Bora Bora, Tahaa and Raiatea islands in the Societies

After Moorea we did an overnight sail to Raiatea but motored the whole way with no wind 🙁

We picked up a mooring near the CNI yard for a haulout to address increased play in the rudder we noticed after the pacific crossing.

They yard had an old school way of hauling out boats.. with a tractor!! But it worked really well.

We removed the rudder and re-glued the lower bearing a little tighter.. Viola! minimal rudder play. It was also a good chance to lube the feathering prop, change the zincs, check the cutlass bearing and clean the bottom..

While we were in the yard we got a chance to seeing traditional dancing in Uturoa the town in Raiatea, part of the month long Heiva celebrations. This is the women dancing..

Then the men come and start dancing..

Then the men dance with the women..

Which results in cute kids dancing..   the story of life 😉

Tahaa is only island in the societies where you can sail all the way around.. so we left Raiatea to circumnavigate Tahaa.

It was wonderful sailing in flat water with a decent breeze surrounded by beautiful palm studded motus and turquoise water..

We anchored in Haamene Bay to check out the Hibiscus Turtle sanctuary..

Glenda enjoying the turtles..

Our favorite turtle.. In Darwin’s day they ate these on their passage back to England..

After circumnavigating Tahaa, we provisioned at the big supermarket in Uturoa.. I won’t go hungry in my bunk that’s for sure..

Finally we set sail for Bora Bora, supposedly one of the most beautiful islands in the south pacific..  Bora Bora is in the distance as we exit the Pai Pai pass in Tahaa.

Glenda enjoying the sailing, she missed the bumpy ocean swells.. Raiatea in the background..

Approaching majestic Bora Bora..

Through the pass and inside the Bora Bora lagoon..

We took a mooring at the Bora Bora Yacht Club to be with our friends on Merkava, Songline, Savannah and Rutea. Sudden Stops in the middle.

They were renovating the yacht club under new management.. We enjoyed many sunsets on the club house deck..

Glenda modeling a pareus at a party on S/V Songline.

Vaitape the main town in Bora Bora was charming..

We saw more Heiva dancing and celebrations in Bora Bora…

After a week at the yacht club we anchored in a beautiful spot next to Motu Toopua..

And snorkeled in turquoise water near Motu Tapu, an uninhabited island owned by the Hilton resort.

I hereby name this motu.. “Chet Island”..

We next anchored on south side of Bora Bora on a sand shelf in turquoise water..

The fish in Bora Bora loved eating stale baguettes out of our hands..

However the most interesting creatures we saw while snorkeling were tourists in these weird submersibles!!

Our final stop in Bora Bora was the famous Bloody Mary’s restaurant.. We picked up a mooring next to the restaurant pier.

Bloody Mary’s from the top of our mast..

Glenda posing as Bloody Mary!

Ah.. relaxing after finally getting the boat ready for the next adventure.. Bye Bye French Polynesia.. 

Next Destination: 700 miles west, the famous Suvarrow atoll in the Cooks islands.