A swell was coming but the wind was north. “I know of a spot that might be good in this wind. I’ve never been there, but I heard it gets good,” Noho said.

He bid farewell to his wife and kids, and picked up bags of rice, cans of sausage-beans, bottles of juice, and a pound of sugar. “All we need now is fish and coffee,” he smiled.

His younger cousin Toriki was also going to join us, but at the last minute quarreled with his girlfriend. Tough luck, buddy.

Noho has traveled around the Tuamotos working aboard a large dive charter vessel, but never on a sailboat. We grinned as Aldebaran galloped under sail at 6-7 knots outside of Avatoru pass, heading into the open sea for his first experience sailing outside of the lagoon.