A letter from Peter
 

A recent post from Peter:

Bon Jour,

I am currently at Fakarava atoll in the Tuamotus. (16,03.564S;
145,37.261W) The wind getting here from Hiva Oa in the Marquesas was
fickle, coming from all points of the compass, even west, and was
usually less than 12 knots but at times had great sails with the wind
on or forward of the beam. The pass into the lagoon was wide enough to
turn around in and was marked by a green, keep to starboard lit pole.
We are now back in the civilised world where one keeps the green buoy
(pronounced "Boy" and not "boo-ee") on one's right when entering a
harbour instead of the opposite which the Americans use. From the pass
to the anchorage off the village was 5.8 miles. This lagoon is huge
and is roughly rectangular being 30 miles in length by 12 miles wide.
The village and airstrip are in the top north east corner.

Before entering I had talked on VHF to another boat, "Lauren Grace"
who I had often only heard since Panama on the Net but had never met
and who had arrived a couple of days before. The husband (retired
policeman), wife (lawyer) and 24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside at
their suggestion and obtained anchoring advice before dropping the
hook between them and the "Keep North of" pole marking an isolated
reef. A little later, Sharlene (has to be from the good 'ole south)
the wife came across with a fresh baguette and a friendly welcome.
Really nice people. They informed me that today was market day with
fresh vegetables as the supply ship came in yesterday afternoon and
they would take me ashore. They were going to the pearl farm later and
asked if I wanted to accompany them. Nice people.

The pearl farm which is owned by a German architect with a Tahitian
wife was an interesting visit but I have seen pearl farms before. I
spent some time with him in talking about his life and how he ended up
here which was far more of interest to me. In his landcruiser that he
picked us up from the wharf in were another two couples, also
American, who I got to know during the day. The woman on one who is
returning to Seattle from Tahiti, had crewed on another boat I met
before in Hiva Oa. We had lunch at a nice waterfront cafe/bar and
somehow all chose the fishburgers though there was plenty of other
menu items to choose from. The fish was fresh grilled mahimahi -
delicious, reasonably priced and came with a side salad and fries or
'frit'.

We walked back to the wharf and went for an impromptu swim along the
way. Nobody seemed to mind my Rio scants beneath my shorts - they were
less brief than the women's bikinis- and the water was divine, being
clear and with a hint of light blue; the coral sand was very finely
ground and the sea was flat, ideal for floating and talking and
getting to know my fellow cruisers. A young woman from Paris has
established a vegetable stall nearby and also makes and sells
delicious small pear and egg custard pies as well as large slices of a
delicious and very beautiful layered sliced apple tart which
constituted my early evening meal together with a single large omega
plum. All in all, it was a friendly and nice way to spend a day of
relaxation.

I have biked with my Dahon folder around a bit as most of the roads
are concrete and wide. Yesterday I biked with another family from
Seattle past the airport to the entrance to the lagoon 10 kilometres
(6.25 miles) either way including 6 kilometres of gravel road. We were
amazed at how easily the 20 inch bike could keep up with their
mountain bikes. Great gears. I had been on their boat the night before
with another cruiser as they played guitar and the Celtic harp - much
like a normal harp but only 4' 6" high.

The water is picture postcard beautifully clear and light blue. The
people speak a language fairly close to New Zealand Maori so I am able
to communicate with them better than I can in French. I met some nice
young 'guys' yesterday while biking. They were drinking and smoking
locally (first class heads) grown pot by the side of the road. They
offered the old man some of both and when I explained that I don't
drink they apologised profusely and found a can of Coca-Cola in their
ice box. I guess it was the Maori because they were almost rude when I
first stopped.

I hope to leave here when the winds are anticipated for the 2 day sail
to Tahiti. Diesel is over $5 per gallon. Baguettes are delicious as
are the crepes (ham, rocquefort (blue) cheese and walnut filling).

Ciao
Peter


When I answer I shall ask him what he is going to do when he gets back
to Australia?

What do you do after you've seen the world.....


Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

A letter from Peter
 

Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside

Sailors. You gotta love 'em....(c;]






--
-----
Larry

If a man goes way out into the woods all alone and says something,
is it still wrong, even though no woman hears him?

A letter from Peter
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside

Sailors. You gotta love 'em....(c;]

Yes. I hate going alongside or being alongside anyone. Why bother leaving
the marina if that is what you like?

A letter from Peter
 

Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside


Find out when the 24 year old daughter will be back in Orlando. And where.
It's a pretty big city/town.

A letter from Peter
 

"Edgar" wrote in
:


"Larry" wrote in message
...
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside

Sailors. You gotta love 'em....(c;]

Yes. I hate going alongside or being alongside anyone. Why bother
leaving the marina if that is what you like?




