Monday 11 July

BARONESS
Jim & Christine Lister
Tue 12 Jul 2011 03:07
We left Ahe at 00.00UTC 2.00pm our time. Our current position is 14.31.85S 146.33.02W COG 247. didn't know if we would get the anchor up as there are so many coral heads. Jim and I had been down under the boat yesterday, me cleaning and Jim unraveling fishing line from the prop. Jim also checked anchor and found our chain well and truly lodged under a lip of coral, so he undid that and hoped it hadn't become trapped again overnight. A German couple came in this morning with 2 children and had a lovely domestic which was our entertainment for the day but Jim gave them some pointers and they anchored safely. They watched us leave and asked if we were ok, fortunately we were not their entertainment for the day and we got the anchor up without any falling out, or at least things went well until Jim, paying attention to a sandy anchor forgot to watch the chain which piled up causing the chain to jump off the gypsy and hurl itself back overboard. We then lost the plot on our way out and ended up in a web of buoys don't know whether they were pots or coral head markers. Its raining by now and I had to go to the bow to look out for the buoys as some of them were under the water. Found our route out and carried on without incident. That, we hope is our excitement for the day.

We enjoyed Ahe despite some rough weather we did not rock and roll and have replenished our batteries and cleaned the boat inside and out. We had a visit by 3 children of the village who swam out to us, took over our dinghy and wanted to look around the boat. I was right in the middle of baking bread and pizza so did not really want visitors but the 3, 2 girls and a boy had a look around and dripped salt water over everything. Unfortunately pizza is a universal word and the large boy called Steve thought pizza was imminent and was heading his way. I had a bit of a job getting them off the boat by which time the 3 had been joined by 6 more!! I repelled boarders and told them goodbye! Jim, muttered that I was mad and had found something very important to do as far away from the excitement as possible.

I was also baking, cakes and ginger biscuits, this time when 3 young girls arrived on a speed boat selling black pearls, so I had to decline their offer as I was at a crucial point of the making of a coffee and walnut cake and also we had no money as there is no bank on the island and we also had no spirits to barter with, which is what the other 2 boats did. Bob from Nero told us that his partner Glenda had bought a cup of miss shaped pearls which these were for $5. This was a few years ago when they last visited the islands, they are now going for £10 each. How times have changed.

Still, we were sad to leave as we don't know what the next anchorage holds for us, we really hope its not rolly but the guide books don't seem to bear this out. So its off to Rangirora 80 miles away and we need to hit the tide at 9.00am. So far its calm but no wind so we are motoring.

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