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Saturday 10th May. Samoa
Up at 4am to fly Emirates from Tulamarine to Auckland. We had no idea who Peter Burke was flying with and as he did not show up at Emirates, we were worried that he may not be coming.
In Auckland Dennis Roche scammed our way into the Qantas lounge, we could not get into Virgin Lounge. Dennis has a chairmans's lounge membership, Bernie Woodland and I were very grateful, although Auckland airport facilities are so good, you don't need to use the lounges.
As we emerged from the lounge to go the gate, Peter Burke turns up, he had flown with NZ airlines. We arrived in Apia, the capital of Samoa, the island of Upolu. Black Pearl was anchored in the main harbour of Apia. We were met by our new captain Graeme Stoner, South African who lives in the Azores. Our new Chef Seth, another South African. First mate a New Zealander Nigel, and our lovely hostess Sam (True Aussie).
Long day so early to bed.
Samoa is made up of two main islands, Upolu and Savai'i one of the biggest islands in Polynesia. It is located south of the equator half way between Hawaii and New Zealand. Upolu is home of three quarters of 200,000 population.
The islands are volcanic and reasonably mountainous, the highest peak being 1835m. It has lush tropical forests and some fringing reefs.
Two thirds of the labour force is engaged in agriculture and 90% of the exports is from this industry.
Samoa is an independent republic after gaining independence from NZ in 1962.
It is thought to have been settled approximately 3000 years ago and is suggested that it was the first islands in Polynesia to be settled by the immigration from South East Asia.
Our dealings with bureaucracy that they are slow to move and to make decisions so everything has to be done in Samoan time.
Sunday.
We all go to mass at the temporary Cathedral. The Cathedral is completing its renovation after the latest cyclone and will be opened on the 31st May. It is very grand and it is very similar to the Notre Dame style. We enjoy fantastic singing and really warm celebration of Mother's Day. This is big in Samoa, they are very disciplined and holy. Nothing happens including surfing on sundays.
There are 250 villages in Upolu, and 500 churches. There are lots of christians sects here from Methodists through to Mormons etc etc.
Apia as the capital, is not a very exciting city.
Our skipper has decided to head up the coast to find a clear water harbour. The water in the harbour is pretty dirty and especially as they have had a lot of rain and winds gusting at 20 knots plus for sometime.
We set the trolling lines within 15 minutes of leaving the harbour, we have a strike. PB and BW panic and unfortunately we lose the fish.
Our first harbour the beautiful bay Fagaloa was surrounded by high mountains, however the swell was too much, so we moved onto Saluafata Bay.
We learned that in this bay a year before a large cruising boat from Florida was found to be dealing in drugs, so that when BP applied for a cruising permit it took a month to gain. The authorities wondered why we wanted to spend a month traveling in Samoa as most people don't bother to stop here. Although bureaucracy is very slow the people are very friendly.
Monday.
We wanted to take the tender up the coast 8 nm to visit another bay and walk to magnificent tall waterfalls. The sea proved to be too rough, so we decided to walk the coastal road to the same spot, which was supposed to be an hour away. It was raining quite heavily.
The villages appear to be every 200 m, and comprise very well maintained houses and gardens. Each village has at least Fale, a large open roofed meeting hall, and each village seems to have its own church or two. The villages run very strict rules, and will punish their members if for instance they don't keep the garden tidy or breach curfew. There also seems to be a large number of schools, most government, but the majority are religious.
Our walk of about 5km in the rain, ends up in a large methodist seminary, where they boast a swimming cave. As it was a public holiday (the day after Mother's Day) lots of families are picnicing at the swimming cave. As it is still raining we take a taxi back to the boat for lunch.
