SLOEPMOUCHE --- 46’ Norman Cross trimaran --- 5’ draft --- June 2004

 

Dear SSCA,

                We just spent the cyclone season in the Samoa islands, and we can attest to the fact that Pago Pago bay is a good hurricane hole, having survived a brush with Cyclone Heta without damage, (up to 70 kt gusts). The other yachts did well too, with only 1 unattended boat going ashore but not sustaining any major damage.  There were never any big waves, and the surrounding tall ridges helped break the major brunt of the wind.  We were lucky to be nearly 100 mi from the center of this Class 5 cyclone, and that it passed over very quickly.

 

American Samoa – Tutuila Island, Harbor: Pago Pago (pronounced Pongo Pongo):

 

Wanting to meet a good cruising friend (Scott on ‘Shadowfax’) who was leaving the island of Tutuila after more than 7 years (some like the place!), we arrived in Pago Pago just before Halloween ’03. Had a nice, but brief reunion with Scott, who was a major player in inspiring us to take up the cruising lifestyle. It was the first time we’d seen him since he’d taken us day-sailing in Bora Bora , 13 long years ago.  He blessed us with his old mooring, and we settled in for the season. We’d like to add to the very good letter of  “ Moonshadow” ( 12/03).

 

Most cruisers passing thru American Samoa have only bad things to say: The canneries stink, it’s noisy, it’s filthy, it’s run down, there are no services, nothing is centralized.  All this is true, especially if you’re speaking about Pago Pago harbor.  But, as in all things, there are positive aspects if you take the time to look for them.  You have the advantage of low cost phone rates, and internet access with which you can order things from the United States and have them shipped reliably by the US Postal System for domestic rates without duty charges or custom agent fees.  There are a great deal of US items you can actually find, and purchase here for not much more (sometimes, the same or less) than the cost Stateside and NO sales tax. You find many foods that you craved-for since leaving the US! (Root Beer, Mexican food, Snickers Bars) or you can finally afford to buy those treats! You can go out to lunch or dinner without having to mortgage the boat.  And best of all, LAUNDROMATS abound!  Do-it-yourself, hot water, dryers, cheap!!

If you like places where you don’t feel caught in a tourist trap, this is it! Even the small Govt. Tourism office doesn’t know what tourism means! The few activities that would appeal to visitors are so well hidden; perhaps the people at the tourism office will ask you too to report to them what you find so they’ll know. J ! We looked around and here is what we found:

 

Unfortunately, cruising by boat around any of the Samoan Islands, American or Independent, is not easy.  There are very few protected bays even tho on first glance, several look possible, most are deep all the way up to the reef that suddenly juts out of the depths.  The bays are swelly since there are no lagoons in these atolls. If you would like to cruise the few bays that may give good anchoring, you must apply and obtain permission from each village chief concerned. Fortunately, transportation is good and cheap around the major islands.

 

We toured every paved road with our mopeds and you could do the same by bicycle (if you have one) if you don’t mind some steep roads (sometimes, we pushed our bikes on 30 degree inclines). What we found is this: as soon as you get east of the Pago Pago Bay and west of Tafuna’s commercial areas, you’ll find an entirely different island with spectacular views of rugged coastlines and narrow bays. You can tour a lot by public bus with a bit of planning and finding out the general habit of the buses that go to the out lying villages.  Buses do not run after 6pm or on Sunday. We did an excursion with Roy, a US expat, here over 25 yrs, who informally runs North Shore Tours, and took us to his secluded beach and to other sights. He was on time and very informative about the island history, social habits and more. (Call him at 258-3527.)  Don’t sit around holding your nose in the bay, jump on a bus and see the beauty of Tutuila! Especially impressive views can be seen all along the way to Vatia Bay concluding with the off shore island called the Cock’s Comb. Also exciting is the trail starting at the Turtle and Shark Legend Site.

