Land was sighted at 9:00 AM this morning and the anchor was down at 11:00 AM after negotiating the entrance passage at maximum ebb tidal current. The final day of the three-day passage saw an average wind speed of 20 knots and boat speed sometimes reaching 7.4 kts as Sand Dollar surfed down some large waves. The distance covered since noon yesterday was 138 miles for an average speed of 6.2 kts. I could have arrived a few hours later to meet a more favorable current but I wanted the morning light so as to better see the submerged coral reefs near the pass. As it was, the entrance was a nail biter. The reference points used by the guide book were not obvious, the strong current was setting me toward Anchorage Island, and the GPS coordinates on the chart were not to be trusted because the geographical data were gathered in the 1920s. Many ships have struck reefs relying on GPS positions which do not jive with what is on the printed or computer chart, especially in remote areas.

There were 10 other boats in the anchorage when I arrived including a couple I knew. One boat called me on the radio to direct me to a good spot to drop the hook in 20 ft. of water. After resting most of the day I went ashore to meet the caretaker family, a Cook Islands couple with their four boys. They were very friendly and invited me to a beach barbecue in the early evening. Of course I went but retired early to catch up on sleep. All else is well onboard.