Hi from Kaeuhi  30 June 1999

Loquax is about to try and enter a reef pass in Kaeuhi atoll of the Tuamotu archipelago. It's not that big a deal as we have way points from other cruisers who have been or still are in the lagoon. However there will be a four or five knot current against us if we've got the tides wrong, so wish us luck!

1 July 1999

Further to yesterday's message, we arrived at the pass into this atoll at 1600 local time yesterday (29th June).  There is talk in all the pilot books of these entrances being fraught with dangers and of currents running at 8 and 9 knots against you with white water overfalls!  However none of this was true here and either we got the tides just right  or this atoll is exceptional as we powered through at an easy 6 knots.  There where strong eddies suggesting significant current but it was very painless.  Believe it or not the atoll is SO BIG that you can only just see the opposite side from the entrance.  It took over an hour at 6 knots to motor across and the depth was over a hundred feet. 

Apparently these atolls are formed by a volcanic island rising up, a ring of coral forming around that.  Then - for reasons no-one has explained to me, the island sinks (strange!!) and leaves the coral ring or atoll purely so that people can live in tiny family groups and small villages under coconut palms.  Being French, however there is significant European architecture in the village on shore where the gendarme and authority generally lives.  Also there are STREET LIGHTS ! -  on a coral atoll??

As we crossed the lake in the failing daylight we had to motor around huts on stilts which are a bit like boat houses to look at.  These are actually pearl farms and the locals have just spent some time seeding oysters with bits of old shell (I believe) to make next years crop.  The Tuamotus are famed the world over for their black pearls and (don't tell the French VAT man) the locals will trade them for odd essentials like nail-varnish or rum (Oops).

Anyway we will go ashore soon to find out how it all works.  Meanwhile we are just relaxing (well fixing more things on the boat after the usual wear and tear of a 500 mile crossing) and getting our act together after the most amazingly peaceful night with absolutely no wind (not a surprise in this ocean) and NO swell.  It was like being anchored on a reservoir.  Apparently the only fly in the ointment of paradise is the white- and black-tip sharks.  But everyone says they are only small and mostly lurk in the passes into the lagoon where dinner floats past them on the current.  There is a long standing arrangement that they don't eat people (eating people is wrong, we all know that - even here in Polynesia!!)  so that's OK.

We thought we might test the rule by watching some locals swimming first.  Seriously though it is quite safe (double entendre "quite" there, so don't worry!

More news from the South Pacific soon.

Peter Sally and Sophie.

PS there was a bonfire on the reef near us last night - a huge conflagration.  Eventually the moon rose and we realised it was just an amazing orange moonrise!