 

Transportation:

The public bus system is colorful, and funky, and cheap.  There are many buses to and from the most popular areas and buses less frequently to outlying villages.  All depart from the so-called fruit and veggie market (which only has a good choice Friday nights at 10-11PM!) a few minutes walk from the dingy dock.  The fares range from $0.25 to $1.00 or more, depending upon destination.

 

Eating:

Lunch can be an excellent value.  Near the head of Pago bay, you have several “fast food” places that serve Chinese and local food cafeteria-style at $0.50-$2.75 per serving.  Samoan people being big, the portions are big too! Most are take-out, but some have sit-down areas.

If you shop at the True Value Hardware area, M-F, do not miss the excellent lunch buffet at Sunny’s Restaurant

( 699-5238 ) about 300 yds direction Pago Pago (opposite FLY Inc. A funky “super”market with many unique products worth checking out). For dinner around town, check the excellent value all-you-can-eat buffet Thus. night at Sadie Thompson’s Inn (14.95$)( 633-5981). Sooks Sushi ( 633-5524 ) has good Japanese food in a very clean, pleasant, uncrowded restaurant located between the anchorage and the public market. Or enjoy Mexican food and movie-night with other yachties, every Sunday, at Evalani’s Restaurant and Disco ( 633-4776 ) (head of the bay).

Tisa’s Barefoot Bar puts up a beach umu (Polynesian underground oven) every Wednesday. Don’t miss it!   Take the public bus marked TULA, ($1.25) to get there in the early afternoon, enjoy the beach and sunset, a great feast, and hitch hike a ride back with some other customers (no bus in the evening). The driftwood décor and your hosts, Tisa and Candy Man make it a relaxed and friendly evening. They book up fast, call (622-7447) for resv.  While there, ask about their unique eco-village, and bush hike tours.

 

Provisioning:

There’s no such thing as one-stop-shopping here.  No supermarket has everything, nor is there a central shopping area. At the head of the bay are a pretty good little grocery, and two bakeries. KS Mart ( 699-4727 ) in Tafuna offers a very wide selection of fresh & frozen food, in an immaculate (and A/C) store (free delivery for $200 or more).  Cost-U-less in Tafuna ( 699-5975 )(200 yards before KS Mart) offers a mini Costco selection of merchandise. No store on the island has it all and if you see it, get it … as the next shipment may take a while to come! ACE Hardware, True Value and the Tool Shop offer a good selection of not-just-hardware products.  ACE has a bit of everything, also, whatever is in the nation-wide catalog, can be special ordered (may take awhile).  Nadine and Rich, upstairs in the special orders dept. were very friendly and helpful in ordering Marine Goop, and Castrol Super Clean (both great products, by the way), and the cost was the SAME as what we paid in California! In the True Value Hardware area and about a quarter-mile each side, you can find hardware, variety stores, groceries, fast Internet connection, cinema, and Sunny’s restaurant.

 

Shipping:

Big advantage of a US territory is that you can use the US Postal System! Much cheaper than UPS, FedEx or DHL. Express Mail the surest method, takes about 5-10 days, and Priority Mail about 7-14 days, (ask for a tracking number with priority, an extra $0.45, well worth it).  Many companies, like W. Marine, will mail by US Priority Mail if you request. There are only 2 planes/ wk to the island (Fri and Mon nights), and if planes are full, mail gets bumped, except Express, then Priority.  If you can wait some, you’ll save a lot on shipping.  If your item arrives in Hawaii, and gets on the flight the same day, you’ll get it very fast.  Luck of the draw applies sometimes, if the item is outrageously late, ask if you can look yourself at the PO in Samoa.  Some items have been known to be “invisible” to the personnel. If items must be shipped by boat, there are ships leaving every 2 weeks from the West Coast.

 

Fuel at about 1.20$/gal, if ordered by truck (min 100 gal), or at about 2$/gal at the pump, is a good deal after French Polynesia.  The truck is not especially enthusiastic to come for the small amounts yachts take compared to the Fishing Fleet.

