Approximately 90 nautical miles from the Opunohu pass, Huahine makes for a perfect overnight sail. Billy climbed the mast to install the new wind vane and into the engine compartment to install the new starter. The forecast was calling for breezy conditions and building swell, but the sky looked clear so we made a group decision to go for it. We made a quick run to fill jerry cans with fuel and buy fresh fruit, and lashed everything down on deck in anticipation of an afternoon departure.
We sailed out of Opunohu Bay under reacher and single reefed main and set our course towards the setting sun. Aldebaran flew before the twenty knot breeze, surfing down the building wind swell. Once out of the shadow of Moorea, we felt the long period ground swell from the south. The combination of rolling swell on the beam, steep wind swell on the stern and the steady breeze made for exciting sailing. Before dark we dropped the reacher, raised the genoa and put another reef in the main in case we ran into the squalls we saw on the horizon. But we were lucky. No squalls, only the starry sky and good wind all night.
To make our course to the south side of Huahine we hand steered as far downwind as possible, taking care not to let the main shadow the genoa. This was extra tricky with the combo swells and too much for the autopilot to handle. We put on some coffee and settled in to the two hours on, two hours off watch routine for the night, keeping course by the stars.
Sunrise was beautiful as we approached Huahine, golden clouds scudding across a pink sky. We saw whales playing as we sailed up the west side of the island towards the pass. Our first overnight passage on Aldebaran couldn’t have been better and now we were ready to explore the beautiful island of Huahine.