13:14.57S 163:06.32W Suwarro
Farr Gone Blog
Stuart Cannon
Tue 21 Jun 2011 19:16
You can spell the name any way you want, they do. Well, they is the two guys that perform the task of customs, immigration, police, environment protection etc etc. They say that they do 23 seperate jobs but only get paid for half a one. I think I would accept the job like a flash. They get around a hundred visiting yachts a year on average and thats really the only way to get here. You would need a serious multi thousand mile range motor boat, and a lot of cash for fuel to do it any other way. It is out of range of helicopters and there is no way you could build an airstrip. This place is solitude with a double capital S. Originally called Suvarov by the Russian who first named it, the name was changed to suit the polynesian language and now the spelling is unimportant as the place is best left off the map. Otherwise it may get discovered by those hut over the water type tourist thingos that I am now well and truly over. Thankfully access is too difficult for tourists. Shipwrecks anyone? Plenty here. Some are above water on the reef, others have come to grief on a coral head inside and you can see them on the bottom. Cyclones they also get, in season. One writer who came with his family here had to tie his kids to a tree (true, I was shown the tree) to prevent them dissappearing when the tidal surge overan the island. Now I don't know about you but the idea of being tied to a tree and enduring a cyclone with the waves going past is just a little out there.
I got in the dinghy to pay my respects to the previously mentioned officials (that word really doesn't suit, they would be the most laid back officials in the world) and by the time I had attached the oars I noticed brown in the water. This normally means coral and I thought damn, I have to move the boat which is a big job on your own, but I was sadly mistaken. They were basking sharks. I was in a ten foot dinghy and lets just say I felt grossly inadequate. The guys ashore laughed at my concern as they were black tipped reef sharks and they hang around the boats to collect food scraps. Humans are too big for them so they say. There are white tipped sharks here too and they aren't so friendly but they have insisted I go swimming with the sharks and I'm not exactly thrilled about that. I mean Steve Irwin died doing this sort of stuff didn't he? Sailing is dangerous enough. Btw the stingrays here are up to 12 feet across, eeeek.
I haven't mentioned the sail yet. Big waves and 25 knots of mother nature pushing. Surfing is compulsory. I did mention in a previous blog that another solo sailor left a few hours before me and is heading here. I thought I was sailing conservatively but I have arrived at least a day ahead which means those waves I caught made the difference. It's very hard to take a photo that gives a realistic representation of what is going on but when you look at a wave 4 metres above your head and aim the boat down it you know you're alive. Maybe briefly. The word is exhilarating. Its also hard to get any rest so I'm glad to have this break.
Sorry, digressed again. Back to Suwarro. I am anchored a mere hundred metres from the pacific ocean on the inside of the reef and the surf is pounding. Fish bigger than you could eat swim by constantly and the perfect image of a desert island is in front of me. The channel in was treacherous in the extreme, the "officials" watched me come in and made the comment that I should have hugged the reef on the east side as its a smoother ride. I surfed in on four metre waves which is beyond exhilarating but with some local knowledge i would have been fine, then again I wouldnt have the memory. Apparently many boats have been lost at the entrance so it seems I am meant to travel further yet.
Gary, one of the officials is going to take me on a walk/swim tomorrow and show me the wildlife. It's an interesting setup here, the guys help with you settling in, show you around and then ask you to contribute some effort to help make the place better. Cruising sailors have made a great contribution making sure this place stays as clean as possible and I will do my few hours to help. It is also compulsory to carve the name of your boat into the front of their welcome building and this I will also do.