Sunday 28 December – through the passage back to Pef Island

We were up early to get to the narrow passage at the right turn of the tide. We did this passage with Phoebs over a week ago so we know exactly what we are doing, this time we did not need to go through on the dinghy to scout it out. We went straight through the narrow mile, we had one little section we hadn’t done before and had to navigate through some narrow patches of coral, luckily it went smoothly. We got into the passage and realised that we hadn’t quite got the tide right as it was going with us, which makes steering a bit more uncontrolable, but luckily it was very slack water so we got through no problem, even with some very swirling water. It required a lot of concentration from Rowan. Out the other side we motored past the Pearl farm again and got onto the Raja4Divers mooring ball at lunchtime. There is another boat here called Virgo who we have been told about as the guy is from Rowan’s hometown East London in South Africa, in fact they went to the same school but he is about 10 years younger at least so did not know Rowan

We went into the resort so that everyone cold snorkel the house reef, the resort is closed at the moment as they give the Christian staff time off over Christmas. Their 11 cabins on stilts over the water are fully booked almost a year ahead. The manager Leanna was there to greet us, we managed to do a little more shopping at the gift shop! Luke and Milly walked up to the top of the little peak with an observation deck when if got a bit cooler late afternoon. Phoebs and Dani did a bit of exploring along the footpaths. Rowan and I returned to the boat to prepare a few snacks as we had invited the couple on Virgo and Leanna the manager over for evening drinks. It was interesting speaking to the Virgo couple, she is English, maybe older than him, they bough this old boat that they have restored over two years. They did all the work themselves, she has sailed her entire life and is obviously a great sailor, it was a little awkward when I asked who was captain, she claimed the title, he said they shared the title! They had only been going about a month when a ferry hit them in the Thursday Islands. They are limping along and will return to Bali by May to get repairs done, hoping the insurers will have coughed up by then. Leanna is Belgian and in her 50’s, she doesn’t look like it but is the most intrepid solo traveller. It was a convivial evening out on the trampoline, with no wind it was a hot steamy night.