NORDLYS - Samoa and on to Wallis

Samoa and on to Wallis

NORDLYS

David and Annette Ridout

Sat 10 Jul 2004 06:29

Savaii and on to Wallis

Wallis

10th July 2004

At risk of being repetitively boring I have to report that the weather has continued to be unkind to us. We did not have the usual downwind sail to Savaii but a slow forty mile beat to the desired anchorage of Matautu Bay. This bay on the northern coast faces north west and usually provides good shelter. We arrived with a north west wind blowing and just inland a thunderstorm was making a noise like one imagines the initial artillery warm up before the Somme made. We thus, having entered this fairly open bay, beat a sad retreat and with three hours before dusk motor sailed flat out the seventeen miles on to Asau Bay. Matautu has several small resorts and their restaurants plus some good diving. Asau is entered through a narrow gap in a reef and thus provides perfect shelter from any wind direction once in. There are however no dive sites. Two miles short of our destination we were faced with a nerve wracking blackness up ahead. Two reefs were quickly put in just as the wind and rain arrived. Suffice to say we found the entrance, all of fifty meters wide, and with rollers on either side of us and in failing light we pushed our way into security. Luckily this entry is marked, to a limited extent, otherwise we might have been forced into an unpleasant night at sea. For our young crew, especially Claire who has little sailing experience the whole episode was to say the least a little nerve-wracking. The weather did not improve and the last days of Claire and Jago's visit were dominated by rainand no hoped for dives. We did manage a tour of this delightful island and we dropped them off at one of the original hotels run by a Chief's daughter. I say delightful island because in a year that has been dominated by rain we have also found without exception the people we have encountered to be kindness itself. Of all the friendly islands we have visited the people of Savaii have to be the friendliest. Samoans are generally much more open than Tongans and both islands of this country have produced nothing but exceptional warmth from the locals.

Jago and Claire have reported back that their stay in the aforementioned hotel was very interesting. Madam herself was very interesting company. On Sunday Jago was provided with a LavaLava 'skirt' for church and this was followed by a traditional umu cooked meal of pork, fish and local vegetables. These are all cooked in a hole in the ground that is partially filled with rocks which are then heated by a wood fire. The fire finished the ashes are removed and the food laid on the rocks. The whole lot is then buried and the cooking takes place from the rock stored heat. We have found the product tends to be rather bland due to the lack of herbs and spices and the taste of local vegetables. It was however a great experience for them and a fine way to finish their stay in Samoa. Next day, with backpack on her back and smaller pack on her front Claire managed to step into space as she the boarded the ferry. The packs caught on the dock and ferry gunwale respectively but Claire continued her descent. Luckily two Samoans seeing what happened grabbed her and just managed to stop her descent into the gap between a surging ferry and the quay. Suffice to say the cuts bruises and two stitches necessary were nothing compared to what could have happened. A rather shaken pair boarded the Air New Zealand flight to Los Angeles.

In a couple of days with the boat back to two person mode we had a great tradewind sail to Wallis. The gods had not finished with us as after a beautiful star studded night the duty storm arrived just as we did at the pass. Holding for an hour in thirty something knots and rain was not fun but a patch of blue sky enabled us to force an entry against the three to four knots ebb current. Once inside the rain came back with a vengeance and we had a hard time finding the anchorage. This proved to be uncomfortable in the strong winds and so after one night we moved to another anchorage much further from the town of Mata Utu. Wallis is a strange place. Part of French Polynesia, it is run, apparently regardless of expense and does not bother to cater for tourists at all. Geographically like Bora Bora with a central island and a barrier reef it was to be the sight of a Club Med. The locals said no however and so it remains a pleasant unhurried backwater but with excellent schools, hospitals et al. The two hundred French nationals that run the place earn twice their equivalent home salary and pay no tax. A pleasant two year posting for school teachers, policemen etc. People themselves have been very kind, both locals and expats. I think only here could an interesting looking young lady come up to me in the Supermarche and ask, 'how did you get here, the aircraft arrives tomorrow and I know everyone?'

Despite the efforts of three different locals, including the police constable, we have been unable to hire a car. There is no local public transport nor taxi service. However we have managed to get someone to come to our anchorage and get us at eleven o'clock on the 13th July as the festivities start on this date and continue over the 14th. Apparently the dancing and parades are on the 13th so we await this with excitement. Story in my next instalment.

I am not sure I dare tell you the truth. It is pouring and so this transmission will have to wait as my Iridium Satalite phone has to sit outside when in use.

Happy times dear readers

David and Annette