[password] pilot25041
[position] 27 61.48s 144 33.1w
[status] we made it to Rapa yesterday just as the light was fading ...... in fact the first green mark on the entrance channel started to 'flash' green as we approached it! We managed this by continuing our excellent progress throughout the afternoon, including a period of time when a hooligan on the helm was surfing at over 10kts down the waves, but oh what fun!
This is another beautiful island and anchorage although completely different to Raivavae, and after a very peaceful night at anchor we were visited just after 9am by the local "Police Municipal" who turned up at the boat on the cross harbour taxi, he spent a good 40mins on board with the taxi driver and his children who were all keenly interested on where we came from and our future plans.

We then went ashore to get our passports "Rapa" stamped, a local lady was translating for us at the Gendarmerie and told us about the Rapa Commune, we are invited to the church service on Sunday when both sides of the harbour all come together and then have a big lunch afterwards, we feel we must attend to not be rude. We then visited the local shop and ordered bread and langoustines for tomorrow.

Back to the boat and we changed the filters on the water maker as it is now giving us high salinity readings and cutting out, however, this has not worked and we now fear this can't be fixed until we get a new membrane in Tahiti. The locals told us there is water available at the wharf so after lunch we went to the wharf and filled our fresh water tanks for free, whilst there it was established that they could also supply diesel at a reasonable price, so back down to the village to pay for the diesel and we then filled these tanks as well. ....... whilst this was all going on Steven managed to 'blag' some fresh fish from the locals, so tonight fish is on the menu for the first time ........ and not down to our fishing prowess, but the generosity of the local inhabitants.

Tomorrow we are going to venture ashore and do a walkabout and see if we can find some of the hilltop forts.

We could say "wish you were here", but we don't want the crowds enjoying our peace, serenity and the beauty ...... not that that is likely to happen with no airport and the supply ship only coming here every 2 months and the nearest island 300nm away!

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