we’ve now been here for 8 days and it seems we’ve just arrived. Priorities for Tahiti have been to get the bow roller we broke in Fakarava repaired, grocery shopping, paperwork changes and bonds for departing Kitty and Karl and getting the boat cleaned up. The bow roller project is note worthy as it went really quickly with a one day turnaround in the fabrication of a new part that will get me to NZ where I will have it properly repaired. Prices are just too high here in Tahiti to justify getting any work done unless absolutely critical. This goes for groceries as well as once we get to the Cook islands a territory of NZ prices will be significantly lower with a the NZ dollar = $0.63 US.

As an example of the local prices, we bought some ordinary smoked Turkey breast lunch meat for $2800 FPF per kilo or about $13.42 per pound. A pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream is $9.70, a medium size bag of Lay’s plain potato chips is $5.05 a Snickers bar is $1.53 and the cheapest local beer from the grocery store $1.76 ea or $42.24 a case. High prices are not limited to American products. Absolutely, everything is really expensive. Needless to say we won’t be eating any of my favorite snacks given these prices.

Julie and I have gone a few hitch hiking adventures around the island. One to Point Venus named by Capt’n Cook who recorded the transit of Venus there on his second voyage of exploration to the Pacific. And another to Tahiti Iti which is to the South and was intended to be via public transportation but, ended up with hitching. Good fun and the locals are friendly but, not nearly as so as those of the Marquesas or Tuamotu.

Otherwise some socializing in the evenings but, mostly work getting ready to head out to Huahine about 110nm to the NW of Tahiti and then on to Raiarea, Tahaa and possibly Bora Bora before heading back to Papeete to pick up friends for a few weeks of sailing around Bastille day in mid-July.

Dave
S/V La Vie

S 17° 35.36’
W 149° 36.91’