Suwarrow
11 August 2013
Elaine
Suwarrow, Cook Islands: July 31 to August 6th
The four day passage from Bora Bora to Suwarrow was wet, lumpy, and light winds. I am so very glad that I had pre-cooked our meals while in Bora Bora. In order to arrive in 4 days we ended up motor sailing part of the way. We arrive at the pass in the early evening and must enter before nightfall. Just as we arrive a rain squall positions its self right over the pass. We take some time to lower our sails and we hear on the VHF of a boat that just entered. We contact them to ask the conditions and we are assured that it is no problem getting in. Soon we are in the calm lagoon with our anchor set.
Wow, are we really here? Suwarrow is a small atoll in the Northern Cook Islands. While it is an atoll it looks nothing like the Tuamotu atolls of French Polynesia. This island is lush with vegetation; the waters are so very clear, you can see 30 feet to the bottom, and the color! The most beautiful shades of blues I have ever seen.
Suwarrow is a national park, perhaps the only one in the Cook Islands. Two rangers are stationed here for the six month “season”. They are responsible for the island and to greet and clear in the boats that arrive. About 150 boats pass through here each year. No passage boat comes here and no supply boats either. Sometimes a fishing boat will stop here but not usually. This makes it a very unique place. It is also famous as the island Tom Neale where he wrote of his hermit life here in the book “An Island to Oneself”.
The Rangers are Harry and Charlie, they come to our boat the next morning to welcome us and check us in. They are very nice. There are about 15 boats here at this time. Several we already know. There is to be a happy hour on the beach that night.
The happy hour is a blast! Charlie loves to entertain everyone, and he likes to drink. It turns out that he grew up on this island and he expounds that what Tom Neale wrote is and I quote; “Buh Sheet “! He and his family have lived on this island and he says Tom Neale did not live as a hermit here… well I don’t know, perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle. Anyway we have a great time and meet some new people. We also catch up with an old cruising friend, Doug and Carla on Moon dance. We had met them in La Cruz Mexico as they were preparing to make their puddle jump in 2011. It was great to see them.
Later in the week we enjoy a potluck dinner on the beach. Charlie and two of the guys went fishing and caught tuna for the bbq. The cruisers bring the rest of the food. Charlie cooks the fish on a griddle over an open fire. After we eat Charlie and Harry sing a Cook Island welcoming song, Charlie gives us a dance demonstration (getting the ladies involved of course) and while Harry plays the guitar and sings, Charlie takes turns dancing with the ladies. Soon he is making speeches, telling us how much he loves this island and how he is here to take care of us, how he loves us all and how Tom Neale is full of “Buh Sheet”! It is a fantastic night, one that I will never forget.
The snorkeling here is utterly fantastic. Forget everything else I wrote and snorkeling this place is the best I have seen. The coral here is alive and colorful. The various formations and pinnacles are so beautiful. We snorkel the pass and I see a large (8-10 foot wingspan) manta ray gracefully “fly” by. And the fish, colorful parrot fish are everywhere.
A highlight of our stay here is a tour of Bird Island and 7 island. Charlie, for 5 liters of gas and ten dollars each will take you out in his boat. Bird Island is a nesting spot for thousands of birds. You are able to walk around. We saw many birds sitting on eggs. Also many baby birds, all very cute. On 7 island Charlie shows us the large coconut crabs that live there, they are very colorful, but scary looking. We take a nice walk around the island. After a lunch we go the reef for a snorkel. We snorkel through this coral garden full of pinnacles, columns and coral reefs. While there are not a lot of fish here to see the coral formations are unbelievable. I have never seen anything like them.
I tell you I could stay here for a month easy. But we need to move on and a good weather window is upon us. So with tears in my eyes (really) we check out and prepare for an early morning departure to American Samoa. Boy I really hope to come back here sometime….