Monday 7 June Fakarava north

on way to north of atoll

David's back has improved slightly and we were able to move the boat with me doing the greatest part of the lifting and pulling. With no wind to put up the sails we motored north inside the atoll to the village on the north side of Fakarava atoll (16 04S 145 37W), second largest atoll in the Archipel des Tuamotus, one of 5 archipelagos of French Polynesia. We're 500 miles south of the Archipel des Marquesas, 200 miles north of the Society Islands which include Tahiti and Bora Bora and approximately 160 miles east of Rangiroa. The Marquesas where high and lush volcanic islands. The Tuamotus are ancient remains of volcanic activity, like the Maldives these are dry, low lying atolls with one or sometimes two breaks in the reef to allow access to the protected water inside.