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Paw Paw - Log Day 183: Land Ahoy - Treasure Island



At around 0130 this morning we ran out of wind as forecasted, so it was Chicken Chute" down, headsail up, engines on and full steam ahead. We had barely completed the sail change when Roy spotted lights on the horizon directly ahead that were not there minutes earlier. Using the binoculars he confirmed there was a vessel heading straight towards us at about 3NM out. After a quick 15° turn to port the lights on the other vessel were extinguished. We spent the next hour crawling ahead trying to find the vessel in order to avoid hitting it, but to no avail. We then decided to reset our course and continue on - A strange encounter indeed! This afternoon we arrived in Surwarrow, a marine reserve off the Cook Islands and where the New Zealander, Tom Neale, lived and made famous with his book, "An Island to Oneself". It is also believed to be the island that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island. Our arrival was somewhat different though. Entering the pass was like swimming back up a flushing toilet and we were escorted by black-tipped sharks all the way to tiny anchorage area. After anchoring, we were, however, greeted by the friendly faces of the two rangers who completed both customs and immigration very efficiently. There are now four people on this atoll tonight!


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