Paradise found....Again!
CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Tue 18 May 2010 18:27
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Not only is the anchorage here at Anse Amyot a
perfect hidey hole from strong winds
and bad weather, the small bay created by a bight
in the outer reef is picture perfect.
 The small community of 9 people is sometimes
swollen by the return of their children
from school in Fakarava and they seem to live a
simple and carefree life on this isolated atoll.
Chicken and pigs are farmed for meat and eggs,
small plots are kept for fresh produce
and the sea provides all they need in fish and
lobster.
Valentine and Gaston run a small restaurant that
they open on demand when cruisers come
into the bay and Valentine is an amazing cook and
the evening we went a calling with Rick and Delphine
she created some
fantastic fish dishes, home made bread and cakes and much more
and Gaston BBQ'd
the fresh lobster that he picks at night on the
flat outer reef edge. He is also a great fisherman
and watches the sea for birds collecting in large
flocks to feed on the small fish driven to the
surface by Tuna, dolphins and other open ocean
cruisers. The night we arrived he went out
in his small boat to return 10 minutes later with a
20lb Mahi Mahi. I related my own fishing ineptitude
and he offered to take Rick and I out fishing at
5.00am the following morning.
We returned 3 hours later with.....no fish....it
MUST be me.
Valentine and Gaston have lived here for many years
and have welcomed cruisers to their little island paradise,
providing them with safe moorings, help and
assistance. they have kept a series of books signed by the cruisers,
many with thank you messages, pictures, stories and
boat cards.
Delphine is a really good artist and painted a
picture showing the Motu, their restaurant and home as well as images
of both Freestyle and Curious.
 Sunday is a day for Churchgoing and a day of rest
so we took the opportunity to invite Valentine,
Gaston, together with Rick and Delphine for dinner
on board Curious. A memorable night of laughter
and insights into their way of life and how
hard it was for their parents and grandparents.
 Although the anchorage is a haven from the worst of
the weather the squalls still drive
through bringing rain and high winds, with the
southerly winter winds the most problematic
for the lightly
constructed buildings.
 Although the squalls are generally shortlived the
winds can and do last for many days
and the big fear are the Cyclones that can
bring death and devastation in the summer months.
But its is not long before things return back to
paradise found!
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