January 23, 2019 – still in Fakarava

Yep still here. It is pretty nice and is “off season” so quiet too.

A few days ago, we jib sailed south about 10 miles to a place called Pakokota. We were using it as a stopover on our way to the south end of the Atoll to go diving with the diving shop there but unfortunately, we found out they had closed for a month and won’t be back until Feb. 15. Bummer.

So, we hung out there and did some beach combing on the Ocean side of the Atoll and picked up a couple of items to give to the Grandkids when we head home for a visit in a few months. Sorry, you will have to wait and see!!!!

After a few of days, we headed North again so I could at least do some diving there. Went for anther dive, 2 actually, yesterday. Did a wall dive to 34 meters and then the North Pass again afterwards. Both were fantastic.

Today, the supply ship came in so we went in and were able to pick up some fresh veggies and fruit. This is the ship’s first visit of 2019. We also wanted to figure out the “system” of ordering things. Well, first you need to “order” what you want from the office in Papeete and then pick it up when the ship arrives. Gas for the dinghy? Available by order in 200 Liter drums. Diesel is the same thing. You can get fuel “sometimes” from the local stores if it is available at a somewhat higher rate.

But the big thing is, you can order almost anything you need. They were off-loading metal “crates” that would be fork lifter to people’s personal pick up truck. The crates would contain their order from various vendors in Papeete. Kinda like a big shopping cart being delivered to you with food, water, boat motors, lumber, you name it. It was interesting to see.
We had a boat part on order that has arrived in Papeete and is being forwarded to us here by Air Tahiti. Once that arrives in a day or so we plan on heading south again. I just found out there is another small dive operator down there that is hopefully open. If not, we will move on and try to stop on the way back to Tahiti in a couple of months.

I am just uploading a few more photos from our dives yesterday including lots of sharks. I one sequence you will see the guy I am diving with sneak up on a White Tip resting on the bottom and tried to pull his (hers???) tail. Just missed doing it but that sent the shark directly at me!!! It seemed a LOT closer than the photo shows. All was good though.