Touho

We went ashore this morning (Friday) as we had been told that there was a Friday market from 0600 but when we arrived there was nothing doing. Why should we be surprised? We wandered around for a while and then a Kanak lady arrived to open the market facility - she said everything would be happening "bientot"!!! Yeah right. Eventually someone arrived with a few Papayas - 4 to be precise - and we bought two. That was it apart from the instant Nescafe coffee we were offered at 150 francs per serving.
We then returned on board and had for breakfast some of the Spanish Mackerel that David and Mary had caught. Then it was more work on the watermaker (mostly to no avail) and then we went ashore again - this time to do the washing. We are anchored very close to the marina entrance so it is not such an issue getting ashore. No coral reefs to juggle and a relatively short distance in what is a very strong wind. We did the washing (sheets and towels) under a tap onshore with our bucket and then hung the items out on the yacht with millions of pegs in order for them to remain on board in a 20 knot gale!!
It was Friday evening and we went ashore again in the expectation that the only restaurant in Touho would be open but we shouldn't be surprised - it shuts for the weekend!!!! These people have no entrepreneurial ideas at all. So, it's back to the boat to finish off the last of the delicious fish from "Giselle" and an early night.
Not sure what the situation is for the next few days - the winds for the Loyalties don't look favourable so we might just head south outside the reef and get back to Noumea where hopefully we can get some of our boat issues sorted. We think now that we might come back here from Bundaberg next year and go on to Vanuatu, Solomons and on north to the Phillipines and eventually to Malaysian Borneo. Rather than going to Darwin up the Australian coast. Cruising plans are always fluid!!
As always lots of love from us
Jim and Gina (Jean)
www.tiaretaporo3.blogspot.com

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