Election?! What election?!

I hear that Britain has been thrown into a General Election. Presumably so that Theresa May can win enough seats to drive Brexit legislation through unopposed. Can anyone enlighten us as to dates?

Also the Marquésans are nervous that Trump will bomb North Korea and start World War Three. Glued to French news TV in the Maké Maké Snack Bar, we feel very far away from it all.

Today we went ashore by dinghy and paddle board in Motopu Bay on Tahuata island. It was very hot and as we walked round from the little harbour to the village we spotted a white kingfisher with a black stripe through the eye and beautiful electric blue wing coverts.

Tin Tin under stormy skies, Motopu Bay, Tahuata

The village bungalows are arranged up a long street heading back to the hills. A church offered a lovely cool white interior with many rows of dark wood pews. There was a wonderfully carved dark tree bole with dolphins, fish, and a great turtle supporting the lectern.

Motopu church

The magnificent carved pulpit

the lane down to the harbour

Following the Stations of the Cross above the village 

We walked up through the village passing simple wooden crosses at the roadside. By the time the paved road ran out above the village we had reached the seventh station of the cross. On the dirt track we reached the eighth just as the heavens opened and cool rain drenched us. We turned back downhill and once in the still sunny village we were invited to take all sorts of fruit with us. A huge sack of pamplemousses and breadfruit loads of lines and pommes citaline, which are a citrus tasting m'angoisse fruit which sweetens up when orange.

After lunch we motored off round the north of the island to Baie Hanamoena, rated by pilot book author, Eric Hiscox, as in his top three anchorages in the world. Sure enough everyone else has the same pilot book and by the end of the day here were nine yachts anchored off the beach

As soon as we arrived Emily paddled off towards the breaking surf followed by Anne swimming and me rowing. By judging the wave sets we all got ashore safely for a walk along thé steeply shelving golden sands fringed by coconut groves. Clearly the locals feel a bit beset by visitors here as there was a Propriété Privé sign deterring a wander through the grove.

Back on board Justin dangled a line over the side and immediately landed a large fish. Not knowing what it was we sent it back uneaten.