A few weeks on Tahiti

2007.09.05 (Day 347 )

Internet till 4 am. As it was free and everything was OK, I was very happy. I quit, because the electricity went off.

Short sleep till 7 am. A little, fast breakfast: sardine and toast.

Forenoon
I bailed a few liters of water out of the side compartment. I had to throw out some food like 1 kg spaghetti, 1 kg rice, because they spoilt. While arranging the back compartment (and anti-cockroaching of course) I found 2 clean, white Gamma t-shirts (I put on one of them right in the evening!!)

Unfortunately it was raining all morning, so I couldn't do the varnishing and resining. Then I was cleaning the old spark plugs.

I had a little break, because I was speaking with Daniel, a local riporter. Therefore I went to the city...

I bumped into Geza, they'll leave in these days. Maybe we'll meet somewhere again ... :)

I went to the hospital for the 2nd vaccination against hepatitis. I also showed my infected wound. The serum was 110 USD at the pharmacy, the antibiotics was 30 USD and the treatment was again 30 USD.

Afternoon:

0. I bought a half liter of varnish at the sailor's shop for 27 USD and 15 m of fine rope (for 2. forstag) 45 USD.

1. Searching for anode: the local sailor's shop sent me to the Yamaha service, where wasn't any anode, then they sent me to Since Thuno Hing, they had, but another type, so I bought 2 pieces for 20 USD.

2. Searching for thread: I didn't find any in 2 sailor's shops, they sent me to API Yachting, where there was also a sail repairing department. They gave me 20 m of slight thread and had a nice talk with the boss. They saw my boat and his daughter liked it very much...

I bought 2 toothbrushes for 3 USD, I already broke the last one I had...

3. Doing the washing all the time

Giovanni came on his moped, on Sunday he's going home to Italy with his girlfriend, but they're coming back in November of course.:)

A catamaran, who I've already met in Columbia (Cartagena) docked beside me. :))

In the evening, I went to look for power; the chinese restaurants are open till 5 am :)

So, I was chatting, had some drink there, then they took me to a kiosk

where was power and internet...

I can stay as long as I want :))

My opinion about Tahiti:

There's a lot of French and Chinese, but just a few Polynesian.

Very French island, and just slightly Polynesian.

Quite many tourists.

Expensive.

And someone told me, it's every French's dream....

In the evening I went back to the boat, and had a great sleep, I should have met Giovanni, but I was tired.

2007.09.06 (Day 348 )

I'm often thinking about where and how to spend the hurricane-season (2007 nov-2008 may):

Idea no. 1, The Equator-islands then Indonesia

As nobody advised me this and the adverse sailing conditions(headwind and head currents) are also against this. The main reason, why I rejected it, no major service-stations can be found on this route, I should fix the boat for some months and not sailing.

Idea no. 2, Stop at Fiji and spend the hurricane-season there.
I chose this one. A hurricane-proof boatyard, where I can fix the boat. I've just started to ask about where and how I can manage this.

I got up early in the morning and started to dehydrate and clean the left-side compartments. Finally the power was switched on. I have electricity. I can charge my batteries and use my computer. The internet is free!!!

I started to surf on internet, and couldn't stop: sending photos, yacht-log and... chatting with many friends (msn/skype) :)  So I couldn't work much:))

Forenoon

- Varnishing the sun panel - fixing the shield (was broken on the Caribbean-sea)

- fixing the insulation between the coax-cable of the VHF radio and it's hole on the hull

- gluing the polifoam under the anchor

- refreshing music on the mp3-player

Lunch: choco-cream with biscuits
Lately I can't eat just little and light. :)

Afternoon:

I went to Nautic Sport again with the two not-working Simrad TP10, to make at least one working out of them :) This is the main Simrad seller in Polynesia, the next is on New-Zealand. By tomorrow the repairman will look at and decide if he could fix them. The guarantee change would mean 3-4 weeks of waiting, that would be too long. (The price of a new one is 1000 USD in the shop.)

I bought a bagette: 67 Polynesian Franc, appr. 0.8 USD.

Next to the Tourist Office the internet is a bit faster and I try to upload videos, but it's not so good, I don't have power.

About the cockroaches: I'm in persistent extinguishing since Nuku Hiva: with chemicals and cleaning. I don't like cleaning, so this is more difficult for me than a thunderstorm, but I must do it, it's really hard to extinguish them totally :(

I went on a short sightseeing, it was fun. I met with Bozo on the market (drinking beers).

Interesting facts:

1. He has 1 son (his first child was born from a girlfriend, when he was 16)

2. Then he had 16 daughters from 8 viwes

3. adopted another 6-7 boys

I'm not sure if it's true :)

Bozo makes neklaces and rings from pearl and fibre of the coco-palm and try to sell them on the market, where he mostly sleeps. He looks like a yogi: appr. 150 cm and 40 kg, with long hair and small beard. :)

Then I went back to the boat to surf on the net!

(for example to send photos home)

2007.09.07 (Day 349 )

There's just a few boats on Papetee, as it's September and most of the boats are west from here. More ports are here, I'm in the main one, next to the front. On the De Gaulle quay.

"Around the world with Zsuzsanna" (József Varsányi):

The Society Islands (Tahiti, Moores,...) were discovered in the middle of the 18th century by the French, English and Spanish. It's first map was made by J. Cook. He docked on the island of Raiatea, and the inhabitants sent him 2 pirogs:

in one of them a beautiful lady was sitting, in the other was a roast pig. As the saying goes, the English gentleman chose the second one.

History:

Pomera-dinasty was reigning appr. for 100 years under the defence of warships. The last of them resigned in 1880 and gave the authority to the French. Since then, Tahiti is a colony, from 1958 overseas territory. Papetee is the capital city, with 80,000 inhabitants. Today, it's more expensive than Las Vegas, Monaco, Honolulu.

