Not only do you lose weight sailing,but neurons too!
Ariel
Thu 3 Aug 2006 04:54
Hi Chris,Sarah,Ev,Dean,JO,Van,Gran,Pa and All,
We spent Wednesday,12/7 motor/sailing (but really motoring) towards
Beveridge Reef considering the possibility of going in if there were other
yachts there and light permitted.Becoming very concerned with my
navigational skills we finally found it 4 miles further west than the Garmin
plotter had it,which by now had us sailing in the middle of the
reef.(Garmin,I don't think takes the pacific too serious,though our chart
was wrong as well and I think our CMap chart program was somewhere in
between.) Fortunately the Port Captain at Rarotonga gave us a chart on A4
paper probably drawn up by a passing yachtie that had the correct
co-ordinates.
After 4 days at sea it was good to know we could still find land when wanted
to and what an interesting sight! A shipwreck stood almost proudly,but I
guess forlornly and 3 other yachts parked inside the lagoon.This was one of
those very rare sites you need to travel 6000nm to see,a reef in the middle
of nowhere with 3 yachts from various parts of the world in a mill pond
whilst the sea breaks on the reef all around them.It was quite an inviting
haven and with the benefit of hindsight we should have gone in.I suggested
to Sebastian he try and hail someone on the vhf,which he did.Another
ubiquitous Yank.A very decent fellow and recognising my hesitation as to
joining them, he offered to come down to the entrance in his dinghy and
guide us in.I was concerned though about getting around to the west side of
the reef where the entrance was before dark so I declined his offer and we
wished each other well.He said he would be in Brisbane coincidentally in
November,but unfortunately due to the poor radio reception I couldn't make
out his boat name.Whilst it was a good call to go to Niue,Beveridge Reef
would have been one of those very unique experiences,that was probably one
in a life time opportunity(may be I should do this again?) that I let pass
by.
We continued on our merry way with a bit of regret at the back of my
mind,mainly motoring all the way to Niue.We sighted the island Thursday
afternoon and made all haste to get to the port (Alofi) before dark as it
was considered a dangerous anchorage.Despite some assistance from the breeze
and doing 11 knots for a short while at more revs than I would normally
use,we were about 2 hours short of light.I decided to go in anyway as
sitting off the coast did not particularly appeal.
We contacted Niue Yacht Club on the two way and he told us where we could
find some moorings and even sent his wife down to the dock and flashed her
car lights to guide us in.But after about half an hour prudence dictated a
fast retreat,as there were no navigation lights to guide us and steering by
feel would inevitably guide us into something we didn't want to find.So we
hailed the NYC (can't recall his name) and told him we were going to stand
offshore which was ok by him.So out we went along the same path and stood
about 5nm off the coast,which became about 10 by morning.Luckily there was
no wind and little swell so we didn't need to worry about drift and I think
most of this did occur in the last few hours.
It all expectantly looked so much easier in the morning.Back again down the
path we had already been twice directly towards the dock and turned right
about 100 metres before the dock to pick up a mooring.Only two other boats
here(may have had something to do with the yacht almost lost 8 days before
on the rocks,) so we had our choice of moorings.
The landing was an interesting procedure and proved to be challenging with
our last trip back to the boat before we left.
But I shall continue that in the next chapter so as to make the story more
suspenseful and the upload less suspenseful.
best regards,bern