Fakarava -Tuamotu 10 July 2024

It was still as a millpond when I woke about 6.00am and I sat on deck and watched the sun come up. It was lovely and quiet. The supply ship was coming today which meant that the shops would replenish their shelves as there was no fresh fruit or vegetables.

We had porridge for breakfast and after some emails and admin (yes I have quite a bit to do in terms of future crew, ordering parts, sorting out customs and booking ahead workmen and mooring and there seems to be something to do each day) we headed ashore when we saw the cargo ship arrive.

We had already worked out what we were going to buy and from where in terms of frozen food and tins etc and we did an immediate shop at the port shop. We left Joyce with the bags of shopping and headed over to the boulangerie shop where we were able to get some bread and replenish our eggs and got some more cheese and some other frozen food. We manged to get some more wine as well. We headed back to Joyce who said that they are saying the fruit and vegetables will be put on the shelves at 9.30am and it was 9.15am when we got back to her.  We waited and then they said 10.00am and then 11.00am. During this period Andy and I went to see a dive company and who could do a snorkel tour of the north passe tomorrow which seemed a good idea.

The fruit and vegetables came out about 11.20am and it was a bit of a bun fight!! There were lots of yachties and locals waiting and well you either grabbed or you did without. We managed to get some apples, satsumas, Pamplemousses, carrots, red cabbage, white cabbage, tomatoes and bananas. We did quite well. However, our shop for all of our shopping today (and we did not buy masses) cost us £355 and we did not get that much and it shows you how expensive it is.

We retreated to Stormbird with our pockets or credit card meant lighter to put all away and the boat next door gave us two lettuces. We had a light lunch and felt we had done reasonably well but at a cost. The bonus was finding out that England were through to the finals of the European Championships which is great despite the moans and groans of the press and fans on the way due to prior poor performances. Let’s hope we are on the up and Spain have peaked too early.

The wind oddly had gone a bit North today but the afternoon was lovely and quiet and we rested and read. I cleaned the cockpit and binnacle which was coated in salt after the spray we have had over a number of days coming here. I also checked my stores again and found I had a spare dimmer for the cockpit lights which when fitted worked – great -how satisfying as we had been relying on our little solar lights which are good when the weather is good enough to charge them. I also swam off the back of the boat and cleaned a bit of the hull so the port waterline is done with the starboard to go. The water is quite cool here in comparison to the Marquesas. Andy and Joyce also had a swim.

We have had whilst here a lot of fish around the boat and on a regular basis there has been a splash or disturbed water from larger fish chasing the smaller fish. The large fish have been white with a flat head with black markings on them and with a black tail. They look like a sort of dogfish. I saw a number shading under the boat when swimming.

We invited Geoff and Dinora from the next-door boat Leona for a drink. This was a Moody 54DS. They were looking after this boat for the owners and were having their children out soon for a holiday. Dinora would fly back and Geoff was helping to sail it to New Zealand. They have a Najad 331 which is in Australia. They have been down to the South of the atoll and it was useful to hear all about it and where they had been.

We then had an easy supper pasta pesto and chilled.

The picture of the day is an example of recycling here and what to do with your empties – I am not sure it should catch on.

Crewing Opportunity Year Two

In addition, in year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and probably across the Indian Ocean to Cape Town and I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com  I can only upload one picture a day and visit our website www.stormbirdgoesglobal.co.uk