We ended up spending a week in Daniels Bay on Nuku Hiva waiting for the weather to settle down a little before departing on the 520 mile hop to the Tuamotu Archipelago.  While in Nuku Hiva we had linked up again with a number of cruising friends, so we set off in company with three other yachts, Minaret (Kiwis), Interlude (Aussies) and the unusually named Uterus (Norwegians) all heading for the same destination.  Minaret is a little smaller so soon got left behind we but we spent the whole passage within sight of the other yachts which was very social with lots of banter on the VHF radio at all times of day and night. The first 24 hours was actually pretty wet and bumpy but the solid 20-25 knot wind meant we immediately got well ahead of the 170 mile a day average we wanted to achieve, to arrive at the pass into our chosen atoll, with the right tide, three days later.  As it was, we spent the following 48 hours keeping the boat speed down so as not to arrive amongst the notorious reefs before daybreak on the third morning.  The Tuamotus are true atolls, huge circular coral reefs emerging to a maximum of just 10 to 15 feet above sea level with the reef walls around the outside plunging almost vertically straight back down to the ocean bed a thousand or more metres below.  While the ocean swell breaks against the outer circle of the reef, inside each lies a sandy bottomed lagoon of calm turquoise water dotted with coral heads. The circle of the reef is often broken in one or two places giving the sea a way to rush in and out of the lagoon with the rise and fall of the tides. Some of the passes are navigable by yacht but one needs to get your tidal predictions right as the currents rushing through these narrow channels can sometimes exceed 8 knots with swirling eddies and overfalls.

 

For our first stop we picked Kauehi, an atoll with a relatively straightforward pass and we slipped through into the peace of the stunning lagoon as planned at the start of slack water. From the entrance we sailed 8 miles across inside the lagoon to anchor off the small village nestling under the palm trees on the windward reef. This village is home to the reef's resident population of 200 people and boasts a small shop, a tiny infirmary and a seemingly huge church. We were a little surprised to be woken on our first morning by the church bells, rousing the faithful at 5am (we have now discovered this happens every morning) and this was followed soon after by the sound of hymns drifting across the lagoon.

 

The only living to be made on the reef is from farming pearls so all the local families are involved in this or the manufacture of beautiful shell jewellery. The only visitors are the few yachts sailing through at this time of year and as with everywhere we have so far been in Polynesia the locals are amazingly friendly welcoming us with warmth and huge smiles. Some of the larger and more populated atolls further north are now developing a tourist industry with a few hotels and lodges opening up, but here, they still make you feel more like a guest than tourist.  They were happy to show us around one of these Pearl Farms and afterwards they offered us fresh green coconuts to drink, and we sat and bartered for a handful of their famous black pearls.

 

Life may be simple but they are certainly not poor and I'm sure all those of you whose taxes contribute to the EEC will be pleased to see the good use your money is put to by these far flung beneficiaries of the Common Agricultural Policy. The Pearl Farmer had a small dive boat (agricultural machinery?) used for collecting the oysters which is powered by the biggest brand-new shiny black Mercury outboard I have ever seen. It's a funny old world...........