Hmmm tis nights like this that make me nervous. Were less than 2 miles from the corner of Rangiroa, an island who's maximum height is 6ft inducing palm trees. Al claims he saw a 3 storey building, but I don't believe him. There's no moon, less than 10 kn of breeze and another atoll in the way. Oh and Rangiroa's not where the chart says it is. According to the radar - which only works when the engine's on, and a bit of calculating its .3 of a nautical mile out. Given even now were less than 2 miles from it, that's not pleasant. Its got one light on it. Echo sounder is useless as were outside the 1000m contour (even this close). The gap between the islands requires a course of gybes and the gap is only 5 miles. Assuming the other atoll's where the chart says it is. Most likely is .3nm out like the other one. So I've adopted the motor the straight line through and use the radar approach. Damn the fuel, the environment and the temperature in my cabin.

Its hot here, and the engine doesn't help, its right next to my cabin. Ah well. must get away from corraly death. I likes Atolls, pretty on the inside sharp on the outside. They really are spoony things, 20m deep and 20 miles across with a glorified beach as a border. 1000 meters half a mile out side. Does ones noggin in and if one is not careful ones boat.

"Id rather be on the boat with a drink on the rocks, than in the drink with the boat on the rocks."

I waxed all philosophical on the way over here. There are three sorts op people in this world, not the usual 2.

Optimists, who sea a half glass and say "Its half full"
Pessimists, who sea a half glass and say "Its half empty"
and of course sailors, who're just happy the damn things not in their lap.

Its also faintly possible that the sailors just see a half glass and go "I'll have that" and down it in one.

Due to the inadequacies of French Polynesian internet (no to mention beer stocks, cash points and charts) I've not had much of a chance to update. When you see this look out for my tribute to our Weather Girl, Jackie. In odds and ends. Alan's wild life video entitled Attenborough and a loverly and a loverly desktop walpaper of Jackal and her Crew in Tom's Travels.

LINKS FOR RSS USERS:
http://www.oceanhippie.net/content.php? Cat=10&Res=724 - Weather Girl
http://www.oceanhippie.net/content.php?Cat=11&Res=722 - Attenborough
http://www.oceanhippie.net/content.php?Cat=11&Res=691 - Wallpaper