Bora Bora

About 25 miles round to the West side where the only pass allows entrance to the reef surrounding Bora Bora. A steady 15 knot breeze eventually died out and we motored the rest of the way, arriving in time to line up at the bank to order our bond money to be refunded in NZ currency. They said it should be ready on Wednesday!
That night we ate shrimp on skewers from a truck vendor on the side of the road and then paid for grandstand seats to view the entrants to the dance competition that night. The locals had brought blankets and chairs and surrounded the soccer field sized area of sand where the performances were held. As the evening's competition was to go on for over two hours, we opted to pay to sit in the seating area behind the judges. Two local groups put on a spectacular show of choral singing and hip shaking
dancing. Brightly coloured costumes and lots of energy made it a spectacle worth seeing. One group told the story of the first people to come to Bora Bora and how the name evolved. The saga was repeated in English, French and then Tahitian before the dancers took over to enact it.
Earlier in the day, along the side of the main road we saw crowds gathered and poked our way in to find dozens of local men wearing the traditional wrapped cloth around their lower half and clutching a bunch of long narrow sticks! A coconut was suspended on the top of a pole at least 200 feet in the air and the contestants then proceeded to underhand chuck the spears at the tiny target! A few of them found their mark! Guess they have to keep their spear chucking skills up in case they ever decide
to take the country back and start eating the tourists! Not likely as the economy would take such a hit they could no longer afford the new SUVs and scooters they all drive!!
We left the anchorage off the village today and went around behind a small motu to drop in a quiet little bay where there were fewer tour boats racing by and the water was cleaner for swimming. A short trip by dinghy to the reef did not reveal much but maybe we were spoiled after the coral garden on the last island. The weather seems to have cleared again. It is hot with fluffy clouds and a nice breeze!