Mike Liddle asked about... Fakarava, French Polynesia This is definitely an island I had not heard of. Has anybody had any trips there or have any good inside info? Listed as top-ten islands you don't know on MSN. Dennis replies.... I have some remarkable memories of Fakarava. Esther and I had been sailing from Panama across the South Pacific via the Galapagos, Marquesas, and Touamotus (where Fakarava is located) bound for the Society Islands and Tahiti. We just happened to be on shore in Fakarava when my Captain, who was already wheel chair bound, broke his leg while doing some simple exercises in the cockpit of the boat, a 38 foot Cheoy Lee sloop. There was only a small medical clinic there, mostly for dealing with births, tooth pulling and inoculations. As I recall, its about 300 sailing miles from there to Papette, the center of French Polynesia and the only real medical facilities. My Captain had a very complicated break, was going into shock, and needed to be air evacuated to Papette. The locals and the other yachties anchored there were extremely helpful in all ways. Later, Esther and I sailed the boat on to Papette and stayed around while the Captain recuperated in the local hospital. Fakarava has, to my knowledge, only one real settlement, perhaps a couple of hundred people at most, is a center of black pearl culture, as well as a small but excellent diving location with a couple of small businesses catering to small numbers of tourists. Its needs are brought in from Papette weekly by a freighter which plies its way through all the out islands of French Polynesia. It is one on the only islands in that group with an airstrip, which most likely saved the life of my Skipper. For more on the culture of this part of French Polynesia, see my website below, and find the narrative of the log of S/V Panacea (under trips on other's boats). There is a lot of text and several pictures of this area, as well as coverage of the whole trip from Panama to Papette. Keep in mind this was ten years ago and things may have changed, generally not for the better. Also of interest, and how things have changed is the fact that the several blue water cruises since then have all been on Nordhavns. Stabilized, watermakers, multiple gensets, wing engines, refrigeration, freezers, air conditioners, chart plotters overlaying radar screens, satellite phones and TV's, e-mail at sea, and who knows what else. I'm wondering how we were able to do it. But, again, it was ten years ago. Incidentally, my former Skipper remains a good friend, has given up his sailing around the world dream, and now owns and operates the largest garden center business in Vermont, near my former home, Four Seasons, in Williston, VT. Dennis Dennis Bruckel, Cruising Editor Waterway Guide Albin 27 Sadie B 407 414 0531 website www.debruckel.com