S/Y FARRFLY
Log extracts July 2011
Location Tuamotus French Polynesia.
This blog starts at the end of our stay in, what is so far, our favorite location; South pass Fakarava. "Smily Jeff the soup, offshore, ocean, back off, the pink panther Ryan" has gone back to Dublin. However my middle son Stuart arrived 48 hours later on the Dublin-Fakarava shuttle. Here he is arriving;
 |
| Within an hour we had him diving.. he has only 5 weeks no time to lose. |
 |
| The diving signals came back pretty quick. |
 |
| As did some of his better under water moves. |
 |
| Keeping fit, jogging under water. |
 |
The arrival of this character, to see what the din was all about
soon put a stop to Mr Stuarts antics. His first shark. |
 |
| Only Stuart could get Rays on his first days diving.. luck or what? |
 |
| South Fakarava aquarium. |
 |
| Napoleon fish (Photo Stu Cullen) |
 |
| Bird Motu Fakarava, lucky us we arrived as all the chicks were hatching. |
 |
| Tony and Stu bird watching! |
 |
| Aptly named; thousands of birds. |
 |
| King Kanuk ordering the tide back.. |
 |
As the birds have no predators on bird motu they simply lay their eggs on the ground.
Some other motus (small islands) have mice and rats brought by europeans so the birds all
gather here where there are no rodents. |
 |
| Nearly sunset bird island |
 |
| Mahini's grand-children clean an egg with salt water. They had touched it and all were afraid the mama bird would reject it. The salt water treatment worked fine, as we left mama was seen sitting on her egg. |
 |
Tiny birds were everywhere we had to be careful not to stand on one.
|
 |
| Not so cute, only its mother could love it.. |
 |
Valerie (Stuarts mother) and I had hoped for a better looking
child.. but we all love our own. |
 |
Amazing what you can do with photoshop..
or when you turn off fisheye! |
 |
| "Dad lands us in some rough spots" |
 |
| "Paradise" |
 |
Useful mule when it gets too shallow for the motor.
Aply named pink beach in the back ground.
Stu's back is starting to look a bit pinky too..
more sun cream tomorrow. |
 |
| Two posers |
 |
| Stu monkying around |
 |
"Ahh dad how do I get down"
"fall" |
 |
| East shore south Fakarava |
 |
| These two are having a rattling good old time. |
 |
Stu contemplating the realities of life and death, or maybe he
isn't... Burial Motu south Fakarava |
 |
| Last sunset Fakarava, we leave in the morning. |
 |
Levitating motu Tahanea Atoll..photo untouched..
the motu looked like it was in mid air? |
 |
Farrfly before sunset Tahanea. It was a perfectly still evening.
A whale greeted us on our arrival, but we did not get a good shot. |
 |
| It had all the hall marks of a stunning sunset. Hot and still. |
 |
The breeze died off to complete silence.
Tahanea is uninhabited. |
 |
| Then it started; a most spectacular deep red sunset. |
 |
We live on a spectacularly beautiful planet.
All these photos were taken within 10 minutes and are in the correct order.
It got brighter briefly just before dark. The wave is from the dinghy. |
 |
Believe it or not this was DAWN the next morning.
Tahanea 5.30 am July 2011. |
Back to action man
 |
Grouper hunt. On the previous day when diving Stu and I
spoted a shoal of big fat grouper.. so we went fishing the next morning. |
 |
| Catching my self in my own safety line. |
 |
| Holding onto the rock above and the hair streaming here shows the strength of the current. |
 |
We broke our big spear gun catching the first grouper, and the spears from
the small gun bounced off them. Time was of the essence as the sharks soon scent 'fishing' |
 |
Laurn and Hardy would have caught more fish.
We did get one. |
 |
Coconut opening time... only Gus has the hang of it.
You would be amazed how difficult it is.. even with a machete. |
 |
| A dark and stormy day. On our way from Tahanea to Toau |
 |
| Stu seems happy with the days catch, a blue fin tuna. |
 |
Ghost with her sly hidden anchors. Note no bow roller.
The anchors drop out of the bottom of the hull. Why?
So nobody will know in what direction they are laid. |
 |
Yep we are hooked on a ghostly anchor line.
It took 4 hours to sort out ghosts anchors. |
 |
Ghost in the rain. Trying to lift her hidden anchors.
Just a bit too cool. |
 |
| The Italian Job. |
 |
| Stu hunting more fish |
 |
| Turtle, Tehere pass, TOAU. (Photo Stu Cullen) |
\
 |
Robert DeNiro, alias Hectic Hector,
Don of the Italian Mob |
 |
| Miss DeNiro |
 |
Dominica alias Jenny Lopez, an Italian from the Dominican Republic
Roberto's daughter.. |
 |
| Robert DeNiros new boat, racing Farrflyfrom Toau to Apataki. |
 |
| Ladies first! |
 |
| Pakaka pass south west corner Apataki. |
 |
Boat yard east Apitaki..
worlds strangest place for a boatyard.
"Build it and they will come" |
 |
Mathew fixing the hole in his stbd keel.. hate those
coral heads.... |
 |
Bar and restaurant Apitaki boatyard.. cold beer and fresh fish..
happy happy. |
 |
Farrfly and the Mob aboard Legend leave Apitaki
for Rangiora |
 |
Voted Farrflys best ever swim suit .
dix points.. judges Gus & DC!! |
 |
| "DAD behind you" |
 |
| Diving with the dolphins at Tiputa pass Rangiroa |
 |
| At 100 feet, you realise just how big dolphins are. |
 |
Unbelievably graceful and gentle with us, they swam around us a
few times very curious, then descended 'into the blue'. |
 |
| Perfectly disguised turtle, Tiputa pass. |
 |
| Plenty of good looking fish.. |
 |
3ad dive Tiputa pass, the return of the dolphins... showing off swimming
upside down. |
 |
| They were a family of about 6. Mum dad and 4 pups. |
 |
When we surfaced there was a right storm brewing.
Made getting back on the boat a challenge. |
 |
| Such a handy mule.... location unknown. |
 |
The Italian mob on Legend and The Paddies have almost merged, we
were now cruising in company with each other.
Dinner on Legend Rangoria.
Katja, Dominique, Stu (hidden) Gus, Hector, Silvia, DC, |
 |
| Katja, Stu, Dominique. |
 |
| Bruno, Silvia, Hectic Hector. |
 |
Apataki south east point, inside the lagoon.
Dominique and Stu |
 |
| Pop and Stu, SE Apataki. |
 |
The whole gang, Apataki marine restaurant.. one table, cool beer todays fish,
smiles all round. We really enjoyed the Legend gang. Its a quieter world without them. |
 |
| Bruna and Katja... don't believe the rumours... |
