At the moment, early Monday afternoon, I can’t connect to the Internet. Assuming I can sometime before I sail tomorrow morning, I’ll post this.
The last time I checked, the wind was still blowing 25 knots between Samoa and Tonga, but is forecast to drop to 15 in coming days. At least three other boats are leaving tomorrow, too.
I’ve cleared with the officials. Immigration. Customs. Marina office. Immigration is in the town center. The other two here near the marina.
The marina fee was a bit more than I expected. The charge is one Samoan tala per foot per night. That is about 50 cents U.S. However for some reason there is a 31’ minimum, so I have paid for 7’ I could have sublet. That’s half of Dave’s Paradox.
They are closing the marina next week to repair damage done by a cyclone two years ago. Maybe they’ll even fix the showers.
I also had my laundry done this morning, and then spent an hour reconfiguring GANNET’s interior to passage mode.
I’m attempting a few changes, including where I stow one of the jerry cans of water. There are now two side by side to port just forward of the main bulkhead.
I will be sleeping to windward on the port pipe berth.
The passage to Neiafu is about 350 miles.
Before heading south, I have to sail thirty miles west to clear this island. When I sailed from here to Tonga in RESURGAM almost thirty years ago, we encountered very strong wind circling the end of the island. I’ll have a reef in GANNET as we approach.
If the wind tends east, the sail will be fine. If it tends southeast to south, it will be unpleasant. I’m voting for east.
I should be there Friday.
The Yellowbrick has been activated.
If I can, I’ll embed the tracking map in the journal.
Sail on.
