Saturday 10/08/11

Well, here we are in Tuau. We made it Thursday around 1000. There are mooring balls here, so we caught one of them, tidied the decks, cleaned up our cabin - we took 2 waves through port holes, then had naps. That evening Doug and Carla came over for drinks to celebrate our anniversary. Must be time to head back to the states, we are out of California wine!!!! Friday Dennis spent the day on the generator - again. Not entirely sure what is wrong. The high temp alarm went off, but it wasn't overly hot. The problem seems to be on the fresh water coolant side (that's where we just installed the new pump). Anyway, still are not sure what exactly the problem is or was, Dennis is putting it back together even as we speak, so we will see. Last night all the boats in the anchorage got together for a bbq at Gaston and Valentine's place. They are the only family that live here on Tuau. They fish and have a pearl farm and maintain the mooring balls. It was a great bbq. Everyone brought meat and side dishes. Gaston set up the bbq -- they use coconut husks instead of charcoal - and grilled the meat for everyone. We also brought in our trash and burned that. Besides Moondance, there are 2 other boats. A couple from Florida who have been cruising for 11 years, and a couple from Germany. So it was a good group of people. I am hoping to trade some food and sunglasses for pearls. Today we are going with Valentine and Gaston to a motu across the lagoon. We will help clean it up, have another bbq (Gaston will cook fish) and do some snorkeling. Hopefully the generator will behave and it will be a good day.

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