- Sailplan for 2010 Polynesian voyage
- Vutala Na Ua 2010
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 1
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 2
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 3
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 4
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 5
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 6
- Uto Ni Yalo - Update 7
- Uto Ni Yalo - Support, Friends in NZ
- Uto Ni Yalo - Vili's Finger
- Photos : Fiji to NZ leg
- Moce, NZ (Update 10)
- The Journey Continues (Update 11)
- Zen and the Art of Fishing (Update 12)
- Heading East (Update 13)
- The Crew Reports (Update 14)
- Uli and Life On The Seas (Update 15)
- Glorious Sun and then... (Update 16)
- Battling the Elements (Update 17)
- The Skipper Speaks (Update 18)
- Heading North! (Update 19)
- North Easter Blows (Update 20)
- Warm weather at last (Update 21)
- Becalmed (Update 22)
- Uto ni Yalo Song (Update 23)
- Raivavae Welcomes Us! (Update 24)
- Tahiti, Tourists, and Tamure (Update 25)
- Magical Motu Vaiemanu (Update 26)
- Moorea (Update 27)
- Moorea Welcome (Update 28)
- The legend of the Fe'e (Update 29)
- Papeete Welcome (Update 30)
- Missing Crew Members and Sad Goodbyes (Update 31)
- Siga Bibi Mataka (Update 32)
- Taputapuatea Marae (Update 33)
- Pufau Bay (Update 34)
- New Watch Captains (Update 35)
- Raro here we come! (Update 36)
- Carson's Story (Update 37)
- Avana Welcome (Update 38)
- Browns Beach BBQ (Update 39)
- Fiji Netball Visit (Update 40)
- Raro departure delayed (Update 41)
- Departing Raro (Update 42)
- Crew Swapping (Update 43)
- The origin of the 'Tabua' (Update 44)
- Rotuma's Link with French Polynesia (Update 45)
- Fijian links to Samoa (Update 46)
- Uto ni Yalo's carvings (Update 47)
- The story of the Samoan Tattoo (Update 48)
- Uto ni Yalo in Samoa (Update 49)
- Tonga Time (Update 50)
- Last Stop (Update 51)
- Neiafu Harbour (Update 52)
- Come Welcome the Uto Ni Yalo Home!
- A Tongan Feast (Update 53)
- Homeward Bound (Update 54)
- Fiji, we are home. (Final Update)
- “Move your paddle silently through the water”
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 11/3/11 (Update 02)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 12/3/11 (Update 03)
- Weather Update (Update 04)
- New Crew Comments (Update 05)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 13/3/11 (Update 06)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 14/3/11 (Update 07)
- New Crew Comments (Update 08)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 15/3/11 (Update 09)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 16/3/11 (Update 10)
- New Crew Comments (Update 11)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 17/3/11 (Update 12)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 18/3/11 (Update 13)
- SUV-AUK LEG Daily diary 19/3/11 (Update 14)
- Herb Kawainui Kane Condolence Message
- Youngest Crew Member
- Chartered into unchartered waters
- Talk to me
- Auckland Departure
- New Leg - Update 7
- New Leg - Update 8
- Day 9 Update
- New Leg - Update 10
- New Leg - Update 11
- New Leg - Update 12
- New Leg - Update 13
- Hawaii - Update 14
- Moce Hawaii
- N. Pacific Garbage Patch - Update 16
- Cleaning Up Update 17
- San Francisco beckons Report 18
- Jack Newells Story of the knowledge collecting trip to Lau
- FIVS crew departs Fiji for San Diego for the next leg of the voyage
- Report #1 - 2012 - Uto ni Yalo - The Journey Continues
- Report #2 - 2012
- Report #3 - 2012
- Report #4 - 2012 - The Ladies of the Uto ni Yalo
- Report #5 - 2012 - Meet the "Matua"
- Report #6 - 2012 - Sunday on board - to Cabrillos
- Report #7 - 2012 - Meet the Men of the Uto ni Yalo
Moorea Welcome (Update 28)
Date: Thursday 13th May
Time: 1700 Hours Tahiti Time (GMT - 10 hours)
Position: Papetoai, Baie d' Opunohu, Moorea
Bula Viti kei Rotuma
Today we received another huge welcome in Papetoai on the West coast of Opunohu Bay.
