Rarotonga
Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Sat 10 Aug 2013 20:50
Sorry
there are no photographs here but the internet here is measured by
volume not time. 'Photos later...
There was a very wet and windy finish to my passage to Rarotonga. The weather was quite horrible but the sun came out as I arrived among huge seas at exactly the same time as Plan B, the motor yacht with the helicopter. I let them go in first; apart from anything else there was no room at the harbour wall and I had to wait for a boat to leave. And wait longer than expected as anchors got all tangled up. A Med Moor is not easy – drop an anchor, go astern with no steering (anchor chain stops steering), fit between two boats and get four shore lines out. After that see customs, agriculture control, quarantine and immigration all closely followed by seeing a barman and much beer!
This is home to the Picton
Castle a magnificent three masted square rigger last seen two years
ago in Antigua. I manage to talk my way aboard for a guided tour. A
lovely working ship (still carries cargo to earn a dollar or two) but
I will stay on wild Fox where comfort levels are a tad higher eg the
Picton has three toilets for 45 people...
Next morning at 0830 a
lady on the harbour wall looked at me and asked “Are you Anthony
Swanston?” I have been caught! It is a small world – Susie
Donnan from the Isle of Man but late of Bangor and Royal Ulster Yacht
Club and now living on Rarotonga. A home made tour guide she took me
around the island and then with partner Paul we went to an
interesting and entertaining barbecue dinner.
This is the nicest island you could imagine but the most horrible anchorage. Waves come straight through the harbour entrance, hit the boat from ahead, hit the harbour wall, bounce back and hit the boat from behind.
I will probably leave here
on Saturday, but do not quite know where I am going...