Graptolite - Normal Service

17:35.16S 149:36.93W Pape'ete, Tahiti

Bit of a gap in the blogs there. Sorry, but I've had better things to do.

On Monday we went diving again. More wrecks and fish. Why would anyone want to dive in the cold, dark and muddy waters of the Frozen North?

Tuesday was my birthday and Heike and Colin laid on a surprise birthday breakfast for me in the cockpit. Smoked marlin, fresh pineapple, croissants, everything. I was later 'kidnapped' and found myself on a car ferry going to Moorea.

Up to now, Moorea has to be the most beautiful island I've been on. The landscape has an unreal quality with tropical flowers, reefs, blue water and big rock pinnacles. Even the roadside stalls are nice. The local wild
bananas taste slightly of oranges and when you buy loud tropical shirts they give you free grapefruit to take away.

We lunched at one 5-star resort, dined at another and for the night they got me an over-water bungalow with a coral reef as a view through the glass coffee table. I'm unable to put into words properly what a great time I had
and how much I appreciate my crew as friends. Thank you, both of you.

Belinda has now arrived in Tahiti after falling foul of an airline strike and having to fly between LA and Pape'ete via Osaka, Japan. Crossing the International Dateline twice on one journey would have me out of action for a week. Colin and Belinda are now staying at the Intercontinental in Pape'ete for a few days to recover. Me and Heike and are going back to sea tomorrow and we might do a quick circumnavigation of Tahiti.

The satellite phone has been repaired and normal service is now resumed.

M