Last week a strong Southeasterly wind (maramu) was blowing all over French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, so we decided to sit it out in the Eastern corner of the atoll. The anchorage was nicely protected and we could still take some walks ashore, but mainly we stayed home and spent the time on the computer. We finished a few articles, prepared a photo gallery, etc. and now that we’re back in Tetautua village we can use the internet to send everything off.
Christian did a 2-day internet marathon trying to get everything done with the slow connection, but now it seems that all our articles and pics have made it out. The maramu did us a favour by keeping us away from the village where a flu epidemic is going round–thanks to the people who arrived from Rarotonga and brought the virus with them.
We are getting restless and have been looking at weatherforecasts for windows to sail south. First the strong southeasterly made a departure impossible, yesterday’s grib files showed yet another maramu for next week, today’s forecast threatens with clocking winds next week. Both options would ruin our plans to stay on the outer reefs of Aitutaki and/or Atiu… We’ll get Pitufa into passage mode anyway and hope to be off soon!
