Nice in Niue

Serai
Jason and Emily Willis
Thu 23 Aug 2007 03:34
19:03.11S 169:55.3W

Niue is small island with a big heart. Pronounced 'new-eh'. she has a
population of only 1300 people, all of whom seem to smile all day long and
live to be helpful, kind and welcoming. The truth is that it is an
absolute joy to spend some time here.

We have been here for 5 days now, and have managed a bit of chilling - of
crucial importance after a fast and furious crossing! We have also been
using the internet service at the yacht club, which we are now proud
members of. Not one of the entire committee that run the Club can sail,
but they make up for any lack of knowledge with absolute enthusiasm and
helpfulness.

The island lies in very deep water and the shelf at its coastline is very
steep indeed. All yachts pick up a mooring ball and are charged the
bargain price of 10 kiwi dollars a night. We get use of the showers ashore
and the dinghy crane which is required as all dinghies are lifted out of
the water with a crane when you go ashore and then put back in when
departing for your boat. This is a DIY operation, but works a treat.

The island is made of coral. This huge lump of coral then sits in the open
mouth of an old volcano, rather like a large plug. There is a gap between
the island floor and the floor of the volcano where freshwater collects.
With no rivers exiting out to sea, the water is unbelievably clear.
Visibility is normally 100ft or more! In some of the pools around the
island, sea water and fresh water mix. The cold fresh water on the surface
is freezing and then dive down a few feet and you are in warm saltwater.
Because the whole island is just a lump of coral, the 'land' is scattered
with amazing caves, both above and below the surface. We have been
climbing through caves littered with stalagmites and stalactites.

On a dive yesterday, we went down 15 feet to hole in the reef. We dropped
through this into a chimney. We then descended in the chimney to about
60ft and exited through a cool cave. To the right of the entrance was an
old Landcruiser, dumped there by the cyclone that tore apart the island in
2005! Whilst in 15 feet of water Ems came face to face with an 8ft
hammerhead Shark. I'm nor sure who was more surprised! What a moment
though! We are diving again on Thursday and Friday and just cannot wait -
it has to be some of the best diving in the world, and yet hardly known
about!

We hired a car with some friends the other day and had a really good
explore of the island too, hiking through caves and snorkelling in
protected pools, teeming with fish. The only downside of this place is
that there are a lot of sea snakes. You see them pretty much every time
you get in the water! And I HATE snakes. That's the bad news...oh yeah did
I mention.... and they are highly poisonous. The good news is that their
mouths are tiny. They could not open their mouth wide enough, apparently,
to actually bite you. The only bit they could in fact bite would be the
flap of skin between finger and thumb. They are seldom viscous either,
although have been known to be a bit inquisitive! Now I definitely prefer
my snakes to be of the shy and retiring variety, so the fact that they
rarely bite is cold comfort. Still I am getting over it and trying to just
deal with my phobia. Its tricky to be at 90ft though and also deal with a
phobia at the same time!

Its going to be really hard to leave this place, but leave we must, after
the weekend. Tonga beckons and that is meant to be sensational too! Its a
3 day trip there, so we'll be choosing our weather window with care again.

Till the next time.

Love

J and Ems xx