South Pacific: Samoa - Vanuatu

Pago Pago Harbor on American Samoa - "Is the anchorage most cruising sailors love to hate". This from a popular cruising guide. Another guide says "This small island has gained a deservedly bad reputation as noisy, smelly and offering little appeal other than its low prices".

History: Samoa is said to be the birthplace of Polynesia. It has been populated for over 3000 years originally from Southeast Asia. From here Samoans paddled or sailed to the Marquesas, then Tahiti and New Zealand and finally Hawaii.

American Samoa is a US territory and as such is a benefit for me, a US citizen and US registered boat. There are no restrictions or taxes and the formalities are easy. The prices for food and diesel are 20 - 30% less than in America and the cheapest so far in the South Pacific (except for $1/gallon diesel in the Galapagos).

I took the opportunity to buy 100 gallons of diesel at $2.30/gallon and bought some typically American foods like peanut butter, cereals, and well know brand names. I even bought a US 110 volt battery charger and toaster. The rest of the South Pacific, Australia and Europe is 220 volt, so it was my last chance before returning to Miami in 7 months.

The anchorage is a collapsed volcano caldera and as such offers great protection from wind and swell. There are 2 tuna processing plants on the north shore and the smell is persistent. The anchorage is very dirty and it seems all Samoans throw there garbage simply into the harbor. I had to clean my salt water cooling intake screens twice before finally leaving. There is nothing to see or do there so after 4 days I left for Vanuatu.

Vanuatu is my last South Pacific Island and last stop before reaching Australia. It is only a little more than a thousand miles to the north Australian coast, further south is my destination of Sydney. Port Vila Bay is a well protected bay with a 'Waterfront Bar & Grill that hoses their 'Yacht Club'. I will try to find a space at their dock to take on some fuel and provisions. An Australian sailor, KIT, who owns a Hunter 38 and is interested in how the new H-49 performs, will sail with me through the dangerous reef areas around New Caledonia and the Coral Sea. It will be nice to have company again. Right: Crewmember, Michael E. Sauer and Skipper, Mike Harker relax before setting off to Australia.

Mike Harker