Bad Neighbours (Tuesday 19th April)

Smugly, we all woke again at dawn to make the most of the daylight hours of 6-6. It had nothing to do with persistent jetlag, we're just the go-getter types. Liam used the morning to bake fresh bread, Suzi read, and Ben and I went for a cycle on Taha'a and checked out a rum distillery for a potential visit. The gentle flat cycle I was promised resulted in a 42km loop of Taha'a with a steep climb at the end in the midday sun. Thank you Ben.

On return to Ruth II, our beautiful hard won anchorage had become swarmed with an influx of "Spring Breakers", bumper car US and AUZ charter catamarans with 10 college students on each. Music pounding & booze flowing, we had a dilemma - Do we stay or do we go? After initial hostility with the proximity of our new neighbours to our anchor lines, we made some friendly enquiries and learned the flotilla of 10 boats would be leaving together at 5pm. Phew. Repeat anchoring PTSD subsided as we sipped our gin & tonics at 5.01. Status quo restored.

We took a trip back to the Coral Garden as a break from the afternoons commotion for more snorkelling. The second trip was just as impressive as the first.

We had dinner onboard and ate on deck in the anchorage. Liam cooked a lovely pasta dish with fresh salads while simultaneously baking fresh bread for breakfast the following morning. We manage to get through a full loaf of bread each day. Not bad going for a crew of 4. We planned our passage to Bora Bora over dinner and headed for our bunks ready for an early start.

Cúmhaí