Change of Weather-Change of Plans

Magogai Island - hoome of a former leper colony

Our chartplotter showing our route through the reef infested Fijian waters

Spectacular sunrise at Nanan - I-Thake Island anchorage

Sugar Mill in Lautoka

Trucks delivering sugar cane stocks to the sugar mill - small gauge railways are also used.

Change of Weather-Change of Plans

July 31 2015

We had hoped to leave Savusavu last Sunday but the weather still had not calmed down. Instead, we cleared out Modayn and moved to an anchorage near the pass out of the bay. All four boats did that. Since it was Klaudia's (on Tahawas) birthday the next day Chapter 2 hosted a birthday dinner. Well celebrated by all!

The first half of Tuesday's trip was pretty boisterous still as we had to go upwind into good winds. Our wind indicator stopped working during that day and for the 3 day trip. That is more a nuisance than serious, as you take whatever you get anyway. Today, Firday, Rob went to the mast top and redid the connections which seems to have solved that problem for now. It was good we left when we did as the next 2 days travelling were beautiful, before another batch of bad weather this weekend.

The first night we anchored at Magogai Island. This was a former leper colony for Fiji. They, at least, had good scenery and a safe anchorage. The next days were traveling inside the reef up the east, then north coast, of the large southern island, Viti  Levu.  Day 2, the anchorage was huge and deserted off  Nananu-I-Thake , another spot you could spend more time. The trip reminded us of travelling along the ICW in US going from waypoint to waypoint down narrow channels, except if you make a mistake you are on a coral reef not mud.

Late Thurs we got to Lautoka, the Sugar City, and second largest city in Fiji after Suva on the south coast. We spent the day searching out chandleries, buying food, and seeing the town. The sugar mill dominates the town as it is right near the water and has a fire burning all of the time. There are other sugar cane burning fires around the landscape with their red glows at night. You can always smell it and there is a black ash that drops on the boat. I can't imagine that it would be good for you all the time. The 2 cab drivers we used had a cough. We couldn't find any marine stores, so eventually took a cab to a marina 10 miles along the coast where we found some of the things we needed. It was fun to see the fancy resort/marina complex and have lunch there.

Customs on the Queen's Wharf in Lautoka or that marina, Vuda Point, are the choices for checking out of the country. We wanted to visit them to make sure we know the most up to date requirements and hours. There was an interesting boardwalk with lots of info about Lautoka and its history on the walk from the main wharf into town. Overnight Saturday we hope to visit another marina/resort complex 20 nm from here, Musket Cove. It is a famous favorite in the cruising community.

It is about 600 nm to Santo where Dan is arriving next Sat. We thought we should leave today, Friday, as you can't checkout or in on the weekends in either country. But another bad weather system is arriving this weekend. We are going to aim for Monday now but have to travel to the checkout and then to the pass which will take half the day. Our new plan is to sail to Port Vila in Vanuatu which is only 500 nm and try to get there to check in Friday. Then we can do the next 150 nm to Santo, hopefully with Dan. We'll see how that works out.