Behind the Mast: Sailing on

Palmerston

Saturday July 22, 2011: Left for Aitutaki, a small island in the Cook Islands; 32 KM from Rarotonga and refuted to have the most gorgeous lagoon in the world! There are several uninhabited motu's around the island and the sea is teaming with marine life. The crossing from Rarotonga to Aitutaki took 24 hours under sail and motor. Our last crossing was a bit rough so this time, I

taped things down and wrapped the glasses in diapers; of course it turned out to be the smoothest crossing yet! I slept like a baby.

We are experiencing an auto pilot issue and the boat has to be manually steered, which is easy enough in good weather but exhausting in bad conditions. We received a new auto pilot part in Rarotonga, that's why we were there 16 day's waiting for the part to be ordered and flown in, but after replacing the part it still did not work. Our course was Palmerston when we left Aitutaki, which was a day and night trip; then we were off to Samoa which was 3-4 days at sea, a very rough 3 days. Good news is I am finally over being seasick.

Rocks on the reef at Autitaki

Aitutaki was indeed beautiful, as for the most beautiful lagoon in the world? I would say the advertisement is misleading. The pass was to shallow for Slow Dance, so we anchored outside the reef in 80 FT water.

We took Trini ashore for a walk and the tour guide driving a bus full of Kiwi tourists yelled out to us "Git ya dog off de island or weel shoot it!" Apparently no dog's inhabit this island due to potential diseases they may carry. (This anti dog thing in the islands, is beginning to wear on us and poor Trini gets mostly swimming exercise) The travel guide said Aitutaki was the friendliest place on earth; Hum-um?! Most of the people we encountered were not friendly, and when we stopped in the lagoon for lunch, the restaurant was beyond slow, unfriendly and had lousy food. Most fun was, we rented 2 motor bikes ( never even asked to see a drivers license) I rode with Sean and Ron rode with Sooz, and we toured the entire island in several hours. It's very rural with many bungalow accommodations and 1 large fancy resort.

The sand was amazing and felt great between the toes

Palmerston was a very interesting island, with only 75 population. Bob came out to greet us as soon as we arrived and led us to a good anchorage in his speed boat. We were loaded into the tender and led to shore (very tricky as coral heads are everywhere) After a tour of the town and introductions to just about everyone, we sat for a true island lunch, prepared by Bob's wife. Lunch was delicious, consisting of fried Whaoo, Taro Root, pancakes, and a soy gravy for the sticky rice.

Lunch

Bob's wife, son Andrew, and baby girl

Bob' has 6 children and his 19 year old daughter was heading to university in New Zealand. When asked about dating on Palmerston, her reply was, "I can not date because I am related to everyone!

Boobies in the tree

There are more freezers on Palmerston than people. The entire village pulls together and nets fish, hundreds at a time, everyone participates, even the old women. The folks here were the nicest on the planet; they sent us off with fresh Wahoo, Breadfruit, and coconuts.

Restaurant on the lagoon. Beautiful location, lousy food and service.

Ron and Bob at the Yacht Club, Palmerston

Sean and Ron

Table in the sand on Autitaki

Lunch at Bob's home

Sara has lived on Palmerston all her life and is a Masters

The guy who started it all was William Masters, an English man who settled on Palmerston with 3 Polynesian wives. Willy was quite the man and even got himself recognized as a dignitary by his mother England. The Masters are in the thousands and spread about the South Pacific. Everyone on Palmerston was a Masters! Bob wife was from a northern Cook Island.