29 Aug to 4 Sep 14

Pago Pago to Apia

We had planned on clearing on Fri 29 Aug so we could have the weekend to sail off. This was enhanced by the fact that Mon 1 Sep was a public holiday (Labour Day) in American Samoa, so our departure window would be the long weekend. The wind was still blowing on Friday but forecast to drop over the weekend so our plan looked good. We duly walked to the Executive Office Building so see Immigration. A quick stop in the Post Office revealed no package from Switzerland yet.
The EOB was very quiet, only one security guard at the front door. As we approached he asked what we were doing. We explained we were off to see Immigration. He smiled; well, you see, the minister had decided that all government employees deserved a day of fun before the long weekend. As a result all government offices were closed for the day, the staff being at the big stadium at Talofa. Of course, there had been no notices or warning; good for staff morale, maybe not quite such a hit with customer service. Ah well, we had an extra long weekend in Pago Pago – not so bad.
The wind blew all weekend, so we probably would not have left anyway (!). However, social life continued, meeting with the Kiwis, Brian and Cheryl, on Tinopai behind us. They had built their boat in 2001, and then sailed around the world in about 18 months. We had drinks aboard Tinopai and then Tai Mo Shan a few days later. Well, there is a lot of sailing to discuss with people who have circumnavigated.
We also were able to take advantage of the ‘All you can eat’ Sunday buffet at Sadies by the Sea. At $20 this was a good deal; well for Paul certainly (4 plates plus a pudding!). The food was excellent with marinated Marlin, cooked Swordfish, Pork, Beef, Prawns and a range of vegetables to choose from. Paul chatted with the chef; the old joke of never trusting a thin chef worked well – this chef used to play rugby and still ran regularly! As we paid the bill we talked to the manageress. She saw Paul’s Yacht Club polo shirt and mentioned that her husband had just bought a boat. We said we knew, and had talked to her husband; it’s a small world. Half an hour later we had finished talking of sailing; she had never sailed! Her closing remark was that the money was meant to pay for four more rental cars, which meant she would have to learn to sail.
And cruising is not all glamour (!). Pago Pago harbour was full of nutrients so the sealife grew fast. First we scrubbed the first 15 metres of the anchor chain. This was absolutely covered with an algae looking like a fine brown hair up to 4 inches long. That took some scrubbing (and bleach!) to remove most of it. Unfortunately the chain locker still smelled ‘marine’ but not as badly as it would have. The bottom of the dingy and the outboard also took some scrubbing, and that had several barnacles as well. Perhaps worse, Paul had to use a broom to clean as much of the hull as he could; barnacles were growing her despite the anti-foul. Not all glamour!
So Tuesday 2 Sep and off we went to Immigration. This time the office was packed. Most were in a queue to pay at a small window. We asked around and found we had to go to the queue for the counter. A wait and we got to the counter; ah, you are on a yacht, you have to go to the door by the stairs. OK, one door by the stairs – no wrong door – the door across the stairs. On there, a deserted room, through another door, a conference room with a dozing Samoan (a quick ‘sorry’ and withdraw). In came the Immigration officer and suddenly no problem. Our passports were stamped and that was that; easy! Next to pay the Port Captain at the Port Office Building. Up the stairs and into an (air-conditioned – nice!) office. A calculation; we had been in Pago Pago 5 weeks – and Immigration had allowed us 30 days (best keep quiet) and then the fee of $82, not too bad. Then downstairs to Customs, and another queue in the Processing Office. This took some time so Paul wandered to the ‘Vessels Section’; ‘ah you do have to come here’, so we did. A quick annotation on our paperwork that the cost was $100 and then … back to the Processing Office queue. We got to the front of the queue, paid, got the receipt and then ... back to the Vessels Section. There, all good; fill out some forms and we will print the clearance. The printer broke! Eventually, after several staff had opened the printer, rattled and bashed it, and then closed it, the printer still did not work … so the Customs Official hand wrote the clearance. We had all the paperwork. It was a bit of a mission (about 3 hours) but throughout the officials were friendly helpful and polite; we chatted amiably about family, sailing and our respective countries and the morning was actually quite pleasant.