But first let me backtrack to yesterday, where we anchored in Haapiti Bay for the evening. We arrived at Haapiti at 10.30am and quickly anchored just inside the reef next to a nice left hander, surf break. The sky was cloudy and rain was on the way. I thought about a surf but looking at how many surfers were in the break, the snorkeling looked more inviting.
No sooner was the anchor on the bottom, the entire crew was in the water with Johnathan leading the way to the reef. I stayed on board for 20 minutes to make sure the anchor was holding on the bottom as it was quite deep even though we were very close to the reef.
Once I reached the reef with my speargun, I was amazed at how many fish were around although they were all fairly small,the reef was alive with sea life. The sand bottom dropped off to around 40 feet with coral patches scattering the bottom and a reef ledge along the drop off. I decided there was nothing worth shooting for dinner and headed back to the canoe.
On reaching the canoe, I noticed all the other canoes had now anchored in various locations around the bay within swimming distance of the Uto ni Yalo. Already I could see other crews diving off their canoes swimming.
Soon there were crew members from the other canoes swimming our way and then we were serving them coffee and tea under the aft awning as everyone sheltered from the rain that was coming down in buckets.
Johnathan returned with his t-shirt tied like a bag, filled with Vivili. Rupeni started preparing lunch while Johnathan and I headed ashore to do some shopping at the local grocery shop.
We returned to find the aft deck once again filled with crew members from the other canoes and I knew the inevitable was going to happen.
John Misky from Samoa started to hint about some kava then Tahi a Tahitian navigator from Raiatea arrived on a speed boat and said "wheres the kava?". Then it was all on, the guitars came out and Titaua from Raivavae who is a crew member on the Faafaite was joining Kai'afa and Johnathan on the guitars.
The Uto crew were dying to have lunch but being Fijians, eating in front of guests is never going to happen. So they joined in the merry making which was now starting to attract a bigger crowd as the sound of the singing drifted around the bay.
Kai'afa went to call Ratu Manoa for lunch knowing he would not come on deck if he knew there was a kava session going on up on deck. When he appeared on deck to find there was a huge crowd and no lunch in sight, he let out a huge kaila!
As it started to get dark, people started to leave and we thought finally we would be able to have lunch. Some of the last stragglers need some encouragement to leave but Tahi looked settled and showed no signs of wanting to return to the Hine Moana so we invited him to stay for lunch which was now becoming dinner.
As if he felt he owed us something, Tahi took over the guitar and sang a few numbers as Rupeni bought out the food which consisted of Rourou, Vivili and Fish in lolo with Dalo and French bread. The dinner was fantastic and well appreciated by all including Tahi.
After dinner Tahi shared some legends and stories from Raiatea. We all look forward to visiting this mystical island we have all heard so much about. Raiatea will be our last stop in French Polynesia before we depart for Rarotonga.
Everyone was up at 5.30am to start changing the rigs over to the Traditional rigs for our entry into Opunohu Bay. As the five canoes sailed up the West coast of Moorea, we must have looked a sight. But the highlight was sailing in through Tareu Pass in beautiful sunshine with the backdrop of Moorea's magnificent mountains.
As usual Ratu Manoa, Moala, Kelekele, Kai'afa, Sonny, Paul and Steven were in tradtional Fijian costumes. Tourist boats trailed the Uto ni Yalo with camera's in full swing. From outside the pass we could see a big crowd gathered on the Papetoai Jetty.
Tomorrow I will bring you news on our welcome ceremony.
Vinaka
Colin/Uto ni Yalo
Report by Satellite Phone courtesy of DIGICEL