We are back at sea. A land breeze made it possible to leave the port of Papeete under sail.
The people on Tahiti were very hospitable, so we could not refuse their request to show something of the sailing.

So all the crew had to be deployed to allow the maneuver. The pilot let us really no choice, though he brought it in a civilized manner. After he introduced himself, his first words were: “I really have no objections if you would like to sail out of port”! Like I asked for it…

After the ship was turning slow towards the exit of the harbor, she began to pick up the speed. On that moment the pilot realized that he still had to ask for ‘permission to proceed’ of the airport control. The runway of the airport is in line with the port entrance.
There was no plane arriving. Fortunately, because both aircraft as a sailboat reacht badly to the command; “Stop right now”.

Thermal effects of the island and a looming storm gave us the opportunity to leave the port while sailing. Tahiti is disappearing on the horizon just as the wind and for us remains nothing else then the Arabic wind.

Richard Slootweg
Captain Clipper Stad Amsterdam