Peace at last as the Storm abates - just a bit. The wind has dropped to about 15-20 knots and there are only a few white horses in this anchorage. Carango is anchored slightly further out than the rest of the gathering fleet we are safe and well established here and our joint crew decision is not to venture further in with the risk that another yacht could drag and hit us at some ungodly hour - so our dinghy ride into shore on Direction Island is a little longer than most.

We have explored the closest Island ‘Direction' and dived in the rip to see wonderful live coral and an amazing selection of tropical fish of just about every hue and shape. Including sharks - we have a friendly pair of black tipped reef sharks which circle Carango from time to time. Malcolm fed one with a lump of cheddar [lucky shark] he grabbed it quick and spat it out only to take it again and enjoy it. We normally have a glass or two of port [kindly provided by Mark] with our cheese but the crew decision was not to give port to the reef shark!

 We enjoyed a champagne brunch on the main West Island on Saturday and toured various attractions including

 A calm farm run by the 7th generation of a family called Clunies Ross who were the first to colonise these islands and grow Copra commercially. Queen Victoria handed the family the freehold of most of the land. Their rule was somewhat despotic and it was explained to us that the UN eventually insisted Australia take the matter in hand. The Clunies Ross family were paid off 6.25 million Australian $ and their house was requisitioned. The islands are now largely semi self-administered under Australian overall control. All real estate belong to the Australian government and people live on lease holds for their houses. Their is a huge 3 km runway which is reported to have been of strategic interest to the USA as the lease on the comparatively nearby British Diego Garcia approaches its end.

A great coral reefed archipelago and delighted to have visited it. Time to move on  now.

We are due to sail away from this island in the next few hours and amazingly some of the smaller yachts have not yet arrived from Christmas Island - I really feel for them as it is constant catch up and of course - they want to see the island sights as above.