I got up tiredly at 7:30 am. The adjacent French sad yesterday, that at 7:30 Daniel will come with a camera and make a riport. So clean t-shirt, wash :)

The interview was appr. 1 hour long and will be transmitted at the weekend on the Tahisien TV.

I don't know which channel, because here are more. :-))

Then with the French neighbour we went to the Port Captain. We went by dingi, it took 10 minutes and would have been 1 hour on foot, as the office was right opposite. We realized that the marina office is here, after the parking space, appr. 5 minutes from the boat. I walked in the office and asked for special price. :)

I got 4 free days, but I have to leave today. - Bad news, free net and power... So, the plan is to go to a buoy...

Another bad news in the Nautica Sport:

Unfortunately the problem with the autopilots (Simrad TP10) is more serious. They got water again, and the motors went off in both of them. So, they can't be fixed, I have to wait for the new motors from the UK. Bad news: it could be a month, so I have time to look around Tahiti! Probably one will be a guarantee change, the other won't and the motor will be 80 USD. If it can't be fixed here, Australia is the next opportunity (I won't stop in New-Zealand). A new one here would be more than 1000 USD. So, I don't have a choice.

If the autopilot is fixed, I sail to Fiji. The hurricane-season starts here in the first part of November, so I don't have much time!!

I upload some videos from a place next to the Tourist Office, WLAN is pretty fast (36-56 Mbps and the signal strength is ok).

Afternoon

I visited the pearl museum, the famous, black, Polynesian pearl is raised at Toumatu :)

Then I visited Bozo. At the market, local musicians amused the audience and themselves with local music. I'm sailing to the anchoring place. I said goodbye to the adjacent French catamaran (their weppage: http://chamm.houtetfort.com).

I went to the marina with motor, I had to change the lower spark plug 7 times.

The motor always stopped, because the spark plug was black...

While I was searching for the anchoring place, the marina-crew showed me to dock near the marina...

I docked there. 1 night is for free (would be 20 USD for me), by tomorrow I can dock to a place where I can stay for free as long as I want... This was told by the boss of the marina.

I had dinner on the neighbouring boat (46-feet-long, was bought for 10,000 USD 2 years ago): barbecue :)

and and drank some beers till late at night.

I got to know Bruno, who sails around Tahiti with a 7,5 m-long boat. And Ismael who

produces and sells marijuana. He has a house and a garden on the hill. The host, Steve, Spanish, son of tahisien parents, his wife is Dutch, they live on a boat with their 3 children. They've never sailed, but planning to fix the boat in 5 years and maybe sailing around the Earth...

2007.09.08 (Day 350 )

About Tahiti: http://tahiti.lap.hu/

Tahiti webcam: http://www.tahitiplanet.com/webcam.htm (I can't be seen:-)

In the morning I went to by 23 l fuel (35 USD), then had pastry for breakfast.

After tidying up I started polishing then varnishing the wood parts of the boat.

I met Ludo (40-year-old French, was soldier for 10 years), he lives by the pier in a 42-feet-long steel boat. We had some beers then went for lunch to his friend, Richard (French), who lives in the next town with his family. His wife, Silvia (37, medis: Chinese mom, Polynesian dad; from an island close to Bora Bora), her Tahisien name is Teroro.

They have 4 children: Eva, Jenifer, Mari,...

Tahisien grammar course :

"mánújá" - Bless you!

"máurú" - Thanks!

"mimi" - cat

"oti" - end

"maújázs" - anchoring

"támá mété" - Enjoy your meal!

Teroro told me what my tattoo meant:

2 tikis: a male and a female defends the boat on the sea, I'm the boat and surfing on the waves. It has an other meaning, but that's private, I don't write it here :)

The location of the tattoo has also a meaning (my right foot) and

I haven't even wrote about the Polynesian mystery... but that's enough for now :)

Heke moana - i'm surfing, on the water, heading forward, never stop, I'm brave and strong. So I got a new name with the tattoo, my Polynesian name:

"Heke moana" -the Marquises version-, "He e moana" -the Tahisien version

I'm really happy!

So, I had to come here and speak with Teroro, to realize what my tattoo meant. Mohi, means a boy, who defends himself: unbeatable.

I arrived to the boat in the evening, put away the anchor, cleaned some spark plugs.

While I went to take a shower, I met Mark and Sonia, who were heading to the city. It's Saturday, the party is starting in Papetee :) I walked in to look around and use free internet. I found again some security guys, anyway this night in Papeete is too turistic for me.

Theres's a big square close to the marina, where Chinese coach-restaurants are open all night: from 6 pm till 5 am.

Late at night there are no buses, so some local guys gave me a ride to the marina, it was 10-15 minutes by car...

2007.09.09 (Day 351 )

I got up early in the morning.

Philip, the manager of the marina came to visit and showed me the buoy, he set out for me yesterday. So, I can dock there ... (The depth is 6 m and the seabed is quite crappy.)

Forenoon
I was varnishing the paddles and the mahagoni wood handholds.

I visited Bruno's boat, 24-feet-long boat, was bought for 25,000 USD, it's in great condition and well equipped.

We took a walk around the marina, I met some friends (from Colon), we had the transit together :). Bruno invited me for lunch. Roast mutton heart, roast fish with fried potatoes, then beer.

Afternoon. Watching film.

6 pm, I sailed to the buoy.

2007.09.10 (Day 352 )

Francois arrived in the morning, I met him before on Nuku Hiva. He anchored next to me. He also stays here longer, because he's waiting for some components.

Forenoon
Varnishing the rudder and the mahagoni handholds.

- Gluing the emergency torch

- Cleaning connectors

- Engraining the anode to the motor

I noticed that one of the screws - holding the little curbing between the rudder and the skeg - fell out, the other is ok. (It has to endure till the next stop.)

Afternoon
I swam to the nearby lagoon, it was quite difficult because of the stream.

Mark visited me with his friends, they were also diving, where I was.

The neighbouring German couple came to chat by dingi, they've been sailing for 11 years.

They want to weather the hurricane season on Tahiti ...

