The Dinghy Dock

Got to love the "Dinghy Dock"... that little work horse "The Dinghy" needs or is served well by its own little dock. In Terrwyn's case it's "The Pickle". (Sir Frances Drake's Golden Hine was initially named Pickel, If I remember correctly).

Ubiquitous in these parts, The Dinghy Dock is rather like Plaza Major or Grand Central Station. Each serving the same function each with their own flare. Each a place for crews to converge, meet and compare notes, swap stories from the Mother Vessels anchored off nearby in plain view.

Sometimes local fishermen clean their daily catch and sharks abound or just yachties load water, fuel, and groceries up and down rickety ladders or floats and the kids swim around.

The dinghy painters pile up on the rare bollard and it's a shell game to loosen only your own. Refreshingly locks are very uncommon as generally its bowline with round turn and 2 half hitches on old weathered recycled sheets or halyards.

The dinghy fleet is a mixture of generally RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Bottom boats) a few hard rowing dinks or just plain old and smalle like Pickle. Many are canvas covered (UV pro) and a few "anchored off" in 3 ft. of water if the dinghy dock is just a ramp or sandy beach or an ancient village stone quay. All different all varieties on the theme. All lovely, warm water, inviting, and FREE.

They are all nodes of activity, stages where the crews play their own parts. A busy congested community service for yachties, one time visitors as ourselves.

I love the Dinghy Dock. I am so happy and generally so relieved to arrive at yet another totally new yet strangely familiar little dock. And on it goes day flows into day as we thread our own way through Polynesia and unload Pickle to explore another totally new island - always setting off the from and returning to "The Dinghy Dock". Ships log

Latitude 16 degrees 38 minutes

Longitude 151 degrees 25 minutes W

Anchored off a small motu near the island of Tahaa - small sister to the island of Raiatea

Co-Cap Bill