papeete here we come...33,000miles later

Bandit
David Morgan and Brenda Webb
Sat 24 May 2014 22:54
16:00S 146:26W
 
We left beautiful Toau Atoll this morning – just after a big squall went through.  The skies have now cleared up and we’re sailing along in about 17 knots doing 7 knots...so all very pleasant.  We just ticked over 33,000 nautical miles – so that’s how many miles we’ve covered since buying Bandit in Gibraltar in November 2006.  Phew!  Have to say though, the Tuamoto Atolls have been a highlight of our cruising life and it’s with much reluctance we are leaving.  But you can only go so long without fresh provisions and good internet, and we need to get to Papeete to pick up David’s daughter Charlotte and her husband Colin, who must be getting excited about a Tahiti holiday and an escape from the rain!
 
Toau Atoll was lovely although it was very squally while we there but there were bursts of brilliant sunshine that showed up the aquamarine and turquoise water.  Anse Amyot is a blind pass on the north west coast of Toau.  It is quite small and surrounded by reefs.  We could look out to the lagoon of Toau with its deeper azure water separated from the anchorage by reefs.
 
Ashore there is a restaurant run by Valentina, who happens to be Liza’s sister – Liza runs the restaurant we ate at in Harifa!  I guess most Tuamoto people are related.  We had hoped for a meal but it was not to be – “we’re closed tonight – but you can buy some langoustine”.  So after a stroll around the tiny motu we set off back to Bandit with a couple of crayfish and had a delicious  crayfish pasta for dinner.  They were so good we went back this morning to buy more and to give a few gifts to Valentina.   Life on these atolls is pretty basic and she certainly appreciated the rum, nail polish, reading glasses, lipstick and scented soap we presented.  In return she gave us a handful of gorgeous black pearls.