password] Tsar12
[position]13 23.03S 164 79.46W
[weather]sky mainly clear wind SE 18-20 swell 2m
[status] on reflection that we will lose a day when we cross the international date line between US and Western Samoa I decided to clear out from Suwarrow 12 hours earlier ie Monday so we can get into Apia and get organised by Friday. Unfortunately just as I was about to go ashore another yacht arrived and our efficient caretakers were in their dinghy pronto . With the amount of paperwork to go through I knew they would be tied up for at least 1.5 hours so I went for a paddle to the pass entrance to try and get a wave on the ski meantime ! Going through the pass 3 times the ski was hit by grey sharks - the last time shunted the ski forward - luckily the rudder doesn?t taste that good . The sharks here are definitely the most aggressive I have come across.
On my return we cleared and motored out the pass at 1800 . Leaving at this time did have one drawback - it meant that our fishing opportunities going down the reef weren?t going to be as good as leaving in the morning as it was close to dark - I was reasonably confident of getting something in that very fishy stretch of water but getting to Apia on time was the priority and our freezer still has a good supply although we did give quite a few meals away to the boats in Suwarrow.
Once we cleared the leeward side of Suwarrow the wind settled in from SE at 12-14 knots and we were away. 2 hours out we had a concentrated rain cell that lasted only 30 mins but killed the wind completely then the SE filled in again until we were steaming along at 8-9 knots in 18 knots of wind - it stayed consistent the rest of the night and we covered 87 nm in 12 hours which is good considering we had to clear the island and it was night.
This morning we have 350 nm to Apia and with the forecast saying it will strengthen tonight to 25 and slowly tend East it should be a quick trip.
In Apia we will reprovision and pick up the Spanish couple who were going to join in Bora Bora before passport issues determined otherwise . Also 2 of the yachts that were in Suwarrow are 12 hours ahead of us - a Canadian and Aussie boat ( and my diving buddies) so we will all catch up in the marina there.

[END]