A tropical apprenticeship

We haven't had internet since we left Taiohae in the Marquesas so we will be posting SSB-to-blog until we do. I've written a number of photo posts for when we find wifi. Currently we are in Fakarava atoll in the Tuamotus and having a great time.

We've fallen in with a group of people who, for the most part, have spent multiple seasons in the South Pacific and we are learning a lot of fun things from them and on our own about our new environment.

We have learned:
-- How to walk the reef at night looking for lobster and snails.
-- How to drift snorkel.
-- How to catch a coconut crab, although we still haven't eaten one.
-- To be more comfortable in the water with black tipped, white tipped and grey reef sharks.
-- How to make bread on sticks over a fire.
-- That we like the taste of marbled grouper but that parrotfish make good poisson cru.
-- How to cut open an immature coconut tree and collect heart of palm (delicious and crunchy).
-- Some coral head and reef navigation and anchoring skills although we have much to learn.
-- That if you ask around you will often find more provisions and supplies available than the guidebooks say.
-- To bring our own dishes to potlucks on the beach (duh).
-- That we have (so far) spent much less money here than we did in Mexico because all of our play is free, stores are few and far between and eating out means potlucks and fellow cruisers' boats.

We have run out of most fresh supplies and are down to onions, potatoes and the sprouts we make in jars so we will be heading to the town on the N side of this atoll soon. Then our current plan is to move to Toau.