Of course you don’t need alcohol. Here in French Polynesia we meet many Mormons who survive without alcohol or coffee. You can be one hundred percent sure that we will not be converting to Mormonism. Coffee is the fuel that keeps us going and alcohol is the reward for a job well done.
When we started in Scotland we introduced the rite of the Anchor Coffee at the end of a successful trip. Back then it was known as a Tinkers Coffee as Heidi began diluting the coffee with Baileys in the anchorage of Tinkers Hole.
As we moved South the Baileys became more expensive and was replaced with Supermarket Own Brand Irish Cream. Much more economical and the coffee tasted no worse for the lack of a brand name.
By the time we reached the Caribbean, economic necessity had converted us to wine drinkers. Martinique, Guadalupe und St. Martin are all French so the wine was as cheap as the daily baguette, cheese and garlic. This wonderful state of affairs lasted until we arrived in French Polynesia.
In Polynesia alcohol is incredibly expensive. We had been paying three Euros a liter for wine and suddenly it was twenty. Once again we followed local custom and converted to Rum. It is also not cheap but, buy buying in bulk – 10 liter plastic canisters – at least affordable. The neighbouring sailors now talk of Heidi Coffee which is with a splash of rum.
A few weeks ago an Australian boat messaged us that they were heading home so needed to lighten their load before Australian customs searched their vessel. They offered to sell us their complete stock of wine at Panama prices. We immediately answered “YES!” and set sail the next day for the island of Raiatea where we helped to cross load to Artemis.
So at the moment we are in the enjoyable position of having rum and wine on board. The envy of all our neighbours.
PARTY!!!!!