I was on the boat all day long and just relaxed..

Dinner: Spaghetti

2007.09.11 (Day 353 )

I got up early again and had the evening spaghetti with coffee for breakfast.

Around 8 am a familiar boat with black sails anchored close. I've already met them on Nuku Hiva.

The captain is a lesbian around 40, the crew is en elder Australian couple.

Then the dingi of the adjacent boat took me to the coast.

Forenoon
I walked in Papeete to have some news about the autopilot: 2-3 weeks of waiting.

Bought a torch for 24 USD, with LED and waterproof. (All of my torches don't work, except the emergency one, although all of them were diving-torch!)

I took my camera to fix, I can't use it: lens error. Only the look at it is 25 USD! I bought a disposable one for 21 USD. I also looked around the market.

Afternoon

I visited the Polynesian museum, really interesting (ticket: 6 USD). Then a nearby cave and park (Grotte de Maraa, Paea town). The bus-fare's around 1.5-2.5 USD, depends on the distance and more expensive in the evening! Hitchhiking to the marina, some interesting local guys gave me a ride. In the evening I visited Vatao, after some beers swam back to Carina.

2007.09.12 (Day 354 )

Forenoon
Visited an aquarium nearby (Punaauia town), then to Gauguin museum and to a botanical garden (Paeari town). I walked around the western side of the island.

Spoke with the motor service and we made an appointment. Later in the evening the captain of Pitanga visited me and offered his help: he's a mechanic :) He'll come to fix the motor on Friday.

Afternoon
I said hello to Vatao and made the shopping with Francois (I've met him on Nuku Hiva). I met Jefferson and his girlfriend, also friends from Nuku Hiva.

2007.09.13 (Day 355 )

If we put the flower behind the right ear, that means we're looking for a girl; behind the left ear means we have a girlfriend/wife... I learned this today.

Forenoon
Went to Papeete by bus, unfortunately the free internet is over, probably everyone used it :) Then to Pirae/Mahina bus/walk/hitchhike :)

I visited Pointe Venus, Tombeau du Pomare V. (last king), Musée James Norman Hall (writer of the Bounty book) and also some beaches.

During hitchhiking I met a young French couple who're travelling around the world by plane. Then with local guys coming from cock-fighting with a ragged cock. This program is very popular here and on Nuku Hiva, but not in my country.

So, an interesting topic: drugs. Everybody smokes marijuana here. Some already in the morning, but everybody in the evening. It's tender spot in Hungary, but here even the policeman is smoking... Maybe this tells everything. To tell the truth, in the last 1 year it occurred in every country/city/island, but here's the most typical! A little box is 50 USD, but sometimes cheaper... Was free on the Caribbean-sea, because everyone was producing :)

Prices are extremely high!!! You can find wines for 500 USD, but under 10 USD you can't get it. Beer: 2 USD, cheese: 3 USD, maybe the most shocking is the internet 10 USD/hour!    

In the evening, I bumped into Larsen in the marina, he arrived today. We drank a beer on the pier, accidentally I had 2 with me :) He made the Nuku Hiva - Tuamotu stage in 5 days, then from there to Tahiti in 2 days. He doesn't know yet how to spend the hurricane-season, maybe he will also come to Fiji :)

2007.09.14 (Day 356 )

Forenoon
I was waiting the captain of the Pitanga to fix the motor. I met him in Colon (Panama), and a member of his crew, Ronald was one of my liner on the 2-day-long transit. Now he's alone on his large 2 mast boat, it's at least 55-60 feet!

His life:

He was the boss of a company, after retiring, he left from France to sail around the world. Now he's been travelling for 4 years and he's 67. He lived in Paris, so we have a common topic: Paris. Some years ago, his son died youngly in a car accident, and he is not over it (maybe he never will) ...

Afternoon
I travelled into Papeete, bad news, the fixing of my camera's lens is 130 USD! As I've already paid 25 USD, today I had to pay 105 USD :(

Lately some people thought I'm a begger, today someone wanted to give me 1.5 USD for bread, another wanted to give beef-conserve... So, it didn't cheer me up. What consoles me, that here (not there) in the marina many people think that I'm a great sailor. That's really good, although it's not true. I'm an issue on the Pacific ocean. Of course, not just me:

2 weeks ago a French lost his boat near to Tuamotu. He was anchoring by the atoll, when a 30-knots-strong wind came. The atolls are not defended, so the wind blew strongly and big waves were. The chain of the anchor twisted around a coral and broke in some hours. The boat floated to the atoll extremely fast. It was a 18-feet-long boat! The insurance company pays him 300,000 USD in these days. His wife had a nervous breakdown, a lighter one, but she's fine now...

Each day someone comes to my boat to talk, sometimes inhabitants by kayak.

Afternoon: A nearby boat lent me a dingi for some weeks (Mon atoll Max2). I don't have to swim back to the boat in the evening:)

Then Jean, the captain came to fix the motor. We were repairing till 6 pm, cleaning the carburator. In the end I was lighting with a torch. In the beginning, during testing, the motor burst into flames, but we could quench it. An explosion could have happened, the accident happened during the checking of the sparkle...

Then I went to the Pitanga to play chess. Result is 1:1. After a little rum-orange we ate a bagette with ham and French wine. Then we were listening to Jacques Brell... Je arrive :) Very famous French chanson singer.

Then we went over to the Luna, to Larsen and had 3 more beers. I went to bed around 4 am.

2007.09.15 (Day 357 )

In the morning Jean came over again to test the motor (20 minutes motoring in the bay), unfortunately it's still not working properly.

Repairing again: The pump was the reason, the membrain was torn. Jean made me a new membrain, his original occupation is mechanic, and he's a very practical man. Then we tried the new membrain. The test was perfect! So, the motor is ok now, and I didn't have to pay for it! It would have been hundreds of USD...

Lunch with Larsen and Francois on Luna, fish with coconut and lemon (typical Polynesian dish).

