The anchorage is idyllic but the weather was rather windy while we were there and there is enough fetch in the lagoon to make it a bit rolly at times.

Just as in Kauehi the houses are very simple but not short of modern amenities and nearly always set in pretty, well tended gardens.

 The local technique for keeping their boats clean and safe is good too.

 The pearl farm was fascinating. The German owner picked us up and drove us and a honeymooning Italian couple the few miles to his “factory”.

He opened an oyster and showed us the “Gonad pocket” into which a cm2 of tissue from another oyster (chosen because of its attractive shell colours) is placed together with a sphere of industrially extracted mother of pearl.

Once the oyster has its gonad pocket filled it is placed back in the water in nets and left for 18 months. At the end of this time they are brought to the factory where the newly cultured pearl is extracted and if the oyster is deemed to be worthy of continuing with a larger blank is replaced into the pocket...all without frightening the oyster too much. The technician who was doing the work was clearly highly skilled.

Oh and I made a friend.

As a treat, while we were in something approaching civilization, we went out for a meal with James and Lucy to a local restaurant which opens just four evenings each week. Again we were picked up for the short drive to a delightful location overlooking the lagoon complete with tables in the sea! It was a beautiful wood and woven banana leaf building draped with colourful tie-dye cottons and flaming torches. The owner and our waiter was a tall Moorean from the Society Islands who looked about 35 but was a grandfather. He had a striking profile and an impressive physique, easy to see, as he only wore a short sarong and a pair of flip flops. The meal was really excellent and memorable not only for being waited on by a muscle man in a skirt! I am only sorry I did not have a camera with me.