Palmerston


The Gospel festival was a bust. It was held in a soccer field with no shade and people from the different churches around the island competed. I was a little dubious about all of the churches. O and I had to laugh because we had never heard of any of the religions before. I kept expecting them to call out "and the next set of dancers are from the Covering My Bases Church" or" I'm Not Religious but I like BBQ Church", come on out, "Nothing Else to do on a Sunday Church" etc.

Anyway, I feel a little mean saying it, but most of the dance troupes were in desperate need of more rehearsal time. There were a few in each group that knew the dance and the rest of the people closely followed them, always a few steps behind. We lasted about two hours before O had had enough.
We wanted to leave Aitutaki on Tuesday, but due to National Gospel Holiday, Customs was closed for two days and the office was closed the Friday before when we tried to clear out, I think they figured why have a four day holiday when you could make it five! preparation of the Holiday. We had to find the agent to clear out. O spent his time at the Gospel thing seriously stalking any local man that looked even remotely like our customs agent. After Otis accosted his third victim, the man who was not "Bob the customs guy", O hit pay dirt because the man knew where the customs man lived and agreed to take us there. So we all hopped on our bikes and set off to find the customs man. We found Bob who rolled out looking like he had been sleeping one off. However, he did not seem to mind going to the office and clearing us out.

After clearing out, we spent the rest of the day running around the island on our scooters exploring the beaches and lagoons.
The following morning we picked up the last of our provisions, retuned the scooters, which I found difficult to do because I really enjoyed the freedom, and cast off the lines.

The anchorage in Aituaki is tight. It isn't really an anchorage because there is no room to swing, so we had our anchor out and were tied off to two coconut trees, "Med. Style" which is the equivalent of being on a dock. Every morning I went for long walks and I always picked a bouquet of wild daisies for the aft deck. These two things made me an instant fan of the island

I was very surprised by the cost of things in Aituaki. Fuel was $10.00 US per gallon, a loaf of bread $3.25, a liter of UHT milk $2.50, hamburger $13.50 per kilo. I thought that French Polynesia was expensive but Aituaki made FP look like Wal Mart.

Thankfully, the veggies were abundant and relatively cheap. I have not tasted garden fresh tomatoes like those in way too long....ymmmm. Sadly, I did not find any pumpkins/squash for the boys to carve for Halloween!!! I only have one. In a moment of panic I decided that we would drill coconuts and hang them instead.

So, Tuesday we left for Palmerston. The winds were light from the aft quarter but the seas were not in sync with the wind, they were on our beam, so it was a bit uncomfortable for the first 18 hours. We had to motor sail for a while but then the winds filled in and we were able to make up lost time and arrived at Palmerston with just enough daylight to see the reef and pick up a mooring. Thankfully we had daylight because our charts are way off for this part of the world, and after seeing how close to the reef we had to get to pick up a mooring (or anchor for that matter), daylight is essential.

We are currently moored right on the edge of the reef which is breaking on our port side about 100 feet away and 100 feet to starboard it drops away to over 400 ft! The mooring is a piece of chain wrapped around a coral head. While it all seems to be intact I am not sure about the breaking point of coral. Our host recommended that we also drop our anchor, just in case. When I asked him about the chance of the mooring holding it he said it was about 70%....not great when it is your home floating on those odds. The anchor/mooring situation has caused a bit of angst. Not to mention the fact that the swell is rolly/lumpy and bumpy.

There was a guy waiting for us at the mooring when we arrived. He was to be our "Host" while we are here. Because they are so far removed from the other Cook Islands, they relish contact with yachties and actually compete for being a host. There is no air strip on the island and the cargo ship comes once a month but this is not consistent, sometimes as long as 4 months between trips, as is the case now. The islanders (about 50 people live here) have nothing left, they have been living off fish and coconuts for over a month! You can imagine when a yacht rolls in with fresh fruits, veggies and tinned goods!
Our host's name is Edward and he invited us to lunch the following day. Even though they have very limited supplies they still extended the invite to join them for a meal. He does make it abundantly clear that they will share and give you anything they have and expect the same in return, whatever you can spare. Which I think is more than fair and I was happy to accommodate. Edward arrived with the customs official the following morning to clear us into Palmerston and then take us to the island for lunch.

