June 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
we 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 hard rocky bommies. NOt good holding!

A cockpit overflowing with pelican cases, and local anutans!



The taxi canoe coming to pick up the cargo



Off they go!

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:)