Missing Crew Members and Sad Goodbyes (Update 31)
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Date: Wednesday 19th May
Time: 2000 Hours Tahiti Time (GMT - 10 hours)
Position: 17*30.5' South/149*39.2' West - between Tahiti and Moorea

Bula Viti kei Rotuma

After much confusion this afternoon, we finally departed the dock on Boulevard Pomare, downtown Papeete. At a 9am meeting between the skippers departure time was confirmed for 5pm this afternoon. Then at 4pm we were told that there was a problem with Port Fees being paid and that we would need to wait for the banks to open on Thursday.

By this stage the dock was a hive of mass confusion as everyone rushed around doing last minute things. When the call came that we were staying another night, you could almost feel the sense of relief. By 5.30pm, the word came that we were indeed departing as our fees had been kindly settled by one of the elders of the local Voyaging Society to be reimbursed later.

However this was not good news for the Uto ni Yalo as five crew members were still missing. Moala, Sonny, Kelekele and Unaisi had gone for a ride in the morning with a friend of Bob Gillett and I's, Boum Shui. The crazy Chinaman decided he was not going to drop the crew off until I called him 20 times.

When he realised he had 20 missed calls on his phone, he casually dropped the crew off at around 6.10pm. By 6.30pm we were casting off our mooring lines and our Tahitian guest, Charley Maitere together with Johnathan led on guitar with our farewell song "Isa Lei".

It felt good singing Isa Lei but I am sure a few of the crew had a tear in their eyes as they have enjoyed the bright lights and fresh water baths in Papeete. The local crowd gathered on the dock clapped along with the song then gave us a big cheer as we rounded off the song with "Moce Tahiti".

Then there was a lot of yelling and screaming from the boys as we left drew further away from the dock to allow the other canoes to leave. A hundred metres away and Charley was strumming out the beat of "Masese Masese Masese". You can guess what the last verse was "Hinano Hinano Hinano....Hi..na..a..na...oo, Hinano".

When I visited Papeete in November I had invited Charley to sail with us on this voyage. He was the envy of all his friends who had come down to see him off. The Tahitian canoe, Faafaite has a long waiting list for people wanting to sail so many Tahitian's were envious of Charley for being able to sail with us to Raiatea.

RAIATEA

 

Raiatea has a very long and colourful history as an important cultural centre of Polynesia. The religious chiefs from other Maori archipelagos gathered at Marae TAPUTAPUATEA which is where we are headed. This Marae dates back to the 17th century and is said to be very well preserved. It is from Raiatea that the Polynesian migration started to other parts of the Pacific including Hawaii and New Zealand.

On the site of the Marae, there is a sacred stone filled with Mana (spiritual power) which is called the Mata Rahi (Great Eye) and there is also an archery platform.

Raiatea was the centre of the cult Taaroa, which was progressively replaced by the cult of Oro. When Cook visited in 1769, the kings of Raiatea were exiled and the island was ruled from Borabora.

Last night at a ceremony to unveil a 5 metre high monument to mark the occasion of the visit of our five canoes, desendants of King Tamatoa presented each of the Voyaging Societies with a key to the TEAVAMOA Pass which leads to Marae TAPUTAPUATEA.`

The keys are wrapped in a bamboo shoot and coconut leaves and we are not allowed to open these until we pass Moorea on the way to Raiatea.

Raiatea will be one of the most important islands we will visit on this voyage due to it's importance in the Polynesian culture.

Also last night we presented the Kumete that we escorted from New Zealand, to the Tahitian Voyaging Society. This was done at dusk in full Fijian Traditional dress led by Ratu Manoa.

Earlier today we completed our provisioning including Rupeni visiting the local market which was in walking distance of the canoe. Here we were able to buy our fresh vegetables and fruit for the voyage to Raiatea and on to Rarotonga. Our coolers are filled with fishing that Charley bought along for us. This ice last much longer than the ice you buy from the service station and should last until we are about to depart Raiatea in three to four days time.

Vinaka vaka levu to John Corcoran from Digicel Tahiti for helping out with a phone and local sim card for the crew to call home. John also supplied us with an internet connection which allowed us to send photo's home for the website and Fiji Times. Vinaka DIGICEL.

Until my next report,

Moce Viti

Colin/Uto ni Yalo


Report by Satellite Phone courtesy of DIGICEL