And so, at 1615 we started the motor and raised anchor. The chain was clean but the anchor itself had that lovely thick mud that had held us in place, along with bits of wood, wire and many plastic bags; more cleaning! And we were off. We gave the motor a maximum revs run to clean it out and see how dirty the hull was. We were dirty; our maximum speed was only some 6 knots or so (clean hull is over 7 knots) as the barnacles we had not cleaned off the hull slowed us down and those on the propeller affected its efficiency. Oh well. We knew the harbour so it was an easy exit and soon we were at the edge of the entry shoal and raised sail. Unfortunately it was nearly a downwind run and the wind was very light so we had to use the motor to assist us for about 10 miles to the end of American Samoa. There the wind filled and we were able to sail at a sedate 4 knots or so on a sea with a swell of 1 to 2 metres. Experimenting we found that a poled out Yankee (reefed a bit to hold it taut on the pole) was better than a prevented Main. It also made gybing easier and removed the sting from an accidental gybe. So that was it, poled Yankee with a lot of rolling throughout the night. Leaving port we saw a pod of whales surfacing and blowing water vapor 500m or so off. We then got a much closer look as 3 whales surfaced some 10m off across our bow! We turned to avoid them, and they dived down. They looked like little Pilot Whales, i.e. about the size of Tai Mo Shan, so well worth avoiding. Later, early morning and pitch black, Helen spotted what looked like a fishing boat head on to us and closing. A quick check on the radar and we had a big target at 6 miles. A little while later and it was a big cargo ship closing on us! A couple of miles off and we altered course to starboard, he seemed to do likewise and we passed a mile or so off; ships passing in the night.
Daylight and we cruised along the North coast of Samoa, some 5 miles off so clear of all nasties. The wind had increased a bit so we were a little faster, ending up at a respectable 5 to 6 knots. Closer to Apia we had an escort of a small pod of dolphins for a while. And the wildlife was really interested in us as on entering Port we saw a large turtle (a green turtle?) some 15m to our side; our first turtle sighting.
We called up Apia Port Control some 4 miles out and obtained permission to enter and anchor. The entrance looks a bit daunting on the chart with large reefs on either side. However, there were good sight marks to guide us in and the entrance was pretty wide, so not problems. And of course, big ships use Apia; the Pacific Dawn, a large P&O Cruise Ship was in port.
So midday (of the 4 Sep – we had crossed the Date Line!) we anchored and called up Port Control to get clearance. Now usually four officials are involved (Health, Quarantine, Customs and Immigration), and they arrive at once. Not in Apia. First we had to go to the Marina, to pick up ‘officials’; a nice woman from Immigration. She came aboard the dingy a bit nervously (she has never been in one before) and Paul taxied her to Tai Mo Shan (she looked relieved to be on a bigger boat!). No problems, forms filled and Immigration cleared. More radio chat; another group of officials to pick up; two Customs officers ferried to Tai Mo Shan. Clearance was easy, more forms filled in and back they went. More radio chat and the next load were Health and Quarantine, appropriately ferried out. The Health Official was a bit miffed; he should have been first! Still a cold orange juice soon mollified him. More forms filled, and the Quarantine flag lowered (the Health official insisted he watched us do it!) and we were cleared – nearly. We were allowed ashore, where the security guard on the Marina asked us to go to Port Control. We walked the couple of hundred metres to the offices (air-conditioned – lovely!) and went up the stairs to talk to ‘Clare’. More forms, albeit this one with much chat, laughter and the Clare apologizing for the mix up. So, four hours and we were cleared in. We happened to see Glenn and Erin off Sundance and they declared four hours to be good; it took them all day! Well, that is bureaucracy for you. Again though, all of the officials were courteous and helpful, and that really helps.
That evening was our ‘recce’ of Apia, a nice town quite busy with the ‘Small Islands Development Symposium’ (SIDS) on (some pride in Samoa hosting a major event), and the Tuitalia cultural festival (we watched some fitness programme as we ate our dinner of local BBQ costing NZ$5 per head), and a cruise ship in port. We were tired after a night of little sleep so wandered back to the boat before the ‘fashion show’. Still some recompense; we watched the show live on Samoan TV on board.
Thurs morning was a late start followed by a few hours listening on the marine radio and watching the cruise liner depart; an interesting maneuver in a tight harbour.

And the photo – an earlier shot of the entrance to Pago Pago harbour in all her glory. We liked Pago Pago – but from now on it is Western Samoa!