Today we are crossing back from Moorea to Papeete, Tahiti where we will do some provisioning and add fuel. We hope to leave there tomorrow eveining (Wednesday) and do a 90 nm overnight passage to the Leeward Society Islands, which include Huahine, Raiatea, and Bora Bora.
Our 90 day visas for all of French Polynesia expire July 18, so we must leave Bora Bora and continue west at that time. Bastille Day (July 14) is a major event in Bora Bora with a week long festival. It is nice of them to throw a party for my 60th.
After leaving French Polynesia, we will have approximately 3 weeks to travel the 1400 nm to Tonga, where we will hook up with Millars in mid August. We will make stops in the Cook Islands - named after Capt. Cook and now a commonwealth of N.Z. as well as in Niue, one of the smallest independent nations in the world.
The Cook Islands and Niue are very small dots in a great big ocean, but good stopping places as we cross to Tonga. It is hard to believe that we are nearly 1/2 through our Pacific adventure for this season. We need to get out of the cyclone season and be in New Zealand by early November. Current plan is to tour NZ during November and December and fly back to Minnesota around Christmas. We expect to be in the states through the end of March to get caught up with family and friends and get a couple months skiing in Utah.
Eric