After a lunch of roast snapper, we set off across the island on a surf safari. We lend PB a Mal, Dennis and Bernie have boogie boards. Our driver Junior takes us for a beautiful drive through the tropical mountains to the south coast surf camp at Salani. Chris the owner of the camp, young guy originally from the US, is very welcoming. He has lost his American accent as he has mainly Aussie and NZ surfers. Its a great setup and on a good day, excellent surf break. Not today, Elliot, a Hawaiian, is our guide. He ferries us out to the right hand break which is a large inconsistent take off, it was difficult to find the right take off position. Dennis gives up early as he was not experienced and is wiped out badly. PB is using the 8ft Mal and finds it difficult with this sized board to cope with the speed needed to get onto this wave he gets wiped out several times. MB has some savage wipeouts but manages to score a couple of exciting fast waves. Bernie didn't start and simply enjoyed some local Vailima beers, talking to Chris. We all enjoy a beer with Chris telling us the history of rebuilding his camp after it was wiped out by the tsunami in 2009. He tells us about the other surf spots around the island, being Boulders and suggests a small wave on the NW coast at the bay Tiavea.
Tuesday.
We have decided to try the surf at Tiavea, which we need to do at high tide and light winds, so we are up at 6am.
What an interesting trip. Chris had suggested we might need a 4wd, especially if it rains. The track off the main road is a bush bash, and unmade with very steep decline in some cases about 45%. Junior's van just manages to handle this precarious accent through stunning tropical forest, and passing small villages all the way down the 5km track to the beach.We have to pay a family 50Tala to access the area, then another 10Tala to someone else to park at the beach. Not a long paddle to the break, but over shallow rocky bottom. Surf again not great but a bit of fun. Nice sandy beach in a stunning isolated area of tropical forest. It was well worth the visit just to be there.
We decided to play in the pm. The boys think they are trying to wear them out. There are 3 golf course to choose from. We heard the Royal Samoa golf club was probably the most interesting.
We had to stop in town to collect Dennis's suitcase which he had lost on the way over, by not telling the Emirates check-in that he was going to Apia. Jessica, our agent, who had collected the bag from Virgin we find is a golfer and she advised us the course in best condition is Faleata. We have invited Junior to play with us as only Dennis and I are playing. Bernie has a crook back and will caddy for me. PB is not a golfer so he will drive Dennis's cart. We play 9 holes. Competition of split sixes. Junior is a good golfer of 15 and is one over the card after 4 holes. Dennis is playing well and I lag the field for the first half. Quite a good course, ordinary greens, MB comes good and the others start to falter. With 1 hole to play, Junior leads by 3 points from MB, and we need Dennis to score. Junior stumbles, MB wins by 1 point, collecting 1Tala prize money (50cents)
Wednesday.
We have booked a fishing charter. Our guide is Jonno a New Zealander, cost to be 2000Tala, we are advised. We were to start at 9am and finish at 5pm, Jonno has rung Tuesday night and said he has just had a great days fishing catching large Yellow Fin tuna, Wahoo and Masi Masi. He suggests we start at 6am. So up at 4am with an hours drive to the south end of the island to pick up the boat. Weather looks ok. Jonno's boat is a very stable and comfortable looking 40ft Aluminium cat built in NZ. He appears to be a very friendly person. We cruise west about 8nm to one of the FADS, where yesterday he had caught Yellow Fin tuna, one being 90kg. Not a bite ! We trolled for about 9 hours without a bite, and just as we were returning to the harbour, we hook up to Masi Masi. PB takes the rod and lands a 10kg fish.
Back in port Jonno says the cost of the trip the cost of the trip was NZ$2000, not 2000Tala, double what we thought. I am furious and advised Graeme that he told us 2000Tala with no mention of NZ$. He fronts Jonno and gets it reduced to what we thought. MB blames the full moon for the lack of fish. It was not a great days fishing but the boys enjoyed it and we had plenty of sleep.
Back on board, we have a swim and do our second yoga session on the top deck as the sun goes down. We cleaned our fish and cook the fish back ribs, Beautiful ! We watch our first film "12 years a slave" very good.
Tomorrow we are leaving Upolu, at day break heading north to the large island of Savai'i.
MB
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