[password]Tusi2284
[position]13 14.974S 163 06.480W
[speed}0 knots
[heading]000T
[weather]E 15knots, seas 0m,cloud cover 30%, barometer 1014 dropping
[status]We anchored at Suwarrow in the northern Cook Islands at 1330 today. Suwarrow is an atoll exactly the same as those in the Tuamotus with sand motus on the fringing coral reef. Suwarrow is a National Park and has two resident rangers, Harry and John. They came on board soon after we arrived and did the customs, immigration and biosecurity procedures. We are in the only allowed anchorage directly inside the motu that the rangers live on and where Tom Neale the New Zealander lived as a hermit for several years. We are the only yacht here. Activities are quite restricted, for example we can't visit any of the other motus without a ranger with us. The most bizarre rule is that we are not allowed to pull up our anchor before midday! We have yet to figure out the logic behind this rule. We'll explore the island where Harry and John live tomorrow mainly to see Tom Neale's house which we understand is still standing. There is a manta ray cleaning station on a nearby reef so we might try to have a snorkel there if the wind drops. At this stage we'll probably leave here on Wednesday afternoon but that depends on the weather. The forecast for today was 12 knots but we've had 20-25 for most of the day.

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