Aitutaki
Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Wed 21 Aug 2013 03:16
I
did as much as I could do on the island (walks, lunch, that sort of
thing) and I left Rangotongo on Monday with a weather forecast of 11
knots from the East – a perfect wind to get me to Aitutaki. The
wind went to nothing three miles out and I had to motor the entire
145 miles there. Boring!
The entry to Aitutaki is
as tricky as it gets. And as confusing. The pass through the reef
is narrow - zoom in on the position map and you can see it clearly - but once you can see it there are small white stakes the
whole way in. You leave these to port; except the last two which you
leave to starboard! Wouldn't you think they would paint them red and
green? Aground I went but I got off and Ian from Dolphin of Leith
was quick to row out guide me in. The inner anchorage was full and
I got my self into a small pool with two other boats and very little
swinging room, but with two anchors out I seemed OK. Next day a boat
from Slovenia arrived and went hard aground in the pass and had to be
towed off. He anchored outside the reef and it will be interesting
to see if he gets his anchor up. Outside the pass is reported to be
a graveyard for anchors. Ashore a German boat is hauled out with
some quite serious damage. He tried to come in using electronic
charts and missed the pass by 350 yards. Coral atolls need mark one
eyeball navigation every time!
1,500 people live here. Everyone is super friendly and says hello. It is a very religious island and there is a move afoot to stop flights in and out on Sundays - “The Sabbath is more important than the dollar” the signs say.
I became a fully fledged member of Hell's Angels and hired a Mean Machine to power me around the island. I went to a research centre where they grow giant clams from eggs to replenish the over fished lagoons. These chaps live to be about 75 years old. Then to a few scenic viewing spots and a couple of typical beaches.
I am heading to Palmerston
Atoll in a few days; population 50, all descended from one
missionary. It is too deep to anchor there. If there are no free
moorings I have to sail on...