Onward from Niue
Simanderal
Michael Hughes and Ger White
Wed 23 Jun 2010 21:48
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We arrived at Nuie early Saturday morning--and had
a great time there. It's an interesting island--exceptionally clear water,
fascinating rock formations, limestone caved complete with mites and tites, rock
arches, chasms etc. It's also in the middle of nowhere, so get few tourists, but
popular with sailors because the people look after you. For example on Saturday
morning we went to the tourist office--no tourists of course--and asked about
hiring a car. |TAhe guy said go and have lunch, he'd organise and the car would
be delivered to our lunch place--all of which happened and the car--a very nice
one--cost less than £20 a day!! So we toured the island for a couple of
days--well worth doing. We also joined the Niue Yacht Club--they have no yachts
there, but is has 10,000 members spread across the globe--the commodore readily
admitted he'd never been on a boat!! But he drove us round and told us all about
the island. He was also very busy with a missing yacht--overdue--it turned
up--and a mayday--dismasted vessel hundreds of miles from anywhere--the NZ
rescue search plane used Niue for refuelling--the boat was found and the crew
taken off--it's drifting somewhere in the Pacific! So lots of
craic.
But all good things........yesterday evening we set
off for Tonga, our next big stop. Only 250 miles--40 hours--and we're now almost
half way--expect to arrive tomorrow morning. We're also crossing the date line
on the way--we lose a day!! Thank goodness it's not my birthday!! We're moving
fast in good winds--but quite a swell, so we're rolling like stink at times--it
should calm down over next 24 hours.
All is well on Simanderal.
But as ever
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