Throughout this trip there have been "pearlers" of moments that you don't predict and it all adds to the journey of discovery of places and people. Our return to Muskett Cove after sailing back to Port Denarau to wave off the boys (and girls)... was meant to be. The wind prediction for the next week was 0 wind - gusting to 1!? So it was obvious there was no point in trying to sail too far. Oh well it was back to Muskett for us, just as the boys had tried to instil so we could continue with the festivities of race week. The week was wrapped up with a dinner party on the beach, the theme being 'colour'. We did just that and then made our way around the arc of still waters towards the colour party lights that had now come alive as the sun sunk behind the ocean. There we were tabled amongst other yachties, some annual racers and some whom we have got to know on the way or at that daily island bar happy hour. Anyway that is getting off the point - As an event planner myself, I was so impressed at the ease in which areas were transformed into venues and the catering for the 100-150 guests was created without being noticed. Any upright structure was dressed in braided palm fronts and bold coloured flowers and fine dining tables popped up out of nowhere surrounding the all-sand dance floor and angled at a modest stage. The traditional island dancing and singing were a gift to us all, as if the generous sponsorship or massive succulent pig on the spit was not enough. As we have approach most islands in the Pacific you note the sounds of tribal music beating in the hills, but here in Muskett you first hear laughter over any other activity. Everyone mingled as the night swoireed on, except for a young European couple who had taken out the dance competition the night before at the island bar. They I think were fresh graduates, and loving their new skills that kicked up the sand as they circled around and around the dance floor in between the gaps to the dance beats in their heads as we all boogied to the band. The little kids looked forward to this party too and arrived red eyed and tired from sailing or swimming and were subdued and star gazing barely able to enjoy the feast that they will wish they had eaten tomorrow. Two we know well spend their day retrieving buried treasures. The coordinates left by friends from last year, with map and shovel they hunted for their buried treasures. So it was left to the adults to party hard and they did with endless wine and a punch that punched you into a reveller upon arrival. All good things must come to an end and the week here was closing in a spectacular way. As it drew late guests started to drift off into the darkened palm tree path back to their floating abode. We filed out behind the Europeans out only to see them drop their bags under a tree and carve out one last routine before their night was up. However I didn't see them at the lunch time bbq on the coral cay that popped up in just enough time to have catering, shade and eskies installed yesterday. Perhaps the wet sand isn't sure enough footing to get a 2 step going, but there were good tunes there too that they could have worked. And there was plenty of dance floor as the tide slowly subsided and produced a perfect island setting . A unique daytime venue that then gets completely washed over every night so no need for cleaners once the tide is high. I think back of all the interesting people from all nations that we have met and appreciate the trade you do out here in getting help from one and returning it to another as the need and skills necessitate. Any assistance required is done with the care and attention as if it were one's own boat. It is a connection that links you and you don't forget these people even if it happens to be a one stop bonding over a dirty pump out of a generator, or a quick download session of the updated compendiums. But as we partied on here, one beautiful and quaint classical highly varnished 1960's timber boat is being lovingly restored ready to sail into Sydney Harbour later this year to be sold. The young sailor with work in progress got to enjoy the same festivities with us, as someone here is now lending him a hand to catch up on beautifying her, allowing him to sand and varnish his lifted floorboards on their house boat that is handily tied to the Muskett Cove dock. From mechanics to computer gurus, from provisioning to visual inspiration there is anything from an idea to a predicament shared every day in port and I dare say over the radio when we are all out to sea. Speaking of out to sea we too got some help from a (now) new friend as we drug anchor when the wind decided to change direction and lift to 25knots unpredicted in the placid bay engulfed by reefs. Luckily Captain Humming and I had just returned to Condesa for lunch. Having been securely anchored for the past 4 parting days and nights we didn't expect to do a drift towards the reef that was the lunch venue the day prior. However before we had absorbed and actioned all we needed to do there was a dingy right beside us offering help. Of course that kind of offer is never refused, although I spoke for the captain whose rapid thinking hindered his humming, just in case a third hand was needed. However we managed to haul ourselves back into bigger waters and as he left with a coldie for coming to our aide we ate our lunch with one eye on the anchor, one on the reef and talked about treasures around us.