Current Position: 18 43.423’S 174 06.034’W; Local Timezone: UTC+23; SOG: 0 kt COG: N/A; TWS: 15 kt; TWD: 57; Distance to Waypoint (Vaka’eitu): At Anchor; Total Miles Sailed: 5761 nm;
Comments: I got up at 6:00, had tea in the cockpit, then started getting the boat ready to move to Vaka’eitu (bringing the dinghy aboard, etc.). I unhooked from the mooring at 8:50. The process was made simpler because I threaded a “release line” through the mooring in advance, just a separate line that I can use to pull the boat forward to retrieve the bridle. When I am ready, I just need to untie one end of the release line and it unthreads from the ball … it takes seconds. Since I was motoring, I ran the watermaker. I arrived at Vaka’eitu about 11:30. It was about a 11 nm journey, and involved a lot of weaving around coral reefs. It took me almost 30m to anchor. I was not satisfied with the first two placements, the wind moved me into shallow water. Finally, I dropped the anchor in sand at 40’ and floated part of the chain (to avoid getting entangled in boomies). The waves are crashing over the reefs. It is going to be fun to explore this place. I am looking forward to trying out the hookah system. By 1:00, wind and waves we’re building from the E. The anchorage does not offer a lot of protection as both wrap around. It is a bit concerning because I am effectively on the windward side of the island. I set an anchor drag alarm and will keep careful watch for a couple of hours. The wind is supposed to become lite and variable by tomorrow morning, then back to the N and eventually to the W by Tuesday. This may not be an acceptable anchorage by then. It is too rolly to lower the outboard, so I will stay on the boat today. While I was the only boat here when ai arrived another sailboat arrived about 13:00 and anchored behind a small island out of the wind. However, they are upwind from a major, dangerous-looking reef, so I don’t think I’d trade places with them. I can see another sailboat in the distance, almost certainly headed here, because this is effectively a box canyon.
Comments: I got up at 6:00, had tea in the cockpit, then started getting the boat ready to move to Vaka’eitu (bringing the dinghy aboard, etc.). I unhooked from the mooring at 8:50. The process was made simpler because I threaded a “release line” through the mooring in advance, just a separate line that I can use to pull the boat forward to retrieve the bridle. When I am ready, I just need to untie one end of the release line and it unthreads from the ball … it takes seconds. Since I was motoring, I ran the watermaker. I arrived at Vaka’eitu about 11:30. It was about a 11 nm journey, and involved a lot of weaving around coral reefs. It took me almost 30m to anchor. I was not satisfied with the first two placements, the wind moved me into shallow water. Finally, I dropped the anchor in sand at 40’ and floated part of the chain (to avoid getting entangled in boomies). The waves are crashing over the reefs. It is going to be fun to explore this place. I am looking forward to trying out the hookah system. By 1:00, wind and waves we’re building from the E. The anchorage does not offer a lot of protection as both wrap around. It is a bit concerning because I am effectively on the windward side of the island. I set an anchor drag alarm and will keep careful watch for a couple of hours. The wind is supposed to become lite and variable by tomorrow morning, then back to the N and eventually to the W by Tuesday. This may not be an acceptable anchorage by then. It is too rolly to lower the outboard, so I will stay on the boat today. While I was the only boat here when ai arrived another sailboat arrived about 13:00 and anchored behind a small island out of the wind. However, they are upwind from a major, dangerous-looking reef, so I don’t think I’d trade places with them. I can see another sailboat in the distance, almost certainly headed here, because this is effectively a box canyon.