Hao is quite a large atoll but most boats never venture very far into it - mostly staying at anchor off the village of Otepa. It's seen as a "provision and go" atoll with little of interest. However we're finding it very pleasant indeed. Yesterday we sailed down the atoll about 8 miles to an old pearl farm. Friends who own it explained that the pearl industry collapsed when certain boats stopped calling, and it was impossible as well as uneconomic to move oysters by plane. So now they have a very nice weekend hut.

Again it's an incredible lifestyle. They come down here for the weekend and speargun fish to eat and just relax on the water. We are very lucky to be able to join them and enjoyed our lunch with them enormously. We provided the coconut cake for dessert. Tomorrow is a work day, so they will be returning back to the village. We will go for a bit more of an explore. We have to decide if we want to stay in Hao longer of jump on the next weather window to Tahanea. As the window looks quite small with calm winds either side, we are currently thinking we may be here until next week. It's not a bad place to be stuck!