Afternoon: I visited Vatea to chat, then again in the evening, as he had a barbecue party.

In the meantime I was looking for Larsen in the bar of the marina, but instead of him I met the crew and passengers of the Basic. So, I drank some beer with an Italian millionaire, who lives in Rome, but sailing with a Swan 65. They had to wait only 3 days for the transit in Panama: it's a new record. So, he has money, maybe not as much as the Hungarian prime minister, but at least he has some :))

2007.09.16 (Day 358 )

10 am: I went over to the Pitanga to help the mast to set, we loosened the babystag... Then we've played chess for some hours. In the end 2-3 minutes long partys with a chesswatch, it was hard, especially after some rum-orange.

Then I rowed to Luna end had lunch with Larsen. We changed some books. He has just told me that one of my liners, Natasa, the Dutch, has a really serious metastatic cancer. The doctors gave her only a few months. That's why she's travelling around the world. She was the happiest during the whole transit. That news made me very sad...

Then I rowed to Gemini and spoke with Francois.

Late in the afternoon tried to fish, but there was no fish around Carina, I saw only once a bigger one, but it swam away fast. However, I found a 20 kg heavy anchor in 12-14 m depth (in the shop it would be 500 euros), I took it out. I don't know yet if I can keep it, I'm afraid it's a bit heavy, but it could be useful sometimes!

In the evening I dropped in on Vatea, then had a slight hour to internet in the marina (WLAN: ironet, 5 USD/hour).
One of his friends died near Cape Horn, was sailing alone on a damaged boat and too much water flowed in. These stories make me depressed.

2007.09.17 (Day 359 )

Was cleaning my new anchor in the morning, then fixed the sail stiffener. Cooked spaghetti with sardine for breakfast.

Had a little chat with the captain of Pitanga and the neigbour as well.

I went in Papeete, to inquire about the autopilot. Mark told me it's ready on this or next week....

I got my camera back, it's working now! I found a free wlan, but after uploading 2 videos, it died....

I met Tihi, we went to find Bozo, but he wasn't at home.

Travelled back to the marina with Vatea and his children. Then I made the shopping with Francois...

Had a talk with the captain of a neigbourly boat and he would like to help in the mast-project. The project needs many people and more good ideas, but they're gathering slowly. :))

Evening: I ate beef-stew (from yesterday) and bagette with the Italian millionaire. Before we had had some rum-coke. His crew: Luis (Spanish), Steve (English) and a Basque :)) He's a nice and interesting guy.

Night: Internet

My friend, Istvan's blog: http://jimiarpuju.blog.hu/

Hungarian young men in Ecuador. On the land of the Shuar indians.

2007.09.18 (Day 360)

9 am, the captain of the neighbouring boat woke me up, because the meeting was said to be started at 9; he had some ideas about the mast, of course everyone has ideas :))

Then instead of breakfast I was gluing my flippers, it was broken yesterday...

In the morning I went to Tiarei, where I visited the waterfalls (Fa Aurumai): Haamaremare Iti, Haamaremare Rahi, Vaima Huta and the beach. Unfortunately I couldn't really see Trou du Souffleur (Blow hole).

I went there by bus, back on foot because the beach is very beautiful. A car stopped by me, 2 French were sitting inside, they've given me a ride. But before, invited me for lunch, because they'd been diving so they had many fish. The fish was prepared geniously (especially Eric, but Fred too). They live in Mahina, work in Moana Pizza, sometimes painting flats, so the try to live...

Afternoon
Was looking for free net in Papeete, but couldn't find. Then went back to the Marina. Arranging with Francois about the mast-project. He'll help me tomorrow, I'll reach my mast from his one to put a new mounting plate for the babystag. Then I thread the two pull-rope from the top of the mast.

In the evening I visited Vatea, got 2 inox studs from him.

Night: Internet, and I couldn't work on my article.

My problem is, I couldn't write down what I'd like: self-censuring, as Peter Eszterhazy (Hungarian writer - the translator) called it. I'd rather say, I'm quite far away from the Hungarian reality...

2007.09.19 (Day 361)

Sometimes I get messages like I should stop, because it's too dangerous and I've already proven enough. I don't want to prove, I want to sail.

Tahisien language course, Part 2

Maeva - Welcome

Fájtóitó - when saying goodbye, if you wanna say something special :)

Here's a lot of baobab fruit, and some special fruits: Mape, Carambole

And some days ago I had a drink made from corossol fruit. This is an apple-size, green, thorny fruit with white inside. I can't compare it's taste to anything else.

I got up early in the morning, and started to prepare for the big project of the day: fixing the mast

1. put up 1-2 mounting plates with rivets, then the second forstag and rethreading the elevator rope of the fock

The main problem is that I don't have a riveter, so at 9 am I rowed to the neighbouring boats to get one. Maestro (French) captain gave me one, he said it was also good for inox studs. Moreover, he gave me cream, which separates the alu and the inox.

First I prepared all the tools and ropes and everything, then - after the morning coffee -, at 10 am I sailed beside Francois. The boat's called Gemini. (He helped me with something similar on Nuku Hiva.) We linked the two boats with 2 ropes, put 6-7 puffers between. (Water is quite calm here, so it was easy, but when a cruiser had passed, Carina was moving hard.)

I didn't succeeded in drilling the 2 holes and riveting. I could do the upper one, but absolutely not the lower one (later it turned out, that it was ok). So I started to look for a better riveter. Of course I couldn't find any. They have it on one of the boats, but the crew left the boat in the morning...

Early in the afternoon, I met Ronald, he was my liner on the transit in Panama. He bought a boat here for 70,000 USD, and will be sailing with it. He told me, that my other liner, Herbert had been here before, not on the Nomadlife, but on a big catamaran. Sailing with a crew always means conflicts, and these cannot always be solved.

Meanwhile I was searching for riveter, I met some sailors here in the marina. Unfortunately the searching wasn't successful... I often meet here, in Polynesia, with crew who joined to the boat in Panama. It's easy there, because many boats don't have enough crew.