Why not move out into the mountains of Iran or Afghanistan and live the
life of a hermit in a hole? It's certainly cheaper than the boat money
pit and you don't have to put up with anyone, especially friendly
boaters like us.

I've never been rafted up over about 12 deep for the weekend. One of
our friends has a trawler with a serious power plant he's not afraid to
leave running. Everyone fills his trawler back at the dock on the way
in. Oh, the pleasure to have a COOL, BUG FREE place where you don't
have to drown in everyone's stink all weekend or worry about leaving the
lights in the head running all night. It's just as cool on the last
sailboat out by the speedboats we go to the beaches with.

Party's on the trawler, tonight. One of the boats is back from South
America and we're going to see the pictures on the 52" big screen TV.

Is sitting there in the dark with your flashlights "better", somehow???

--
-----
Larry

If a man goes way out into the woods all alone and says something,
is it still wrong, even though no woman hears him?

A letter from Peter
 

On Tue, 26 May 2009 19:10:17 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Larry" wrote in message
.. .
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside

Sailors. You gotta love 'em....(c;]

Yes. I hate going alongside or being alongside anyone. Why bother leaving
the marina if that is what you like?



Try a voyage from Galapagos to The Tuamotus. You may be more friendly
after you get there after 3500 miles of no one to talk ....

Cheers,

Bruce in Bangkok
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)

A letter from Peter
 

"Larry" wrote in message
...

I've never been rafted up over about 12 deep for the weekend. One of
our friends has a trawler with a serious power plant he's not afraid to
leave running. Everyone fills his trawler back at the dock on the way
in. Oh, the pleasure to have a COOL, BUG FREE place where you don't
have to drown in everyone's stink all weekend or worry about leaving the
lights in the head running all night. It's just as cool on the last
sailboat out by the speedboats we go to the beaches with.

Party's on the trawler, tonight. One of the boats is back from South
America and we're going to see the pictures on the 52" big screen TV.

Is sitting there in the dark with your flashlights "better", somehow???

For me rafting up (not more than!!) 12 deep and watching big screen TV
while someone runs a large generator to power it all is not my idea of
cruising. How loud do you have the sound? Can anyone escape hearing it even
if they do not want to watch the film?
I do not sit in the dark with a flashlight. I have decent batteries if I
want light, but sitting in the dark in a quiet anchorage under the stars
while having a drink with a congenial friend is much more to my taste than
the picture you paint. Everyone to his own taste.

A letter from Peter
 

"Bruce in Bangkok" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 26 May 2009 19:10:17 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Larry" wrote in message
. ..
Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

24 year old daughter Lauren (recent
music degree graduate) are from Orlando Florida. I came alongside

Sailors. You gotta love 'em....(c;]

Yes. I hate going alongside or being alongside anyone. Why bother leaving
the marina if that is what you like?



Try a voyage from Galapagos to The Tuamotus. You may be more friendly
after you get there after 3500 miles of no one to talk ....

Yes, I expect you are right on that. But I would still prefer to meet them
in a bar or cross by dinghy rather than raft together.

A letter from Peter
 

On Wed, 27 May 2009 16:19:23 +0200, Edgar wrote:

but sitting in the dark in a quiet anchorage under the stars while
having a drink with a congenial friend is much more to my taste than the
picture you paint

oh yeah...aug 12...north channel...Perseids...a perky Shiraz...ahhhh

A letter from Peter
 

On Wed, 27 May 2009 16:19:23 +0200, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Larry" wrote in message
.. .

I've never been rafted up over about 12 deep for the weekend. One of
our friends has a trawler with a serious power plant he's not afraid to
leave running. Everyone fills his trawler back at the dock on the way
in. Oh, the pleasure to have a COOL, BUG FREE place where you don't
have to drown in everyone's stink all weekend or worry about leaving the
lights in the head running all night. It's just as cool on the last
sailboat out by the speedboats we go to the beaches with.

Party's on the trawler, tonight. One of the boats is back from South
America and we're going to see the pictures on the 52" big screen TV.

Is sitting there in the dark with your flashlights "better", somehow???

For me rafting up (not more than!!) 12 deep and watching big screen TV
while someone runs a large generator to power it all is not my idea of
cruising. How loud do you have the sound? Can anyone escape hearing it even
if they do not want to watch the film?
I do not sit in the dark with a flashlight. I have decent batteries if I
want light, but sitting in the dark in a quiet anchorage under the stars
while having a drink with a congenial friend is much more to my taste than
the picture you paint. Everyone to his own taste.

I think Larry's a party animal. Likes booze and wimmens.

--Vic