When we arrived on the island, we walked up a sand path to Edwards house where the table was set and the food prepared waiting for us. I brought a tomato, cucumber, onion salad and Edward had lightly fried parrot fish, steamed reef fish and white rice. It was delicious. He then walked us around the island and showed us the school, telcom building and introduced us to a few of the locals. He dropped us at the beach and returned to building his pig pens. Ben & Sam were enthralled by a litter of piglets that were born one hour before we got there, so they were very excited to watch the babies suckling from Mom and even helped keep watch so she wouldn't roll over on one of the helpless little things. Just before leaving the island for the evening, they both had to rush back to the pig pen to bid good night to the piglets.

The problem with the island is that you cannot use your own dinghy to move back and forth freely between your boat and the island. Your host is responsible for your transport to and from the island. This is due to the strength of the current and shallowness of the pass. They do not encourage or allow you to use your own dingy. When you want to go ashore you have to call your host. I HATE the set up. While I understand and appreciate it is suppose to be helpful, I do not like having to rely on people, especially when they are busy doing things. The other day when we wanted to get home we had to wait an hour while Edward finished a project. I would have enjoyed ourselves a lot more if we had been able to get through the cut with the big boat. The lagoon is stunningly beautiful and the reef brimming with fish.

Due to the mooring situation we decided we would not stay long. So, I loaded Edward up with rice, tin veggies, fruits, fresh cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, yeast, dried milk and flour and said our good byes.

The people are generous, the islands breathtaking, but it just did not work out so well for us. I need to feel comfortable in my anchorage and have mobility.

At the moment we are on our way to Suvarrov. The park ranger is supposedly gone to NZ for hurricane season so I think we will be on our own there. Hopefully we can get through the pass and have a little chill time before heading to American Samoa.

I am longing for a secluded place to relax that is user friendly, nice beaches, good snorkeling and mobility.

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We arrived in Aituaki in the Cook Islands last Thursday. Friday we rented scooters and have been bombing around the island ever since!!
The island is stunnningly beautiful. The gardens all look as if they have been professionally landscaped and the smell of gardinia is EVERYWHERE!! I have started walking in the morning not one person goes by on their scooter(which his the form of transport here) without smiling and saying hello.
The island is surrounded by reef which is teeming with fish, the water is crystal clear, the beaches have great shelling, so life is good.
The islanders are very religious people. I have seen churches I have never heard of and there are lots of them. I'm not sure how many attend each one considering there are only two thousand people on the island..maybe they rotate.
The other day we stopped in a grocery store to check out prices(which are MUCH HIGER THAN FRENCH POLYNESIA!!!!). First we check the beer price, then milk and then chicken..ANYWAY, the owners were sitting relaxing on a bench. I went over to ask the shop hours for Saturday and Sunday. They told me that they do not open until 6pm on Saturday. I asked why so late. They replied that they are Seventh Day Adventists and have church from 9-6 pm. Then in typical me fashion, I replied, " MY God, that's like a job!!". As soon as I said it I wanted to take it back but it was out there. The man replied "No, it is actually very relaxing". I stumbled and said "OH, of course, I just meant that I admire your dedication etc. and excused myself...when will I ever learn??
So, today is a National Holiday..Gospel Day. We are goingt o the GOspel festival on the other side of the island. Lots of singing, dancing bbq etc. It is suppose to be quite something.
Tomorrow we will leave for Palmerston.
I am at an internet cafe so have to run.

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It is two in the morning, the wind just died, I have the port engine running and I am on the dog watch. The sky is full of stars, there is no moon, it's a little chilly but it is quiet and peaceful. I actually like the evening watches because I enjoy the solitude which is a rare commodity onboard. We started this trip for more family time and I often laugh that it is babysitter time I need now!!

We left Bora Bora yesterday and are about 200 miles from the Cook Islands. We should make landfall in Aituaki in a few days. The highlight of Bora Bora for us was the Yacht Club, which is not saying a whole lot. It was a laid back atmosphere with a minute beach set up with BBQ and tables, a few small bungalows and a waterfront restaurant. It also had a new dock with lots of reef fish swimming around it. Ordinarily we would not stay on a mooring off a Yacht Club, however the boys LOVED it. They would finish school and immediately take off for shore with one of us. They would fish with bread or left over ham as bait, until they caught a fish, then Ben would (with his penknife) gut the poor little guy and slice it up into strips for bait. As Ben says, "When you get the real fresh bait on THAT is when the real fishing begins Mom!" Both Ben and Sam would keep themselves busy for hours every afternoon with fishing, snorkeling and running around the premises. They had two resident dogs which would follow the boys around knowing when the two kids arrive there is usually a chance to steal their bait! The boys would play chase and fetch with them. While Ben & Sam were busy exploring their surrounds, O would read a book, have a beer or fish with them and I would usually go for a swim off the boat or enjoy some peace and quiet.

