Passage to Niue

We departed Rarotonga, Monday afternoon, August 25th after having Jenny's leg recast due to swelling. Her leg looks much better now although her toes are all black and blue from bruising.

This passage will take us four days and four nights and so far it's been really pleasant. Thanks to excellent anti-seasickness remedies, we're all feeling well and are able to function.

We caught our first Mahi Mahi which fed us for two dinners. We certainly hope to catch more as they are very delicious! Actually I think we had 2 big ones on the line, as it just screamed off the reel and eventually broke - bummer, we lost 2 really good lures.

Last night was absolutely glorious as the flat calm sea reflected the light from the stars, providing us an illuminated path to sail. As Malachi sailed west, we left behind us a spectacular luminescent wash as a result of the phosphorescence, the brightest we've ever seen. With some low lying clouds off in the distance, we felt more like we were in Desolation Sound rather than the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from land. A friend shared a little saying with me that "Stars are holes in the floor of heaven", a beautiful picture of the vastness of heaven and the glory therein shining as well as a reminder of how small we are in comparison. It seems beyond comprehension that God would care enough to love ones as small as us, but he does and we're grateful for His hand of protection over us as we travel.

Electronics still manage to be a burr under our saddle with their inconsistency and chronic maladies. Poor Jay gets so frustrated with this, but always manages to effectively complete the repairs. Our Auto pilot is giving us the most grief lately as it shuts off and stays off for hours on end leaving our tired, short handed (or footed that is) crew to manually steer. Hand steering is fine when there's no wind or seas, but when we're having a great sail with good wind, it takes a lot more muscle and concentration to stay on course.

Niue, a small self-governing country in free association with New Zealand, is located at 19°02' S, 169°55'W. This island is an elevated coral outcropping perched on top of a seamount rising up from very deep water. Niue is 100 square miles, making it the largest raised coral island in the world. Niue's highest plateau is at 220 feet above sea level. In the census of 2001, the population was only 1,788, a substantial decrease from the 5,200 inhabitants in 1966.