Guess who's crossed 2 oceans!

Saturday 29th March

We arrived in Atuona harbour at about 2.30 in the morning, fairly dark as the moon was in a misty cover. However no problems coming in as I cheated and we anchored off just outside the breakwater, and slept the rest of the night. The WARC representative was on the overlooking hillside on the radio to us and making sure that we were OK. We reserved some fresh baguettes for breakfast with her! This morning then we got up and had brekkie and then moved the boat further in, with 2 anchors, one out the back to keep us steady.

Then ashore to check in with the WARC, and start filling out all the inevitable forms to enter the country. Taxi up to the "town" (all of 1000 people) and into the Gendarmerie, who open from 7 to 1130AM. We arrived at 9.30, but of course the cop shop had closed up for the day! This is island time after all. We have since been promised that there will be somebody there tomorrow between 8 and 10, we'll see.

This bay we are in is magical. The black beach at the end is shrouded by huge palm trees, and the hills rise almost vertically to an extinct, I hope, volcanic peak, usually hidden in the clouds. there are some really spectacular houses on the hillsides, with fantastic views over the bay, and the island in it, and out over the Pacific. The far end. away from the beach, is a steep slope really well channelled by the copious rain that does fall here. Paul has fallen in love with this island and its friendly people.

You have to take a taxi to the town from the harbour, around 4000 FPFrancs for 4 return, say 35 euro. It is expensive here, but then there is no income tax. All goods have duty and VAT on them at source instead. That works well if you live here.

I cannot get the camping Gaz bottles filled here so we have borrowed a bottle from another boat as we are on our 3rd and final bottle. I spent a lot of time, with help, checking out the problem with the watermaker. I think I have located the problem, but will need a part for it if I'm right. That will have to be sent to Tahiti for me. Shouldn't be a problem, I hope.

We hope to view the Gaugin museum and the Brel memorial before we leave - probably on Tuesday - to visit another of the islands. We have a small itinerary worked out. There is so much to see and not enough time. I hope we have chosen well.