Tahiti

You know you’ve been hanging out in some incredible places if Tahiti is considered a pit stop. Heading west from Panama, Papeete is the first sizeable city sailors reach. So it’s hailed more for its goods and services than its attractions. Admittedly, we came to provision, pick up a few boat parts, and fly home—easy peasy. Or not. 

First, we had to decide where to leave our precious Gerty girl. None of the choices were perfect, so we debated en route: Marina Papeete (cost moderate, protection potentially poor, first come, first serve), Marina Taina (expensive, good protection but risky med mooring, confirmed reservation), or Phaeton Bay (cheap, good protection, no dockage/anchor only, limited space). Finally, we decided Phaeton Bay was the best option.

So, we joined the ‘big island’ folk, and although many things were familiar, there were some surprises. In Tahiti, the car rental agent wears a flower in her hair. As does the grocery store check-out clerk, roadside construction worker, and McDonalds counter person. Peugeots grossly outnumber other “voitures,” and fresh baguettes are sold in the gas stations. All of these things pale in comparison to the ubiquitous black tattoos—intricate and meaningful enough to make this naysayer consider getting one. 

Jerking along the winding roads in our 5-speed, we set out for Papeete to get what we came for—fresh food, a new jib, and an engine exhaust hose. The food was a piece of cake, the sail was challenging to get, and the exhaust hose was nearly impossible to find. In the end, Gerty’s new jib, freshly delivered from Zoom Sails in Singapore, fits like a glove, and Michèle at the fifth marine supply store we went to had the exhaust hose we needed.

Our Tahiti mission was accomplished, and we even had time to hike the beautiful Water Gardens in Vaipahi before catching our flight home.