Fakarava
Wayward Adventure
Fri 8 May 2009 07:15
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16:03.530s 145:37.250w
The past few days have
been spent uneventfully anchored in the flat calm lagoon of Fakarava in front of
the main village called Rotoava. Fakarava is the second largest
Tuamoto atoll about 450 km northeast of Tahiti. A pass gives access to each end
of this large, rectangular lagoon which is dotted and flanked by 80 coconut
covered motus, small islands that lie atop the reef making up the atoll, making
it seem very much like we are anchored in the middle of a very calm,
island-strewn ocean.
Early this morning we
awoke to find a large ship at the nearby quay being busily unloaded by
locals. We quickly raced into town after listening to the morning net
and while passing the nearest grocery-style store our suspicions were
confirmed...the supply ship had come!
The supply ship is an
object of much excitement among cruisers and locals alike as it arrives
from Tahiti loaded with supplies, special orders, fuel, inter-island goods and
most importantly fresh fruit and veggies!! We were able to purchase oranges, apples (what a treat!), pineapple,
zucchini, and fresh scallions from a local Frenchie with a small road-side booth
and were amazed to find even more produce at the nearby store as well. Needless
to say, the soil here is akin to sand and does not sustain more than the
hardy local flora and numerous coconut palms that cover all of the atolls;
therefore, the arrival of the fresh goodies aboard the supply ship
must be as exciting for the locals as it is for us boaters!
We rounded out the morning
with a trip to the bakery and carried our load back to the dingy, Aaron with his
backpack loaded to the brim and myself with an armful of baguettes. Not too bad
for a morning's worth of island shopping I should think......
~LH
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