Drive-by Surfing

In the shadow of Bora Bora’s spectacular Otemanu peak, I piloted our 35 foot sloop in slow circles. Around and around, around and around the mooring field. Eventually, a catamaran joined us in long, lazy loops off Mai Tai Yacht Club. It was our own aquatic merry-go-round, with cruising yachts instead of horses. We weren’t in a rush, or competing for a free mooring. Appearances to the contrary, we were underway to a quiet anchorage on the southwest side of the lagoon, eight miles away. So what exactly were we doing, spinning in tight circles off the town?

Why, surfing the net, of course.

We call it “drive-by surfing” - the act of drifting through Wi-Fi zones to access email and Internet before hastening away to greener pastures (er, bluer anchorages). With his laptop, my husband uploaded pictures to our blog while simultaneously downloading online bank statements, checking email, and grabbing that new Kindle title out of the ether.

As liveaboard cruisers, we have all the time in the world, but we hate to “waste” a day in civilization if we can avoid it. Instead, we do quick drive-by surf sessions where reception is strongest, then gleefully disappear into the nearest communications black hole for another few weeks. Hey, if you’re gonna escape the rat race, you might as well do it efficiently!

“Drive-by Surfing” originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of Cruising World Magazine.
More information on Bora Bora and the Society Islands in Pacific Crossing Notes.