Five days off a palm fringed, coral sand beach, 200 yards from the wild Pacific has been a stunning backdrop for our stay on the atoll of Kauehi. The wind has been blowing 20 - 30 knots outside where there's a two to three metres breaking swell running. This swell breaks over the windward reef which we're sheltering behind, runs across the top of the atoll and floods into the lagoon. In the last two days there's been a new beach created just behind us from the sand that';s been washed through. The job for this morning is to extricate the anchor chain which over the last few windy days has snaked around a few coral heads and re-anchor in this fresh sand so we can get away on time tomorrow. We've read the local best practice is to string a number of fenders along the length of the chain to hold it off these rock columns. In fact, if they were columns that would be fine. Problem is they're all knobbles, protuberances and undercuts. Some boats in our group have had to hire divers to unravel the mess. Gives you something to do!

That and getting up the mast to try and getting a reading from the wind indicator.

We had a BBQ and camp fire on the beach with Trevor and Jan from Villomee the other night watching the flames flicker on the water and the hermit crabs bustle about eating bits of coconut. It's been a bit rainy the last few days so we've put a few litres in the tank so we're good for a few more showers.

Fresh coconuts off the trees makes a refreshing drink and snack. The atoll village of Tearavero is a one street (with speed bumps) town. The 300 or so villagers make a living from growing and harvesting coconuts, opening them up, drying the flesh and selling the "copra" to the French government......for a set price. Other than the odd passing cruiser and a few tourists that might fly in for a look and maybe a kite surf, that's the only source of income. Still for some, that seems to be enough to fund a Renault Clio so they can take a run on the few miles of road there are.

We leave here tomorrow as the times and tide are right for our next hop to Fakarava a regular metropolis with some cafes and even wifi.

Fakarava has two passes (the chips in the rim) and one is apparently excellent for drift snorkeling. One paddles up-tide in ones dinghy, gets over the side and hangs on. The current pulls bodies and dinghy through the pass floating over the "coral garden" below.....and the sharks. Anne might skip that trip.