Lat -18.255556
Lon -163.322222
Check those coordinates in Google earth!!!!
I still haven’t slept. Getting to Palmerston was a chore. The headwinds picked up to 15kts and I had over a 2 knot current against me which made the last 5 hours of my trip quite miserable. I really had to claw my way to get here, it was my only option. If I stayed at sea I would loose ground or go sideways. I don’t have the fuel to steam all the way to another port and this was my option.
When I arrived at palmerston I was amazed to see the boats on moorings in the open sea just outside of the reef, it’s usually the other way around. The lagoon here is to shallow for a keel boat to enter. The masts were pitching violently and it just didn’t seem right. A boat came out to escort me to my mooring as there is no place to anchor and nothing on the lee side of the island except deep water.
This has to be the biggest pucker factor yet.
My mooring is just 2 boat lengths from the crashing reef. I approached with a 2 knot current and 15 knots of wind behind me. I also haven’t slept for quite some time and I’m a bit punchy.
I grabbed the mooring line and tried getting it threw the hawspipe but it didn’t fit and I had to go over the life line to get it to a cleat before I lost it and hit the reef. I don’t think I would have had enough time to get back to the cockpit and floor her and go hard to port. Reverse would not have been sufficient in these conditions. Anyway my wrist got caught in-between the mooring rope and the life line. As a result my wrist is pretty sprained and bruised.
The conditions are worse here then they were at sea and Namaste is rolling madly. I don’t know if I will be able to sleep tonight either. Some of the other boats have gone to camp on shore for the night, but I wont leave the boat.
I got in the water to check the mooring which looks good. It’s 3 8 chain wrapped around a coral head, I think it will hold.
I was only in the water for a few minutes but I’d have to say this is the most spectacular place I’ve seen yet. I was only in the water for 5 minutes and saw half a dozen sharks, 2 groupers over 50 pounds, huge turtles, and a ton of fish. Chris Baxter, if your reading this you need to come here.
Anyway I’m off to try and make some tea without burning myself.
Peace, Love, and AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Alex
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