Well, we think it is Thursday for departure. It really is beautiful here. It is like the Marin County of Fiji. When we finished with the check in formalities, the Customs guy and his colleagues invited us to ride over to the Government complex with them in their truck. The Government complex is where the offices, hospital, post office, store, etc are. It is probably the closest thing to a town on Rotuma.

Our ride was in a lorry style truck, much like what soldiers would ride in, and we sat in back. The cover was open in the front, so I could look as we drove. My Customs friend pointed out his mom's village, where he lived as a boy, etc. All of what you would expect. The amazing thing to us was how clean and manicured everything was. I mean seriously clean and manicured, like a nice park. Then there were the homes. There were some of the prettiest island homes we have ever seen. Places we would love to live. Now, of course, not every home was beautiful, but even the modest, say, poorer places were beautifully taken care of. And no litter anywhere. Beautiful. Rotuma looks very loved by it's residents.

The ride was 9 km, and the walk back was the same 9 km, so we got some good exercise today. Which is good, because at the hospital, there was a sign that read "You Don't Stop Exercising Because You Get Old, You Get Old Because You Stop Exercising." Yes, then, we got our exercise. It felt really good and was such a treat to walk in such beauty. Green everywhere, happy people, clean. What's not to love? The wineing and dining? No wineing and dining here. We wine and dine on board Proximity. No problem.

No, I'm afraid it's the anchorage. We still feel that it is so exposed, that we don't want to linger, especially with weather coming up. It is forecast to blow pretty good soon. We are already rolling quite heavily even though the wind is nearly nil. Actually, we may roll less with a little wind for stability, but if it went the other way, we can imagine sleepless nights on anchor watch. We have had them before, and will avoid them if possible. The reef is close.

Oh yes, I nearly forgot. The water is unbelievably clear here. We are anchored in 40 feet. This morning, I could look down and see the bottom, I could see our anchor chain, AND follow it all the way to the anchor and see how well the anchor was set! You sailors know how special this is. You others just take my word, at 40 feet to see such detail, is remarkable bordering on miraculous. The anchor, by the way, was set text-book perfect. The blades were buried and the shaft was just visible. Our anchor is an Ultra, stainless steel. It is truly an amazing anchor, and we would have no other. The Rocna people are very happy with their anchors, but we would have no other. And how did we spot the anchor shaft? The sun reflecting on it - at 40 feet!

Tomorrow, we snorkle the reef!

Peace Rod and Elisabeth