Rayfiki
Avg: 7.2knts
24hr: 172.9nm
17nM from to Whangarei Heads. Finally at 6am the winds abated and turned W?all a bit late. Lovely to see Poor Nights and the NZ Coast. Thank you David Patricia & Mike for your efforts and help over the passages and during the time we have been in warmer climes. Most appreciated.
Avg: 6.6knts
24hr: 157.8nm
Another good day with good blokes!! Everyone got full tummies!! Good night sailing. More Woolies on :) 163nM to Whangarei Heads
Avg: 6.7knts
24hr: 161.6nm
Good night on steel spinnaker. Wind started getting up this morning. Looking forward to predicted SW to send us home. Woolies on :)
Avg: 692.6knts
24hr: 16621.7nm
Spectacular day yesterday (made all the more pleasant after the few days of rock n roll.) Sunny and hot during day Had screetcher up nearly all day in light winds and flat seas and getting 8 -9k. Started motor at 3pm & been motoring ever since although got some motor sailing in in the wee hours. Past the half way point so its all downhill now - i hope :) Keeping on top of electrical problem - the solar panels kept us charged all day & now motor doings its thing. Was greeted this morning with a red sky??.
Avg: 10.6knts
24hr: 253.7nm
Spectacular day yesterday (made all the more pleasant after the few days of rock n roll.) Sunny and hot during day Had screetcher up nearly all day in light winds and flat seas and getting 8 -9k. Started motor at 3pm & been motoring ever since although got some motor sailing in in the wee hours. Past the half way point so its all downhill now - i hope :) Keeping on top of electrical problem - the solar panels kept us charged all day & now motor doings its thing. Was greeted this morning with a red sky??.
Avg: 9.2knts
24hr: 221.2nm
really hard to hear at this stage
Avg: 8.3knts
24hr: 200.1nm
Sea has eased overnight together with the wind
Avg: 7.1knts
24hr: 170.8nm
Bouncing along?not uncomfortable. Settling into our watches and log keeping
Anchored off Lautoka wharf waiting to check out and head to NZ
In Musket Cove heading to Lautoka today to clear customs tomorrow to head to NZ if the weather window is still good.
Sitting in Musket Cove - attached to the Island Bar doing last minute preps and awaiting crew
Chilling near a great bar
Stopped off in the sheltered Natuvalo Bay on W side of Naviti Is
Stopped off at Natuvalo Bay - Naviti Island. Out of the breeze ;)
Departing Blue Lagoon today and heading towards Manta Ray Bay. Hope the MantaRays are still hanging around!!!
As always Blue Lagoon lives up to its exposure! The golden beaches, blue sea, sunshine and NO wind - well had 2 windless days. Just love where they feed the fish!! We have taken our breadcrumbs and been surrounded by millions of fat little friends. Always love watching the flyer come in and the pandemonium which ensues as the ducklings have no idea where Mama duck will stop
Departed this morning Nananu-I-ra for Sawa-I-Lau in N Yasawas
Avg: 422.4knts
24hr: 10138.1nm
Nananu-I-ra
Avg: 7.1knts
24hr: 171nm
Nananu-I-ra
Enjoying the beauty of Vulanga with all its mushroom islands, beautiful beaches & friendly villagers
Sailing from Kandavu to Vulanga in company with Obsession, Blinder and Providence....good sail until wind died then went SW now on the nose!!!
In a pleasant bay with green clad walls. Had some rather strong gusts coming down the valley. Cloudy with intermittent rain so have not ventured far but at least able to do chores (like fix the toilet :( Were able to celebrate Shelley's birthday with drinks on board with Windflower and KatieMII. Have dispensed 30 pairs of spectacles to the villagers. Thanks to others who have trodden this path before, we were able to have a plan & it was very orderly!!! You do get a buzz when dispensing a 3.5 pair to someone who is absolutely delighted to be able to read the bible again. (8Note to bible printers - make the print bigger!!!) Or the ecstatic lady who could now see the clouds and the tops of the trees. My word they are fashion conscious and pick the more modern frame.
