Cruising the Pacific: Tahiti with Hal and Margaret Roth

Cruising the Pacific: Tahiti with Hal and Margaret Roth
From Cruising the Pacific – 5 Cruising Adventures
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Twenty years on in the late 1980s, sailor authors and filmmakers, Hal and Margaret Roth reprise their 1960s cruise to Tahiti and the Leewards for Sailing Quarterly Video Magazine hosted by Gary Jobson.

The Roth’s sixties cruise was part of a circumnavigation of the Pacific aboard their 35 foot fiberglass cutter, Whisperer. Hal tells the story of this 19,000 mile cruise in his book, Two on a Big Ocean and the film, Whisper’s Pacific Voyage.

This time Hal and Margaret arrive in Tahiti’s capital, Papeete for a nostalgic visit before flying on to the leeward island of Raiatea to start their charter at the Moorings. Aboard a 42 footer, they head out into the tradewinds for a short sail to the nearby island of Tahaa. Next it’s on to the islands of Huahine and finally Bora Bora. During the video we flash back to scenes from their 1960s film as the Roths reminisce about their past Tahitian adventures and the “modern” state of the islands.

For a cruiser’s look a Tahiti and the Leewards another twenties on in 2009, watch the film by Antoine at https://www.sailflix.com/once-upon-an-island-tahiti-and-the-leeward-islands

ABOUT HAL AND MARGARET ROTH
The Roths learned to sail in the early 1960s. Eventually they would circumnavigate aboard a 35 footer and document their sailing adventures in articles, books, and films. Both had an insatiable desire to learn about new peoples and places. They honed their sailing skills from seasoned voyagers who had sailed before them. And they past on their knowledge about excitement about cruising to new generations of bluewater sailors. Hal died in 1981. Margaret survived him for many years, passing away in 2019. I had the privilege of meeting her at a Seven Seas Cruising Club GAM in Annapolis several years ago. She was still full of spirit and inspiration about sailing. SailFlix is attempting to get rights to distribute their film, Whisperer’s Pacific Voyage, shot in 16mm. I highly recommend reading The Hal Roth Seafaring Trilogy, which includes three of Hal’s most powerful books: Two on a Big Ocean, Two Against Cape Horn, and the Longest Race.

BLUEWATER CRUISING PIONEERS
Hal and Margaret Roth are bluewater cruising pioneers. In cruising history, they are in company with Eric and Susan Hiscock, and Lin and Larry Pardey. Following World War II, these daring cruising couples ventured out on the world’s oceans aboard small sailing vessels on limited budgets. All three wrote numerous sailing articles and books, and produced their own films about their voyages. Their legacy continues to inspire countless sailors who heed the call to explore new cultures and distant lands – and to learn more about themselves on the ocean blue.