Set to leave for Fakarava…  Monday 31/07/2023

Just a brief update to say that I intend to leave for Fakarava tomorrow, Tuesday 1st August. The autopilot appears to be fixed, with a new transducer installed last Friday – all I can do is keep my fingers crossed that there will be no further problems. I could have left on Saturday, but strong winds (25 to 30 knots) have made it sensible to delay for three days in order to have a more comfortable trip. Wind speed might at times be a little over 20 knots, especially on Tuesday, but thereafter the wind is forecast to be in the 15-20 knots range, falling to just under 10 knots when we will be approaching Fakarava. 

Having been plagued by technical problems (although they didn’t prevent me sailing 4,000 miles across the Pacific, so in reality I’ve been lucky!), hopefully I can have better fortune moving forward. My rough plan is to sail the 540 miles to Fakarava in 4 days, then spend perhaps 5 days there before heading to Tahiti, which is only 240 miles further, a 2-day trip. 

And then probably on to nearby Raiatea, which like Tahiti is one of the Society Islands and considered the heart of traditional Polynesian culture. From there towards Tonga, stopping at the Cook Islands…

So that’s the broad plan. As always, however, it is subject to change, depending on whatever I might hear en route and, of course, any technical problems I might have as I sail west! Although I’ve enjoyed my extended stay on Nuku Hiva, it will be good to be moving again.