On Sunday we got up and Steve went off to church. He wanted to hear the legendary Cook Island singing, which happens in church. Susan and I were heathens and worked hard on cleaning up the boat, doing laundry, etc. Laundry is a chore, especially at sea with limited fresh water. Our water maker is doing great, but we still like to be a bit conservative with the water. So, when in port with a hose and fresh water it’s laundry time. The whole boat was strewn with clothes and sheets from our bunks.
The wind picked up and Honu was drifting towards the Polish boat next door. Susan and I worked on the anchors and stern lines to pull us away a little. It worked, but the wind was strong enough that Susan said she didn’t want to leave the boat. Steve and I took the car and did a roundtrip of the island. We stopped for an art gallery, a couple of hotels, a souvenir shop and for lunch. I had fish and chips for lunch. The fish was parrotfish. It was most delicious. The batter was crispy and the fish mild, flaky and with a distinct wonderful flavor. I see these big fish swimming around in Hawaii. They are very colorful and fun to watch eating the coral. They chew at the reef taking hunks off. Out of their gills comes some new sand. Later at the other end, other new sand is produced. This fact always gets a giggle out of the tikes that visit Hanauma Bay where I volunteer. These fish also change sex. If there aren’t enough females they change. If then there are too many females they change back. Pretty amazing.
Back at the boat we finished stowing away everything, pulled up our two anchors with relative ease and headed out of Avatiu Harbor. We sailed smoothly all night last night with good winds and the moon showing the way for most of it. It’s quite a difference sailing with no moon and with moonlight. It’s certainly a bit scarier without the moon. Early this morning the winds died and we’re now currently motoring. The wind that there is comes directly from where we want to go once again.
Steve is puttering with the starboard running light. They’re new and the one isn’t working. Susan is listening to a book on tape. These are a great way to pass the time. I’ve been through one already and started on a second. It’s much easier than reading and doesn’t make you seasick, which reading can. The thing about getting your sea legs is that you have to do it every time we head back out to the open ocean. We have very mild seas and from a good direction today, so our adjustment is quicker.
We hope to be in Niue by Friday. We’re all excited to see this tiny island nation. Captain Cook never landed here in his three trips around the Pacific Ocean. He named it Savage Island because the natives ran off his boarding parties. Cook reported that they came running out throwing things and had blood red teeth. He assumed it was from cannibalism. It wasn’t. There was a red colored banana that the natives ate. They were very wary of outsiders though and did try to keep them away. Even the missionaries took way longer to infiltrate Niue compared to the rest of Polynesia. More Niueans live in New Zealand than in Niue. In 2001 there were 1,700 in Niue and 12,000 in New Zealand. There aren’t a lot of economic opportunities in Niue. The cruising guides tell us that this little nation is filled with the most friendly people we will encounter in the Pacific. We’ll let you know.
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