We sailed from Raiatea with Snorri on Erialc. We met he and his wife Caroline (they have 2 kids Ben & Sam's age) in Moorea. Caroline flew with the kids to NZ and Snorri will sail Erialc there solo. He is Swiss but grew up on boats and lived in Martinique most of his life. He is a lot of fun. He and Otis hit it off very well from the beginning. Our last night there we had a BBQ on the beach with another American couple, Brad and Linda on Kattywompus. It was nice to sit under the stars and chat away the evening.
Overall, I must admit, I am relieved to be leaving the Society Islands. Don't get me wrong, if you went there on your honeymoon, I am sure it was wonderful, especially if you were not paying for it! The resorts are beautiful and Moorea in particular, has a special place in my heart. O asked me to marry him there, but from a cruising standpoint The Societies do not hold a whole lot of appeal for us.

Firstly, it is HELLISHLY expensive. I am talking 70.00USD for a case of beer! A dinner at a roadside van cannot be found for under $15.00 per person, a can of soda is $2.00, tomatoes $7.00 kilo (when you can find them). While we did do a lot of provisioning in Panama, I still had to buy fresh fruit, veggies, chicken etc. It just all adds up. The worst part was the price of the local fruit!!! Mangoes sold on the side of the road for $2.50 each!!! A pineapple (rather large) was $11.00. So, here you are in "paradise' with mango trees EVERYWHERE, yet you can't afford one. A hand of bananas was $6.50!!! Meanwhile, in the Marquesas they were giving these fruit away. It is a shame to see how much goes to waste because they simply price themselves out.

Secondly, there really are no great beaches in the Societies. The resorts have beaches which they trucked in sand to make. Many of the motus (small islands) that we saw were private and pretty protective of that fact. Other than a handful of locations, the snorkeling was below the Bahamas. Even the coral garden in Tahaa was pretty much dead, although it was a fun drift dive for Ben.

The locals are accustomed to cruise ships and tourists and therefore are not that friendly. We prefer the less developed islands like the Marquesas, where a smile comes quicker and hospitality is instinctual and heartfelt, rather than a burden.

The upside to these islands is they had great baguettes, tons of different cheeses and pates cheap and readily available. The downside is that I now have to start running to burn it all off!!! The problem with being in a place that is so expensive is you start to get used to the prices and lose perspective about how much things are actually costing you.
Surprisingly, the yard bill in Raiatea was very reasonable. We had the same things done to Indy in Grenada and it was half the price and much better service in Raitea.

I guess I was starting to feel like we were in a rut and I was bored and disinterested, which for me is bad because once I get bored it feeds on itself. I was more than happy to pull anchor in Bora and sail away. I am looking forward to the peace and solitude of the Cook Islands. I have heard that the fishing, water clarity and beaches are just fantastic, and the people are incredibly welcoming, hence why Captain Cook originally wanted to name them "The Friendly Islands". We will take our time exploring several of the islands before making our way to American Samoa where we hope to wait out hurricane season.

I was starting to get a little nervous that Halloween was going to be a bust for the kids this year, since I am unsure whether they celebrate it in the Cooks. If they don't celebrate it, I have been psyching them for a different type of Halloween. I told them we could build a fort on one of the atolls which we would decorate with carved squash and various other Halloween crafts, have a bonfire, roast hot dogs, marshmallows and tell spooky stories! I even promised that if it is a nice night, we can sleep in the fort. They seem to be excited. I have a feeling the kids will be literally sleeping on top of us that night!

"The Plan", as I have alluded to thus far, is to hole up in American Samoa for hurricane season. While it is still in the hurricane belt, it is acclaimed to be one of the safest harbors for hurricanes, apparently not for tsunamis though. While there it would be wonderful to put the kids in school and pick up some work. I would love to have a routine and be a part of a community for a little while.

However, if it truly is an active El Nino year, or Pago Pago turns out to be more undesirable than anticipated, we will head to the Line Islands which are above the equator and out of the hurricane belt a. They are VERY secluded but supposedly also beautiful. So, we have options.

Well, I will sign off for now...
Goodnight from the middle of nowhere...

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