position S12 5.500 E166 55.3000
Ocean Rival Journey Log
Adam Power Diana Power
Mon 17 Jun 2019 22:17
Sunday 16th June
It was around 11am by the time we had rigged the twin jibs and I rowed back ashore to deliver the solar light connection for Edward, the switch for big boss Nicolson and the fins for the pretty girl. She may have been Nicolsons daughter as she emerged from the same house. Then I found Edwards brother Andrew and bargained for a lovely carving of an octopus trapping a fish. He had asked $60 and I gave him $50 but felt a bit mean about it afterwards. I fetch some sandpaper for him to assuage my guilt. It didn't seem a very happy island- the gifts were accepted without much thanks and it felt that they expected more. Nicolson had a tablet on which he played a tetris type game while talking to me and in the morning his brother looking like a miami gangster with his raybans and pencil moustache told me to chill out. I wonder if Nicolson and his family had taken control in a not entirely benign manner. The assitant chief who had visited us yesterday with logs came out to see us as we were getting ready to up anchor and agreed that Nicolson was not looking after the people very well. He asked for a donation for school fees but by this time we were unsure about who wouldn't pocket money for school fees and so fibbed about lack of cash.
We sailed overnight in 20 knots of wind, the twin jibs working well untill the starboard pole sheared its cast aluminium fitting at the mast end. I had already improvised a connection for the outer end but now It definately needs new fittings. One pole is O.K but it takes a while to switch it from one side to the other when the wind or the course changes.
We were thinking of stopping for a rest at Vanikolo but the pole issue put us on course for Utupua a bit further north and west.