15:57S 145:04W

 

After four days anchored off the idyllic village in Kauehi, we tore ourselves away to head to a remote anchorage in the south east.  Fond farewells were said, the locals who’d befriended us gave us wonderful shell necklaces and wished us well.  We’d had a wonderful time thanks to the islanders’ wonderful hospitality.  On our first day ashore we’d met Tiaihau, mayor, pearl farmer, shop owner and general nice guy.  He invited us for lunch and so the next day, along with Tulu, we headed off in the back of his flat deck truck for a tour of the island and then to his pearl farm.  Lunch was in an idyllic setting and while it was tough at times (Tiaihau only speaks French and a Tuamoto dialect), we got by with basics, wild gesticulations and translators in the form of Chris (Tulu) and Gerard (the local postman).

 

Later at Tiaihau’s house, we looked at pearls – thousands of pearls of all shapes, sizes, colours and quality.  I picked out a dozen of the smaller, misshapen ones thinking they would look cool in a bracelet or necklace and then Tiaihau gave me another dozen....they are truly exquisite.

 

Several other cruising boats arrived in the anchorage so we organised another day at Tiaihau’s pearl farm with a snorkelling trip on the farm itself, lunch and an island tour.  Twenty of us took part and it was yet another great day out.  In between times we did lots of snorkelling on the reefs and coral bombies and, of course, plenty of socialising with the other cruisers including sundowners on the beach between rain squalls!

 

We had a lovely sail across the lagoon to a spot in the south east which was absolutely beautiful.  We couldn’t wait to get in the water to snorkel and the minute we did we came face to face with two black tip reef sharks.  They had just come to check us out and once they did they happily headed away.   The snorkelling was magnificent.  We also walked around the motus (islands), once of which had an amazing pink sandy beach.  Once again it would have been easy to stay but we have a deadline in Papeete.