SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE 
FLEET UPDATE 

July 1, 2022

TOP NEWS THIS WEEK

1) THE FLEET CONTINUES WESTWARD 

2) KIRIBATI OPENS UP 

1) GO WEST 

As French Polynesia's 90 day visas end the fleet is making it's way out of
French Polynesia - Cook Islands, American Samoa, etc etc QUICK FACT -
There are 10,000 more islands beyond Bora Bora in the South Pacific
 

2)  KIRIBATI 🇰🇮 OPENS UP 

The Government of Kiribati announced, that all international travel to and
from Kiribati will return to normal on the 1st of August, 2022.

The official announcement also confirmed that the Government of Kiribati
has reduced the compulsory in-country quarantine days for all travelers
from seven (7) to three (3) days. 

Kiribati is not another Tahiti, Hawaii, etc. It has very few visitors, and they
have to be prepared to "rough it." That said, there aren't many
countries where the people are more friendly.

KIRIBATI is an island group in Micronesia straddling the equator with 33 atolls.
Kiribati saw some of the worst fighting of the Pacific theater during
the Second World War, including the infamous Battle of Tarawa in
November 1943.

3) PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Blue Heeler's Rainbow

SY BLUE HEELER 🇦🇺 Alison & Wayne - Hallberg Rassy 39'

4) CROSSING THE DATELINE 180° MERIDIAN 🇫🇯  FIJI 

Taveuni is the third-largest island in Fiji. The cigar-shaped island, a massive
shield volcano which rises from the floor of the Pacific Ocean across
the Somosomo Strait

Bula from Paradise Resort on Taveuni!  This month I have made new
tracks from Denarau to Yadua to Savusavu to Viani to Taveuni.  In
the next few weeks I'll make my way to Fulaga, Kadavu and Beqa and share
those tracks when I can. 

Yes Anchorages on and near Taveuni, Fiji  are in GOOD  NAUTICAL 

The waters in the Somosomo Strait are subject to powerful currents as a
vast amount of nutrient-rich ocean water that fuels the region's
astonishing coral growth.  

The Rainbow Reef on the edge of Taveuni is one of the most famous dive
sites in the South Pacific. The Great White Wall is named because of the
white coral inhabiting the area at depths between 49 and 213 ft

This is also a hotspot for bigger species of marine life, with plenty of
schooling fish, sharks and manta rays during the season.

SY  SEAGLUB 🇺🇸 Chris - Hylas 46′

5) IBEX' LAST WEEKS IN 🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA 

Gold at the end of the Rainbow

Cooks Bay - Mo'orea FP

Our current anchorage in MO'OREA Cook's Bay FP named after James Cook, despite that he never sailed into here 

Sunset Alert 

Fuel Prices will go up 24 % this weekend in French Polyneisa 

Island of HUAHINE - French Polynesia 

The important thing: once a year the pastor has to bless the vanilla plants - or so I understood with my non existent French

Vanilla Plants in Huahine

Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla. Pollination is
required to make the plants produce the fruit. In 1841, Edmond Albius, a
12-year-old slave child who lived on the French island of Réunion in
the Indian Ocean, discovered that the plant could be
hand-pollinated. 

Three major species of vanilla currently are grown globally, all of which
derive from a species originally found in Mesoamerica.  Hernán
Cortés is credited with introducing both vanilla and chocolate to Europe
in the 1520s. In Europe, vanilla was seen mostly as an additive to
chocolate until the French starting using vanilla to flavor ice cream.

The seed pods are gathered up when mature and exposed to the heat of the
tropical sun, or sometimes steamed in modern production. This damages
the pods' cell walls, and the resulting chemical reactions brown the
pods and create the signature vanilla flavor.

View of Mo'orea from Tahiti

We just watched a Heiva dance presentation 

If you come this way in July, above is the program.

The Heiva  is an expression of Polynesian culture.  The mythical
stage, the venue for this cultural event, will host song and dance
groups

During World War II, the United States chose Bora Bora as a South Pacific
military supply base, and constructed an oil depot, an airstrip, a
seaplane base, and defensive fortifications. The base, known as "Operation Bobcat", comprised nine ships, 18,000 t of equipment, and nearly 7,000 soldiers. 

Roast Suckling Pig  - traditional fare from Polynesian culture.  

SY IBEX 🇦🇹  Florian & Vicky- Sunbeam 42′

7) PICTURE OF THE WEEK 

SY OHANA at anchor in Bora Bora, French Polynesia  

Picture of Ohana haulout in Raiatea Carenage French Polynesia

SY OHANA 🇺🇸  Aisling & Darryl  - Lagoon 46′

8) DRIFT DIVE FAKARAVA  🇵🇫 FRENCH POLYNESIA 
 

Had a amazing dice at the south pass of Fakarava for the full moon! Thousands of grouper!

Wesail's youtube chanel https://www.youtube.com/c/WEsail/videos

Tetamanu Village south pass Fakarava

SY VA / WESAIL  🇵🇦  Erica & Warren - Fountaine Pajot 44′

9) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE 
AWARDS CATEGORIES 

HERE ARE THE  CATEGORIES 

    BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT* ✔ 

    PICTURE OF THE YEAR ✔  

    SPEEDY AWARD – SEVENSTAR AWARD ✔  

    THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD ✔ 

    MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR ONBOARD ✔ 

    HIGHEST WIND RECORDED ✔ 

    SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION ✔ 

    GALLEY GOD(ESS) ✔ 

    GOOD SAMARITAN OF THE YEAR ✔  

    NEWLY ADDED – BOAT YOGA POSE OF THE YEAR ✔

*no bill-fish

Vanuatu awaits

10) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE WEATHER ROUTING   

For weather routing  through the dangerous middle toward s New Zealand or Australia please visit our sponsors 
https://pacificposse.com/ocean-tactics

Contact John Martin 
 admin@coastalandoffshorecruising.com

WhatsApp / Tel  +64 27 242 1088

John Martin principal of Ocean Tactics has been assisting skippers with weather and passage planning in the Pacific  for many years is now an official sponsor  of the South Pacific Posse.

11) VUDA MARINA 🇫🇯  FIJI
SPONSORS THE SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE

With pleasure we are happy to announce the  Sponsorship of the Pacific Posse

Vuda Marina Savusavu Fiji 

This  season the South Pacific Posse will have:

20% discount on docks.

Welcome national beer

And access to all facilities.

Regards,

Adam Wade GM

Adam Wade

Skype i.d: vudamarina

Tel: +679 666 8214  +679 666 8215  info@vudamarina.com.fj