9:54S 139:06W

 

Well known cruisers Eric and Susan Hiscock voted Hane Moa Noe Bay the third best they’d come across in their many years of cruising.  Have to say, it’s pretty special!  The water is that amazing turquoise, the beach is sandy and white (as opposed to volcanic as many here are) and fringed with the ubiquitous palm trees.  What makes it very special is that it is uninhabited...just us and a handful of other cruisers – magic.  Better not forget the beautiful manta rays that frequent this bay.   As we ate breakfast we watched as they fed right near Bandit.  We went snorkelling later to try and find them but no luck however we did come across a big school of spotted rays that nonchalently went about their business as we swam alongside.

 

The bay next door had a spic and span town (it’s so clean and tidy here!) with a store that sold baguettes so, being in France, of course we headed around to buy some. Is there anything more delicious than fresh baguette with French brie? And, as France heavily subsidises food items considered basic (baguette and brie included), they were dirt cheap – 80c for the bread, $3 for the brie. If nothing else at least we can afford bread and cheese! Fellow cruisers in the bay who’d been to Hiva Ova reported they’d bought NZ lamb cheaper than they could at home so we look forward to reaching civilisation. Obviously NZ lamb is considered a basic food item as well and it certainly got our tastebuds going as they fired up their barbecues.

 

We had two lovely nights in Hane Moa Noe and one night met with other cruisers on the beach for sundowners.....it is always good to catch up with old friends and meet new. The Australian contingent we’d crossed the Pacific with arrived late in the day – one of them, Remi De, must have broken the speed record across the Pacific – 15 days! Sigh.....we can only be envious.