January 2009

Hello everyone,

Rain over the Austral islands? so much the better, as it allows us to gather drinking water ; I heard the other day the number of cubic meters of fresh water used daily by a each inhabitant of industrialized countries? On board Banana Split, we use about 15 liters a day for two people? I must admit that we often go swimming and that dishes and most other things are washed with sea water. Many cruising boats, nowadays, are fitted with a desalination system, but the thing looks a little too complicated for me. So? thanks heavens for the rain !

Thanks also to all those who sent me their greetings for the new year. We are back at Raivavae, where Banana Split was waiting for us at anchor in front of the small capital, Rairua, under the eye of our friend Bernard, aboard Pitcairn; with Inia, another sailboat, we are 3 boats spending the winter (in fact, here, it?s the summer) in Raivavae, and the lagoon is vast enough so we each have our space.

Various celebrations take place during the holidays, such as the traditional contests for stone lifting (the stone on the pictures weighs 95 kilos, over 200 lbs), the race between fruit bearers, and spear throwing contests. There also are rituals during which one half of the island?s inhabitants circles the island and finds an open table in the house of the rest of the population - which receives the same treatment the following week. At the beginning of January, the central island empties, as most of the island?s population settles for a few days on the islets on the coral barrier, the motu, which remain perfectly deserted the rest of the year

After our frenetic tour of talks all over France and the Paris Boat show, it is a pleasure to find the peace of our lagoon again
I wish you all an excellent year, may 2009 be truly fine !