Photos from Around the Yard and Uturoa

We were very busy during our last ten-day work session to prepare the boat for over-season, so there were few photos. Now and again, I'd snap one and that's what these are.

We spent some time with Adva and Antoine, shown here with Conni. With their young one, they prepared for long-distance cruising.  He's a naval engineer, she an author.

This our bungalow, or the one that we used for both stays. It's away from the other four and has much more space and a semi-attached kitchen: it rains in the no-door.

These are the old bungalows and where we usually stay.

This is the butane filling site at the Carenage. Yep, they just hang the large tank upside down and allow gravity to fill the smaller tanks. It's simple but seems to work.

Lovely Conni prepares for her ride up the mast to remove all the wind instruments and check fittings and such. She sits in this Bosun's Chair by the hour and I use a winch to hoist her up the mast.

Lovely Conni peers up at me from ground level, as she supports the dinghy in its storage bag. On deck, I supply the muscle to hoist the 110-pound dinghy to the deck.

A common site: Lovely Conni consulting her Take-down list.

Conni, still on deck, as we depart the boat for the last time this season. Steep ladder, isn't it?

Lovely Conni at the first spreader.

Lovely Conni posing as we leave the yard for the season. You can see the cover on Wings.

This is the cover that protects the boat through wind, rain, and sun.

Bill has painted his nails! As a true fashion plate, it's good to know that he is always out front, innovating fashion. Here, he shows the newest fashion, red bottom painted nails!

Back in the bungalow, we are enjoying a G&T with a tonic unavaible in the US and a local gin.

Jumbo Top is a French open-ocean racing boat. Note that 3.5-meter-deep keel.

Our German friends, Britta and Michael, are just in from cruising so not their fanciest, but they're great folks adn we enjoyed dinner with them.

Ron's Roulotte, where we enjoyed several excellent meals. I couldn't get past "thon frite" or grilled tuna and fries.

We've looked at that sign for a decade: No cash, no splash. It always makes us smile.

This is Britta and Michael's boat, Vera, that they sailed from Germany, with stops in Antartica. Adventourous folk.

This is Manu, the wood expert from the Carenage.

We were aboard when Turtle Blues was launched. She's owned by our Australian friends, Reinhardt and Rianna.