Lazy days!

 La Orana!

Life has slowed down this week to an almost stationary pace.  Calm winds have settled over the Society Islands, the sun has shone, and everyone seems more relaxed.  The beautiful weather has coincided with a holiday for the school children and families have taken to the water in force.  Boats appear throughout the week with swarms of kids on board tumbling off the back as soon as the anchor is dropped, with an array of inflatables and beach toys to amuse.  For the more adventurous kite foil boards are towed behind dinghies and canoes launched to explore the reef.  Laughter carries over the water and there is a carnival atmosphere all around, a communal sigh of relief that the bad weather seems to have finally left us. 

Sunrise over west coast of Raiatea

Sunset over Bora Bora

Since leaving our anchorage on the west coast of Raiatea last Tuesday we have slipped through the lagoon at a snail’s pace.  The winds have been so light that any thoughts of Maupiti, Huahine or Moorea have been quickly put to rest.  Neither of us had the appetite for a motor of those distances.  It seemed better to use the hand we had been dealt and have a second shot at mending the dinghy.  Sadly, the prolonged heavy weather had been sufficient to dislodge the original patch and she was leaking again.  The plan was to sit out the repair at one of our favourite anchorages on the east side of Taha’a  but first we had to make a brief stop in Uturoa to buy supplies and much needed two-part glue.  There, we were waylaid by Paul and Flore who as proud car owners for a week, were keen to take us to “Fish and Blue” for sundowners.  How can you resist that sort of offer? No alcohol Tuesday was rapidly put on hold and a lovely time had by all!

Sunset at Fish and Blue

Manuia (Slainte)

With no further distractions we reached our anchorage on Taha’a  by Wednesday afternoon and quickly rearranged the dinghy on the davits to expose the leak and allow it to dry out.  The patch was applied on Thursday and now we wait – a full 96hrs for everything to cure (the downside of two-part glue!). It seems like a long time to be confined to a boat but in weather like this it is no hardship.  This anchorage is a little slice of paradise.  

Hills of Taha'a

Sunrise on the reef

We are sitting close enough to the reef to hear the waves crashing and to enjoy lovely sea breezes coming in from the Pacific.  The water all around is crystal clear.  It’s a bit like looking into a huge fish tank and is endlessly amusing.  Yesterday we enjoyed the meanderings of “Barry” the Great Barracuda (we think…or was it a Sawtooth Barracuda?) over our morning coffee, as he appeared to be checking out the boat along with a myriad of other fish, rays and sharks.  This was our first sighting of a barracuda of any variety.  According to google they are pelagics and unusual visitors to the lagoon. The spear fishing boat that appeared soon after was perhaps confirmation of this, but they weren’t lucky and left empty handed.  Hopefully  Barry had long since drifted back out through Passe Toahotu into the safer waters of the Pacific beyond. 

Moon rising

In the heat of the day, we also take to the water.  I’d like to say we do multiple laps of the boat in perfect freestyle fashion but the truth of it is we wallow.  Floats are our constant companion excused on the basis of visibility in the water.  We loll about, leisurely inspecting the sea life below through snorkel masks, occasionally paddling out towards the reef only to drift back on the inward current.  It is lazy swimming taken to extremes!!  With sunshine hours facilitating abundant water making opportunities we can take long luxuriant showers afterwards.  What a contrast to the rapid wash downs the bad weather necessitated.  As the height of the sun reduces, we take to the foredeck to watch the waves and the rising moon.  It is waxing, almost full now, and appears above the eastern horizon like a huge golden globe. By the time we go to bed it is high in the sky giving off a silvery light that diminishes the stars and illuminates the lagoon all around.  Last night a young girl was boarding behind her dad’s dinghy long after the sun had set, crossing and recrossing the moon path until she was finally persuaded to call it a day.   What a beautiful sight. 

Relaxing on the foredeck

Crossing the moon path

And so, it really is no hardship being out here without a dinghy.  With so few choices to make life becomes extremely simple and we both feel more relaxed than we have in weeks.  Well, that was true until this morning when we managed to get the Calcutta Cup live on the computer.  What a nail biter that was but such a great outcome.  Possibly not the greatest rugby match in the world but certainly some memorable tries. For me half of the fun is communicating with family and friends back home doing exactly the same thing either in their living rooms or at Murrayfield itself.  It is a very connecting experience and one that I really appreciate so thank you!  Tonight, we will be breaking out the whisky to toast the boys and of course all of you back home who love the game as much as we do.  A glass will also be raised to the dinghy patch which we hope will hold as steadfast as Scotland did today.  I trust our celebrations will not be too premature!!

Skipper wallows

Papillon in the moonlight