Friends

Written yesterday:

Simon, Eddie, and his son showed up at Namaste as promised. They had a big bag of eating and drinking coconuts, fresh fish and bread.

They came aboard for morning tea and we had a nice talk about the weather. We had to sit inside as it’s blowing 25 from the east and pissing down rain. Simon is about 65 if I had to guess. He said the weather changed after 2000 and the trade wind has becoming more infrequent. They see more west wind now then ever before.

After tea I presented each of them with a new pare of Choppers sunglasses (my buddy Steve left me with a case for trading), 5 bags of dry beans, 1 spool of 100lb test fishing line, 1 box of #13 fish hooks, 1 box of #12 fish hooks, a nice hat for the boy, 2 lures, 2 T-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, two boxes of wine, a bag of yeast, and 3 bags of flour complete with weevils. I showed them the weevils and Eddie said all the flour they get from the supply ship has weevils. Do you remember the weevil scene from Master and commander. They showed weevils as being inch worms, actually they look like tiny black crabs. All boats get them after buying flour and dry goods outside of the US. They are also in most of the ramen you buy here and in South America.

Simon and Eddie looked at each other. “This is so much would you like more fish and bread”, “No Simon, I’m getting the better part of the deal, trust me on this one, I have more then enough.”

In Tahiti I felt like such a poor man, unable to eat the way I’d like, but this morning I felt like the rich uncle bringing gifts for Christmas, it felt really good to share my vast wealth with people who truly appreciate it. I told them it’s possible that I will be coming back next season or the one after and I plan to visit again. Simon asked if I could bring something from America. Instead I promised him a bottle of my favorite Cuban rum (Havana Club), he seemed quite pleased with the idea of having a fine bottle of Cuban rum, and this is a promise I intend to keep.

My friends from the Palmerston Atoll got in their skiff and disappeared into the thick rain of a squall. I will return to my empire of water and salt a better man, I’m so happy to have experienced this special place.

Today:

I left Palmerston at around 2pm in 20 knots of wind and total overcast. The gribs showed weakening conditions and I thought I would get a nice boost out of the gate. By nightfall the wind increased to 30 – 35 true, and the seas built to 12-15.Maybe 20 waves crashed into the cockpit last night. These are the worst conditions I’ve seen in the Pacific yet. My night was filled with a moonless sky and pounding horizontal rain. I am cold, wet, and tired.

I’m looking forward to being somewhere where I don’t have to move all the time.

Peace

– Alex