WR is at Niue

While on Rarotonga we hiked the cross island track. The term 'trail' would suggest there had been some grading. This was just a route through the growth, often using tree roots for hand and footholds. The high point was a pass near a volcanic needle. We could see both the N and S coasts. Susan's search for crew led to Karin, a young woman from Sweden, joining me for the passage to Niue. She is working her way from Panama to Australia on various boats. From Aust. she will fly home to attend university. Upon leaving Rarotonga at first we had light winds, thunder, lightning, and rain, but overall the sailing went well. We covered the nearly 600 miles in 5.5 days and arrived here last Wed. This island consists of coral which has been thrust up to form the island. The rock is limestone filled with the honeycomb evidence of coral. There are several caves with flowstone formations including stalactites and stalagmites. The island is about 8 by 16 miles. We are moored at Alofi in the middle of the W side, and yesterday I rented a bike and visited caves and pools at the N end of the island. There are about a dozen boats here and we are all tied to moorings since the coral bottom tends to swallow anchors. We are hunkered down as we expect winds into the 30s on Mon. If all goes according to plan we will leave here on Tues. and sail two days to Neiafu in Tonga where Susan is waiting. The time here is GMT - 11. Tonga is on the other side of the dateline, and the time there is GMT + 13. Thus, when we go there we won't have to change the clocks, but we lose a day. (GMT means Greenwich Mean Time.)
Kit (and Susan)

WR is at Rarotonga

Bora Bora is the common exit from French Polynesia, and from there boats disperse to a variety of destinations. So many of the boats we have been seeing, some for months, we won't see until Tonga if ever again.

I will admit to some trepidation at the prospect of single handing from Bora Bora to here. As I left on Fri. morning the wind was light and at times we were barely moving. By late afternoon the wind was up to 40 kt, so my hands were full with handling the boat and I had no time for anxiety. At 6 pm I hove to for the next 12 hours, hoping to get some rest. At times when a wave hits the boat it sounds and feels like the boat has been hit with a boulder. I didn't get any sleep and in the morning got under way with the staysail and double reefed main with winds in the 30s. During the next 24 hours we did 160 miles, perhaps a record for WR, And during the next 24 we did 170 miles. The swell was about 3 meters and the sailing was good. As for being alone, most of the anxiety had evaporated and it felt like being alone during my past trips in the high mountains. There never was a scary moment.

By Monday night the wind had died and with 100 miles out of the 532 to go I fired up the engine. I arrived at Avatiu On Rarotonga around 2 on Tuesday. With help from others in their dinghies I dropped anchor and backed in to the quai, which has room for about 8 boats. Next to us is the Picton Castle, a three masted bark that periodically sails around the world. She was built in the 20s as a steamship and later converted to sail.

Rarotonga is small, about 5 or 6 miles in diam. People speak english, which is a relief, and drive on the left side, which can be scary even if you are a pedestrian. We are staying in a small house with kitchen, living and dining rooms, and two bedrooms and washing machine for $35US per day. Before we leave we would like to hike the trail that crosses the island. And then when the weather is promising it is on to Niue 600 miles to the west.

Kit (and Susan)