[password] pilot25041
[position] 16 46.5s. 153 56.4w
[status] Friday 17th August from Maupihaa atoll at beer o'clock ...... with variable winds and the chance to stop without deviating too far from our target of Suwarrow we have decided to pitstop overnight in Maupihaa a small atoll approx 100nm due west from Maupiti and after coming through the narrow pass we are anchored inside the NE of the atoll. There are only a few families that live here and the supply vessel from Maupiti only calls once a month, so somewhat a remote location and no other yachts are here, which is nice!

Yesterday we persisted with the diesel sailing until 4pm when the wind filled in, then about 8pm with the wind dropping and wanting to get to Maupihaa for around lunchtime today, it was time for both engines again to maintain the required 6kt average overnight. During yesterday morning we saw dolphins and then more whales just ahead of us during the late afternoon, breaking the surface and spouting. Overnight with the variable wind we had many combinations of sails/engines and reached the pass into the atoll just before 12 noon. We successfully negotiated the pass - very narrow in places and with only 2 white posts to mark the extremities of the reef, then we transited up the inside, keeping a careful watch for bombies and abandoned pearl farm floats that lurk just beneath the surface. Once anchored we immediately had numerous reef sharks swimming around the boat and also a darker shark, which we couldn't identify and all approx 4ft in length, not surprisingly, there were n
o volunteers to go swimming!

After lunch we decided to take the dinghy back to the pass and do some snorkelling, however, when we got there, there were a number of small sharks in the water being rather amorous towards each other and then we spotted a large hump back whale leaping out of the water about 1/2 mile away and just outside the reef. So we took the dinghy outside the reef in the hope that we would get a better view, however, it had by then disappeared on its travels. Back inside the reef we tried to locate the wreck of the 'Sea Adler' a German raider, but without success, Allan then donned flippers and snorkel and dropped over the side, not long after he was quickly back aboard as the sharks were rather large and looked particularly menacing as they started circling him.

Back to Surreal, we then decided to venture ashore as the beaches looked nice, white and inviting, we motored across close to where we had seen a local fisherman land his 'tinny' earlier. He greeted us as we beached the dinghy and although he only spoke french, at which we are poor, he offered us coconut water to drink, which we accepted. A little while later, he then took Ron around the back of his 'shack', we're not sure what Ron did but he was presented with two huge coconut crabs, that were still warm having just been cooked. Apparently these crabs are a local delicacy and we look forward to eating them later!

We then decided to walk further up the island ...... slight mistake as 5mins later the heavens absolutely opened, with the rain persisting extremely heavily for about 30mins ...... fortunately not too many hatches were open - although Ron has had to change his bedding and with 3 of us still in swimming gear ....... it was just a pity we didn't have the shampoo and shower gel with us!

Position Ile Maupihaa and 570nm to Suwarrow our next destination.

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