We carried on throughout the day, occasionally calling on our trusty “iron sail” (the engine) to keep our speed up. With the wind doing anything from 8 to 22 knots, we weren’t particularly enthusiastic about hoisting the spinnaker. We figured it would either collapse and wrap itself around the rigging the moment a wave rolled through—or explode dramatically the second a gust arrived. Neither option sounded especially appealing.

Our conservative approach paid off, though. By lunchtime, we had land in sight and were preparing for our arrival through the notoriously narrow pass around 15:00.

And what an entrance it is! Shallow reef stretches out on both sides, leaving very little room for error—and even less room for daydreaming.

Fortunately, the cruising community is alive and well in places like this. Before we even began our approach, we’d already received all the information we needed from boats that had been in Arutanga Harbour before us. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, a dinghy full of fellow sailors came out to welcome us and help with our lines.

We were “Med-mooring”—dropping an anchor and reversing back to shore lines—a manoeuvre you’ll perform endlessly in Greece, hence the name. Having extra hands ashore made life much easier.

To top it all off, we were greeted with freshly baked cookies.

The welcome committee clearly understood the assignment.

By the time we were securely tied up, however, it was Sunday afternoon and well after 16:00. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t a government official in sight to clear us in. We’d half expected that and had already mentally prepared ourselves for spending the evening confined to the boat.

Still, being “stuck” on a perfectly still boat with a view like that wasn’t exactly a hardship.

I can’t wait to explore Aitutaki.

In the middle of the Pacific, this island is surrounded by powerful ocean swells, and the next island is a fair distance away. Its isolation somehow makes it feel even more special.

Reading about the history of the Cook Islands has also been fascinating. One interesting fact is that there are more people of Cook Islands descent living in New Zealand and Australia than there are residents in the Cook Islands themselves. Cook Islanders also share a unique constitutional relationship with New Zealand and hold New Zealand citizenship.

The nation has also made a remarkable effort to protect its marine environment, creating Marae Moana, one of the world’s largest marine parks, covering nearly two million square kilometres of ocean. Not bad for a country of around 15 islands and a relatively small population.

And they speak English!

Which means that for the first time in a while, we don’t have to feel like complete idiots when attempting a conversation with the locals.

So what a place to spend our 14th wedding anniversary!

And perhaps the weather gods knew exactly what they were doing when they sent us here. On arrival, Mark and I looked at each other and wondered why we hadn’t planned to visit from the very beginning. It makes sense in so many ways.

But sometimes it feels as though decisions are made for you. All you need is the ability to listen to the subtle hints, the flexibility to adapt, and the wisdom not to fight the current.

At least that’s what we’re telling ourselves now that we’ve accidentally ended up in paradise once again.