Rotoava, Fakarava
01 September 2016 | Fakarava, North Pass.
CF/sunny
Ia Orana. I am the hero today. I want all the accolades and praise. I got internet connection to work on the boat, albeit slow, I got a bunch of veggies, fresh tuna, and 2 pumplemousse (not sure how to spell it). This is my favorite fruit in the French Polynesia. It is like a large sweet, juicy and delicious grapefruit. Lunch was tuna poke, a fresh salad and baguettes, freshly baked at the village.
It was wonderful to go ashore in the village of Rotoava and see that it looks even better, and the people are still the smiling and happy Polynesians we met when we were here 4 years ago. The supply ship came in from Tahiti today and there was a lot of activity on the dock. Everything comes from Tahiti and the only thing that goes out is a bit of copra.
I went to see the young girl that cut Jerry's and my hair when we were here but she has moved to another Island. Her grandmother, who I remember well as our hair cut was done in her yard, under a tree, was sitting by the door as before, and with the same smile. We moved on to the Boulangerie (bakery) which is much larger now, and got fresh baguettes and croissants. There is a new owner now and the bakery has been expanded to a good supermarket. The village is so clean, almost every house has a lovely garden of Tahitan gardenias, bougainvilleas, hibiscus, breadfruit and other flowers. Next time I go to the village I will ask for a breadfruit. I was told that they don't sell them. It has been very warm but the wind has been with us, blowing from 14 to 20. It is a blessing. We have had a few showers, as always does when we put the clothes on the line to dry, and I have had my exercise, running to get them off the line, putting them back on and off again when the rain gets back.
There are lots of fish living under the boat but we can't eat them. There is ciguatera in the atoll, reason why I think there is so much fish life everywhere here. We will be here for a few more days and then go back to the South of the atoll. It is my very favorite place in the French Polynesia. My Aloha to all.