I think it's Monday 30th. Not sure. Who cares.

Another gorgeous day here today although the wind has come round to NW, directly into the anchorage. There's no lagoon as this is a sea mount rising directly up from thousands of feet. So it's pretty lumpy. We had a bad night's sleep. However, we were swimming with whales before breakfast. So cool!! I was right above two about 5m below the surface just slowly rolling over, lying on their backs and gradually rising to the surface. Not a bad start to the day.

Had an hour with the Premier of Niue yesterday - his sister is a student of Janet's. He was a bit superior and seemed not to know stuff he should, like why Niueans leave Niue - 1000 here and 20,000 in NZ - esp as his stated primary goal is economic development to encourage fewer to leave and more to return. He argued that NZ aid is not aid but a short term overdraft facility and that, because most of the NZ money is used to buy goods from NZ the relationship benefits NZ as much as it does Niue which to me is curious economics. This is a fertile island but most fruit and vegetables are imported from NZ and very little locally grown stuff is available at the market. Local restaurants and food outlets can't get reliable supply locally and are obliged to buy expensive imported produce. Go figure!! I was hoping for an informed analysis and a strategy that had a chance of being achieved. Instead I met a man content with having achieved the office and focused on shoring up an economic arrangement guaranteed to keep things pretty much as they are. Disappointing.

But this does not stop the sun shining and the whales and trade winds blowing. We have rented a car with another boat for a week to have a good explore of this island. There is said to be a lot to do especially exploring extraordinary rock formations, caves, some with underwater access, scuba diving and this morning starts with a weaving class somewhere out of town.

Cheers David