Ma’aramu

The Pacific Currents

The crew of this Excess 11 have had a fantastic time crossing the Pacific, with an
unforgettable welcome in French Polynesia.

Ma’aramu

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Published 09/08/2024

By Gilles Ruffet

Issue: 197

Published: sept. / oct. 2024

Discover this issue

Who: Hinatéa and Tristan, Nicolas, Elsa, Jean-François and Julien
Where: between Europe and French Polynesia
Multihull: Excess 11
Blog: www.hina-tristan.com

We left Panama with the idea that we might not see land for another month. In the end, this crossing turned out to be one for the record books. We covered the 4,000 miles on a single tack, very often with the wind on the beam. The first week was the most complicated, with a fairly light wind from behind at the start, followed by us motoring through the doldrums for 36 hours. We had to negotiate squalls, which sometimes meant sailing against the wind for a few hours. Hinatéa had a job waiting for her in Tahiti, so we had to skip the Galapagos, even if we couldn’t resist the temptation of passing through the middle of the archipelago, where we had up to 20 boobies on board at the same time: a wonderful memory.
In order to take advantage of a stronger, following current, we opted for a slightly northerly route, which was a little longer and with slightly less reliable trade winds. We took the gamble and after a few days we were in another dimension: in a very stable wind of around twelve knots or so and under code 0. We were making almost constant headway at between 9 and 10 knots, with several comfortable days where we managed to cover more than 200 miles. It was bliss. It’s times like these when we feel invincible. With a week to go before we would reach the Marquesas, we decided to leave this current, which had helped us so much. In a steady wind, we were still making good progress, often at around 7 knots. At last! Hiva Oa came into sight. The welcome in the Marquesas is exceptional. Hinatéa’s father, who obviously knows everyone on the island after living there for several years, has organized a welcome with the schoolchildren. We could hear the drumming and singing even before entering the harbor. Hinatéa was covered in flower necklaces, and we were offered loads of fresh fruit.
We left the Marquesas for the final leg of our journey. The boat was gliding along well under code 0, in a steady wind of around 12-14 knots. Maybe it’s psychological, but I had the impression that the boat, lighter than when we left France, with less food and fuel, was making better progress. We arrived at Anse Amyot on Toau. This bay is a false channel to the lagoon, protected from the swell but surrounded by coral bommies. You really feel like you’re at the end of the world. Around a hundred miles from Tahiti, we hit the most violent squall of the entire voyage. The wind picked up from 10 to 40 knots in just a few minutes, and we ended up lowering the mainsail completely, sailing under just the jib, essentially trying to outrun it. Our last sunset at sea was one of the most beautiful of the entire voyage, and we dropped anchor for the last time. The Tahitian lagoon is as beautiful and wild as ever in this part of the island. Before we left France, neither of us had ever spent a night at sea!

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