It's fair to say we both slept like the dead last night. Rather apt considering the actual dead were sleeping just off out port side. Yep, we didn't notice until it was too late; we're right next to the graveyard.
After a good night's rest regardless, we headed ashore this morning to get all the officialdom out of the way; a very laborious process involving six different departments - customs, port authority, harbour master, finance, health and immigration. Fortunately we had the yacht fumigated again in Surwarrow at no charge so we didnt have to incur any additional costs to have it inspected and fumigated here. That said though, the officials that assisted us were amongst the most friendly and welcoming we have encountered. It certainly left us with a wonderful first impression of American Samoa. Add to that the delightful chat we had with an elderly man while waiting on some rain to pass and we're definitely looking forward to the rest of
our
stay here.
We also managed to collect our shipment from the Post Office without a hitch, get to the bank to draw some much needed dollars, make an appointment at the optician and then enjoy lunch at Sabies by the Sea, where Roy had hot chicken wings and a budlight, his first since his trip back to the USA a year ago.
We had no sooner made it back to Paw Paw when, yes, the wind picked up and torrential rain set in for the remainder of the day; right on schedule considering we arrived only yesterday. The good news is that we are not the only ones tired of the weather. It may be a case of misery loves company, but we met quite a number of other cruisers during the clearing in process today and they are all fedup with this weather and the terrible passages. In fact one couple who were in the midst of their circumnavigation have decided to call it a day and sell their yacht. They feel they've been dubed sailing in the South Pacific as it's reputation is
not
representative of the reality. While we happen to agree, we're still prepared to take the good with the bad!
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