Just in Time
Tied up on berth in Gulf Harbour. Stocked, refuelled and ready to head out for Christmas.
Avg: 8knts
24hr: 190.9nm
Tied up at Q dock in Marsden Cove. Cleared customs and now waiting for biosecurity. All good and glad to be home although a little chilly!!!
Avg: 7.2knts
24hr: 172.6nm
Cloud cover 20%. wind 6.5 SE. Course 176T. Boat speed 6 knots. Swell 1m.
Definitely getting cooler. Winter woollies are out and ugg boots on!!! Nearly there. One more night out here.
Cloud cover 70% light showers. Wind 7 knots south. Swell 1m. Course 191T. Sea temperature 2.5 degrees air temperature 21. Feeling colder!!!! All well and counting down to landfall.
Avg: 7.8knts
24hr: 186.3nm
cloud cover 40% swell 1-1.5m wind 10 ssw. Course 165T. Light rain overnight All well. 440 miles to go.
Avg: 10.1knts
24hr: 242.7nm
Cloud cover 30% no significant swell wind 6 knots from the east.
Ian up and about today which is great news. We are all well and counting down til arrival in Marsden Cove.
Avg: 12.7knts
24hr: 304.3nm
All well onboard. Ian a bit seedy but ok and drinking.
Avg: 6.5knts
24hr: 155.4nm
On passage from Fiji to NZ. Four people onboard abd all well.
NE 8 knots and 20% cloud cover. Clearing out this morning and are homeward bound.
Anchored in Saweni Bay. Finished provisioning, fuelling up, organizing paperwork with crew and now ready for the return passage to NZ. Hopefully weather still looking good for a Monday departure.
At Denerau. Visit to Dentist Tuesday and reprovisioning.
Came down from Navadra yesterday. Winds dropped all the way to practically nothing. Had a rolly night at Navadra so decided to move on. No room at Musket to anchor so anchored around the corner.
Been at Manta Ray Pass for the last five days. Have sum with the mantas and had a dive. The mantas are just awesome and got some great photos. Heading to Navadra today for another few days. Weather is beautiful, blue water, white sand beaches and gloriously sunny. Couldn't be in a better place.
At Navadra. A stunning and beautiful place. Absolutely no wind, clear, blue sky - not a cloud to be seen. Beautiful clear water. Paradise!!!
Anchored in Musket Cove. Very busy here. Hard to find a spot to anchor. Big day yesterday sailing from Nananu-i-Ra. Good to be here.
At Nananu-i-Ra. Head down to Lautoka next couple of days. Dentist visit and may head out to Manta Ray Pass. Heading down to the 'dry, west side' of Fiji.
Back on a mooring in our favourite town of Savu Savu. Feels like coming home. Jock's birthday today so out for dinner with good friends Vixen,Seabride, Tusi 2, Slice of Heaven and Yinka. Be here for couple of days to restock and provision then may follow Vixen, Seabride, Tusi 2 and Slice of Heaven to Viani Bay.Looking forward to catching up with them up there and do some more diving.
Dropped anchor at 1500 hours at Cousteaus Resort, ready to go into SavuSavu tomorrow morning. Wind 15-20 knots from ESE to SE. Good sail though. Caught mahimahi on newly made toothpaste lure.
Came up to Naigani today ready for early start in morning back to our favourite town, Savusavu. Gusty E-SE wind. Up to 30 knots then back to 15.
Left Makogai this morning and headed to the sheltered hurricane sheltered anchorage on Ovalau. Weather is awful - lots of rain for two days and now really windy. Can't wait for that convergence zone disappears!!!! Lots of reading, watching TV and naps!!!!
Back to Makogai for few days as wind from SE and big swell coming into Wakaya.
Left Somosomo, Gau early this morning and came back to Wakaya. Light drizzle to start with but soon had no rain and no wind. Had time with a pod of basking pilot whales on the way.
Left Levuka and had a great sail over to Gau. Between 9 and 18 knots from SW.
Motored across to Levuka from Wakaya yesterday. Beautiful day with no wind and a nice gentle swell, but still no fish. Neat town which is still very colonial and I don't think anything has changed for 50 years!!!! This was the first capital of Fiji. Had dinner at Kim Paak Kum Loong restaurant. Nice food.
