More on Palmerston

Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Sat 31 Aug 2013 01:39
At Palmerston everyone is “adopted” by a family for the duration of their stay. Our host is Edward, and it turns out, an important man on the island. I walk around the perimeter and Edward talks politics and how the islanders refuse to allow any hotel development. He makes his case simply and clearly -”Why would I want 500 foreigners shitting in my lagoon?” He has a point.

Lunch is superb – massive quantities of local fish from raw to barbecued. Dolphin have been adopted by a different family but I am joined by a catamaran crew with eight young Norwegians aboard all taking a year out to sail the Pacific.

During the night the wind swings north west against the forecast and we are stern onto the reef. Very rough but all is OK until my mooring breaks while I am having breakfast. If I had been asleep....

Then the three masted barque, Picton Castle, arrived on one of its three times a year provisioning visits. Every boat on the island is out to get their stuff. A sight from 100 years ago apart from the Yamaha outboards.

The weather forecast is for no wind for the next three days so it would seem to be sensible to stay here. But I just wish the present wind would go back east where it should be and take my stern off the reef. Apart from the mooring we all have security anchors out. Fingers crossed...

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