Photo Gallery - June 2001
Pictures with a border can be clicked to see a large
version of the image.
Kate
standing lookout on the bow watching for coral heads in the lagoon at Makemo as
we make our way across the lagoon to a fringing motu on the SE corner of the
atoll.
The
motus on the SE corner of Makemo taken from the deck of the Queen Jane at
anchor.
The
Easternmost motu at Makemo.
Jonah
on deck looking cute. That's all.
Gail
from "Blue Yonder" come to visit.
View
along the beach at the Easternmost motu at Makemo. The red dinghy visible in the
photo belongs to Pez Vela.
Hannah
(at center) and her father, Jonathan, from the S/V Attitude along with Jonah.
The gentlemen at the far right is an Aussie named Phillip from the S/V Capers.
The photo was taken on the motu at Makemo where the crew of "Attitude"
and "Capers" had organized a beach cookout.
Jonah
examining a small Hermit Crab, his first. The motus at Makemo (and apparently
all off the motus of the Tuomotus from our later experiences) are just overrun
with them.
The
tidal flats behind the motu at Makemo. This is the area between the motu and the
fringing, barrier reef.
Jonah
goofing around with William from "Attitude".
The
captain lounging (in a borrowed chair) on the motu at Makemo with Chris from
"Pez Vela".
Jonathan
Spencer, owner and Captain of the S/V Attitude of London. See http://www.spencersatsea.com
for more information about "Attitude".
With
an old hard hat he found Jonah has amassed quite a collection of
"helmut" crabs.
A
close up of Jonah's hermit crab collection, I mean helmut crabs...
Parting
shot of one of the motus at Makemo we visited.
Kate
and Jonah on lookout duty on our way back to the village at Makemo after our
stay at the motus.
An
example of the mid-lagoon reefs we had to dodge while making our way across the
lagoon of Makemo. These patches of reef vary in size from 20ft in diameter to a
hundred yards by 20 yards, or larger. Fortunately, they are very easy to spot
and were always seen half a mile or more before we approached them, even in bad
weather.
CJonah
walking down the pier at Makemo carrying two empty gasoline jugs we were going
to have filled. The pier is used to unload goods from the ships which keep
the island supplied with everything from food, building materials and
automobiles. It also served as a dinghy dock for visiting cruisers.
Here
we are in front of the administration building (across from the fuel depot)
trying to get gasoline. Unfortunately, they were out that day and we got none.
Kate
(Jordan in background) sitting on the seawall on the North side of the village
at Makemo. Photo by Jonah.
Jonah
lying on the same wall.
Jonah
and Jordan walking down a typical village road in Makemo.
Jonah
clowning around in one of his favorite spots aboard - the bow platform. This
photo was taken at the West end of Makemo where we went after leaving the
village. This anchorage was our favorite in the Tuomotus and was situated in a
"horseshoe" shaped coral basin and was a quarter mile from the pass at
Makemo's NorthWest corner.
Kate
holding up her trophy tuna. This Dogtooth Tuna was caught by Kate outside the
pass in the dinghy with Chris and Markus in the early morning while I slept. We
estimated its weight at about 35-40lbs.
Dave
from "Blue Yonder" admiring Kate's tuna. Dave and his wife Gail spent
a week with us diving daily and taking turns hosting fish dinners aboard. We
hope to run into them again in the near future.
Kate
with Chris from Pez Vela watching Markus butchering the tuna she caught.
Markus
doing his sacred duty. Jordan always lets professionals do the work when they
are available so as not to embarrass himself.
The
tuna carcass about to be tossed overboard. Notice how well stripped the
carcass is.
More
fish photos. This one is a small Yellowfin Tuna caught 2 miles North of the pass
at Tahanea on our way in.
Our
anchorage at Tahanea, our next stop after Makemo, was home to a group of
Blacktip Reef Sharks. Here is one cruising by our boat. They seem to hang around
the sailboats anchored there waiting for handouts, which they often get.
Another
one of our "hosts" swimming by. Although not dangerous and quite shy
around swimmers, we nonetheless decided to forgo swimming around the boat while
anchored in this spot.
Our
good friends Chris and Markus of "Pez Vela" (spanish for Sailfish) in
the saloon aboard our boat.
S/V
Layla, friends we met in Seattle two years ago, anchored by a motu on the SE
corner of Tahanea. We spent 3 or 4 days anchored next to them during a period of
heavy winds which made the anchorage at the pass too rough.
The
(very large) motu at the SE corner of Tahanea where we spent a few very relaxing
days.
Another
view of the motus at the SE corner of Tahanea from the anchorage.
Jonah
and Jordan swimming at the motus in Tahanea. Well, actually Jordan is swimming
and Jonah is getting a free ride.
This
photo is the first in a series of shots of Markus "feeding" fish
carcasses to the local blacktip shark population. As I indicated in the journal
entry for the day of this event, Markus is quite the madman, but he's a lot of
fun to be around!
In
this shot he literally has pulled the shark up out of the water by the tail of a
fish carcass which the shark refuses to relinquish.
Another
great shot of shark feeding hour on the Queen Jane.
Nope,
we won't be swimming at this anchorage!
The
final image of the series shows a frenzied group of sharks fighting over a fish
head which they pulled off the carcass.
Jonah
sitting on a fender watching the shark show. What an education!
Jonah
proudly showing off his latest drawing of a Stegosaurus!
The
shore near our anchorage at Tahanea. The landscape is almost moon-like in its
starkness. Jonah can be seen running in the center of the photo.
Jonah
and Chris posing ashore on a wildlife expedition.
Jonah
watches in rapt fascination as Chris turns over a rock to see what lives beneath
it. This is one Jonah's favorite things to do.
The
Tahanea Fighting Crab. These crabs were ferocious in their demeanor when
confronted.
The
Queen Jane lying to her anchor at sunset taken from shore on Tahanea Atoll.
The
Mahi-Mahi (Dorado) we caught on the passage to Tahiti. This fish weighed about
15-18lbs.
On
the morning of our arrival in Tahiti Jordan went on deck at 7am and WHAM we had
a hook-up. The fish was obviously big and strong. With full drag applied it took
almost every yard of line of the reel. Jordan spent 30 minutes fighting that
fish before getting it up to the boat. The next 2 photos show the biggest fish
we've ever caught.
Jordan
has tentatively identified the fish as a Striped Marlin. Our estimates put it at
about 6-7ft in length. We can only guess at the weight, but 200lbs would not
surprise us. Early on during the fight Jordan decided it would be impossible to
bring such a creature on board. Kate was gratified to hear this.
Here
is the billfish alongside the Queen Jane. Shortly after this photo was
taken Kate cut the line just above the leader and let it go. The fish will
survive and the hook and leader will eventually rust away and fall out,
according to our fishing guru Markus. Jordan's arms, however, may take longer to
recover from the fight!
Jonah
on deck as we approach Tahiti.
View
of the island of Tahiti as we approach.