Came down to Wakaya Island from Makogai this morning with hardly any wind. Had lots of dolphins escorting us most of the way. Gorgeous anchorage. Wakaya is a privately owned island with an exclusive resort. Had a dive this afternoon on the Black wall. Hoping to do a few more dives before we leave here to go to Ovalau and onto Gau. Cruising with Seabride and Vixen 7.
Anchored at Namena marine reserve. Awesome diving here. Stayed here last year for three days and did lots of diving and the weather has allowed us to do the same again this year. There are so many dive sites and all wonderful diving - Tetons, Fantasy, The Mushsrooms, Rainbow, The Chimneys...... Lots of fish, large and small, soft corals, fan corals, christmas tree worms........ Great for photography, both macro and normal. Also a red footed booby bird colony. Lovely, cute fluffy chicks and birds flying over the boat all day and follow us in the dinghy. Here with Sea Bride and Vixen 7, so good company, good scenery and great diving.
Avg: 695.3knts
24hr: 16687.1nm
Anchored at Cousteau's Resort. Wait till tomorrow to head into Savu Savu and pick up a mooring.
Avg: 110knts
24hr: 2640nm
Through the Nasonisoni Passage. Not far now.
Coming up to the Nasonisoni Passage.
Avg: 5.2knts
24hr: 123.8nm
Left Voli Voli early this morning and heading to Savu Savu.
Anchored off Voli Voli Resort tonight. Heading North to Savu Savu.
Left Denerau this morning and set sail for Musket Cove.
Tied up in Denerau marina. Boat washed off and catching up on cleaning and washing!! Great to be stopped.
Arrived at port of Lautoka. Checked in with Customs, Immigration and Biosecurity. All good. Got cruising permit, coastal clearance and now heading off to Denerau and a marina berth.
Avg: 7.1knts
24hr: 170.7nm
Came through Navula Pass at 0400hrs and motoring slowly up to Lautoka port where we will clear Customs and Immigration. Glad to be here at last.
Avg: 7.5knts
24hr: 178.9nm
Making good progress toward Lautoka. 146 nm to go.
Avg: 39.1knts
24hr: 938.6nm
Left North Minerva Reef after a good meal, a sleep and transferred all the jerry cans of diesel into the tanks. By unanimous decision we decided to head on up to our destination. The weather isn't looking wonderful and it will be nice to be cleared in and sorted by Thursday.
Anchored N'Minerva reef 07:30am today.
Avg: 7.9knts
24hr: 188.9nm
Beautiful sail yesterday. Motos off all day. Only put back on last night to charge batteries.
:date 12/5/2014
Avg: 7.7knts
24hr: 184.1nm
Calmed down a lot over night. Went through few squalls with winds gusting 30 knots. Averaging 20-25 knots. Wind direction changing frequently.
Avg: 51.4knts
24hr: 1233.7nm
getting into front
Avg: 6.8knts
24hr: 163.3nm
Another reasonable night. Calmed down a little from during the day.
Avg: 10knts
24hr: 239.8nm
Another good day. Hardly any wind. Motoring. Calm seas
First night out. Motoring. All good, reasonable swell
Tied up in marina now awaiting weather to depart. Looking like after the weekend at this stage. Bit of a low developing over Townsville and want to see what this brings. Rayfiki along side. Good to just chill out before leaving. Everybody catching up on sleep and relaxing.
Avg: 9.1knts
24hr: 219.4nm
Left Kawau this morning and heading for Urquharts Bay, just inside the entrance to Whangarei Harbour. Probably head into Marsden Cove marina in the next day or so.
Untied the lines and left out of the marina this afternoon. Anchored in Harris Bay tonight and head north to Marsden Cove tomorrow.
In Gulf Harbour marina. Hope to leave Friday to head north to Marsden Cove where we will await a weather window for departure to Lautoka, Fiji for the season. Hope to update during our passage.
Anchored in Harris Bay, Kawau. Short stopover before heading out to the Barrier.
Arrived back in Gulf Harbour
Stopover in Shark Bay, Kawau for night.
Shark Bay, Kawau. Stopover for the night on way to Gulf Harbour
Whangamumu Harbour Always a favourite to come back to. This harbour is sheltered in any blow except easterlies. There is old whaling station ruins to wander around and a few walking tracks around the foreshore and up the hill toward the road back to Rawhiti. Great anchorage to chill out or do as much as you want.
