Day 2 & 3 of the crew's voyage to the southern group islands.

Day 3 (Thursday) – Drifting off the coast of Atiu, the electric blues and turquoise blues of the ocean are mesmerising. The wind curls down over the land and around where we are just drifting in the lee of the island – while I am sitting there resting my jaw on my hand thinking ‘this is amazing’. 

The rest of the team has gone ashore to deliver programmes and eat a lot – while a skeleton crew remains on the vaka, looking after and keeping the boat on its drifting course. No mooring or anchoring points are available here so we just drift up and down. It’s tedious but someone’s got to lie in the sun all day.  Shirts off guns out – slip slop slap – oh no, here comes the rain.

It was busy afternoon, we had all the seniors from Apii Enuamanu College on board, going through sail, mast, reefing, sheeting, steering and all that good stuff.  These guys pick it up really quick and note, none of these kids get seasick! That’s it from the bow of Marumaru Atua Zebadiah Revake. Meitaki ngao.

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READ MORE: Aboard Marumaru Atua (Day 1)

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Day 2 (Wednesday) – The overnight sail to Atiu was a bit on the rough side for us new voyagers, but okay for our seasoned sailors. This experience has been very eye opening and exhilarating! I have enjoyed both the practical and theoretical side of our voyage so far. From being on the oe, tying knots, tacking, logging and even washing the dishes. Life’s great!

I find it so amazing that we are doing what we are doing; sailing on a vaka to a whole new island! Never in my life would I have imagined me doing so. No regrets...yet.

My father and I have placed upon ourselves the most important yet difficult responsibility. Music. Whether or not, the crew appreciate it ... Meh. It is what it is. We’ve been using our ukarere that was also taken on the Northern group voyage. This ukarere has seen the whole Northern group and will now see the Southern! Lucky fella. It’ll probably go down in history. Maybe I’ll sell it because it should be worth a lot more now. Kidding.

Atiu is in sight and we’re just hours away from reaching it. Exciting things and exciting times!

That’s all from me fam! Ka kite!

- Konini Rongo