We were relieved to see the H1 outer island supply boat appear on the radar/AIS system at around 7:00am. The tropical storm to the north of us had been strengthening and winds in the lagoon were a constant 30knots. Great for charging the batteries but we were concerned the H1 might spend another day in Woleai. H1 did disappear after it arrived but behind Pigue Island (I now have the correct spelling) outside the atoll. It was not for another 2 hours that we saw the first barge go to Pigue Island and then right past us and on to Faraulep. The barge then took off with a bunch of people on it back out over the reef. I kayaked to the island to find all the men in the Mans Hut just sitting there not talking. I asked if the barge would return and they said yes. I asked about the weather and they said another typhoon is forming south of us. (I confirmed later after checking the weather on the saphone that was just a rumor sparked by the sustained 30knots winds throughout the night. Even small islands have Chinese whispers). I then found the enterprising Thomas. He was busing himself with packing and addressing boxes to send back to Yap. Aside from being the island head nurse he is also the chief trader and trades woven cloth and beetle nut for shampoo, yeast, rice, coffee etc making a cash profit as in the process. We confirmed that the barge would return many times throughout the day and I could get a lift out to the ship to speak with the captain.

When the next barge came we were boarded by someone from the governors office from Yap. They had heard of our accident and wanted to know what had happened, if we had a valid cruising permit etc. His name was Dennis and he was born in Woleai and educated in Palau and also Hawaii. He was relieved when I showed him our valid cruising permit and gave him our sail plan with all our particulars. I was relieved that he had brought our first shipment of supplies. Silicon rubber, 2 large fibre glass repair kits, bolts, insect spray - finally we can get rid of those ruddy fruit flies and our favorite beer - Bud L I G H T. Oh well, better than nothing. And a big thank you to Steve and Willie for organizing it!

I caught the barge with him and we stopped off at Pigue. The boat operator wanted to visit relatives so Dennis and I made small talk in the shade. Some kids were lighting a fire under another huge turtle shell, cooking and the picking off the remaining meat. After about an hour the operator returned about 12 kids jumped on board. What followed was probably one of the most dangerous boat trips I have ever been on.

As the H1 was so far away the operator took a short cut straight over reef. A staff member from the ship and one of the older kids stood out front with long sticks and when they saw a coral boulder would either direct the operator or simply push us out of the way. When we got to the edge the waves were just over 1 metre and the operator timed a fast exit to ride over the wave to give us enough bottom depth to clear the coral. As he attempted it the first time the prop hit coral and stalled the engine bringing us side on to the waves. It did not phase anyone. The kids were laughing, splashing each other and some of the younger girls were hiding below the blue tarpaulin so not to get wet. The 2nd attempt was successful and we got out open sea. The problem was however we had to go along side the reef and the waves continued to hit us side on very nearly capsizing us a couple of times as we rounded the reef we started to run with the waves. The barge was about 18foot and had a 40 horse power engine. The operator timed the acceleration so to ride the waves. Several times however we would come plowing down into the water to have the bow fill up with water. Kids still laughing I thought we would nearly pitch pole - that is when a boat a does a poll-volt over its own bow when it rides down a steep wave too fast. The waves were not big enough to do that but to see the bow go under and have all this water come into the boat was concerning. Still we made it, started to pull up to H1 and huge 6 storey ship with a car ramp the younger boys in their loin cloths jumped from the barge to the ships ladder as we were pulled in and the heavy boat rocked dangerous up and down. This all in open ocean. Imagine trying that at Circular Quay in Sydney.

I was escorted to the bridge and met with Captain Dominic Tafiileicheng, a large man in his mid sixties drinking a soda pop. I offerred my condolences, thanked him for ensuring our package made it to us, offered to pay him for the delivery which he declined and the we chatted for about 20 minutes. He told me they tried 5 times before they successfully anchored this morning due to the bumpy conditions.

I noticed Chinese writing here and there on the huge ship and he confirmed it was a gift from the Chinese government. But as government gifts go sometimes it was missing a few things such as charts (maps). Dominic picked it up from China 7 years earlier and navigated it back using a hand held Garmin GPS and once closer to Yap traditional navigation methods. He still does not have charts so for the past 7 years he has been using traditional navigation methods and knowledge to motor his huge vessel around the outer islands. He says the charts are wrong anyway to which I concurred and gave him my own account.

Our own electronic Navionics Gold chart has the Faraulep Atoll 1.8 nautical miles to the east of where it actually is! 4 fishing boats have sailed into the atoll in the last 20 years at night and we now know why. I'll do a spot survey without our handheld GPS on the 3 islands and send off the information to Navionics before we leave.

After our chat, I purchased some fuel from Dennis and he took me to the mess for lunch. I then joined some of the passengers at the stern who had found the anchorage to be an excellent place to fish. They had caught the largest coral trout I have ever seen and also several small trevally.

Finally it was time to depart and began the same dangerous trip with the same kids back to Pigue island. Different technique this time to get over the reef. It involved getting as close as we could cutting the engine and lifting it out of the water so the prop would not hit and using the waves to push us in. Same two poles were used to keep us off the coral and when we occasionally did hit there were jokes about it being because this or that person was too heavy. We made it back to Pigue then the waiting again. Finally got back to Yarramundi.

It was a long day. The barge continued to go back and forth over the reef well through till 10pm when it was dark and there was no relief provided by a hiding moon.

Had the first of the bud lights. An acquired taste which we seem to have acquired already.

David