July 11  Rotoava, Fakarava has street lights!  Aack. However, you can still see a million stars and . . . they have gazole!  Our entrance to the pass was perfectly timed, we got across the lagoon while the sun was still high enough to see the bombies (coral heads) and we have no neighbors.  Early this morning we dinghied to the village to search for a baguette, produce and gazole.  We were not expecting to find gazole because the supply boat doesn't arrive until Thurs or Friday, but we thought it was a good time to reconnoiter.  What should be there but the Cobia 3 - the supply boat. It was here on a Wednesday by a fluke and was almost ready to leave. Lots of people helped us translate and we were able to get our quarante litres straight from the ship's nozzle very easily.  We also bought tangerines! Potatoes, lychees and a frozen head of broccoli - we'll see how that is.  It is a terrible thing to freeze a beautiful head of broccoli but it IS better than no broccoli at all. Civilization has its perks.

July 12 I was so sad to leave our five remoras in Tahanea but we have new friends hanging out around the boat - two Green Sea Turtles. We have moved the boat to the big city (pop 400) so that we have a shorter dinghy ride in these howling winds and choppy waters. Today we found a trash barrel and a fruit and vegetable stand. Now we have a detrashed boat and  6 tomatoes, 6 little pineapples (ananas), 10 little bananas, many more tangerines, 2 pamplemousse, & 8 New Zealand apples. 60 hard earned dollars but worth every penny. We ate out for both lunch and dinner. Lunch, poisson cru and fish, at a pension (a cross between a bed & breakfast and motel) having a delightful conversation with other diners from La Rochelle, France. We spoke English and they spoke French and, with a little sign language, we communicated amazingly well.  Dinner outside at La Roulotte (like a roach coach) watching the children jumping rope, even double dutch, and riding bikes and playing ball of some sort. Remember how children used to do such things? People outside walking and talking and going to church (Catholic). They say they have church every night.  I think that must be so that they have an excuse to sing.  You've got to hear it to believe their heavenly singing. As we walked along, people would not look at us or say a thing but if we cheerily said "bon soir" they would enthusiastically respond with a lyrical bonsoir and big smiles. We walked past clean, tidy and pretty homes and gardens. They must have that same philosophy here about how a well tended garden shows a well ordered life.


Position :  16 03.60' S, 145 37.20' W
Speed : 0.4 knots,  Course : 221 degree