 

One special place for cruisers is the welcoming Pago Pago Seafarer’s Center located between the head of the bay and the canneries. While the center was originated to assist the foreign crews of fishing boats that come in to offload fish at the tuna canneries, Diane & Don, Baptist missionaries running the center, also welcome cruisers and help them in many ways! The center is open daily from noon till about 9pm. You can get your mail sent here (your name, c/o Seafarer’s center, PO Box 7248, Pago Pago, AS 96799), for reasonable rates, you can use the phone, fax and Internet connection (on their computer or on your laptop). They’ve the best book exchange for hundreds of miles around. Unless you want to have a few drinks (check the Yacht Club, just out of town), the Seafarer is the place to go for friendly atmosphere, to play pool, watch movies, read magazines or socialize. They also appreciate folks volunteering to help in the Center, or yachts taking “care packages” to other islands, so if you’ve got room.... 

Long-timers in the area who are helpful to fellow cruisers are: Mitch on “Komfy”, Commodores Karen and Cliff, on “Odyssey”, who give out a cruiser’s info package, and are Ham Radio Volunteer Examiners, and Texas John on “Sur le Pont”.

 

(WESTERN) SAMOA

 

 Samoa, the correct title of western Samoa, is refreshingly clean and beautifully tended, the people more robust and spontaneously friendly, the services and goods abundant, and the whole atmosphere of the 2 islands, like a breath of fresh air

 

Deciding to take a break from American Samoa, we made the 80 miles from Pago Pago harbor to Apia harbor on an over night sail, tied up to the sea wall as instructed by Port Control when we called in outside the harbor, then kept a fender-watch in the surgey conditions, as we waited for Customs, Harbor control, Agriculture, and Health officials to arrive. Costs in Mar. 2004: Harbor fee: $25US, or 75t (Samoan Tala) payable on check in or at check out; Customs: 33t flat fee payable on check out.  We were not required to have an agent. Port control arranges for all officials on check in. (on check out, you must see yourself: Customs, Immigration, and Port Control, in that order. Agri. only if you have a pet. )  Have plenty of copies of the crew list, since each official wants one or more.  Agriculture wanted a list of any live plants, and health certificate for pets (which will not be allowed ashore).  The anchorage is off the harbor closer to shore, between two large can buoys.  We chose a depth of 20 ft, and the anchor dug in well to the mud/sand bottom for the 3 wks we were there.  The anchorage is fairly protected by the sea wall and the reefs, but there is always some movement from swell, more, if the wind is in the northern or western quad. 

 

The low rate of the Samoan tala makes it one of the great values around, even with the present low rate for the US dollar in Mar 2004 ($1=2.67SAT).  We decided to leave Sloepmouche anchored safely in Apia and do our exploring from there.  One of our first contacts as we walked from the port to the town center was Steve, and the folks at the Traveller’s Lounge, a welcoming place for tourist and yachtie alike, offering travel assistance, internet access, a place to relax, or to savor a cool drink or a luscious ice cream after a full day of touring.   We arranged a day tour with his company, Green Turtle Tours, which operates a bus that, everyday, visits over a dozen different sites all around the island of Upolu.

 

At one of the sites, Lalomanu, at the southeastern end, we met, Tai and Sili, owners of  Taufua Beach Fales,

( 41051 / 78888 )who were very genial, and convinced us to come back and spend time on the beach, and snorkel, and enjoy their “Fia Fia” (island) night, and stay in an open-air “fale” (thatched-roof shelter) for the night.  We normally do not like to leave the boat and the comfort of our own bed, but after seeing the place, and hearing the testimonials of guests, we gave it a go.  We caught the bus at the Fish Market, on the seaside, just past the clock tower in town.  We took the 2:00 pm bus because the 4:30 bus is usually packed with commuters. The beach and snorkeling was fun.  Dinner was a highlight, and as we discovered from the other guests, a daily delight, as Tai, our hostess, is a dynamite cook, serving Samoan portions. Taufua is known for its great food, which is included in the low accommodation price. (Lobster is a common dinner item .)  Our fia fia night was really a preview of coming attractions, as they are just developing it.  The dancers were staff members, who like most Polynesians, learn dancing at an early age.  Samoan dancing is much different from Tahitian or Cook Island dancing, so, even if you’ve seen dance shows there, it’s worth seeing the Samoans.  Tia and Sili have just add water sports/ tour activities to their establishment, run by their children. They are the only ones to access the scuba diving in this area of the island.  We had a delightful night with a cool refreshing breeze, plenty of stars, no bug bites, and the sound of the surf and lapping waves.  We had no rain, but the fales do have rain and privacy shades.