After a beer, the project was continued in the afternoon. At least the 2 ropes (second forstag, elevator rope of the fock) were threaded back. Then I tried to screw off the broken curbing on the mast (which was originally stormfock's curbing, used for babystag from Galapagos), but I couldn't do it...

In the evening, I went back to my buoy to have some rest. Dinner: pasta with layered cabbage (Hungarian dish - translator) and beef.

Internet from 7:40 pm till night. I couldn't send the photos on ftp, because the wlan is slow, so I had to email them to Dad. It's a bit slower this way.

2007.09.20 (Day 362)

Forenoon: checking the rivets, it's fine but I don't like it. I'll put an other mounting plate, just to have a spare one. A captain of a boat has a big and strong riveter for inox. This project will be on sunday afternoon. I'll dock beside the Gemini again.

Many smaller work, like checking the wind-generator and greasing it with silicon.

Afternoon:

Radio test with Freddy:

1. 13:00 21,373 MHz we could hear each other. Report: 5-4

2. 16:00 18 MHz I couldn't tune, but I could hear Freddy at 5-4.

3. 20:00 14,287MHz I couldn't hear Freddy.

I gave the found anchor to Francois, because he asked for it. He wanted to buy it, but I told him I didn't want to make a business with a friend. But I may ask for a Dutch translation, a short review about my journey... So, the Dutch version of my webpage is under construction :)))

2007.09.21 (Day 363)

I went to Tahiti. Tahiti consists of 2 parts: Tahiti nui (big island), and Tahiti iti (small island) and a passage is between them... I travelled to Taravao by bus, then walked to Afaahiti then to a gazebo. I was hitch-hiking a lot, people are so kind here, they stop and give you a ride... So, I met a lot of interesting people.

Then I walked to the beach, hanging around there then on the street. Later I got to know Bruno. He's 44, a stable-man (musician in the evening) and he showed me a really nice beach. ( Here're beaches everywhere:-) Then gave me a coconut (this was my lunch). We went to his house and stable. (Interesting places and people.)

In the evening I went to Papeete by hitch-hiking, because there was no bus. Then from Papeete to the marina. It was a nice day.

Then I visited Vatea to have some drink and talk, they have many guests every evening... We drank delicious wines, dinner was chicken with potatoes.

2007.09.22 (Day 364)

Got up early and started to work. Waxing the railing with epoxy to promote the fixing of the insulation. Then swimming a little and working on smaller projects.

Lunch: Pasta with camembert

Afternoon: Jean Cleud came and helped me to fix the mast, now it's STRAIGHT (maybe it's the 1st time)!! Needed the babystag!! 2-3 hours of work with a coffee-break, but now it's perfect. I'm very grateful to him, I couldn't have done it alone, he had great ideas for the re-bending... We were pushing the mast with 2-3 extra ropes.

Larsen photocopied 3 revising maps of the next stage for me (10 USD). He gave them to me late in the afternoon.

Then we were celebrating on the Pitanga with rum-juice, chess (I was losing all the time), then had a delicious dinner. As he likes politics, we had to speak about French politics, but the wine was tasty. :)) I rowed back to Carina at 1 am.

2007.09.23 (Day 365)

Got up at 3:50 am, and at 4 am went to Papeete with Francois. Market opens at 4. We arrived there at 5. Market is much more interesting this time, than in the morning. More fish, for example :)

Had a bagette, fried sausage and fried pork for breakfast (5 USD). We walked around the market, then to the catholic church, the choir was singing very well. The priest was speaking French, Tahisien and Chinese too and devouts were also singing...

Then walking back to the Marina, I visited Vatea and unfortunately it turned out, that a friend of us, Tehao got into hospital, as some attacked him at 2 am in the marina, and beat him badly...

I'm doing the washing at Vatea. Since Panama, I have been washing without washing machine, but now I wash some of my stuff (like my sleeping bag) with it!

Afternoon: I docked beside the Gemini, climbed up on the mast with the help of the Gemini's halyard. Drilled 2 holes then riveted a curbing over the middle of the mest. The previous riveting wasn't perfect, because I didn't have a good riveter. It was really hard, as the wind was blowing and the bay was wavy. On Sunday, everybody's running by cruiser, so they also made big waves, but I didn't fall down :-)

Then we started to fix the Gemini's generator, Larsen came over and we could fix it together :)

In the evening we had some drinks, then Internet, but unfortunately there was no msn/skype on Francois' computer.

2007.09.24 (Day 366)

Anniversary: I started from Koper 1 year ago...

Forenoon I went to Papeete by bus to speak with Mark. I may get the fixed autopilots this week. Then I bought a new membrain for the motor at the Yamaha shop (10 USD).

Found a free WLAN in the town, unfortunately very slow, so the ftp doesn't work properly, but as long as the battery was good, I used it.

I made a little shopping in Leader Pric, then walked back to the marina.

The wind was so strong, that I could hardly row back to Carina.

Afternoon

I had a decent meal today: rice and rissole.

Then I wired the spanners.

Started to exterminate cockroaches with the strong poison bought before...

Spoke with Larsen and Francois a little.

In the evening, I went to Vatea, to the marina, to have a little chat. Then I wrote my yacht-log and charging the laptop's battery. Unfortunately Internet in the marina isn't OK lately.

2007.09.25 (Day 367)

In the morning I took my t-shirts and pants to Vatea, and his wife washed them. Then I fixed the railing with Jean Cleaud, I needed his drill and gasket (thin neoprene). I hope it will protect against leakage, I've had this problem for 6 months... Then we had coffee together. Last time he took 3 cockroaches on his clothes to Pitanga, but he made fun of it :)))

Francois gave me the Dutch translation, so I'll have it on my page. Lately I've got a French translation too... Yesterday he invited some inhabitants on his boat. One of them used the toilet, but he didn't know how to use it, so now he had to take it apart to get the toilet papers out of the system...

