Video Link: new-digs!

Since leaving Mexico’s Banderas Bay (La Cruz/Puerto Vallarta) and arriving in the Leeward Islands of the Societies, comforts of everyday Southern California, such as power, water, communication, and transportation morphed into sought-after luxuries. Easy electricity, washing machines, toasters, microwave ovens, potable water, showering facilities, hot water, flush toilets, internet access, and cars are the stuff of which cruisers’ dreams are made. Here’s a run down of what each port provided:

Galapagos, Isabel Island, Port Villamil

• Anchored, $2000 for 2 weeks, (permits, etc.)
• No electricity, except at the cafes
• Potable water near dinghy dock, (I think, but we used our desalinator)
• No showers
• Flush toilets at some cafes
• Internet access included at some cafes, one in particular: Boob Trap (daily)

  

• Laundry service: $50 for three loads, (we used)
• Paved roads outside of town and packed sand smooth enough to bicycle inside town (we used our fold-ups & rented)
• Affordable taxis
• Trash bins provided

Marquesas, Nuku Hiva, Taiohae

• Anchored, free

  

• No electricity, except at the cafes and at friends’ houses
• Potable water at three specific filtering stations, free (we used our desalinator)
• Intermittent public showers for $1 at the wharf and at friends’ houses (some had hot water)
• Public flush toilets were $1 and usually gross; restaurant toilets were fine (no toilet paper provided at either)
• Internet access included at some cafes, one in particular, Snack Vaeaki (daily)

  

  

• Laundry service: $15/small 5 kg load by the locals, but we went to a friend’s house for free

  

• Roads smooth enough to bicycle (bought bikes for the boys and later donated them to a charity)
• Occasionally borrowed friends’ cars
• Trash bins provided

Tuamotus, Fakarava, South Pass

• Mooring buoy, free
• No electricity, except at the cafe

  

• No showers, except a hose at the dive center
• Potable water, near the dinghy dock, but they don’t have much (we made ours)
• Flush toilets at the cafes (no toilet paper provided)
• Internet access available (fee, $5/hr) at one cafe in particular: Tetamanu

  

• Laundry service likely, but expensive so we used buckets and elbow grease
• Small motu with walking paths
• Received permission to leave trash at cafe’s burn pile

Societies, Tahiti, Papeete

• Docked, $230/wk
• Electricity at the dock (220v), about $3/day
• Potable water at the dock, included
• Showers (solar hot water), included
• Marina flush toilets, included (toilet paper provided, except when a sailor stole the stash for his boat)
• Internet access included (7h-16h, not always operational, moderate bandwidth)
• Laundry machine provided (usually out of service): $8/sm load, but we went to a friend’s house
• Great roads smooth enough to bicycle (bought bikes for the boys) or scooter

  

• Bought a used car (wow, that speeded up getting things done in a day and opened up the island!!!)
• Trash bins provided

Societies, Raiatea, Uturoa

• Docked, $210/mo.
• Electricity at the dock (220v), included
• Potable water at the dock, included
• Showers (air temp), included (poorly maintained)
• Marina flush toilets, included (poorly maintained & of course no toilet paper provided)
• Wifi Internet access on the boat, a monthly service, $80 (24/7, good bandwidth)
• Laundry service: bought into the co-op, ($30/yr, 2 2-hr sessions/wk)
• Roads smooth enough to bicycle (boys have their bikes from Tahiti or can walk to school)

  

• Ferried our used car over (oh, yeah . . . .)
• Trash bins provided

Creature comforts working and well-maintained aboard Kandu

• Solar panels, wind turbine, and a portable AC generator for electricity (1.5hr/gal of gas when making water, or 4-5 hrs when not)
• Lots of battery storage (900 Ah)
• Lots of LED lighting
• Inverter to convert DC electricity into AC
• Transformer to convert 220AC to 110AC (America’s standard)
• Microwave (small and seldom used except when docked)
• Electric toaster and teapot (used only when docked)

  

• Watermaker/desalinator to make potable water (30 gal/hr)
• Electric fresh water pump (can turn on faucets in both heads and galley like at home)
• Drinking water filter (to abate chlorine)
• Hot water heater (10 gal, engine driven and AC)
• Separate refrigerator and freezer, both very cold
• Propane oven with three burners
• Two heads, fore and aft
• Two showers (the cockpit shower (lagoon water temp only) is the only one available; the other is usually a storage closet)
• Two folding bicycles

  

• Electric scooter
• A wifi booster antenna (YES!)
• Five-man dinghy with a 10 horse outboard motor
• Four hatches and 13 port lights all leak free with screens!!

Things we take for granted now: tropical beauty such as unfettered sunrises and sunsets; clear warm water lagoons; isolated islets; colorful fish; fresh inexpensive tuna and exotic fruits; just baked baguettes daily $0.53 each; clean air; quality time we spend together as a family every day; immersing in another culture; making our own schedule; good health, regular exercise and inexpensive health care; safe and secure environment (except some petty theft), and making new life-long friends each month.