[password]shipnavire1
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:position 05 40.314s 176 07.071e

Nanumea, Tuvalu
December 6
We made it into the Nanumea atoll. One of the fleet nearly didn't. Click on the link to see where we are. The pass into this lagoon is very narrow and shallow and has swell breaking on the ocean end of it. One of the yachts had just entered the pass when a wave lifted them onto the coral. At high tide. They thought their boat was a gonner. They put out a Mayday and the yachts with big dinghies went out to help, plus local boats. They managed to get off okay. it could have been any of us.

This is a gorgeous place, our first flat calm anchorage in a month. We haven't managed to get a lot going on shore, the local people are very shy. But we have had a very social time amongst the seven boats here, cooking good food and playing music and imbibing far too much alcohol. But the liver gets a week to dry out now. Tomorrow we head north 500 miles to Kiribati, where at last we will rest awhile. it will take a week or so. We just have to get through that pass again...

Cheers Janet
PS I haven't got my gmail email for several weeks but we can access David's email if you need to contact me
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