Worrall Wind Update - Suwarrow

UTC/Local Time: Monday, August 30

Anchored In Suwarrow
Latitude: 13.149.904 S
Longitude: 163 06.475

Calm Seas, Clear Water, Paradise on Earth

Rough Seas outside the Atoll

We are surrounded by Park Rangers, Appi and James.

Update:  Days 1-6 in Paradise

We have been enjoying Suwwarow for six days now and have no inclination to leave, but know we must be on our way sometime this week. Originally, we planned only a few days. Suwarrow atoll with its motu islands is a very special place on this earth. We are so privileged to be amongst the handful of earthlings to experience this oasis in the sea.

Day 1 - Wednesday, Welcome committee of James and Appi visit our boat. We sleep the afternoon away.

Day 2 - Thursday, All the cruising boats come together to help rebuild the coral/rock jetty. We make an impressive work party. Fishing parties have caught a bounty of fish. Sharks on the east side of the island thrash wildly eating fish parts. James calls them at sunset and they arrive to be fed. We are anchored on the west side. The sharks are being trained to eat away from the crusiers. At 6:30 the 18 cruising boats supplement the fish with a potluck. We are the survivor reality show.

Day 3 - Friday, Russ and I walk around anchorage island during low tide finding beautiful shells, fossilized castings in the coral, boobies, terns, noddies, bosun birds, frigates, warm water pools filled with sea slugs. We take GPS coordinates as we walk the island looking for a place to hide our geocache. A sperm whale and her calf have been spotted in the lagoon along with some female turtles looking to nest.

Day 4 - Saturday, We are going coconut crabbing and trash collecting on Turtle Island. After a 45 minute dinghy ride and a 2 mile trek around three motus and three shallow crossings where the incoming tide flows like a river, we arrive on a petite jungle island where giant coconut grabs live. They scurry backwards, not knowing where they are going, but hope to find a hole to get away from the hunters. The hunters have big sticks that they tease the crabs with. Often the sticks are used to dig the crabs out of their holes. The crab grabs with his giant claw (just on one side) at the stick and holds on sure that he is injuring the predator stick. A second hunter grabs the crab from behind and drops him into a bag.

Throw him back.  He's a Baby!

Gene polks his stick into the ground and disturbs a wasp nests. He and another cruiser get stung. Of course we had left our knap sacks on the beach before trekking into the jungle. A small party without our guide return to the beach for some antihistamine...eventually. Thank goodness it is a small island as we are hopelessly turned around in the thicket. Even though we can hear the surf and know the direction to go, we can't find an easy opening, so we head where there is less growth and wind up on the opposite side of the island, then hike back around the beach.

We return to the dinghies late in the afternoon, laden with crab and trash. We stop on the way back to snorkel on a bommie (raised coral garden). The water is crystal clear. There are purple, aqua, black, and periwinkle lipped clams, plump starfish, and a kaleidoscope of coral and reef fish. Small light blue fish explode from coral heads like fireworks and then flutter aimlessly like snowflakes until the collective brain turns them simultaneously and in a flash they are gone.

Tonight, another shark feeding, crab potluck, bonfire, guitar and singing by Appii, and announcement by the 2 Sail R's on Worrall Wind that the Treasures of Suwawrrow geocache has been hidden on the island and that the first clue is in the hermit Tom Neal's shelter. There is a scurry of excitement from the children as they want to be the first to find.

Day 5 - Sunday, We take the opportunity in the absolutely still lagoon to work on the boat. The water is glassy smooth. We re-furl the main and repair the hydrovane. We watch geocachers hiking the beach looking for the treasure. The kids from Silver Lining and Kamaya are successful! Late in the day, we snorkel on the bommie close to the anchorage. The moon is slow to rise giving way to brilliant stars in the night sky. A gentle southeast wind rocks the boat and us to sleep.

Day 6 - Monday. The day is young and has yet to unfold, but James, the National Park Ranger,  has offered to show us how to make coconut cakes. 

1.  You have to find a fallen coconut that has only three sprouting leaves.

 

2.  Then you must crack open the hull.  Not and easy task, but my strong husband does it.   We are talking about alot of small coconuts!                        

3. Clean out the pulp....when it has three leaves it easier to do.                                                                    

                                                                                                                              

4. Grate chunks into a pot.                                                                                                                             

Notice the sweat from this exertion!                                                                                                                   

5.  Mix with grated flakes with flour and add coconut milk.                                                                             

                                                                                              

          

6. Heat skill with oil, fry cakes until golden brown, eat hot or store for later and eat at island temperature.                                                                                                                    

There is a lobster catching party tonight and another potluck scheduled for Tuesday.  We'll bring the coconut cakes.  We love it here!

Here  is our poem to Suwarrow.
 

Suwarrow, Suwarrow
Gem of the sea
You provide the weary sailor
Peaceful tranquility.

Inside your protective reef,
Sea tossed sailors get some sleep.

Blue green lagoons
Abound with fishes
Starlit nights inspire wishes.

Our senses glory in the
Coral gardens and
Coconut trees,
Endless sky,
And southeast breeze.

Hospitable rangers and
Fellow cruisers too
Share kindness and fun in
This latitude blue.

Suwarrow, Suwarrow
How hard it will be to leave.
I love thee for
You restore my soul with
Both beauty and humanity.

Calm Waters in the Middle of the Pacific

Paradise

Cruisers Pitch In to Rebuild the Dinghy Jetty

Thank you Suwarrow.

All is well on Worrall Wind.