September 28th, 2011

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21 12.23 S
159 47.04 W

Docked at Avatiu Harbor, Rarotonga: S. Cook Islands

Crew: Colby making coffee, Cyrus making a fruit salad, Brett, Peter & mac sleeping and Brooke baking blueberry muffins & writing

Comments:

From deep ocean to rugged luxurious green mountains leaping out of the water.. we are in Rarotonga. The peaks stretch up to around 2000 feet in spires and pinnacles seeming to celebrate land. It is an impressive sight. Sailing with the sun slipping into it's warm glow wardrobe created that light that just makes the greens explode into vivid celebration of plant life. From all blues to this is such a welcome sight! I have always loved seeing islands like this around this time of night, as everything seems to settle down, quiet a bit and the smoke from cooking fires float up through the palm trees. It makes the island feel even more warm and inviting as you imagine all the families gathered around the fire cooking, kids playing, music drifting up through the villages. It is a nice time to arrive at a new island.

Rarotonga is in the Southern Cook Islands and happens to have really the only port carved out of its North side. This is Aviatu. This is a commercial port. In other words... It ain't pretty. There are no fancy wooden docks, or electricity or water or moorings or lights... nope.. we are docked behind 2 indonesian tuna boats (very nice crew who have been fishing these waters for 1 year now) against giant black tires chained to a cement dock... we have a luxurious view of shipping containers, gas containers and a construction site that is pounding pilons into the water. We knew we were not in French territory anymore when the work went until the light ran out at which point several of the smiling waving sweating workers, peeled off their hard hats, multi-layers of protective and reflective clothing (I would die!) and jumped into the water, yelling with delight. nice.

We do not drink while underway (obviously) and the crew tradition is to find a local spot and have a celebration beer upon arrival. Now the crew is busy tidying lines, putting up our awning for shade... and we have no beer for a celebration drink (very anti-sailor)... I quickly find a bottle of Tahitian rum I had squirrel away in Tahiti and made Rum and cokes with a chunk of lime... and we sit, watching the light fade, toasting a fine little crossing and toasting to a new country and a crew that is forming into a nice tight team. Apparently that needed to be tested when we heard "HELP!" float across the harbor in the darkness. After questioning what we heard, we hear it again and then again! Colby yells back "DO YOU NEEEED HEEEELP???" "YEEEESSS! HEEEELP MEEEEE!" we hear across the water. We have not launched the dinghy. In 6.3 minutes, the dinghy was pulled off the deck, engine mounted, spot light in hand, radios checked and the boys rushed to the rescue, while Cyrus and I smiled... pleased with how the crew jumped, worked together and charged into the darkness. The end of the story? Apparently some girl on a boat couldn't pull the lines in enough to get off her boat and could not get to shore. Other fishermen heard her and rescued her before our guys made it there; however, it was a great exercise. And whomever it was, did make it to shore and to dinner... where we could not go.... yet. As soon as we clear in through Customs, Immigration, Agriculture and the Port Captain's office.. to shore!

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