Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
was in fact losing ground, and it was all I could do to keep her head pointing forward. I was
being dragged ever closer to the sharp reefs and rocks to my immediate left.
The situation suddenly became desperate. I tried giving her more throttle and she screamed,
already at maximum revs. I could not keep this up much longer as the engine would seize;
I was sure of that. A large fishing boat had been coming up just behind me and now moved
past my starboard beam. “You like tow in brudder?” the dark-skinned skipper yelled over
to me when he drew alongside. Thank God! I thought.
“Yes, please!” I yelled back at him, grinning in relief. I held up an affirmative thumb.
“Fifty dollars OK?” he yelled out with his five fingers splayed.
Cheap at the price, I thought, up went my thumb again. He came straight over and one of
his crew threw me a heavy towing line. I quickly reduced throttle and ran up to the bow
and thankfully secured it to the post before she could slew her bow around and run into the
reef right alongside.
The fishing boat now took up the slack, and I was jerked around suddenly. The skipper was
as good as his word and towed us smartly into the very large, calm lagoon inside the coral
ring. I breathed a shaky sigh of relief, there is a God! Albeit one with a whacky sense of
humor!
It was lovely in the large lagoon, so calm and warm and pretty, surely one of the most beau-
tiful moti I have ever seen. The color of the water was like pale, blue champagne, crystal
clear and inviting. I was going to enjoy my stay here. I was amazed at the ring of yellow
white beaches and lazy palm trees that leaned over the water, some of them even kissing
the blue brine.
There were a couple of smaller catamarans sailing around; they appeared to be having a
race. Towards the center of the island I could see the top of the mountain, Maungapu, the
legendary mountain top that warriors from Aitutaki had cut off from Rarotonga's Raemaru,
its volcanic mountain.
I had recently read that Captain Bligh had visited Aitutaki only about two weeks before
the famous mutiny. There were quite a few cruising boats lying to their anchors, and it was
towards this cluster I now motored. I immediately saw the familiar red boat of Terry and
Lynne, Olivia, and I puttered over to a vacant spot near her and dropped anchor. I called
Olivia on the radio, but after no answer, I figured they were ashore somewhere.
I realized how exhausted I was once I had dropped anchor and turned off the engine. I felt
almost dizzy with sleeplessness and lack of good food. I had to do one more thing, and then
I would sleep. I put the dinghy into the water and gathering my boat papers, wearily made
