August 16, 2007, Thursday
Society Islands, Day 1
Papeete, Tahiti
13:30 utc, 0330 local
17.35 S and 149.39 W
Arrived in Tahiti after sunset, about 1900. We had missed entering the pass by about three hours. Although, we found the marked pass, we did not enter it as it was too dark to make our way into an unfamiliar anchorage. Our best option was to stay out side the north eastern end of the island and wait until dawn. Luckily, being behind the leeward side of the island, the winds have calmed, but sloppy seas and lumpy wave action remain, as we drift up and down the channel between Tahiti and Moorea.
We monitor Channel 16 constantly. At 2000(local) on Wednesday, August 15, 2007, we heard the announcement of the 7.9 Richter scale earthquake that hit the coast of Peru at 23:41 UTC and more importantly, the warning of the ripple effect of a Tsunami for the Marquesas Islands. The Tsunami wave was projected to hit the Marquesas at 2300 (Local time), three hours from now, with 1 to 2 meter high waves (about 3-6'). The warning came as an announcement to all navigators to stay out at sea or stay away from shore. The first time we heard the announcement, it was said in garbled French. Luckily, about twenty minutes later, the announcement was repeated in English and then for the next several hours it was repeated again and again. Cruisers being cruisers, immediately, we created a communication channel on the SSB and began an informal roll call to identify who of our community might still be in the Marquesas Islands. We think, we were one of the last boats out of the Marquesas so few if any cruisers remained in that area or in the Tuamotus. One cruiser had a cell phone and he called a local Polynesian living on Nuka Hiva to warn them of this announcement.
We began immediately to prepare Encanto for the possible ripple effect, possibly more rocking and water over the deck, than we were already experiencing. We knew that being in the Society Islands, we were buffered by the Marquesas and Tuamotus islands, who would be hit more severely than we would be if the Tsuanami actually reached the South Pacific.
Like a well oiled race car team, we quickly worked together to stow everything that could possibly fly through the air and hurt someone, moving most to cupboards or secure locations at the bow of the boat. We were ready in 20 minutes and then, all we could do was wait. An hour and a half later, we heard the News from cruisers who were anchored and connected to the Internet that the Tsunami warning was canceled. We gave a huge sign of relief for all that was avoided and all the wonderful people we had met in the Marquesas and Tuamotus who would have had their lives uprooted (literally) by this spin of Mother Nature. Now, we send our prayers in hopes that the people of Peru are minimally affected.
The danger is over. Now, we are taking turns while adrift, bobbing, until dawn arrives and we move through the pass and anchor inside safe harbors. We could not greet Ann at the airport. All we could do was wave to her plane as it flew overhead at 2300.