11/08/09  20:00  18:43349. S  154:19.702W

The weather has been thickening all day, it’s just like being in the grey Atlantic. It’s going to get worse and the small commercial harbour on Rarotonga has been known to turn yachts away.

I try calling the harbour master but it’s out of hours.  I had sent him an e-mail the day we left but hadn’t heard back

If we can’t get into that harbour  for any reason there is no where else for several hundred miles to seek refuge from the 35 knot wind, so reluctantly we decide to retrace the 196 miles we have made from Boa Bora.

I will try ringing him in the morning, although oddly we lost Satellite Communication Signal

as soon as we reversed course.

12/08/09 06:30

I came on watch just as rain squalls sent the wind NNE i.e. the direction we’re heading.

After a half hour it went back to ESE and we’re nearly back  on course.  Dawn was all clouds and no sun. Sat Com still down.