After arriving in Tahiti and saying goodbye to Martin and Simone, Eitan and I walked to the marina office to finish the check-in process. We knew we would be in Tahiti for at least 5 nights before Eitan’s friend was scheduled to arrive for a short visit. Knowing how easy it is to get lured to stay in a marina with all of its conveniences and comforts, we only prepaid for two nights and planned to check out some of the other anchorages around the island. The marina staff pointed out the cruiser lounge with WIFI and showers and I couldn’t wait to download some Netflix shows and take my first real long hot shower in almost four months!
After checking in, we walked down the street to grab lunch and within a few minutes we arrived at a pair of familiar looking golden arches: McDonalds! To be honest, eating some chicken nuggets and french fries was the one thing I was most looking forward to in Tahiti. After months and months of foreign menus that I couldn’t read, waiters I couldn’t understand, and strange ingredients at the grocery stores, I craved something familiar. I included a chocolate milkshake for good measure and sat there savoring every bite. It felt just like home except we were the only white people in the restaurant and there were chickens running around inside, despite the explicit “No Chicken” signs on the doors.
Later that day we met up with my friend Paul, who took Eitan and me out for drinks and appetizers. It was a random coincidence that Paul happened to be in Tahiti at the same time, having just finished a 10-day sailing course, and was on his way back home to Canada, flying out that night. I had originally met Paul while sailing in Thailand and had since done a number of trips with him, being one of my favorite travel buddies. It was so good to see a familiar face and talk about life events and mutual friends and hoped one day he will come back to visit us onboard.
The next morning, after dropping off laundry, Eitan and I split up to run errands. Eitan was off to the various marine and hardware stores looking for parts that had been impossible to source in French Polynesia thus far. I set off to stock up on fresh foods and provisions. First, I headed over to the municipal market which was a bit of a tourist destination, selling everything from clothes and souvenirs to fresh produce. I picked up some mangoes, avocados, and pomelos then headed to the actual supermarket. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I walked inside. It was, what I would consider, a “real” grocery store with isles and a produce section!!! They had so many of the products we had long missed and I grabbed just enough food to sustain Eitan and me for the following week, as I planning to do a full provisioning before we left.
That night we got together with our friends on SV Kismet and SV Steel Away, first grabbing drinks at a cruisers happy hour then making our way to a local brewery for beers and pizza. Going out to dinner and drinks with friends sounds so normal, but I didn’t realize how much I had been missing it. We all shared stories of the places we had been visiting and our future plans. SV Kismet was heading straight to Fiji and SV Steel Away had secured a long stay visa and would be in French Polynesia for a while longer.
Despite telling ourselves that we wouldn’t stay in a marina the entire time in Tahiti, it just felt SO GOOD. Normally we hate being in the city and try to get out as fast as possible, busily doing whatever errands that need to be done and then leaving. We found ourselves really enjoying our time there and all the comforts that came along with it; I ate McDonalds chicken nuggets every day and took a long shower each night. We were also enjoying the extra space onboard by not having any crew. So, we decided to book a couple extra days on the dock and I looked into renting a car for the day to see more of the island.
I read several blogs and travel books about itineraries in Tahiti, but was surprised to find that most advised not to spend any time there other than to layover. Most people just transit through Tahiti on their way to Bora Bora, Moorea, or some of the other islands. I struggled to come up with any kind of itinerary with a rental car, and since the marina didn’t offer parking, I decided against getting one. Our time was best spent getting things done on the boat and enjoying the nearby creature comforts while we had such easy access to them.
The day before we were planning to leave, I received a message from SV Agape asking when we were planning to leave the marina and if they could take our slip. Since the marina is first come first serve, the only way to guarantee a spot when you get there is to take someone else’s spot as they leave. The marina had become busier and busier and we had already had a couple of inquiries about our slip, but since SV Agape had given us the free BCD, it was good to feel like we could finally repay them. I coordinated with the marina office and they advised us to not leave our slip until SV Agape is ready to enter the marina, as it is that competitive during the peak season!
We did one last wash down and interior cleaning and pulled out of our slip, waving to SV Agape on the way out. We motored around to the other side of the airport and picked up a mooring ball for the night. We would be picking up Eitan’s friend in the morning.
