Hi from Raratonga
We are still here in the delightful port of Avarua in the Southern Cook Islands. We have now put together an Itinerary for the next couple of weeks to get us to Fiji by the 7th June. This is detailed below. We have been experiencing some heavy tropical storms whilst in harbour,so we have re employed the services of Bruce the weather router from Australia to help us over the next part of the journey. We are also travelling ''off piste'' with regard to the majority of the WARC fleet, this is due to work and travel commitments by the crew,and to meet flights etc. But it is great fun sorting ourselves out and the greetings we get from the locals is genuine curiosity and friendship. Indeed in these Cook islands we have found the people the most warm and friendly of all the islanders to date and we really do not want to leave here. Maybe it is because we can converse in our native tongue but getting the repairs and alterations completed to Kasuje and touring the island has been an absolute pleasure. The crew are all well, Jim has settled in fine and was a real star helping fit the new alternator yesterday and sorting out some gourmet burgers for supper. They are very relaxed and I think it will take a lot of re energizing to get them back to work at the end of the trip in Fiji.
Our planned itinerary up to Fiji is as follows, obviously this is subject to the weather!!!!
Passage 1) Fri 23rd-24th Raratonga-Aitu'ki (140nm)
Passage 2) Sun 25th- 28th Aitu'ki- Nieu (515nm)
Passage 3) Fri 30th - 1st June Nieu - Tonga (240nm)
Passage 4) Wed 4th - 7th Tonga - Fiji (440nm)
For today it is a little light housework before finishing off the new wiring and controls to the alternator then a trip to the local golf club and a farewell to this island with a bumper supper.
Bye for now.
Love to all
Skipper Steve and the crew