16:37.634 S  143:34.246 W

1/7/07  14:30

As we are passing fairly close we decide to detour to Tauare Atoll and spend an hour trying unsuccessfully to find a spot to anchor.  It is very deep right up to a few metres from the reef and too dangerous to stop.  There is no pass to enter the lagoon big enough for our boat. Alas.

21:00

Still sailing, wind East Force 5.  No sunset tonight.  It gets dark before 6.

We should be in by midday when there should be slack water.

2/7/07  04:00

We’re in amongst several atolls using the radar overlay on the chart to be certain of our position vis a vis the rocks.  The charts are a little bit out but not as much as we have seen in the past.  We’re currently poled out dead down wind, the least favourite wind angle.  The wind and the sea have dropped a bit but we still manage to roll.

11:00

Just Arrived at Makemo which looks very nice.  Even though the chart is almost a half a mile out, the pass entry was fine as we were nearly at low water and the wind  was down to 15 knots.  The anchorage is behind an old breakwater so we are sheltered from the prevailing wind.  There are lots of reefs to snorkel and what seems to be a decent size town, so I imagine we’ll be here a couple of days.

We logged a total of 189 miles all under sail.

More tomorrow.