Fanning Island, Kiribati

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We had some of our calmest sailing yet overnight. As we had breakfast in Marketplace, land came into view. Fanning is an atoll island which is a narrow doughnut of land around a huge turquoise lagoon. It was bigger than I had expected. We sat 3/10 of a nautical mile off the man-made cut into the lagoon. The tender pier was just inside to the right as was the small local community we visited. We arrived about 8:30am and the first tender probably went out about 9am. We must have been on the 2nd or 3rd tender over. The first people over were waiting to return to the ship when we arrived. It was sunny when we arrived and blowing sideways rain when we left. There was a group of teenagers on the pier singing to welcome us. Maybe 2 dozen vendors selling mostly things made from shells was set up on one of the tracks leaving the pier. We walked through a cloud of thousands of dragonflies to view the tables. There couldn't be a mosquito problem here and there isn't. There was a beach to the right of the pier. We followed the line of vendor tables to the back of a pickup truck with 2 facing wooden benches under a canopy. They were offering a tour of the village for $10 each. We climbed aboard. There was a driver and an English-speaking guide. They drove us around for about a half hour with 2 stops. We visited the Roman Catholic church and the medical clinic. The guide pointed out the school. He said they have grades 1-3 after that they have to leave the island for education. Inland and on the Pacific side of land, there were swarms of flies. I guess the lagoon side belongs to the dragonflies and they mustn't coexist. Mind you the distance is probably only a football field or 2. We saw lots of rain collection equipment, solar panels, dirt bikes, small boats, dogs, pigs and chickens. This is probably the most remote and isolated subsistence community we have ever visited. I added Kiribati to my country list at number 85.

I had a target date for doing laundry but a recount of underwear made me think I was cutting it too close. If there was a run on the laundry room before the segment end in Auckland, I would be out. I checked and found 2 empty washers when we got back aboard about 11:30am so I grabbed them. We went up to Trident Grill for lunch and I was back before the 45 minute wash cycle was over. I stayed while the dryers ran. We made it to the 1:30 pm Hollywood Theater showing of the movie "The Miracle Season". Usually there is one movie at 2:30pm, but today one was early and "The Lion" showed at 3:30pm. We skipped that  one.

This morning we found an invitation to the 1st full WC shore side event in Auckland. It is "100-years of Military History" Through Song & Dance, a cocktail party with buses departing the pier at 6:15pm. No idea where the buses are going, but we RSVPed No. I assume they are celebrating 100 Kiwi years of military as nothing else really makes sense. Anyway.

We have our first dinner this trip in Prego at 6pm tonight. We set sail for Pago Pago, American Samoa at 6pm too. That will be #86. Two more days sailing the Pacific ahead.

The captain just announced that we are leaving early. It is almost 5pm. He said as soon as the now last tender is on we'll set sail. He said we have 1200 something nautical miles to cover to Pago Pago in 2 days so we need to maintain a high speed in high unfavorable wind and swell conditions. I believe he said he needs to maintain over 20 knots (which I don't recall seeing us reach before). He said to expect high wind and seas 10 to 18 feet. He said it should be hot and raining when we reach Pago Pago. He advised us to hold on to something if we're moving about and to stay away from doors for a while once we start moving. OK.

Back from Clay's favorite meal aboard Crystal at Prego. Frito Misto, rack of baby lamb and pistachio cake with mascarpone ice cream. Mine was OK. Cured meats, cheese and olives, spaghetti marinar and peach sorbet in Prosecco. We have our second reservation at Prego in 2 nights. So far it has been smooth sailing. Hopefully we won't run into the conditions that captain was warning us of. The latest Reflections says we should cross the Equator at 6:30am. They'll have the Pollywogs to Shellbacks ceremony at 6:30pm.

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