“Samalga Pass will be no problem if you’ve crossed Amukta pass”, Scott Kerr (resident of Nikolski) said on the sat phone yesterday. I remembered that with a wry smile when 8 hours in, we found ourselves getting swept away from land against a current stronger than we could paddle. I’m too tired to write more now, it’s after midnight and I’m in the tent after we finally landed at about 10.30pm after 35 miles. That’s over 15 hours in the kayak as we set off at 7am this morning. Two hours of currents which sent us south then north ( away from land) were followed by an increasing headwind which exceeded 20 knots. We crawled, no limped into shore. Luckily there was a beach right where we reached land and we didn’t hesitate to take it. We’re less than 15 miles from Nikolski and after a lie in we hope to get there tomorrow if the wind isn’t so strong.