We’re currently sitting out a bit of a blow here in Huahine. Nothing too dramatic, but there is little protection from the SW wind in Avea Bay where we are sitting on a mooring. The reef keeps any swell out of course, but there is a fair old chop making trips in the dinghy a very wet affair.
Our trip over from Moorea was a bit of a milestone for us. First overnight passage in this boat. It is about 90nm so it is best to leave late afternoon to arrive in the morning and have plenty of time to find a spot to anchor and get sorted. The wind was SW to S between 20kn to 25kn gusting to 30kn, but on a very broad reach the apparent was a comfortable 20kn. Being very conservative we only ran the jib from about 50 to 80% which gave us plenty of speed and an easy sail plan. The seas were quite rough though with a decent following swell, and it was good to see how relatively comfortable it was – reckon a monohull would have been very rolly. All up a good trip which built some more confidence in the boat and our experience in sailing it.
Huahine is a very special place. We were here in 2009, but only for a few days in Fare. This time round we have plenty of time to explore and enjoy. We had a few days anchored off the town wharf in Fare and took the opportunity to hire a car for the day and tour the island. It is much more low key than Tahiti or Moorea and very beautiful. Very tidy and well looked after with magnificent views, peaks, reefs and lagoons. The village is lively and welcoming all made more cheerful by the big boom box placed outside by the main supermarket playing Polynesian music.
There is a famed shell museum here which we walked to. A French fella who has been collecting for 40yrs and made a very impressive and informative display. His tour was also fun, he’s a bit of a character as you can imagine.
From Fare we headed to Hana Iti which is a very beautiful beach and anchorage with some great snorkeling and golden sands. We anchored on the flats opposite in just 2m of water (ie 50cm under our keels) which was a little unnerving. We moved later to a mooring by the beach!
Then on the Avea Bay on the SW coast which was also lovely. There is a yacht friendly resort there and long beaches to walk on. We also had a a long explore in the dinghy round the point to the south coast and into the channel at Pass Araara. With the SW wind there was a decent bit of surf both lefts and rights, but a fair way out from where we sat.
It has been blowing 20+kn from the W then SW which is onshore, so we have been sitting it out in the bay doing chores, watching the Olympics surfing and reading. Today the wind has come more S and SE so we have returned to Hana Iti for a night before heading up to Fare, do a shop and then sailing over to Raiatea when the seas have moderated a bit.