Afternoon

1. I took out the connector of the solar panel, as it's sea-damaged and doesn't close properly. I just connected the wires without the connector and insulated it. This whole thing is in the back of the cabin, the sea may not damage it...

2. The cockroach extinguishing is proceeding with the powder I bought yesterday (6 USD), this is a strong poison, only a little is enough (of course, it's not dangerous for men :) Unfortunately I haven't seen any results yet...

Then I was swimming.

In the evening

Went over to Larsen, he'll leave tomorrow and go towards Moorea, maybe he'll also stay in Fiji. Then I popped in to Vatea, met with Tehao. He's getting better, but he still have injuries. From 9 pm, I was playing chess with Jean-Cleaud, meanwhile we drank some rum.

Tahiti and Moorea

2007.09.26 (Day 368)

Got up early, went out to the coast, but there was no usable Internet, it always disconnected. I went into the town, where I know a free wlan. While I was surfing on the net, lot of people stopped by and stared at the monitor. - no problem - I e-mail in Hungarian, and nearly nobody understands it here :-)

Afternoon

Doing things around the boat, for example resettling the boom and the railing, fixing the 3 25-liter-large tanks. I changed the forstag a bit: put an extra shakle, to get more rounds on the spanner. Then I made a spaghetti (from absolute Hungarian ingredients!) for late-lunch.

In the evening we went to Intercontinental with Francois, to watch a Polynesian dance show. There was no entrance fee (we had a beer for 3.6 USD). It was a very pleasant night, with many kinds of dances (the show lasted 1 hour).

Later, I tried to connect to internet on the coast, but I couldn't. Then it worked out somehow, but unfortunately it wasn't the free and I had only 40 minutes left on this one...

2007.09.27 (Day 369)

Grandpa is 80 years old today. Happy birthday!!

I'm in a very intimate lagoon, near to Taina Marina. Every morning, afternoon and evening the local people: younger, older, boys and girls are rowing and counting loudly... This is a national sport. Sometimes they have smaller contests!

In the morning I went into Papeete by bus, after 1,5 hour free net (I found a working, but slow wlan) I went to the Simrad centre (Nautica Sport), to get infos about my autopilot. Unfortunately the motor hasn't arrived yet, maybe tomorrow.

Then I bumped into a "tourist" program, rowing-contest, coconut-pressing competition (of course with the traditional method, check the photo-gallery). Visited a Polynesian painter's exhibition. Then travelled back to the marina.

Afternoon

Shopping:

Soya-sauce (1,5 USD) - I'll make the rice more tasteful with it in the next few weeks

Curry (0,5 USD) - I've totally run out of spice

tinned coconut-milk (0,5 USD) - steeping the raw fish in coconut-milk and lemon juice for 1-2 hour, and lunch is ready (fast, very simple and delicious of course!)

chilli-sauce - I'm fed up with all the food, this brings a new taste for every meal :-)

Radio test with Freddy 21 373 kHz:

12:45 (Tahisien time)

Report to Freddy: 5-3

Hard to tune.

13:30 (Tahisien time)

Report to Pali: 5-7

Really hard to tune.

13:40 Heard Freddy, but the signal-strength was 1.

At 13:50 heard well, but then worsened...

Things to do:

Back compartment: arranging stuff and anti-cockroaching.

Fixing the windgenerator.

Sealants with silicone.

Fixing the spanner's protecting tubes.

Gluing the railing.

Fixing the plug of the solar panel's cable, sometimes the plug fell out, and some sea poured into the cabin, maybe that's why the connector went wrong. Then started to clean the bottom of the boat (it's gonna be a hard job!)...

5 pm, went over to Francois for a beer, then out to the coast to Vatea.

We had drinks and talked. His wife wrote a page into my book, even his 2 children drew for me!! Got back my washed clothes, I haven't used a washing machine since Panama (nearly half a year) and Vatea gave me some of his used t-shirts, they seems to be clean compared to mine!!

Then, as usual, charging batteries in the marina and notebook. (for example route-planning.)

2007.09.28 (Day 370)

Forenoon: Went to Papeete by bus, to find free internet. Unfortunately it's so slow that I can hardly send/recieve e-mails. Ftp is impossible, I have to send the photos via e-mail (takes several minutes/photo).

I charged the accu of the laptop in the tourist office. The lady didn't like me, but let me do it.

Lunch: bagette and camembert

Then again 1,5 hour internet on the slow WLAN.

Went to the Nautic Sport. Bad news: the component hasn't arrived yet, I have to wait till next Wednesday!!! I'm almost here for 4 weeks, it's too much for me :-(

Decided to go to Moorea, to visit that island too. Distance is small: 20-25 nm. I can go by ferry (fare is 10 USD), it's fast, or by Carina if I get the autopilot. :)

Then dropped in to Vatea for a beer, but didn't stay long, as from 10 pm we have chess-party with Jean-Claude. (The party was fine, because I've won:-).

We're talking till 2 am, about everything, especially sailing of course.

2007.09.29 (Day 371)

In the morning I rowed to Francois. I can't check out in the weekend. Maybe, I'll cheat a bit: left the boat on Moorea, and I come back on ferryboat (with the papers) to check out :)

Forenoon: cleaning the bottom of the boat.

Afternoon: Docked in the marina (of course, I'd told it to Philipp, the leader of the marina). Then charging batteries, water filling and shopping (16 l of fuel for 28 USD, 48 USD: general shopping) I said goodbye to some friends.

I met Soko, we had beers and wine. He has a boat (cruiser), he takes tourists to the small islands. He kept saying that he's a (nautical) navigator and offered me a job, 1200 USD/month (+ food and beverages). I have to sail around Marquises, Society islands and Tuamotu atolls. We would follow the festivals...

Then he offered me his daughter (her name means love). I could only laugh on it. The girl didn't like me, as my beard is too long, she told me to cut it down. The conversation was much more interesting, I can't really recall the mood in writing...

