08/15/2007, Suwarrow Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
Suwarrow Atoll, also known as Suvarov, is a Cook Islands National Park overseen by a warden who lives here during the winter cruising season with his wife and four young boys. There is a $50 charge for anchoring no matter how long the stay and perhaps a hundred yachts call here each year. There are many regulations, mostly to preserve the pristine nature of the atoll. Spear fishing is not allowed, there is only limited harvesting of coconut crabs, travel to the surrounding motus (small islands) is by permission only and garbage must be taken away by the cruisers for disposal at sea.
The island has been uninhabited except for occasional hermits, one of whom wrote a book entitled An Island Unto Oneself. It has for many years been a favored destination for sailors because of its pristine nature and its location on the route from Bora Bora to Pago Pago. There are at present two very large boats in the anchorage, a very sleek mega-sailing yacht of some 100 ft. with all the high tech bells and whistles and a tall ship from the early 1900s which is a restored brigantine having a crew of 30 reliving the past. They are as different as night and day but the crew on the old ship appear to be having more fun. They must be easier to please.
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08/14/2007, Suwarrow Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
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.
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08/13/2007, En Route to Suwarrow Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
After wonderful sailing conditions during the day yesterday, the weather deteriorated with nightfall. Heavy rain accompanied by strong, gusty winds persisted from dark until daybreak. I got very little sleep and was soaked to the bone. Fortunately it is very warm and everything dries out quickly. The conditions today have been more settled with no rain, just 15-20 knots of wind and six foot seas. Boat speed has been consistently over 6 kts the entire day.
The noon-to-noon distance was 128 miles for an average speed of 5.3 kts. I am on schedule to make landfall tomorrow. All else is well onboard.
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08/12/2007, En Route to Suwarrow Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
The wind has been consistently at 12-15 knots making for pleasant sailing and adequate speed to make Suwarrow by Tuesday. The noon- to-noon distance was 121 miles for an average speed of 5.0 kts. The sea is a bit lumpy but not uncomfortable as long as I maintain boat speed to minimize rolling.
A huge fish was hooked at daybreak, probably a yellowfin tuna. True to form, I lost him near the boat when the 100 lb test monofilament leader parted as the fish made one last attempt at escape and dragged the line across the windvane self-steering apparatus. I then decided to change the leader to 400 lb stainless steel cable. Lures are expensive and in limited supply. There was no other action the rest of the day. It would sure be nice to arrive at my destination with tuna fillets to distribute among the fleet which usually means a couple of dinner invitations.
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08/11/2007, En Route to Suwarrow Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
Sand Dollar slipped its mooring this morning and departed Penrhyn Atoll bound for Suwarrow Atoll 393 miles to the southwest. The passage will take three days if winds are at least 10 knots. At present the wind is east-southeast at 12 knots on the port quarter and the boat is making 5.2 kts. which will put me into Suwarrow Tuesday afternoon.
Suwarrow Atoll is uninhabited except for a caretaker placed there by the Cook Islands government. The island is a national park, is protected and is frequented by cruisers on their way from Bora Bora to Pago Pago, American Samoa. There are no facilities except for the caretaker's hut and a place on the beach for barbecues. I expect to see at least half a dozen other boats there.
All else is well onboard. The weather is pleasant, the skies partly cloudy and no rain squalls yet today.
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08/10/2007, Penrhyn Atoll, Northern Cook Islands
With some regret, tomorrow I will depart Penrhyn Atoll for Suwarrow Atoll which is 390 miles to the southwest. The past 11 days here have been some of the best on the cruise. I have spent much of my time with Mike Grubnau and his fishing guides Baar and Micky at the pearl farm. Although the bonefishing was not up to my expectations I enjoyed the company, the fine meals from the outdoor kitchen and the beautiful scenery. I learned about pearl farming, coconut crabs, and Pacific island politics. Perhaps I will hook up with Mike and the boys in New Zealand next summer.
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