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We are up early for yoga and a swim. We went ashore to 'Rotoava" to get some last minuet provisions. JB and Sam wanted some Black Pearl jewelry but the owner was not there and the shop closed. We are leaving at 10 am and cannot wait.
The sea is calm and we troll three rods. An hour into the voyage we have a massive strike, screaming reel. A large Marlin leaps several times taking huge amounts of line. MB takes around 20 minuets to get half of the line back and then with a shake of the head we loose the fish.
We are relaxing and reading when an hour later we get another hook-up this time a bigger Marlin. The same lure the Black and Purple skirt and the fish busts off with the lure.
MB finishes a very good book by Tom Trumble, 'Rescue at 2100 hrs', and JB finishes a very good book'The Art Lover' by Romano-Lax, both top recommended reading.
Friday. This morning a front comes through with wind up to 35 knots and torrential rain. So, today we are reading.
We arrive at the port town of 'Fare' in Huahini at 6pm and anchor in 'Cooks Bay'.
Captain Cook was the first European to visit this Island in 1769. He returned in 1773 and again in 1777 and stayed for 7 weeks.The Island was the last of the Leeward Islands to become attached to France. This was in 1888, 40 years after Tahiti and not without strong resistance. It was annexed in 1897 but French Citizenship was not accorded to the inhabitants until 1946.
The Island is really two distinct islands separated by a shallow body of water. During low tide you are able to walk between the two. The total length of the Islands is 9 miles long by 6 miles wide.
It is mountainous and has lush tropical forests making it very fertile for growing fruit and vegetables in abundance. It is renowned for vanilla bean cultivation.There is extensive fringing reef and beautiful clean water and white sandy beaches.
Saturday. The weather has deteriorated. There are now gale force winds, it rains all day with nothing to do but relax and read.
Sunday morning we move BP to cleaner water outside of this river outlet where mud is flowing down from the mountains.We move to the clear lagoon where we are able to make water.
We go to the local church as the rain is easing. After the mass we hear someone calling out MB's name. It is 'Kaleo', the son of Mark and Valerie, our good friends from our trip 8 years ago on our sail boat Ke-Ama II. He invites us to his home where we unite with Mark and Valerie. Mark is cooking a pig on a spit for lunch later on and he and Valerie invite all of us to lunch.
Paul and MB see birds flying about at the back of the reef and they are also keen to check out the surf. They hook up on a good size GT. The sea behind the reef is pretty wild and the surf looks dangerous. There is huge swell from the
north with strong winds and waves breaking on the reef.
Lunch is a big success with succulent roast pork, 'Poisson Cru', local roasted vegetables and delicious deserts provided by our Christy and Marks daughter Maude.
The cyclonic low in between here, and Samoa, has intensified destroying the south swell and increasing the wind, so no rideable surf.
We take the tender on a trip to the pearl farm in the Eastern Lagoon. JB and Sam do some shopping and JB gets a very nice Black Pearl bracelet. MB buys a small bag of 10 pearls for all his granddaughters.
We then visit the south pass to check out the surf. A couple of young local boys are venturing out on their boards, but it is not really good enough. We try to have lunch at a local resort in the area but the restaurant is closed and it is now 2.30pm. We have a snorkel over the reef near to the resort then head back to BP for lunch. Mark, Valerie and all their family are coming for dinner tonight on board.We are now watching a new TV series 'Breaking Bad' and once again are hooked.
JB and MB go for a walk into town after
lunch. Following the torrential rain of a day or two before, the road shoulders are wet and muddy. JB slips and injures her right toe, but manages to hobble into town.
In the late afternoon, MB goes fishing with Mark, in his well equipped and comfortable fishing boat. They troll with several rods.The sea is rough and there is no result. Mark relates a story about the best commercial fisherman on the Island. "He spotted a Marlin and threw in a live bonito bait with a hook and line with a buoy. The marlin took the bait but the rope and buoy got caught around his neck and pulled him overboard. His boat was still in gear and kept going. Luckily the marlin eventually got off the hook, but he remained stranded in the sea for 10 hours. He was spotted by a person in the back of a local freighter and subsequently rescued.They never found his boat.He could not fish or go on a boat for 2 years after that, but is now back". He apparently still has the scars around his neck.
While MB was fishing Paul managed to get a few waves. We are invited to an early dinner at Marks tomorrow before we leave.
Wednesday. We are to leave for Papeete tonight, a 10 hour overnight trip. Marks takes Paul and MB for an early morning fish. They spend three hours trolling and not a fish.
Paul is frustrated that there has been no surf, but the weather is slightly improving in the north side of the Fare Pass. There is a guy out there Kite Surfing this strong overhead surf and it looks fantastic. Paul decides to paddle out while MB does photography and to see how the surf is working. Paul gets a great wave, but is wiped out. He then starts to quickly paddle back to the tender where with a very painful look on his face, he tells MB he cannot feel his legs. His back has landed hard on the reef. MB helps him aboard and takes him back to BP. He is now angry and in pain but can at least feel his legs and is able to walk to his room, to lie down.
Nurse JB administers some pain relief and muscle relaxants as he is experiencing spasms in his leg and buttock, which is swelling badly. Sam applies ice packs. It looks like we are not leaving tonight, and MB will not be surfing.
We go into Mark and Valerie's for dinner leaving Sam with Paul and the radio if things get worse. When we get back Sam has contacted the doctor who prescribes stronger pain relief.
Thursday Paul is not able to get out of bed but is feeling a bit better. Our main concern is that he may have a fracture, although he is able to stand to use the bathroom. A local doctor will visit him today.
We have to change our plans and will fly to Papeete tomorrow. The weather has been strange, although it is warm it has been very windy and has limited our activities. We are lucky with our first 3 weeks as we had great adventures and here we have been able to renew our friendship with Mark and Valerie.
JB and Mick
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