We finally got all of our repairs done, just in the nick of time as we have 30 days left on our French Polynesian visas. While we loved Nuku Hiva, it's a long way to Tahiti with lots of intended stops in between. We left on Monday and tomorrow we should make landfall at Fakarava Atoll in the Tuamotos. We'll spend four or five days in Fakarava and then head for Ahe Atoll and drop off supplies to Lahaina sailors working on a black pearl farm.

I am looking forward to snorkeling and clear water. Nuku Hiva was great for supplies and repairs, but the water was dense with nutrients, so not clear at all. The plus side to nutrient rich waters is that we would have a hammerhead shark patrol the area around the boat periodically and we would see lots of manta rays feeding. One day we had 12 manta rays surrounding us at once and became familiar with the manta ray who like to feed with his white underside to the sky. Just amazing.

However, lots of sea lice and stinging things in the water too. Not so good for snorkeling or cleaning the bottom of the boat. We under estimated how fast things grew in that environment and found a vast underwater city underneath the boat on the day of departure. David was cleaning the propeller and found a small lobster living there in a coral garden. I am hoping some things came off during the last passage, but we are planning on a good bottom scrub in Fakarava.

The journey from Nuku Hiva to the Tuamotus has been uneventful - thank goodness. We spotted a group of Pilot Whales and caught a small fish (mackeral (?)) yesterday. The fishing lines are out in deep water as we hear the fish in the atoll are poisonous and there are NO supplies in the Tuamotos. You pack it in and you pack it out.

Still planning on no internet or wifi connection until we get to Tahiti. So no pictures and the basics for email. Off now to make dinner and get ready for the next watch. A hui ho.