Niue arrival
VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Thu 30 Aug 2012 19:10
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This is a lovely laid-back place. Here are Alison
and friend Tamsin (with hat) checking in with Customs, in their 'office' on
the quayside:
 There is no safe landing here (the island rises
sheer from about 2000m, with no sheltered bays at all) so all boats must be
lifted out of the water and stored on the quay:
 Alison is guiding the dinghy into the water, with
friend David operating the crane. This crane is the only means of access to the
island, other than the weekly flight to NZ. It can lift a single shipping
container from a lighter (the monthly freighter from NZ is too big to come
alongside), but is a self-drive. Can't see it being allowed/surviving in the UK!
But even this becomes untenable in a big blow from the west. 7m waves are
not unusual round here, in which case the quay is swept bare, so we have to keep
a close eye on the weather. It's been really benign so far (strong winds, but
from the east, and little sea) but there have been cases of half a yacht's crew
stuck on shore and half in the yacht for several
days).
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