Overseas Territory
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Thu 8 Jul 2010 21:56
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8th July 1115 Local 2115 UTC
17:00.33S 167:14.51W
Not much to report on this passage. One again we
have seen absolutely no ships or yachts. Perish the thought that one would ever
have to take to a liferaft in these wide open and rarely frequented parts of the
vast ocean.
More annoyingly not one fish caught on this
passage! Not even a bite. The lonely planet book says that Niue ( New - ay ) is
surrounded by Wahoo, Mahi Mahi and Tuna. However we are down to our last lure
and we have never ever even had a bite on this one. We really need to find some
new tackle to improve our fish consumption. I think I will make one up today - a
lue that is - not a fishing story.
We are still glowing with the memories of the
wonderful freedom we enjoyed at Suvarov or Sowarrow or Souwarroff which ever
spelling you prefer. No Governmental beurocracy to burden us and free to live as
we please. The dream location for blue water cruising! In fact there was
supposed to be a $50 landing fee but (probably like all cruisers I am
guessing ) the rangers waived it for us due to the help we gave them they
said.
Having read up a little about the island it has an
incredible history. It was probably occupied about 1000 years ago by
peoples of Tongan or Samoan extract and then not much was known about it until a
Russian ship "found" it - uninhabited about 300 years ago.
Over the period since then the island has been used
several times by brigands, pirates, murderers and slave drivers (before we
arrived that is). One interesting story tells of a ship who had brought 24 women
pearl divers from one of the other atolls while their husbands were away on a
pearl diving and fishing expedition of their own. The captain of the ship -
clearly a rogue - then left the women divers on the island to fend for
themselves but most importantly to amass a large number of pearls for them
to "pay" him for their passage home when he would return several
months thereafter. One enterprising sailor
however thought that under cover of night he would jump ship as it was
leaving and swim ashore to remain with the 24 women. The story says
that "he did not hardly have to lift his little finger to gain the
attention of any of the women and that they competed endlessly to please him".
My how things have changed .... aaah well!
Another interesting twist in Suvarov's history was
that it was leased by Lord Leverhulme of Lever Brothers and then of course
Unilever history. They intended to grow coconuts and harvest pearls and
transplanted 30,000 oysters from the Torres Straits and imported soil to
grow the coconuts. Both failed - at the very same time that Lord
Leverhulme owned most of the Island of Lewis in the
Hebrides, where his enterprises also failed. How amazing to thing of
these two diverse operations going on in such very different islands over
100 years ago and me finding this out in such a rarely visited part of the
world!
Sitting in the "yacht club" in Suvarov or walking
the windward shore near the shark pool it is easy to imagine the sense of
adventure and freedom that prevailed on the island during these times; and even
today, to still be able to feel some of that same sense is really what adventure
cruising on the worlds blue waters is all
about.
We have many photos from our Suwarrow adventure and
will post more when we get a chance. For now here is a shot of us erecting
the flagpole when we had to enlist the help of the
wardens.
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