All the beginnings of our voyages are the beginning of an adventure, a voyage with discoveries, new places to visit and explore. But the beginning of this voyage was something else! Rapa Nui is an island with several places where boats can be launched, but it is also an island surrounded by a fast ocean. Swell and wind dictate wether a harbour is open or closed for movements of the boats.. Sadly for us, the port was closed for 3 consecutive days. We moved the Tecla from Hanga Roa, to an anchorage more sheltered from the waves. When the wind turned on Saturday evening, we moved back to Hanga Roa, but the port was still closed, due to swell breaking in the harbor entrance.
On Saturday we arranged for a fisherman to pick up our guests and bring them on board at 18:00 on the Sunday. But when we spoke to him at 11:00 he said it would be impossible to get out of the harbour that day. We waited and waited, but at 13:00 hours we had to make a plan how to welcome our new guests. On a hunch we hauled anchor and moved to another place, with a small beach, Anakina, to see if we could land our dinghy there. It was 7 miles, against the wind and we arrived at 16:00 at Anakina. Although the anchorage was rough, swell running in and the Tecla looking like she was out at sea, the beach looked perfect! We said our goodbye’s to the crew leaving, as Julie and Josselina where heading out for other adventures, got Tinke into the dinghy and quickly dropped all three off at the beach.
They jumped into a taxi, one headed for Hanga Roa harbour to meet with the guests, one arranged the taxies and one collected the rental car we had parked at our old anchorage. With the car we transported all the luggage, we got our guests into 3 taxies and off they went across the island to our new anchorage. And just before dark, all were on board. We quickly hauled anchor again, to head back to Hanga Roa, so we could have nice nights rest, on a calmer anchorage.
And then yesterday we were finally able to get our dinghy into the harbor of Hanga Roa. After clearing out and getting the last of the groceries on board, we set sail for Pitcairn.
Today the sun is out, the breeze is a steady 15 knots from ESE and we are making good progress. Although some are working on their sea legs, all is well on board. May this adventure take us to some amazing places!
Jet
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