Anchored in Waitepipi Bay. Lovely sheltered bay. Took dinghy ride around edge of harbour. Found DOC hut with walkway beside up to Dukes Nose. This is a good walk with stunning views, but, the last part of the walk is hand over hand chains. We didn't do this part up to bluff but the views we had were stunning enough.
Whangaroa Harbour Lovely sheltered bay, beautiful scenery, rocks, cliffs, bush and lots of birdsong.
Back in Gulf Harbour.
Matauri Bay Stopped here for the night. Won't make Whangaroa before dark.
Just in Time - Levuka, Ovalau
We left Wakaya and came across to Levuka "known as the place where time stands still" - on the island of Ovalau. We had a great trip over - no wind and a very gentle swell. Levuka was the first capital of Fiji and is still very colonial. The shops, signs, buildings and surrounds are still as they were 50 years ago. The people are all so friendly and as we walked down the street they greet us with "Bula" and a big smile. We had a walk around town and every clock we saw in town didn't Read more...
Just in Time - Wakaya
We have been in a gorgeous anchorage at Wakaya Island, which we hadn't been to before. Unfortunately we couldn't get off and have a walk along the white sandy beach as it is a privately owned island and there are signs up everywhere "Private Island. Strictly no landing". It is owned by a Canadian entrepreneur by the name of David Gilmour. We had a few dives there and it is a well known area for manta ray sightings, although we didn't see any, the dives were still really impressive and Read more...
Just in Time - Namena Marine Reserve
Anchored at Namena marine reserve. Awesome diving here. Stayed here last year for three days and did lots of diving and the weather has allowed us to do the same again this year. There are so many dive sites and all wonderful diving - Tetons, Fantasy, The Mushsrooms, Rainbow, The Chimneys...... Lots of fish, large and small, soft corals, fan corals, christmas tree worms........ Great for photography, both macro and normal. Also a red footed booby bird colony. Lovely, cute fluffy chicks and birds Read more...
Just in Time - Makogai
We are anchored in one of our favourite spots at the moment - Makogai. We always find lots to do here and time passes by too quickly. We went in to see Kamali and do our usual sevu sevu. He always remembers the boat and makes us welcome. We were sitting out the back last night having dinner and we could hear the kids laughing, squealing and playing onshore. They sound so happy. We always comment kids laughter, and tears, sound the same in any language. No computer games, play station or TV's here!!! Read more...
We have Sea Bride anchored alongside and we are enjoying their company.
Just in Time - Savusavu
We made it!!! So wonderful to be back here again. It feels like 'home' for us. We were welcomed by all our friends here. Just a great feeling. Lovely and warm.
Just in Time - Heading to Savu Savu
<p>Anchored just off Voli Voli Resort tonight. Left Vuda marina this morning after spending a night on a berth there. Certainly a different way of berthing than we are used to. Caught up with Paul and Jo (Yinka), Ian and Doreen (Seabride) and Bill & Hazel (Liberation). Our plan is to head north to Savu Savu and then work our way South gradually with lots of diving along the way. Hoping to be in Savu Savu when Distracted arrive!!!</p>
Just in Time - Musket Cove
We have thrown the mooring lines in Denerau and came out to Musket Cove today. It is too easy to spend money in Denerau with the good food and bars at our doorstep. We had a good sail over and dropped anchor just outside the mooring area. Tomorrow we will go explore all the new alterations to the Island Bar and surrounds. Our plans are to chill here for a few days and then may start moving slowly north to Savu Savu. We have no plans in concrete so it is just "see how we feel in the morning" scenario. Read more...
Just in Time - Nagle Cove
Moved around to the cove as weather good and met up with friends who are also divers. The cray hunt is on!!!
Just in Time - Kaiarara Bay and Mt Hobson
Anchored in bay ready to do Mt Hobson trek. We set off nice and early and took the South Fork Track over streams, swing bridges and kauri dam remains to reach DOC hut for a lunch break before making the final climb to the summit. Talk about the 'Stairway to Heaven'. We climbed flight after flight of stairs to climb above the tree tops to reach the summit. Stunning view out to Mokohinau Islands, Hen & Chicks, Coromandel and we could even see Rangitoto. After a rest and photo shoot Read more...