Then Vatea dropped in with a liferaft for 8 persons. It's too old (9-year-old), so not safe, we can test it!! At first we couldn't open the valve, but after some dragging it worked... It's in a good condition. We tasted the water and the biscuit (a little slice is an adult's daily portion!) It was very professional!!!

In the evening had some drinks with Vatea, in the liferaft, then watched the Lord of the Rings, Part II on my laptop.

Society Islands:

Tahiti,

Moorea,

Raiatea,

Tahaa,

Huahine,

Bora Bora,

Tupai,

Maupiti,

Maiao,

Tearoa,

2007.09.30 (Day 372)

It's interesting that most of the local people are either an alcoholist or a drug-addict. I don't understand why they need it, here in the paradise. The reason is maybe that they cannot value their wonderful life, they cannot compare it to anything else. They should be sent to Budapest, maybe they would value Tahiti more afterwards. :-)

Saying goodbye to Vatea then leaving at 9 am.

Breakfast: cheese and bagette

1 WP: Pointe Faaupo (17-29.6S; 149-44,5W), expected wind: 10-15 knots from East

I left 1-2 hours earlier, than Francois, so we met outside, on the ocean. Francois made some videos from the Gemini and made a few good photos, and of course I also made videos and photos of Gemini...

Till early in the afternoon the two boats were sailing together, then the wind stopped totally. Gemini was towing Carina, then both of the boats used their own motor.

Lunch: spaghetti

It was raining all day, but when we arrived in Moorea, the sun was shining.

Moorea: exotic paradise, dream of the tourists...

We anchored in the other bay, Opunohu Bay. (Captain Cook anchored here in 1777.) Aside from us only a catamaran was in the bay (Robinson's Cove), very silent and beautiful place. I docked to a buoy, Gemini was on an anchor and fixed the stern on the coast. Then I jumped in the water to check the buoy and the anchor. Visibility was quite bad, as the seabed was muddy. I swam to the coast, found a coconut, and ate it immediately...

It's a small and calm beach with lots of palm-trees.

Then I went to the Gemini, had some rum, beer and pop-corn. (Nei on the Villányi street (street in Budapest - translator) made better.)

Dinner: instant Chinese soup (0,5 USD)

2007.10.01 (Day 373)

Got up early, making up the sail, then the cabin, don't have enough space lately. Breakfast: scrambled eggs with curry and bagette

We anchor in a very nice bay, I made some photos, but they can't reproduce it totally.

Steeped the chick-pea for dinner.

Sights in Opunohu Bay:

1. Pig Bay (an opposite bay)

2. Robinson's Cove (we're anchored here)

and of course the Belvedere

After 8 am we left with Francois to see the sights.

Villages: Urufaru, Paetoai, Tiahura...

Forenoon: I tried to open a coconut with my diver-knife on the beach, it was really hard, but a local woman helped me. We talked a bit, she came from Nuku Hiva.

I usually call the local watercraft canoe, but correctly it's 'pirogne'.

Miti Fafaru: a strong mango-brandy, it's sold everywhere, they say it's really strong (12 USD, 7 dl). I didn't buy any.

I'ver written about the Polynesian history for several times, they left South-East Asia 4000 years ago by small, fragile boats. But why did they came?

The island is interesting, pearl (and oils) is sold everywhere. A simple neklace costs 15000 USD. We looked at some, then went out to the largest beach. There were many fish: they were swimming in big swarms among the coralls.

We heard at the tourist office, that we had left the last bus, as it had left at 15:30... (Buses leave quite rearly: one in every 1-2 hour, the fare is 3 USD.)

We visited some other beaches than walked back to the boats. I collected some coconuts for dinner during walking.

Gemini's anchor slipped, so we made a new anchoring manoeuvre in the dark. Then I invited Francois for dinner (to the Gemini). Dinner: chickpea, rissole, at least 5 kinds of sauce, coconut, banana, and beer :)

I have a little sore-throat, I hope it doesn't get worse.

2007.10.02 (Day 374)

Breakfast: hot tea then rest-food from yesterday. Unfortunately the sore throat is much worse...

Early in the morning I'm washing up the dishes, then tidying up, packing things. Then cancelled the connector of the windgenerator, as it was corroding. I connected the wires directly and insulated them with special stripe. Then checked some boxes in the back compartment and found Hungarian silicone!!

Lunch: instant Chinese soup

Making some photos, then sailing to an other bay. (The departure was delayed a bit, as it was raining and we waited for better lights because of the photos :)

We sailed to Cook Bay, Gemini towed me in the end. We arrived at 5 pm. Some boats were anchoring in the bay and the village (Pao Pao) wasn't silent at all...

The adjacent boat is a 28-feet-long, Alu yacht, with the solo-sailor Pascal. He rowed to Carina to have a little talk. He left from France 1 year ago, without any special experience. Of course his boat is very professional!!!

80 nm far from Canary Islands he left his rudder at dawn and asked for help from an other boat on the radio. The boat didn't hear him, so he had to use the manual torch...

The other boat was a 20-m-long yacht. The wind was 8 Bf, used only 1/3 of the genua and towed Eva (Pascal's boat), but they've already arrived in the marina in the afternoon...

He sailed on the same route as me, but he stopped at more marinas (fe. he visited the Easter Islands). Now he's waiting for a new mainsail from Hongkong (it's half-price there...), then he sails to Marquises and spends the hurricane-season there.

Went over to Francois to change photos and have dinner (chicken, rice, vegetable and rum), then had a long talk.

2007.10.03 (Day 375)

I'm sick, I took 2 algopyrins and lots of vitamins.

The electric system is not ok: insulated the kitchenlamp's wires, got out the laptop's wire absolutely. The main automatic fuse is the problem. It's corroding. I changed it for a new one. (I have to buy another!) The accu: 12.87 V

This bay is beautiful too, but the traffic's bigger than it was in the previous.

Pascal invited me for breakfast. Fruit (apple, banana) with rice, what was delicious!

