Crossed the date line last night and lost Friday 2nd October!

Wind did bend round not quite enough so motor-sailing to get in before  dark

Position: 15° 46′   173° 49′ [-15.77,-173.82] 16:00 local time, GMT 03:00 Sat Oct 3rd
10 miles to Niuatoputapu
Wind: SSE 20 knots
Sky:  30% cloud cover

When we talked to Karen on Red Herring at 18:00 last night it was clear we should take more food to Niuatoputapu as the supply boat hadn’t been for 5 months.  The wife of the beach pub owner drove Mary around to lots of shops to collect bags of rice and flour and change US dollars as we had already used our last Samoan Tala, she even added to the kitty to use up the last of the dollars.  We still only have a small contribution in relation to the 1500 people on the island but hopefully it will bring some cheer.

The wind was in the west when we got past the island and turned south.  Lovely flat sea so we got out the reacher, all 89 m2 of the mast head sail that must be about 170% overlap.  Had a great sail doing 6.5 knots in 8 knots of wind until the wind slowly put us on a beat and it had to come down.  Wind should continue around to the SE overnight to allow us to head directly for our destination.

Position: 14°01′ 172°50′[-14.017,-172.833]  at local 16:00, GMT 03:00 2nd October
127 miles to Niuatoputapu, Tonga. ETA at 6 knots: 15:38 3rd October local  time
Wind: SSW 12 knots Sea: smooth with SW swell 1.0m
Sky:  30% cloud cover

Have added a couple of links to our boat position. This will be updated via the Yotreps reporting scheme. Should be there within about 12 hours of our report. See right hand side links. More details on www.pangolin.co.nz

We are still on our own here in an idyllic anchorage. It was very quiet yesterday as all the schools and businesses were closed in the aftermath of the Tsunami warnings. Savaii had next-to no damage and no tsunami wave on the north coast of Savaii . Upolu didn’t fair as well with lots of damage and deaths on the south coast. Pago, Pago on American Samoa was badly hit too and we have heard of a death on a cruisers there.

Planing to move on to Niuatoputapu, Tonga tomorrow or Friday [in google maps enter-15.942,-173.768]. They were hit with the wave. We have two big bags of rice on board as they haven’t had a ferry delivery for quite a while. Will give them some of our oats as well.

Tonga is on the same time of day as Samoa (BST -12) but on a different day. When we move we will loose a day. There is debate on board which day we want to delete. Which would you choose – Thursday, Friday, or Sunday?

Position: 13°31’S 172°38’W [-13.515,-172.646]

Hot news which we have got from the SSB radio and VHF is that there has been an earthquake and Tsunami in Samoa.

As often happens, we felt nothing in this anchorage.  Some damage on the south coast has been reported.

Hopefully the boats in Apia Marina and Pago, Pago in American Samoa were OK.

Position: 13°31’S  172°38’W [-13.515,-172.646]

Its a compulsory marina for the first stop in Samoa.  The authorities and the Samoans are very friendly.  As they say – I’m sure they don’t have a word in their language indicating the same level of urgency as the Spanish “manana”.  A great welcome from all the cruisers in the marina.  A lot of them have been in for a week or so because they are enjoying it so much.  Lots of socialising.  Most boats are doing circumnavigations, just a few from New Zealand doing an around the Pacific voyage.  All getting ready to head to New Zealand or Australia in early November.  It was the New Zealand vs Australia Rugby match live in the bar last night.  Samoans like rugby so a noisy night.

Last few miles of the voyage from Bora Bora was lovely light wind sailing.  A few gybes to keep the crew on its toes.

Position: 13°50’S 171°46’W [-13.828,-171.759]

Finally the wind has died off and we motored for few hours while the sea dropped.  Back sailing now at 4 knots and the current is making us 5 over the ground.  This trip from Bora Bora has been a series of higher winds and no wind for as long as I have been monitoring it – the last 4 months.  So we have done very well to get a good sailing wind for nearly the whole trip.  Lighter winds should slow us down enough for it to be daylight when we arrive.

First thing this morning we saw the peaks of the Manua Islands [-14.25,-169.5] to the east of the main island of American Samoa.  Dramatic volcanic islands that rise quickly from the sea like so many of the Pacific Islands.

Position: 13°54’S 170°19’W [-13.905,-170.324] at 15:00 Samoan time, GMT 02:00 September 18th
24hr run:  150.2 miles by GPS, 140.6 miles through water.
84 miles to Apia, Samoa. ETA at 6 knots: 05:02 18th September Samoan time
Wind: E 8 knots Sea: SE swell 0.5m
Sky:  70% cloud cover

Next morning, sun up and so to the ninety metres of chain yes ninety metres, its deep here. We have stronger winds on our trip towards Bora Bora, 25 to 30 knots but its not far as long as you go straight there. We had to divert as our fishing line was out and yes we caught a fish just as we were approaching the pass, we altered course to slow down and reel in this one point one metre Mahi Mahi. [Read more →]

Too many of the Cook islands are hard to enter with a normal draft keel boat.  There is a small harbour at [-21.204,-159.785] on Rarotonga the main island well to the south and you can get into the Northern Cook, Penrhyn [-9.024,-158].  Some boats stop at Suwarrow [-13.275,-163.127] but stopping there we would have lost the good winds to get to Apia.  So the Cook islands will be a treat to return to!

Winds have been excellent for our trip to Samoa.  Flag is now made.  I have finished Treasure Island and onto the Black Arrow to complete my pre-reading for the visit to Robert Louis Stevenson’s house Vailima.

LEGO man has been posing in various locations around the boat ready for his debut on the web site.  I have entered the naming competition with Wally cos he’s got a walrus head.

Position: 14°04’S 167°46’W [-14.060,-167.766] at 15:00 Samoan Time, GMT 02:00 September 17th
24hr run:  147.8 miles by GPS, 163.3 miles through water.
Less GPS miles gained towards Apia because we made to the north for better wind
234 miles to Apia, Samoa. ETA at 6 knots:  06:29 18th September Samoan time
Wind: ESE 17 knots Sea: ESE swell 1.2m
Sky:  30% cloud cover

We got our third ship very soon after the first two.  The three bus rule obviously works for ships as well.  This one was the Niu Polynesia on route to Apia, Samoa.

We have had a stowaway since we left Oban.  He is a LEGO man that Mary found on the final tidy up of the house and put in her pocket.  He has sat in the corner of the cockpit by the rope locker for the whole voyage.  He hides in the rope locker in heavy weather.  He deserves a name.  We will use your best suggestion, so get your ideas in by e-mail.  I will put some pictures on the blog site when we get to port.

He has a Wallrus face complete with tusks; blue cap and blue tea shirt with an anchor on it and red trousers!

Position: 15°9’S 165°21’W [-15.153,-165.347] at 15:00 Samoan time, GMT 02:00 September 16th
24hr run:  169.1 miles by GPS,  162.2 miles through water.
382 miles to Apia, Samoa. ETA at 6 knots:  07:11 18th September Samoan time
Wind: ENE 17 knots Sea: E swell 1.3m
Sky:  60% cloud cover