June 11th meeting Tikopia chief!

One would think that the start of the SE trades in
May June would bring some long periods of stable
and enjoyable weather with light and constant winds,
clear skies, etc...

So far it has been the opposite. Beating to Anuta,
nights were starry and clear of squalls but this soon
changed after we dropped the crew off on Anuta and since
the weather has been atrocious with bucketing rains
and lightning storms, similar to the weather on Taumako.
Being further south, the windspeeds are higher but it
does not prevent the 180deg shifts with squalls, which
make a night at anchor spent awake, minding my mooring buoy
bashing on the hull! The horrific description of Peter
Whitelaw, skipper of Vanuatu charter boat Margarita two
years ago came true: peach darkness to the point one can't
even see the island so close. Margarita ended up on the
reef while attempting escape in a similar squall. So far,
the mooring-anchor system has held together.

This morning, after a 4 hours morning sleep in to the
sounds of a dance festival on the island, managed to
assemble kayak together to go and introduce myself,
and pay my respects to chief Edward with Patrick
staying onboard KUNA to mind the boat.The island HF
email system having broken down, they were unaware
of my arrival. I was welcome by about 30 pikininis
on the beach, all grabbing my hand to take me to
the chief's hut.

Crawling on all fours into a dark coconut hut with
a tiny door, I prosterned in sign of respect and
lifted my head for a nose-kiss!!! Then here I was
chatting away half in pidgin half in english with
two chiefs, eating some taro pudding prepared for
the festival. The chief gave me neckless and
banana fiber hat that they had prepared, expecting
my visit! I apologized for missing the event, being
too tired from anchor watch to come across in time.
Chatting away took 3 hours and it took me even more
to go back to KUNA as all on the beach questioned
my story too!

Hoping for the winds to drop to have more relaxed time
on the island

beating to Anuta

position 10.00 6/06/08
S 11 deg 09.62
E 167 deg 54.86

After a few days of resupply in Lata on the main
Santa Cruz island (Ndendo),
we picked up Huw Cordey, BBC producer and left straight
after for Anuta on Wednesday, with a full load of
camera gear and presents for the island. A bit
reluctantly decided to leave
in the dark on a squally night but it was to make
the most of calm weather to make as much Easting
as possible while the winds were low.
16 hours of motoring and motor sailing later, KUNA
has made 85 miles or so on course but the trades
have picked up straight on the nose forcing the
her to tack North or South. Last night we were
nearly on our way back to Taumako island, north
of us!!!

Now have turned south hoping the
winds will not strengthen anymore
(10-15 SE at the mo!)

fred

Sitrep April 16

4PM, S 12 52.4 E 153 24.6 Been riding heavy seas, fully reefed main and
staysail, lots of nally squalls and now pouring rain but fast passage!!!

May 9th. Anuta drop off!

After one other day of tacking our way east in strong winds on sunday, we
didn''t make it quite by daylight so hove to for the night 10-15 miles away from
the island. Did not want to get any closer because there may be some fishing
lines on the side of the seamount: two boats were working in the area through
the night. We found later in the morning that the currents on the shallow flat
west of the island create an horrendously choppy sea (depth from 3000m to 25m in
the space of 6 miles!) and we were glad to finally get some proper sleep for the
night to rest for the landing.

This morning after a fast start making the last 15 mile towards the island, a
sudden weatehr change brpought some squalls and KUNA got headed by a wind shift
of 30 degrees, to the despair of our producer who was chomping the bits to get
to the island. To make sure KUNA was pointing in the right direction and not
tacking, we subjected ourselves to motoring into the headwind, in choppy seas.
Motor sailing helped making the last ten miles to a clear patch of "sand" where
I dropped the pick in 13 m of water (S11 deg 36.684, E 168 deg 50. 652). What we
thought was sand is in fact a hard bottom dusted with a thin layer of coral
rubbles spread with bommies. NOt good holding!

As soon as they saw us, the locals launched a couple of canoes and crossed the
break of the reef edge to meet us as we were emptying every compartment of the
KUNA from its film kit cases: the cargo soon came coming out in front of 4 or 5
Anutans chewing betel nut in the cockpit! A large number of pelican cases + food
+ camping gear + a new HF set for the island with solar panel and battery,
etc.., probably half a ton!

The largest of the canoes did 10 trips across the reef break to take it all in
and not long after Wade and Huw were taken onshore just as rapidly to visit
their island accomodation. And just as rapidly, after snorkelling on the anchor,
my crew Patrick and I left for Tikopia, in the sight of the dark clouds rapidly
approaching. Regretably so as it woud be nice to visit Anuta but the tiny island
(500m long!) does not offer any shelter for anchoring, leaving KUNA at the mercy
of swells and squalls

Now on a nice broadreach to do the 73 miles that separate us from Anuta. The joy
of downwind sailing, finally!!!! And the prospect of a better anchorage for a
couple of weeks.

fred:)