 

Other attractions on Upolu:

We visited on our own: Papaseea Sliding Rocks, a series of 3-4 drops where the water skims over the rocks making slippery slides, ending in deep emerald pools. (not to be missed!).  Piula Cave Pool, a fresh water spring seeping out of an old lava tube close to the sea on the grounds of a Theological College. Take an UW light, and explore the cave, then dive and swim through a passage to another part of the cave. The best treat is the underwater view through the sparklingly clear water back to the entrance.  Palolo Deep, the marine reserve just off the point that forms Apia bay, is a natural 50’ deep hole crowned by very shallow reef where colorful small marine life abounds around the edges of the drop-off.  It’s great for snorkeling. Be sure to go at the end of a rising tide to get clear water.  Ask directions to get to these places from the Tourism Office, or the Traveller’s Lounge because some locations are far from town and not well signed.  At many attractions, a small entry fee of usually 2t/pp is charged for the local village.

 

Dining: 

One can splurge a little (or a lot!) here, as restaurants are a real bargain.  We ate lunch at a place where the locals eat, right across from the Mc D’s and got a curry & rice plate for less than $1 US!  In general, a nice restaurant that would charge around $25 US for the main course in the States, charges $25 tala (t), over 2.5 times less!  Aggie Grey’s, ( 22880 ) one of the poshest places on the waterfront charges only 60t, 55t, and 45t, for their 3 special nights during the week.  We experienced their Fia Fia night, with dance show, a true Samoan extravaganza, followed by a sumptuous dinner buffet with some specialties I’d never seen at any other island night buffet.  Tiafau Restaurant, ( 28284  )at the Millenia Hotel on the peninsula, features a delicious Lobster Mornay (36t). Thinking, “small chunks of lobster meat in a mornay sauce”, I was floored when at least a 1.5 lb lobster with extra meat in the body, was placed before me overflowing the plate! The sauce was perfection.  They also have fish, steak, and chicken.  The only authentic Thai restaurant, SIAM, ( 76302  )just established in early 2004, is hosted by Yo and Bo who bring their skills from Thailand, using fresh ingredients to make Thai classics that literally tingle the taste buds.   

 

Transport:

Getting around is fairly easy, there are local buses, the same style as in American Samoa, but with more limited service.  Catching the outbound buses at either the fish market, or the vegetable market, depending on destination, is easy; it’s the return that’s tricky since, usually, the last buses back to Apia leave early afternoon and the schedule is not set, it’s just whenever they happen to pass.  Taxis around the town proper and to the small airport are cheap, (2t-5t) and taxis are abundant. To the E end, costs 60t-70t, for it is a long ride. The bus costs around 25-30t, I believe.

 

Provisioning:

Samoa’s best provisioning bargains are to be found at the fruit and vegetable market, and the fish market, and if you’re not opposed to Samoan beef, (lean and tender) the butcher shop in some of the supermarkets. Also the bread is a fantastic bargain, and better than Pago Pago.  Other food stuffs not produced on island are about the same US dollar price as in A. Samoa with some things cheaper, some things more expensive, and mostly you’ll find New Zealand/Australian brands.  There are two food stores of note: AQM ( 23946 ) and MD’s Big Fresh.  AQM is a gourmet store with many specialty items you’ll not find again until New Zealand.  Here, you’ll find fine cheeses, curries of all nationalities, specialty rices, beautifully trimmed and presented meats, and the most picture perfect produce, as well as a selection of NZ wines.  They are located on the cross street originating at the Clock Tower, heading inland.  MD’s Big Fresh is a very convenient supermarket for us yachties, as it is right across the street from the gate to the Port.  They have the basic groceries, but they also have some nice refrigerated and frozen items catering to us “palangis”, such as lunch meats, yogurt, and brown and serve rolls.  I bought some fresh mushrooms for not an outrageous price, and what a palatal pleasure they were!  Another nice store to know is Lucky’s Foodtown, as it has a nice in-store bakery (ask what days they make different items), and the butcher dept, has local beef at reasonable prices.

