Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 12:10 AM

Email from Jim, via Marvin, via Paul.
#1 of 2

Niue’s concrete dock is an opening in the coral reef and is exposed to the ocean waves and is usually wiped clean in a hurricane so the electric crane hoist is removed before.

Dingy seawall and electric crane hoist. The red dingy on the right is ours.

Coming ashore from the boat is a process of unloading people and stuff at the steps on the left, hoist the dingy from the water onto the white dingy cart using a 4 point lifting harness, and roll and unload the dingy cart at an empty space on the wall.

The anchorage was secure even during the time the wind was blowing from the west and we were on a lee shore (as shown in the picture). Each boat you see is provided with a new mooring as the water is over 80 feet deep in hard angled coral slabs.

INTENTION moored in front of the French Navy ship that stopped during rough weather while returning from New Caledonia.

After checking in with Customs and Immigration, the Police Station, the crew was off to explore the 100 square kilometer Island.

INTENTION”s crew and some of the French Navy crew hanging out ashore.

Friday night while trying to hitch hike we were picked up by the police and taken by the local police car to the south end of the Island to the Wash Away Cafe (above), named because ever one thought it would get washed away in the storms / hurricanes, to have some drinks and dinner. The next day we all rented bicycles and I pedaled there, as you can see by the bike parked out front. I also swam in the lagoon and out the pass. The next bay to the left is called Snake Gulch because it has hundreds of poisonous sea snakes, called sea krates, are living there. They stay most of the time about 30 feet under the water intertwined in balls near the bottom and coming to the surface about every 20 minuets for air. Their venom is suppose to be four times as deadly as a cobra’s bite. We were reassured that they were not aggressive and almost never bit people. The sequence of pictures below were taken by Ann on Novia of a four foot sea Krate swimming up and nibbling on her toes and swimming off. She said “It was the highlight of her stay on Niue.”

Sequence of poisonous Sea Krate snake nibbling on Ann’s toes.

Saturday night there was a performance of Niue dancing given by and at the High School students. The performance was in natural costumes with 5 different dances and evaluated but the their faculty for completing a course for their graduation from HS. We met Keith, a member of the Niue Yacht club, and his wife,Susan, a mathematics teacher at the HS. They very nice to put our bicycles in the back of their car and give us a ride to the dock as it was a ways and we didn’t have lights for the bikes. Keith invited the 20 people on boats in the anchorage to a barbeque happening on Monday, October 3rd, called a ‘Hash House Harriers’ on the north end of the island. We all came to have a great time and celebrate Brimman’s 20th birthday with a 3 kilometer walk, cold
beer, and a feast.

The announcement, the 20 cruisers on a 3K walk, and the Birthday Boy on Monday, October 3rd.

Preparing to climb down into Vaikon Caves and the opening of the first underwater cave under the back wall straight ahead about 6 feet.

On Sunday morning John and I were ashore by 7:30 AM to go caving with a Norwegian boat, La Familia. We were driven to the cave and guided by Willy, the owner of the Wash Away Cafe. After a 20 minute drive to the
trailhead and a 20 minute hike through a jungle with sharp coral rocks everywhere we arrived at the cave entrance. we climbed down a steep slope wit stalactites & stalagmites all around, some to hang on to keep
from sliding or falling. Then we used ropes to traverse and descend further into the cave. An opening and shaft of light shown in from above in first pool of water. See right picture above. We swam straight ahead to the narrow opening paused while Willy went first and we followed 6 feet down and 6 feet ahead coming up into a dark dripping chamber with stalactites on the ceiling. Then down & ahead another 6 feet into another part of the cave to follow the light to climb out of the water up a rope to another more lighted cave and then out through a very narrow opening to the outside just next to the ocean. We rested for about 15 minutes and watched the large ocean waves crashing on the huge flat coral slabs. After a hike back through the coral & jungle we rode to Willy’s Wash Away Cafe for drinks and lunch and a swim.

Survivors celebrating their caving experience.