out through the reef

Coordinates: 18 36 S 159 56 W
Bearing: 319 M
Boat Speed: 5.5
Wind Direction: east
Wind Strength:11
Sea state: 1 m swell

Crew health: great

Fish caught: not yet

Other points of interest:
up early to get some last fruit items at the local market at 6.30 am then readying for sea

We had to wait for a French keeler to leave first since we were trapped up a corner of the small harbour
Unfortunately their engine started belching out smoke and oil and they pulled over to the warf. We hope it is fixable otherwise they will have to sail to NZ with no engine

We were lucky - no cloud or rain and a bright sun which makes seeing the coral under the water easier
With the intrepid Denise standing at the bow pointing the way down the long narrow passage through the coral and the skipper deftly steering
with a tight grip on the wheel we came out between the waves breaking on either side of the entrance into the blue deep water.

It is a light breeze ideal for starting a voyage giving us time to settle into the rhythm of the sea.
We can just see a faint smudge on the horizon about 20 miles away as Aitutaki disappears from view.

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Then there were two

Coordinates:Aitutaki
Bearing:
Boat Speed:
Wind Direction:
Wind Strength:
Sea state:

Crew health:

Fish caught:

Other points of interest:

Another fine day in paradise.

Last night Shay and Jo flew back to Auckland. They have had a busy and varied 2 weeks and seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It has been good to have their company and we were sorry to see them go. Denise and I are now busy preparing for the next phase of our adventure.

Yesterday was busy in the port. A French yacht arrived from Tahiti and squeezed into the small anchorage with us and the other 2 yachts already here. At the same time, the monthly freighter arrived carrying goodies for the islanders. It anchored outside the reef, as it was too large to manoeuvre through the narrow passage, and a small barge spent all of yesterday and this morning bringing in shipping containers and taking empty ones out to the boat. It was most entertaining.

There were great festivities on the wharf last evening with food stalls selling island food and crafts, drummers, musicians, dancers and fire dancers. It was also the kite surfing prize giving, despite delays to the competition due to lack of wind. Good fun was had by all, particularly the children who enjoyed an island dancing competition and lolly scramble. Paper lanterns and fireworks concluded the evening.

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Update

Coordinates: Aituaki
Bearing:
Boat Speed:
Wind Direction:
Wind Strength:
Sea state:

Crew health:

Fish caught:

Other points of interest: All goes well . Thanks peter E - the fellow who works at your business - his sister Tina and her husband came down to see us and generously gave us lots of fruit and lent us their truck for the evening - really nice people

last monday was Shay's birthday - we celebrated by dismantling the anchor winch which was seizing up - a bit tricky with no service manual but we ended up pouring engine oil in and it seems better for it!
Had a great meal out that evening locally as a birthday treat

Kite surfing competition has been cancelled for a couple of days as little wind at the moment

We all sailed on the Hobie cat today down the lagoon to anchor, swim and snorkel in the beautifully clear water

Popped in to see the port officer today - everyone is very friendly and relaxed here. Port fees are $5 a day which is very good a seventh the cost in Rarotonga and a much more pleasant place to anchor

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Update

Coordinates: In Aitutaki, Arutanga Harbour
Bearing: -
Boat Speed: -
Wind Direction: ENE
Wind Strength: 20kn
Sea state: -

Crew health: slightly sun burnt

Fish caught: -

Other points of interest:

We have been in Aitutaki for 5 days, and are all quite relaxed. The boat has been wife(ised) and is much more homely now.

We understood that the bananas would ripen over 5 days, however 5 days after buying them they were all ripe, all 100 of them! It has become a competition to devise creative ways to eat them, so far we have had:
- fried banana
- banana salsa sandwiches
- banana daiquiri(s...)
- banana-colada(s)
- banana cake
- banana on muesli
- banana by themselves....
-...etc

Shay and Jo have hired a hobbie cat to get them to the sandbar and have been kitesurfing most days so far, even spotting a turtle on the way one day. An International Kitesurfing comp starts tomorrow.

Expecting a quiet night tonight (without the tropical disco on shore) being Sunday when everything stops.

Sun is about to set, another day in tropical paradise is about to end with a banana cocktail I think!

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Update

Coordinates: Aitutaki Harbour
Bearing:
Boat Speed:
Wind Direction:
Wind Strength:
Sea state:

Crew health: great

Fish caught:nil but saw a few flying fish

Other points of interest:

We left Rarotonga with reasonable but not ideal winds and non coming up on the weather map for the next week or so
A SE would have been good and we are in the SE Trade wind belt but we had to make do with a ENE wind on the trip almost directly north - so lumpy sailing !
we were too late to get through the reef before dark yesterday so sailed on past Aitutaki with minimal sail just jogging along slowly then tacked back
Timing went well and we were at the pass an hour before high water . The current is always flowing out here due to the constant east nd SE winds driving water over the reef
With Shay about 15 feet up the mast pointing the way we motored at top speed against the current up the passage 40 feet wide - Katipo is 22 feet wide !
But all went well and we are in a real tropical paradise, anchored in a quiet little harbour with one other yacht which looks like it has been here ages

Shay and Jo have gone off to investigate the kite board surfing here and by luck some world competitions are to be held here in the next week - the huge lagoon is perfect for the sport

I will try and up date the blog but not every day while in Aitutaki

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Update

Coordinates: 19 05 S 159 30 W
Bearing: 359 M
Boat Speed: 7
Wind Direction:ENE
Wind Strength: 13
Sea state: moderate swell

Crew health: great

Fish caught: nil

Other points of interest:

we are about 20 miles of Aitutaki but will no get through reef today so will hove to until tide right tomorrow
I forgot to mention yesterday that in Rarotonga Shay and I dived under Katipo and found an indentation about 100 mm lomg in port keel and a smaller one under Starboard one from the whale collision

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Update

Coordinates: 21 05 S 159 45 W
Bearing: 347 M
Boat Speed: 6
Wind Direction: ENE
Wind Strength: 12
Sea state: lumpy NE swell

Crew health: great

Fish caught:

Other points of interest: set off bound for Aitutaki at 3 pm after a busy morning stocking up on water, diesel , petrol for outboard
and gas for stove then trudging from port captains office to immigration to customs shelling out dollars at each stop!

Rarotonga was greaty but it it is a small harbor noisy construction work going on and a french naval boat for the last two days with its generators going loudly day and night so it is good to be on our way

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