Beauty and Power

After a walk around the outskirts of Uturoa, David and I stopped at a local restaurant for breakfast, picked up a few groceries and returned to the boat to prepare for a circumnavigation of Raiatea Island. We planned to go out through Passe Rautoanui, which is on the west side of the island and south of Apooiti Marina where we had been tied up for the last two days. We had noticed that the surf was up but had not appreciated how much it was up until we approached the passe. It was going off big time and going through the passe with big waves breaking on either side of the boat was memorable to say the least. The waves were perfect barrels and they reminded me of the drawings my students used to make of waves, which looked like mitre seashells, only they were real and.... awesome! After leaving the passe, we motor sailed until we came to Passe Toamare where we reentered the lagoon. Waves, waves, more of the same and again they were awesome with powerful thrown in, at which point my awe became tinged with a bit of trepidation. The passe entrance was small so the incoming current was negated by the outgoing one such that our progress through the passe was long and laborious. The ocean surface at times was as smooth as obsidian and it seemed like we were sailing through jello. Did I mention that smaller waves continued to roll in behind the boat? After being hit from behind by a couple of good ones, we made it into smoother water,anchored, dried out and baked a frozen moussaka for dinner, which was followed by some cherry almond 70% dark chocolate that the D'Archangels brought with them from Seattle. (I borrowed the chocolate reference from Noodle - see his 2014 Tahitit blog). David's seamanship continues to impress and I can't wait to see what he has planned for our next adventure.


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