Day 1 - 10 Knots of Wind
16 May 2007 | En Route to the Tuamotus
Don
Sand Dollar weighed anchor shortly before noon today and began the 4-5 day passage to the Tuamotus, otherwise known as the "Dangerous Archipelago". The 70 some islands in this group are really atolls which have little elevation in sharp contrast to the mountainous Marquesas. The Tuamotus are difficult to spot from a ship and in the days before GPS many a vessel perished on coral reefs surrounding the atolls. Today navigation is much safer and some of the approaches even have channel markers.
The wind has been 8-10 knots most of the day and there was one rain squall to wash the boat. Two other singlehanders left Daniels Bay for the Tuamotus this morning but they are bound for Rangiroa, the largest and most populated atoll in the group. I am headed for Raroia which is farther east and less visited.
All is well onboard and it is good to be back at sea.