Comings and Goings

0800 Position 14-58S 147-38W. At anchor in the lee of Reporepo Motu, Rangiroa

Yesterday I made French toast with lamb sausage for breakfast for the boys. Baguettes make the best French toast.

There is a lot of boat movement here in the anchorage. Five boats arrived yesterday after we did, including an eighty foot power boat, "Askari", that I had seen in Moorea while I was cruising there in both 2011 and 2014. I hope to meet the owner sometime. That guy is using the heck out of his boat.

We spent yesterday morning converting Van Diemen from "crossing mode" to "cruising mode". The interior was wiped down, windows cleaned, cockpit teak scrubbed and brightened, upholstery covers removed, floor vacuumed and wiped, heads and galley sanitized. She looks like a new boat now.

After noon Rob went ashore to try to find his way to the airport three miles away to meet Renee. I stayed on the boat to take a nap. Mike and Bill went exploring. First they went ashore at the nearby resort. "Can we go into your bar to buy a beer and use the Wi-Fi?" they asked.

"Of course", was the answer.

"Can we tie our dinghy to your dock while we are in the bar?" was their follow up.

"No, you can not," they got in reply. Hmmm. Definitely not a cruiser friendly operation, so they headed over to the town pier where Rob and I had landed earlier. There they found a couple of little snack shops with cheap beer and free Wi-Fi.

Rob ended up walking halfway to the airport before a friendly local picked him up and took him the rest of the way there. Renee's flight came in on schedule, and they caught a taxi back to the boat. In typical Polynesian fashion, their taxi driver had some personal errands to run, including picking up her pre-teen daughter after school, during the drive. "Do you mind, Misuer?" she asked.

"No problemo!" would be Rob's standard response. So Rob and Renee got a free tour of Rangiroa and a view into the personal life of a local on their way back to the boat.

Renee arrived with about sixty pounds of boat gear that accidently got left behind in the chaos of departure. Now we can finish up those remaining projects on the work list!

She also brought her culinary expertise and imagination with her. Last night's dinner aboard was a masterpiece.

----------
radio email processed by SailMail
for information see: http://www.sailmail.com