Farewell Samoa

Dear all,

By the time you read this I will be back at sea, on the oars, making my way westward, almost exactly one year after my departure from Peru.

First, I must confess that upon my arrival in Samoa, five weeks ago, I had had enough, I was just about ready to throw in the towel. Leg two was no fun at all, and I felt a strong sense that I was rowing AWAY from home, as opposed to rowing towards it. Most people exclaimed that I was almost there, that Australia wasn’t too far away, yet to me it seemed a million miles away. Not long after my arrival, I was describing my woes to a very kind Samoan woman in a little restaurant. She told me that my journey was like the tattoo she harboured on her thigh, or perhaps more like the full torso tattoo of her husband. She said; “Tom, my friend, your journey is long, it is painful, you may want to quit, but you mustn’t. Just like the Samoan tattoo, you must continue until the very end. For there lies beauty.”

Her wisdom stayed with me.

It took a while for me to get back on my feet. For the first three weeks I was living aboard Maiwar, often cramped inside her small, dank cabin while sheltering in what is the rainiest harbour in the world. I often found myself hiding out in the public library, a space with books, chairs, and most importantly, a toilet. Despite, or because of, all this, I kept getting sick. There was a flu going around the island, and my immune system, which had had little to do over the past twelve months, was no match. My lot simply wasn’t improving. Then, one day, it all changed.

Within the space of a few days I was offered a trailer to haul out Maiwar, and a place to stay. A place to stay! But this wasn’t just a mat on the floor, it was my very own room, with my very own key, my very own bed, a flushing toilet and shower. A hot shower! The Queen was still alive the last time I had had a hot shower! It was the normalcy I needed to get back into the swing of things. Since then I’ve been busy repainting Maiwar’s bottom, reprovisioning and getting everything shipshape and in order for my next leg.

It will be shame to leave American Samoa. It truly is a beautiful and hospitable place, and just between you and me, it’s got it all over the famed Tahiti. I really do have wonderful memories of the past month. The kindness and willingness of everyone here never ceases to amaze me, and the natural and industrial beauty of Pago Pago will forever remain in my memory.

But, it’s time to keep rowing, to continue my journey. I have a feeling that this next leg may be my last. The thought of rowing nonstop back to Australia looks very attractive at the moment, in which case, I can expect to make landfall in Australia in about 120 days, perhaps a little less. But, of course, this is all conjecture. There are a swarth of large Melanesian Islands to the west, and if I do end up close enough to a beckoning, coconut clad shore, then it would be hard not to stop. We’ll just have to see, but for now anyway, home seems like it’s just over the horizon. Home of course, being anywhere along the Queensland coast. It will be interesting to see where I end up.

On another note, I would sincerely like to thank the people in Samoa who have made my stay so enjoyable, and who have gone above and beyond to help me out. It is the goodwill and generosity of all walks of life who have helped me get to where I am now. Most notably I would like to thank the team at Industrial Gases who have really made my stay comfortable and who were always willing to help; and the team at Vaimalu Water who were kind enough to refill all my water bottles at their bottling plant, free of charge. And, of course, I must thank each and every person who has contributed in any number of ways to this journey. Without you it simply wouldn’t be possible.