Fakarava -Tuamotu 9 July 2024

We woke to a lovely sunny morning with no wind (believe it or not) and all was still and quiet. Actually, I had been woken by a cockerel’s wake up call! – That has not happened for a long time and shows how sound can travel over water when it is so still. After breakfast we prepared to go ashore and a man came past in his dinghy from the boat adjacent to us. He was English and he asked whether Stormbird was previously owned by Murdock Mclintock and she was He had sold Murdock his previous boat a Hallberg Rassy 49. He also worked a lot with Transworld Yacht through whom I bought and sold my previous boat and through whom I bought Stormbird. What a small world!! The man explained to us where we should go ashore and a bit about the shops etc.

We got the dinghy down and We therefore headed in the direction of the dinghy dock and the petrol station. This was a concrete wharf with a little inside float where you could moor your dinghy. We got on land and walked on land for the first time in about 9 days which seemed odd. There was a shop behind the petrol station which was well stocked generally but no bread, eggs or fruit or vegetables. Apparently the cargo supply ship comes tomorrow so we need to be prepared. We saw a tourist office which was closed – there was no sign of life and you wonder when and if it will open. We walked on and began to get a feel of this village. The infrastructure and buildings around the wharf were more substantial than we have seen before in the Tuamotus and as we walked through the village it seemed more affluent and the houses of better quality. The gardens were still lovely and the shrubs green and flowering. This Tuamotu has different trees than just palm trees. This included pines and a type of tree which has quite harsh bark and leaves a bit like an oak tree. They were gnarled but beautiful in their own way.

We walked along the main road and came across another shop which we looked in and saw what they had. We carried on and came to a lovely church which was white but with red on its roof and spire. The inside was lovely with a blue ceiling which had coral and pearl decorations and on the walls had cloth banners. It was very clean and had lovely wooden varnished pews/benches. The pulpit was a lovely large one piece of wood from a tree which had been carved and made smooth and varnished and the altar was the same. This seemed such a vibrant church. It had stained glazed windows at the top section and the rest of the window was open to the sky.

We walked on and came to a Boulangerie/shop where they had some good things and still some baguettes. We walked on and came to a dive company which was closed. The road we were on was adjacent to the lagoon and the water was a lovely light blue and you could see the coral patches easily and it looked stunning and we could look across the anchorage with Stormbird out at anchor at the back. We came across an Excursion Place which also sold jewellery and it was a little bohemian. The jewellery was nice and their workshop was right next to the lagoon so they had a fantastic vista. However, the man’s car was not working so he was not doing excursions.

We walked on and had heard of another restaurant further on where there were a number of pearl farms. We carried on and came to this fantastic pension/hotel complex where the guests stayed in little air conditions huts on the sandy beach with their own little table with coconut leaf roof in the water so they could sit there having a drink or meal and their feet dangled in the water. This pensione (as they call them) had its own bar/restaurant built on the edge of the shore which had a pier going out over the water from which you could see the coral and fish and sharks (yes large dark sharks) swimming around. We had a drink and then decided to have lunch with our feet on the sand with most magnificent views of the lagoon. The pensione had quite a few guests and they were lounging on the beach, sitting under their water tables or using paddleboards. It was a stunning location and we had a lovely relaxed few hours enjoying the moment and location.

When we could drag ourselves away we walked back but took a road to the north of the atoll where we could see the reef facing the ocean and the waves crashing on it. There were not very large today. We continued and came across the base of an old stone lighthouse without its top anymore. This route led us back to the dinghy and nothing was open. We returned to Stormbird and had a rest.

We then decided to go for a swim and snorkel near the shore but the light by this time was going. The coral was ok but not brilliant and we saw some fish but we know there are better places. We had a cup of tea and then a sundowner watching the sun go down with a spectacular sunset. It had been a good, relaxed day and we are now beginning to appreciate the beauty and peacefulness of Fakarava.

We did come across a Pizza Place which had some unusual names for their Pizzas – One was a Royal Faka and the other Faka Banana – tee hee – how juvenile!! Never lose your childish sense of humour I say.

We hope the cargo ship comes tomorrow and we will do some shopping and work out more on excursions.  Todays picture is a lovely view from the pensione where we had lunch.             

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