Tahuata June 29 - July 3

We all got up early on Sunday morning to get ready for the trip to Tahuata. Jeff and Fred went ashore to meet the bread truck (great baguettes are one of the bonuses around here). Unfortunately, their 6AM arrival time was too late, seems the entire town was there and had already put their orders in, but the guys got us some nice croissants instead. The bread truck also sold cigarettes, beer, wine and roasted chickens, and the guys say the beer was a big seller.
We had a rolly 7 hour ride to Hana Moe Noa bay, but it was worth it. This place was gorgeous! It had a big white sandy beach that was lined with coconut palms and very clear water in a nice protected bay. This was our first stop where there was no town at all and we really liked it. There was another little bay next to us and we took the dingy over there one day for some very nice snorkeling. We had a bit of a scare while snorkeling when we looked back and saw that a wave had reached up to where we had left the dingy on the beach and it was starting to get knocked around a bit. Fred's swim training came in handy here and he raced back to shore and got it before it was swamped or washed away. Whew.
This bay is also where we began making some cruising friends. We were visited by a really nice English couple, Dave and Jo, who are sailing with their super cute, red-headed, five year old daughter, Beth. We traded some books and they brought us some cake one day, and we spent a little time chatting in each others cockpits. We've looked forward to seeing their boat in other bays ever since.
We spent a really enjoyable couple days in this lovely bay. Fred swam each morning, then we'd have coffee and pamplemousse, and Jeff would make something delicious for breakfast, then we'd tackle a boat project, then go for an afternoon snorkel, then wash the saltwater out of our mouths with an after-swim beer, then Jeff would make something delicous for dinner, and Fred and Angie would do the dishes, then we'd watch a DVD, then off to bed then repeat again the next day. Very nice. Very relaxing.