On the Hard!

They fixed the trailer and hauled us out as promised. New Morning is now safely stored on land in a one piece cradle. And a few extra months in the water doesn't seem to have done her bottom any harm as she clean up very nicely.
Thank you to Karin and everyone at CNI!
Merry Christmas - from Raiatea
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Toute l’équipe du Chantier Naval vous souhaite de passer de très bonnes fêtes de fin d’année!!
Je vous rappelle que nous sommes fermés du 22 Décembre au 4 Janvier inclus.
All the CNI teem wish you “ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!”
I remember you that we are closed from the 22 December until the 4 January.
CNI Teem
Vive la HINANO !!!
More photos and articles

I also posted Fay's most recent article in Sail Magazine. It was published last year, but while cruising we never got around to posting it. See what she writes about Sun, Heat and Humidity also available on the In The News page.
And last but not least is an excerpt from Chuck Paine's career retrospective My Yacht Designs where he describes New Morning as "our very best Performance Cruiser design". Quite a compliment from a designer with such a long career.
Software fixed - Tahiti photos
But the weather is so nice this weekend, crystal clear after some big winds earlier this week, a bit crisp, but still beautiful, I may get distracted...
Broken web site software
Foreshadowing
Our original plan, confirmed many times with the boat yard here in Raiatea, was to haul out yesterday. That would give us today to tidy up New Morning in her cradle on dry land and work with the woman who will be her caretaker.
Last Friday we saw the wheels had been removed from the carriage used to haul the boats out of the water (old school - the boat floats onto the carriage, then they pull it all out of the water with a winch and tractor). Over the weekend Fay expressed some concern that being hauled on Monday meant we would be the first boat hauled after the "repairs" which made her a little nervous.
Then while talking with Jerry over the weekend, a retired navy doctor now cruising in a small sailboat, he cautioned us that the haul out schedule could be a little soft and could easily slip by a day or two.
None the less Monday dawned clear and sunny. Karin (the admin who runs everything) advised us we'd be coming out about 1pm when the tide was highest. In the morning they would haul another boat which had a shallower keel. No problem as 1pm gave us plenty of time to get a few last minute things done and then we'd have all day Tuesday to finish up. At 1pm the other boat had been pulled from the water, but the carriage was barely out of the water and the workers were still at lunch.
By 2pm I double checked with Karin, but she was still confident, telling us that they would shortly be moving the other boat to its storage location. At 3pm Karin came by to say that things were going slower than expected and they would have to haul us on Tuesday. Jerry's guidance had become reality. But no problem we were ready to go and could still complete everything on Tuesday afternoon before flying out on Wednesday morning.
At 4pm Karin came by with additional news. The carriage had broken under the weight of the previous boat and they would not be able to haul us at all! Wham, Fay's comments foreshadowed the problems with the morning boat. And as we walked by the morning boat it was clear that all was not well, though the yard was carefully using what they had to get it safely positioned in its cradle with a combination of a forklift and a small TravelLift from the adjoining yard. We were glad we were not the first boat after the repairs.
So now they are only going to haul boats up to 15tons (we are 20 metric tons). However, the week before the Christmas break they will be completely rebuilding the carriage to handle heavier boats so they can haul us in January. And they will be happy to have us stay in the water until then.
So New Morning stays in the water until January, at which time they will haul her out and store her on dry land. "The best laid schemes of mice and men / Go oft awry…".
Work, work, work
And after almost three weeks of rain every day we've had two days of clear sunny weather so we got everything dried out and put away. We have a few things to do on Saturday, then we'll take Sunday off and haul out on Monday. Then end of almost a full year of cruising. Just in time for winter in California.
But don't stop reading just yet. I've got a lot more pictures to post so you can see the full season. And then I'm going to be adding some pages on equipment ratings. Equipment to buy and equipment to avoid. So if you're a cruiser or sailor you may find our equipment experiences useful. And I'll probably update a few other sections as well. But first, time to finish getting packed up here and catch a flight home.
In the Marina
Poisson du jour

First is the Picasso Triggerfish. It's obvious what inspired the Picasso part of the name.
Next I was able to capture two nice fish in one picture.


Some of the fish names are so obvious. Like Big Eyes that have - you guessed - big eyes! But I don't know who came up with Rabbitfish or Triggerfish.
Read my lips


Then back at the dingy I shot this "screen saver" view of the southeast tip of Maharare looking north. Not much I can add, I think the picture says it all!