We began to prepare the boat for departure as soon as we awoke this morning. At 8am I went back to the village to mail our visa extension papers. After that I tried to get some gasoline but they had run out - the supply ship is coming tomorrow, too late to help us. We have over 12 gallons remaining and Pez Vela is carrying more then that including a small 2 gallon jug they had filled for us.

I then went to the bakery to get our last fresh bread and returned to the boat at about 11am, just as S/V Felicity was anchoring! By noon we were heading out the pass against a 4k current (the tide changed at about 11:30am). It was a bit tricky but we made it through without difficulty. The wind was blowing 15-22k from the ENE with sunny skies and occasional squalls. We let out the genoa and were immediately making 7-7.5k over the ground along the North side of the atoll.

We caught yet another Skipjack and threw it back. We arrived at the Western pass at about 4:15pm and motored in with the still flooding tide and anchored in company of Pez Vela and two other boats in a small coral basin just to the West of the pass. The coral basin and surrounding reefs provide excellent protection from the wind and the chop is very minimal here. The water is extremely clear and Chris and Marcus report excellent prospects for diving the pass tomorrow!