 

Air Travel:  You might find that flying to the US is cheaper if you fly from here rather than A. Samoa.  If you buy your ticket here, you pay in tala, which may come out a better deal with the exchange rate, and different travel taxes.  Surprisingly, this tiny island country has a major international airline, Polynesian Air. ( 22737/8 ) They have inter island flights to A. Samoa, Tonga, and Niue. Polynesian Air also has flight plans to Seattle and San Francisco, avoiding  the horrors of Los Angeles.  They also have flights to Savaii, just next door, and special low-season rates to New Zealand and Australia.

 

Savaii:

We took Polynesian Airlines from the small airport in Fagalii, only 10 minutes away (5t by taxi) from the port.  Oceania Travel and Tours ( 24443 ) arranges day trips, (or longer ) including flights, transfers, breakfast, and the tour guide. Our guide, Warren, a retired geologist and free-lance guide, met us at the Savaii terminal. He admonished us for only allowing  one day for the island since his chosen home has so MUCH to offer.  Still, he good naturedly took us to lava flows, lava tubes, a village embedded in the 1902 flows, and the grave of a virgin that the people believe was saved from the flow by divine intervention.  As we drove North to the most recent lava fields, looking at sites of interest along the way, we gained insight into why the island is as it is, and why the people have become like they are.  We also saw “beach resort row” where the largest accumulation of places to stay are located, and we had time to make a quick trip to the south where Warren showed us the Mu Pagoa waterfalls which tumble over the edge of an old lava flow and drop into the sea.  The volcanic nature of the island also provides many villages with fresh water pools that seep out of the ground at sea level.  If you have a few days time to spend, and/or you like to explore and learn, ask Oceania Travel and Tours for Warren and he can include you in one of his tours or arrange to visit those features that most interest you.  If you have only one day and/or you just want to get a glimpse of as many “famous sites” as you can all around the island, perhaps you’d be happier with a Green Turtle tour, which employs its same formula as on Upolu.

 

We can’t say enough good things about Samoa.  Even if you spend most of your time in Pago Pago waiting for parts or packages, make time to visit at least Upolu.  The greeting you get will be warm and genuine. We would urge you to learn about Samoan culture (Fa’a Samoa) before you arrive in any of the islands of Samoa.  The land, family, church, and village chiefs are the basis for a very strong traditional culture, much stronger, and restrictive than in French Polynesia or the Cooks. Permission should be asked, and traditions and local practices respected.  (This also applies to American Samoa.)

 

They aren’t prejudiced against yachties yet, although, sadly, we still heard a few comments to the effect that it was we who brought in marijuana, and last season, a yachtie molested one, or some, young boys, and was prosecuted and jailed.  We are dismayed at the frequency that many ills are blamed on sailboat people, and we must emphasize again, and again that we SSCAers and other responsible cruisers MUST not just leave a clean wake, but must make our host islands and ports aware of the majority of positive effects and actions that we bring. The acts of a few can spoil the welcome for the rest of us, who must also analyze our own actions every time, to see them from the viewpoint of the local population.  Don’t just come and take the best and leave your garbage behind.  Give some service to the island or islanders and make sure the word gets round that we aren’t just transient leaches.

 

We will probably be passed by the 2004 wave of yachts just before they make the home stretch to New Zealand.  Look for us in Tonga and Fiji, and say hello!

Fair winds when you sail, and happy times on shore leave to all of you!

 

Commodores Luc Callebaut, Jackie Lee and Zoetje