Yesterday we reluctantly left Tahanea after 6 weeks, it’s not easy to leave such a beautiful place behind, but the cyclone season has already started and we should move further east.
Even on Tahanea the human influence already shows negatively (some reefs are fished empty, some motus have been burned down, it seems that more people from the neighbouring island are visiting and there’s even one permanently inhibited house now), but it’s still the most pristine and untouched place we’ve found between Galapagos and Tonga. Bird colonies, phantastic underwater coral landscapes, some places with big, curious fish and lots of reef sharks–it’s sad how rare such unspoiled nature has become. We enjoyed every day there and were amazed how every beach walk or snorkel excursion brought yet another highlight: a manta ray, hunting sharks, a new variety of reef fish, a colourful display of parrot fish in all shades from purple, pink, turquoise, blue to white, a morray eel that caught a crab in the ankle deep water just next to shore–simply incredible. It’s a privilege to witness such natural spectacles.
Today the sailing is slightly annoying. The wind is more easterly than predicted (as usually), so we’re as close-hauled as it gets, therefore sailing slowly and still not on course. 160nm to go to Hao (another atoll of the Tuamotus).
