Departure from the Cook Islands
We woke up to another sunny day in Rarotonga. A few more formalities and customs still had to be gone through before the pilot came onboard and we could start our manoeuvring out of the port.
Previous voyage crew and local people were gathered on the pier to wave goodbye. Fenders were removed and stored, mooring lines were hauled in and the deck hands were on their feet for instructions from Captain Moritz. The whole port area was watching as Europa slowly manoeuvred away from the pier and made her way out toward the open ocean. We said goodbye to our pilot and soon we could get a view of the whole island of Rarotonga. What a bizarre feeling to know we were here, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leaving this small speck of land behind. We watched Rarotonga become smaller and smaller as we engined out to the open ocean.
Now the ship switched to a new mode, the sea mode. We got familiarized with the helm and lookout, and soon we were the ones steering the ship and making sure nothing was in our way in front of the ship. The first sails were soon up, and we quickly got familiar with the commands from the deck hands on what rope to grab onto and when to pull. Well on our way with Rarotonga still in sight, we spotted a whale, and then another one. Two humpback whales were making their way in the same direction as us. What a wonderful beginning to our adventurous journey.
