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Mischief - Up to Mischief Log 31 Further adventures of S/Y Mischief through the eyes and ears of Chas Baynes



Day 63 Tuesday 1st May 2018 - Fare to Baie d'Avea, Huahine

Went ashore for bread again around 0730 and took myself off for a jog whilst Dave and Wendy did the shopping; they were planning to have a coffee somewhere, but it transpired that it was a bank holiday here and everywhere was shut, other than the SuperU. There was a hive of activity outside the supermarket as there had been a supply ship arrive overnight which re-stocked the shop so there was a queue of locals waiting to stockpile supplies.

We set off for a passage down the island inside the barrier reef to the Baie d'Avea, right on the southern tip. It is fairly well marked but there are a few shallow patches to watch out for and it is a bit of a slalom course. The route took us passed some gorgeous scenery: hills, cliffs and valleys covered in different types of tree and vegetation; the colours are amazing when set off against the differing blues of the lagoon in the sun - the lighter blue bits are shallow. We popped into the Port Bourayne, a so-called hurricane hole as it enclosed entirely by mountains - it was obviously the crater of a volcano at one time and it sits to the opposite side of the bridge we were anchored close to in Baie Maroe the other day.

Back outside, we continued south to our destination at Baie d'Avea but only after careful negotiation of some really tricky bits on the course entailing Trevor and I on deck spotting the route. It is not safe to rely on electronic charts as they are prone to be several meters out which is sufficient to put you aground in these narrow confines. As we came around the final bend, there was our bay and several ARC yachts at anchor and on project buoys. We spotted a buoy and picked that up rather than drop an anchor as it was quite deep.

On arrival I dropped into the beautifully clear water and swam over to Libeccio to say hello then snorkeled with Trevor and Jean along the shoreline. There are some fish to see but not too many which is a bit sad, although I did see a dolphin leap out of the water later in the lagoon. The marked snorkeling site is about 2km from where we are, but we have been informed that it is quite rough there and not too much to see there either, so I don't think we will bother with that. I was also informed by Libeccio that the hotel just over on the beach has a happy hour from 1730 so I reckon I know where we will be later on!

Sure enough, at the appointed hour we made our way over to the hotel; the trouble is happy hour only applied to certain cocktails and reduced the prices from astronomical to simply unaffordable, so we had a beer instead. We were joined by the other ARC yacht crews and was a very pleasant gathering after which we returned to the boat to eat a Cassolette I had made earlier, and rather good it was too, even if I should say so myself - all entirely from memory.

I'm not sure what we are up to tomorrow - we are here certainly for another day as it is such a magical spot. The places we go to just seem to get better and better.

Day 64 Wednesday 2 May 2018 - Baie d'Avea, Huahine

I was up early as usual and watched five ARC boats leave the anchorage bound for Raiatea and Tahaa. Due to the Tahiti Pearl Regatta going on at the same time as we are due into Bora Bora, there is insufficient room to have the fleet arrive in one group, so we are split into two. The boats off today are in Group 1 and need to leave Bora Bora before we get there on 13th May; they are therefore a little rushed through this part of the itinerary which is unfortunate for them although they have longer as a result in Tonga. It is one of the criticisms of World ARC that you can be rushed but this present issue is because the dates of the Pearl Regatta changed cocking up the schedule somewhat.

Wendy has the washing machine going and started hoovering her cabin. In no time at all there was a full scale spring cleaning session going on with bedding off, mattresses off, cupboards emptied. Now Jean has joined in and stripped her bedding off and upended the mattress in her and Trevor's cabin. The boat is almost literally upside down! Me, I'm off for a long swim………..

I snorkeled over to the hotel dinghy dock some 250m away and found some really lovely coral and fish over there. The corals are superb with vibrant colours; there was even some antler corals there, and the tropical fish are amazing in their many colours too. I could stay in there all day.

This afternoon we took the dinghy over to the hotel again to re-do that swim although Wendy was still doing her spring cleaning. I saw four fish new to me and Trevor and Jean spotted a Stingray which Dave and I swam over to and saw it as well, trying to bury itself in the sand before swimming off into deeper water. We then motored over to the reef edge to see if there was anything of interest there but it was all sandy bottom there and no fish so we started to head back to the boat when I spotted three more Rays swimming around. A quick donning of mask and fins and I was in the water again, but nothing to be seen, so I swam back to the boat with the sun's rays shining into the water which was worth it. Trouble is when I reached the boat Wendy still had her hoover going - if I were a dog that sound would be the one to make me howl at the moon; so I went off for a bit more swimming until it had stopped!

We had dinner back over at the hotel. Very nice but a bit 'nuveau cuisine': I was hungrier once id eaten it than before I'd started, all for $30!

We are off to Raiatea tomorrow but in the meantime the stars are out in their multitude with no clouds to obscure them and no light pollution at all.

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