sharks
Ripple2
Thu 27 Jul 2006 08:03
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Friday 21st July
We left at first light for the 45 nautical mile
sail to Fakarava. It was an average downwind sail. 15 kts of wind and the
moderately rolly sea (enough to give Annie the irits) and a clear sky. We
tried out the new stronger fishing gear (the stuff I found on the shore) but had
no bites to prove its' strength.
We arrived at the 200m wide pass in good light and
at a fairly slack tide. Going in easy with only a few minutes of bouncy waves.
The splashing wasn't too bad. Only the foredeck really got wet. There were 2
other boats anchored in front of the town. We anchored there in 30- 40 feet with
all our chain out at about 3pm. We remained on board the rest of the day and
night.
Next day we poked around town. It was a lovely
town. With a wide concrete road and underground cables (why don't more places do
this! It is SO much better than wires hanging in the air) with well kept houses
and pretty flowers. It reminded me of a pleasant Far North Queensland small
town. I visited the dive shop and arranged to dive in the pass the next morning.
We had a 500ml beer between us (US$6) at sunset in a great lagoon-side
restaurant. Walking back through town we saw a pizza "joint" and ate a
shrimp, mushroom, onion, olive and cheese pizza (US$15, not bad). Near where the
dinghy was tied up there was a "p'tonk" (my spelling) or boules tournament going
on. There were several rinks and teams in matching outfits ( some floral, some
T-shirts, some with grass crowns and pareos). It was interesting to watch. Then
back to Ripple and bed.
Sunday
I went diving in the pass. As soon as we (4 divers)
descended there were sharks. Lots of them! Cruising the clear blue water at
about 25m. Reasonable size black tip sharks. At any one time you could see about
20. And of course there were plenty of fish. As we rode the current in through
the pass the number of fish exploded. There were all kinds of fish everywhere in
great numbers. And here in the shallower (18m ) canyons the sharks were a lot
closer. It was like any underwater footage you've ever seen of sharks. You see
them head-on and then they turn, go a bit and then turn again. I got to
see all angles of them. To describe the fish is impossible here. Watch Finding
Nemo or look at abook of Pacific fish or the internet....work with me
people....suffice to say every shape and colour. Right at the end of the dive a
large manta ray swam right at us. What a sight. With its' huge wings flapping
and steering against the current and its' wide head and mouth and an eye right
out on the very ends of its' seeming double head. It came right past us
like we weren't even there. A great dive.
After the dive we had lunch at the afore mentioned
restaurant. The decor was island elegant outdoor. With shell and coral and
driftwood and potted plants and weathered wooden furniture, with tablecloths.
Tres elegant.
Then I went on another dive. Alot like the
first but without the current so you could go slower and look at things longer.
Dinner on the boat. Enough money spent for one day.
Monday
First light we set off for a 48 mile sail to Toau.
Going out the waves were larger and steeper but it only lasted 5-10 minutes. We
had good wind and clear skies and arrived at the anchorage of Anse Amyot around
3 pm. We were tired and stayed home that night.
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