Just in Time - Kawau & surrounds
Anchored in Harris Bay, Kawau. Scallop dive out by the Beehive Island. Plentiful and easy to find. Silty bottom though. Back into Harris Bay and now waiting for weather to head out to the Barrier.
Just in Time - Whangamumu Harbour
Always a favourite to come back to. This harbour is sheltered in any blow except easterlies. There is old whaling station ruins to wander around and a few walking tracks around the foreshore and up the hill toward the road back to Rawhiti. Great anchorage to chill out or do as much as you want.
Just in Time - Whangaroa Harbour
Lovely sheltered bay, beautiful scenery, rocks, cliffs, bush and lots of birdsong. Good fishing and bush walks to do.
Just in Time - Great Barrier
We arrived at the Barrier on 27/12/13 and had a great trip over, although there was no wind!!!! Glassy calm and the sun shone gloriously. Alas, on arrival the weather turned to custard! The wind came in from the NE with heavy rain and has now changed to W, cloudy and just glimpses of sun through the clouds. Hope the weather improves in 2014!!!
Just in Time - Voli Voli
We anchored off the Voli Voli resort again, just as we have done previous years. it was time to launch the dinghy and head into the bar for a beer or two. As usual we were welcomed by the owners, the Darling family, and enjoyed catching up with all their goings on over the last year. A great resort, great facilities and very welcoming to cruisers. we even watched the All Blacks thrash the Aussies in the Bledisloe Cup game!!!! We managed to get out for two dives, the Breath Taker and Dream Maker. Read more...
Just in Time - Naigani
Anchored in a lovely horseshoe bay with clear water, white sand beach and swaying palm trees. There had been a wedding here recently as the arch was still standing with the woven foliage and hibiscus flowers. Tried to get Jock to renew our vows, but, no way was he going to participate!!!! Had barbeque dinner ashore with spanish mackerel Robert had caught on the way with Paul and Jo on 'Yinka'. A lovely evening until the mossies came around. Gorgeous sunset. No diving here as the next day wind Read more...
Just in Time - Off to Namena
1/8/2013 said our farewells to all our old and new friends in savu savu for the last time this year and headed to namena. this is a well known diving haven and marine reserve and we have been trying to get there every year and it is critical the weather is right for this anchorage. our chance came and we arrived here wednesday lunch time along with steve and suzy (hiraeth) and paul and jo (yinka). the weather has been perfect since arriving. there has been absolutely no wind and glassy calm seas. Read more...
Just in Time - Namuka-I-Lau
11/7/2013 namuka-i-lau we have now left fulaga and are now gradually, and i say gradually, making our way back to savu savu. our first big trip out of fulaga was 20 miles up to namuka-i-lau. trolled two lures all the way but no fish!! this is a very pretty anchorage with a nice sandy bay to anchor in. only enough room here for four boats, maybe five at the most. walked across to the village to do sevu sevu.
the walk was a good hour each way and the track quite overgrown.
good school
Read more...
Just in Time - Fulaga, Southern Lau
22/6/2013 southern lau anchored in fulaga in the southern lau along with 22 other boats!!!! this is certainly a lovely and very safe anchorage. white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees and clear blue water.
a well supplied boat is essential as there is no local store or market to visit. trading is certainly different here. we 'trade' 1,2,3 (or however many) cigarettes for crab, lobster, bananas etc. they also love magazines, playing cards, makeup, nail polish, scarves, medical supplies (band
Read more...
the trip to the dive sites, which are on the outside of the reef, have to be carefully planned and thought about. it is important to go out the pass on the incoming tide, dive and then head back inside the reef. it is vital not to get the tide too low as there is a lot of water rushing out a small pass and the pressure waves get rather big!! a rather scary looking entrance. water a bit cooler and this is the first time jock has had to wear a wet suit in fiji!!!!
Just in Time - Back in Savu Savu
22/7/2013 back in savu savu to restock with food, veges, beer, diesel and the most important of all, to repair our autopilot!!! this decided to pack up on our trip up from namuku-i-lau. at least the rough part of the trip was over and handsteering was done in the relatively calmer seas. a rather hair raising trip up with 40 knot winds, thunder and lightning and 3-4m swells.