Lately I use Francois's mobile to keep in touch with the Nautic Sport (Mark). I've called them today. The motor's here, the customs examination's happening now. So tomorrow or on Friday I can get it.

Afternoon: We walked to the Belvedere with Francois, of course mostly by hitch-hiking. The view is wonderful to both of the bays.

Before we'd visited Afareaitu Marea. This is an ancient temple (the oldest Marea is in Moorea: 900 years old), where they'd made sacrifices, sometimes human sacrifices, but only males. Females weren't allowed to enter the temple. We'd bumped into Pascal there, who came by bike. He has a collapsible bike on the boat (it's common).

Interesting: 3 solo-sailors on 3 kinds of boat: polyester, aluminium and iron. Discussing advanteges and disadvanteges for hours. These are the main 3 kinds, wooden boats are very rare in this area, only racing boats are made from epoxy and for example cement boats are also sparse...

David arrived in the afternoon on his boat called Friction (40-feet-long sport yacht). This is the 5th marina/bay where we meet and talk. (1st was in Columbia.)

In the evening I was listening to original Polynesian music coming from the coast...

Dinner: tea, instant Chinese soup, vitamins and algopyrin

2007.10.04 (Day 376)

Breakfast: tea, vitamins and algoyprin

In the morning I cancelled some suspicious wires and insulated again. Then disassembled the fuse as it wasn't working: it was always switched on.

Pascal took me to the coast then I started to discover Cook-bay and it's neighbourhood. There're 2 temples on one side and hotels and restaurants on the other...

Lunch: coconut (collected from the beach). I've also collected papaya...

I've found a museum (it's only 1 room, but 4 persons works there:-), it was opened a month ago and the tourist-guide is very proud of it! Entrance fee is 3,3 USD.

I was allowed to touch everything, for example some thousands-year-old tikis :)) Then I was given a pineapple :) I got to know better the tourist-guide and his wife, who makes and sells neklaces. They've offered me a Polynesian medicine for my sore throat (special green fruit). Then we had a beer together.

I visited the Bali Hai Hotel, where live music and Polynesian dance can be seen every Wednesday. I don't write more about it, see also: The Bali Hai story...

Then had a little walk with Francois and it was already sunset.

Called Mark (Nautic Sport) on Francois' phone, good news: the motor is ok by tomorrow, but only one of the two could be fixed...

In the evening I've told Pascal the early departure time, then went to sleep early.

Dinner: instant Chinese soup and medicine/vitamin and Polynesian medical fruit

2007.10.05 (Day 377)

Got up at 4:30 am, as we left at 5 am with Pascal from Moorea, we sailed to Tahiti on his boat. His webpage:http://e-eva.blogs-de-voyage.fr/ It was really interesting, to observe an other solo-sailor, he reacts totally differently to everything. We've been talking for 5 hours, it was hard to stop. He's 42, departed from France a year ago on his 28-feet-long, aluminium boat. (He bought it for 47000 EUR). He worked as a General Manager at a company for some years, that's how he collected the money for the journey. He wouldn't like to go back to Europe, rather doing something here or in Indonesia.

The wind was weak constantly, sometimes stopped, so we used the motor, because I had to arrive on time. It was useful, to watch to work of the wind-rudder. Unfortunately I don't have one. It would be good, to have one, this is a basic equipment for solo-sailors on the ocean. It's a hard job to make one.

We arrived at 11 am to Taina Marian. I travelled by bus to Papeete. I arrived at the office just before 12 (closes at 12), so I could do the check-out quickly (I wasn't regular: I told them my boat was there, but only the documents were :)

Afternoon: free net on the street and free power from the marina...

Saw a Polish catamaran: Flash in the marina, this is the 3rd Polish boat I met on the Pacific Ocean.

After 2 pm went to Nautic Sport: one of my autopilots have not been repaired, because not only the motor (Simrad TPPK8), but the control panel (Simrad TPPK 21) was also not working, but they haven't ordered one before... Maybe if they order one as well, it would be cheaper to buy a new autopilot. Started to test the other one, but it wasn't ok...

I get a 25% discount for a Simrad32 (2 categories upper) -625 USD or pay 100 USD for the motor (I don't have to pay for the repair, and get 25% discount for the motor). So, the manager understood my problem, but he couldn't or didn't want to help more.

Went back to Moorea by a ferry at 17:20, then after by bus to PaoPao. In the evening had some drinks with Francois and the conversation helped me a lot. Thanks. Sailing tomorrow.

2007.10.06 (Day 378)

Breakfast: scrambled eggs

- Binding the autopilot connector.

- checking the batteries, good news: charging of the solar panel is ok: 12,7 V - -13,2 V, it was charged for some hours

- checking the anode

- checking the maps and setting the GPS

- arranging the ropes

- packing clothes and foods

Around 10 am went out to the coast with Francois, visited a Dutch painter who's been living here for more than 40 years. Van Der Heyde http://www.aadmoorea.com he has a great exhibition. Then internet...

Tahisien language course:

Good morning! - Laorana

Thank you. - Mauruuru

Goodbye! - Nana

Yes - e

No - aita

Good appetite! - Tama'a maitai

woman - vahine

man - tane

good - maitai

very good - maitai roa

end- oti

no problem - aita e pe'a pe'a

Welcome! - Maeva

house - Fare

French - Farani

American - marite

land - fenua

sea - moáná

Taboo

magic power - mana

tatoo - tatau

Bless you - manuia

When the inhabitants had enough and don't want to work - fiu

Unfortunately the autopilot isn't 100%, the boss knows this, so I got a major discount,

but it doesn't help much. So, I'm gonna be slower again...

RADIO AMATEURS ATTENTION:

21 373 kHz 23:00 UTC

14 287 kHz 06:00 UTC

(+/- 15 minutes)

I'm not sure if I use the Seafarer Net... (14 300 kHz 03:00 UTC)

Szabi email?

Translated by Andi