Welcome to Civilization - Arrival in Papeete, Tahiti
Our passage and arrival from Rangiroa, Tuamotus to Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia
After enjoying a few amazing days in Rangiroa, I turned my focus toward preparing for the trip to Tahiti. The passage from Rangiroa to Tahiti proved relatively easy compared to previous legs of my journey.
Preparations in Rangiroa
My preparation checklist included two crucial items: securing diesel fuel and provisioning food. Getting diesel in Rangiroa is quite the operation. The process involves:
Transporting 5-gallon jerry cans from my anchored boat to the wharf
Finding a taxi driver (operating on leisurely island time) willing to take me to the gas station
Working around the gas station's midday closure and numerous local holidays
Carefully lowering filled jerry cans from the concrete wharf back into my dinghy
The reliability of my dinghy outboard added complexity to this task. I had to clean the carburetor twice in Rangiroa, following a professional cleaning just a week and a half earlier in the Marquesas. Despite these challenges, I completed two fuel runs, adding 70 gallons of diesel—enough to motor all the way to Bora Bora if necessary!
Food options in Rangiroa are limited, especially fresh produce. With time running short amid my other preparations, I decided to rely on supplies already aboard, which could easily last another couple of weeks. I did manage to pick up four prepared meals from the local boulangerie (bakery).
Weather Planning and Departure
Weather planning came next. While I prefer not to rush departures based on artificial deadlines, I had a firm commitment: meeting the Admiral, who was flying into Tahiti on May 10. The forecast showed thunderstorms for Friday and Saturday. I'm admittedly cautious about being offshore during lightning storms—wind and rain don't concern me nearly as much.
I narrowed my options to either Saturday or Sunday. Early Saturday morning, despite some rain and dark clouds passing over the atoll, PredictWind showed a relatively benign passage with light winds. The 217-nautical-mile journey would take about two days—a short enough distance that I could motor the entire way if needed. Stronger winds were forecast for the following week, but they'd arrive with a low-pressure system bringing thunderstorms to Tahiti, which would interfere with my plans. When the morning rain passed, I made my decision: Saturday it would be!
Navigating the Pass
The Tuamotus present a unique challenge as Pacific atolls—ancient volcanic islands that have largely sunk into the sea, leaving only flat reefs with large central lagoons. These low-elevation islands have narrow passes where tidal waters flow in and out, often creating dangerous currents. Proper timing is essential, aiming for slack high or low tide when current is minimal.
Unfortunately, due to various factors affecting water flow—rain, wind, waves—timing these transits involves significant guesswork. Tools like the "Guestimator" exist but are frequently inaccurate. When entering Rangiroa's Avatoru pass, I had to delay by two hours past the guesstimated slack tide because of dangerous 4-knot outflow currents.
For my departure, I watched as another sailboat successfully navigated the Tiputa pass—shorter and deeper than Avatoru but potentially having stronger currents (up to 12 knots in extreme conditions). I decided to approach Tiputa around 10:30 AM, right at the guesstimated slack high tide, figuring I could always abort and return to the anchorage if conditions looked hazardous.
As I neared the pass entrance, I observed standing waves but manageable current conditions. Confident my engine could overpower the current, I maintained course through the center of the pass at high cruising RPMs (around 2300). The hull slammed into the standing waves, lifting the bow before we surfed down each wave. Within minutes, we cleared the pass and set course for Tahiti!
En Route to Tahiti
After successfully navigating the pass, I shifted focus to my course. Initially planning to go south between Rangiroa and the Arutuna & Kaukura atolls, I recalculated and decided to save distance by heading north between Rangiroa and Tikehau atoll. Large rain clouds appeared, prompting me to adjust course to avoid the worst of the weather.
With light winds, I continued motor-sailing. After making the port turn between Rangiroa and Tikehau, I noticed my boat speed unexpectedly decreasing despite transitioning from headwinds to what should have been a favorable reach. Checking PredictWind confirmed a 0.6-knot current in the forecast, though actual conditions suggested a 1-1.5 knot current. Once we cleared the atolls, boat speed returned to normal.
The remainder of the journey featured light, single-digit winds. I maintained a double-reefed mainsail overnight, occasionally shaking out reefs during daylight hours and deploying headsails when winds permitted. The engine performed flawlessly throughout, though I remained mentally prepared for potential fuel line issues or prop fouling.
Final Approach
Approaching Tahiti in middle of the night, I decided to shut down the engine for a couple of hours, drifting under double-reefed mainsail to time our arrival for daylight. This pause also allowed for much-needed rest breaks. The cabin had become sauna-like in the heat and humidity, with fans providing minimal relief. Sleep came in short bursts, as single-handed sailing requires frequent vigilance for course checks and traffic monitoring.
Around 3:30 AM, preparing for the final run to Papeete, my AIS alarm alerted me to the sailing school ship Robert C. Seamens ahead. I delayed restarting the engine to let them pass safely a couple of miles in front while also maintaining distance from a catamaran that had gotten underway about three miles behind me.
Shortly after sunrise, we encountered the apparent daily weather pattern: morning and evening squalls. Using radar in weather mode, I navigated around the strongest rain cells until the final approach to Papeete left no room for deviation. Heavy rain reduced visibility as I approached this unfamiliar destination, though winds remained mild.
Arrival in Papeete
Tahiti's landscape features peaks reminiscent of the Marquesas but surrounded by reefs similar to the Tuamotus. Entering Papeete harbor requires navigating a narrow reef pass. While current wasn't my primary concern, protocol required contacting port control on VHF channel 12 for permission to enter. Located near the airport, the harbor coordinates vessel traffic with flight operations, especially for boats with significant air draft.
Following instructions, I hailed port control ten minutes before arrival, called again at five minutes out, and received clearance to enter. The pass entrance featured small breaking waves with a noticeable current—and spinner dolphins playing in the waves!
My final concern: would Marina Papeete have space available? They don't accept reservations, operating strictly first-come, first-served. I had called the previous afternoon and was told two spaces were available, but with an approaching low-pressure system, I worried others might be seeking refuge from anchorages. Calling precisely at 8:30 AM when the office opened, I was pleasantly surprised by an immediate answer confirming an available slip.
When I asked if someone could help with lines during docking, the response came: "Nope—I'm the only person working right now." No problem for this experienced single-hander! The assigned space was a double slip requiring port-side tie-up with no dock between my starboard side and the neighboring boat.
I executed a perfect approach and jumped onto the dock with my spring line, but when the stern began drifting, I reached for the stern line—which I'd forgotten to prepare! A first-time oversight amidst my otherwise thorough preparations. Despite a slight current pushing me away from the dock, I muscled through and secured the boat without incident.
After completing the straightforward marina check-in, I sought comfort food. Unlike other parts of French Polynesia, Papeete bustles with city energy. Spotting a Burger King across from the marina, I made my way there with tears of joy, craving an American-style burger and fries. Though the meal proved somewhat disappointing, it satisfied my rumbling stomach.
Finally, exhausted and sleep-deprived, I retired for a much-deserved nap—thrilled at the prospect of sleeping with both eyes closed on a flat, stable bunk without setting alarms. As I drifted off, I dreamed of exploring this newfound paradise!
