Twenty-fourth blog from Jon - Taina Marina & Oyster World Rally
by Jon Sanders on 20 Jul 2017
Taina Marina BW Media
Editor's Note: Light winds mean Jon is happily tapping away. Two blogs in quick succession as Jon enjoys the South Pacific.The wind must be light as we’ve received two blogs from Jon in short succession.
The Hon. Ian Campbell, former Australian Senator and Federal Minister, has an Oyster 68 ft single mast yacht. It is said and one believes, more material (not to forget etc.) goes into these stock production cruising yachts to stand the ocean rigours. UK built. The Swan Yachts from Finland have a similar reputation. Appear to emphasise Ocean Racing ability in their design. Perhaps their designers do not consult mother enough. No more.
All that aside, I am a Swan fan. Anyway parked at Taina Marina, and at the upgraded Marina Down Town Papeete are lots of Oysters. Not the sort you eat. It is the Oyster Round the World Rally. If you can afford to buy an Oyster, one can obviously afford to sail around the world. (And you can afford to buy oysters).
Senator Campbell and Dr Robin Morritt. Have something in common. They have both read and then followed the voyage of Bernard Moitessier. Whilst I was sailing thru the Tuamotu Archipelago I got an SMS, via the iridium, from Robin. - Late at night - fully awake because I didn't want to prang the fringing reefs. (It is not the done thing to damage the coral). “You're in Moitessier Territory'.
Bernard Moitessier, French National, born in Vietnam 10/4/1925, spent much of his life on AHE Atoll (on all the charts it says AHE. But the Polynesians call it Tamata). Now buried in Brittany France. Way back in the late 1960s (1968) the British Sunday Times conducted the Golden Globe Race. The winner would be the first to circumnavigate the world single-handed non-stop.
Nine starters. Some bizarre. Donald Crowhurst committed suicide - after giving a series of false positions on the DSB Radio. Of those nine, two of them had the most experience at sailing their yachts beforehand. Robin Knox Johnson. (Now Sir Robin) and Bernard Moitessier. They both got away sooner. Sir Robin won. First person port to port.
Bernard probably would have won. Having cleared Cape Horn and on his way back up the Atlantic - did a U turn, 'what the heck' - 'I don't want to return to the French Rat Race' - or something similar - and headed back to the Southern Oceans, sailing south of South Africa yet again, onwards to paradise. French Polynesia.
At the time the longest continuous voyage in the history of the planet. To become (& still is) a legend of the South Seas. All the above I just scribbled in pencil. Before I put it into the iPad.
I will wander down to the Marina Office and checkout. Expensive. Just as well brother Colin put some money into my account - or I would be staying put. (Clink). I will then catch a bus to Papeete and get my clearance for Noumea New Caledonia from the Port Authority, then visit the Douane and the immigration police. All this has to be done you know. Then depart.
Regards to all.
Jon
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