What are typical boat chores in the life of a Sailor in French Polynesia? At this beach sundowner the other night, I asked this question to a group of new and veteran boat neighbors.
A very typical schedule is ‘early to bed early to rise’. They report that most mornings, (unless sailing) folks do morning reading, research, family/friends communications, breakfast… Mid morning usually holds regular boat chores, homeschooling or maybe jumping on the “fix it” list of repairs or projects. Boat chores are jobs like varnishing woodwork, vinegar wipedown, polishing stainless, water making… and of course provisioning, cooking, cleaning, laundry (which take twice as long on a boat) Some “fix it” projects should require a marina, but that’s only if you are in Tahiti and French Polynesia is the size of Europe. A flat anchorage, with no big wind shifts, has to do. Hopefully, a sailor will have all the spare boat parts, knowledge and tools to DIY. Reaching out to others’ anchored near for friendly advise is always welcome.
Starlink is a huge help, for the ease of researching the web or making a call to a mechanic. By noon, most sweaty sailors are ready for a jump in the ocean, nap or time to explore. By about 5 pm cruisers (from around the world) are ready to gather up for social hour, to meet new friends, sharing stories, drinks and snacks, discussing weather, sailing, projects, local news, travel ideas… So, I gather from these cruisers and others, that every day is kind of the same, but the people and places make it quite a unique lifestyle. Now for some fun shots of Fun Times on our afternoons this month.
