TT's: Toau

Plenty of wind & waves
on the outside of the atolls.

Many boats have ended up on reefs like this one,
 nearly invisible in poor light
 (radar and  GPS have made travel in this archipelago safer,
 though extreme caution is still in order)

Once inside the lagoon, though there isn't much protection from the wind, the water is much calmer. This is Amyot Cove, on the north end of Toau.

The anchorage was right next to a reef, and there was almost a mile of coral heads teeming with fish right off the stern of the boat. We snorkeled at least once a day; Art said "You know life is good when your bathing suit never gets dry!"

 

Another attraction to this cove is the "restaurant". One family lives here, and the matriarch will make a Polynesian feast about once a week if there are enough cruisers to make it worthwhile for her to cook up a storm. It was an amazing presentation: grilled lobster, roast pig, poisson cru (raw fish marinated in lime and coconut milk), coconut bread, dessert served on a large leaf--all in an open-air hut over the water. Similar feasts are prepared in Tahiti, but this was as authentic as it gets.

Sailors from all over the world end up in this little cove; if they have a spare flag from their country, they leave it for the hut.

 Slices of motu life:

Returning from checking fish traps. They use a small wooden boat for that work, then a slightly larger one to take the fish for sale in Fakarava, 35 miles away over open ocean.

Though she has more modern appliances in the hut, this outdoor cooking & cleaning station is still used. And there's the ubiquitous phone booth--installed for one family!

Shoes (always flip-flops) are not worn indoors

Small boats are hauled out of the water to keep the hulls free from marine growth; in the background is the lobster pen (caught at night on the reefs by flashlight, then kept in the cage).

Motu beaches are often crushed coral rather than sand; not far from the water the 'ground' is made of bigger coral chunks. Here I am on the edge of the atoll (again), where the beach gives way to volcanic rock.

Most places we've been have had no stores, and we're getting low on an essential item (beer). Art has taken to brewing ginger beer; tangy & tasty, it's ideal for sundown at a lagoon!

Since no fruit grows naturally in the Tuamotus (no soil = no fruit trees), we stocked up on pamplemousse in the Marquesas. These large grapefruit are sweet and juicy, and one is large enough for two meals.

The only downside to staying for the feast was getting caught by weather. Strong winds kicked up and lasted for over a week, making travel in some directions nearly impossible.

 Some boats in this anchorage gave up on visiting any other atolls and headed for Tahiti, but we stuck it out. At least we got some postponed boat projects done!

 Checking bow lines

 Rainbow: always a good sign