Arrived safely in Suva. Customs clearance gave us Liberation for dinner. Thank you Patricia & David for the chit chat and Weather - very helpful and appreciated. Also to Mike for his involvement with the webpage
Avg: 8.1knts
24hr: 194.9nm
Had a night of the wind swigging from one side of stern and back again !! Just passing astrolabe reef 6nm to port. Hope to going in to Suva around midday.
Avg: 7.7knts
24hr: 183.8nm
Good night and good day sail yesterday. Wind kept increasing yesterday so kept reefing down!! Wind started decreasing around 2am this morning
Still in North Minerva. Awaiting weather report and if all Ok will probably pick up anchor and head for Suva
Still in North Minerva.
Still in North Minerva. Had a great day yesterday snorkelling first, then walking on the reef at low tide, catching up with Ross (Vixen7) and the commaradarie of a great crew over a sundowner
Arrived in Minerva Thursday midday and as the anchor touched the sea bed we were hit by a 40k squall. Looking for best day to dept forSuva
Avg: 8.2knts
24hr: 195.9nm
All good - wind dropped right down in the night and has started picking up with dawn. Looking forward to getting to Minerva with its famous coffee shop!!
Avg: 7.2knts
24hr: 172.4nm
Good night- breeze died at 9.30 so been motor sailing - just picked up again
Avg: 9.1knts
24hr: 218.5nm
Good night- breeze got stronger around midnight and then lighter becoming lighter around 5
Avg: 9.5knts
24hr: 228.2nm
Great Day - lovely flatish seas and consistent 18k breeze. Just getting along beautifully.
Avg: 7.7knts
24hr: 185.6nm
Good night- breeze becoming lighter and going more easterly -
Avg: 6.8knts
24hr: 164nm
Good day- good breeze - although had to stop and fix the autopilot and steering :(
Good night - good wind - although could be pointing more North!! Seas pleasant. Lovely moon dancing on the water and lightning to E
Avg: 2.9knts
24hr: 69.8nm
Good night - good wind - although could be pointing more North!! Seas pleasant. Lovely moon dancing on the water and lightning to E
All fueled up and waiting for sunny shores :)
Most prep completed - asked for Customs Clearance for Saturday morning. The Christchurch crew arrive on board tomorrow evening - looking forward to having them. The Sandy Bay team join us on Saturday morning bright and cheerful :)
Rayfiki - Beautiful Blue Lagoon
As always Blue Lagoon lives up to its exposure! The golden beaches, blue sea, sunshine and NO wind - well had 2 windless days. Just love where they feed the fish!! We have taken our breadcrumbs and been surrounded by millions of fat little friends. Always love watching the flyer come in and the pandemonium which ensues as the ducklings have no idea where Mama duck will stop
Rayfiki - KIck Arse Yacht
Parko, my good sailing buddy from Whanga, always refers to Rayfiki as that Kick Arse Yacht. Well today it lived up to its name. Sitting up on the tramp in the sun as we clipped along at 10 k with a true wind speed averaging 15k was fantastic. I even got a screenshot of us doing 10k in a TWS of 10.3k a peak of 18 was great. The seas were calm with about a 2 to 3 m swell with a long period so that was pleasant and helpful. All crew just enjoyed the shear excitement of the speed and like an albatross Read more...
Rayfiki - U going the wrong way!! WHAT me??
So we leave Minerva entrance and turn to head to Fiji?a nice Tuna for lunch decides to jump on and a small battle with Joel ensues. We slow Rayfiki down and land lunch. Soon afterwards the VHF goes and it is a nearby yacht "Where r u heading Rayfiki??" "Fiji" replies Rayfiki "Well u r going in the wrong direction" oh dear there is water all around - no trees or hills to take a bearing from - so we could be heading wrong way .mmmmmm. Check my old tools: Compass - thats showing we heading North. Read more...
Rayfiki - Excitement in North Minerva
Two days of sitting couped up on Rayfiki aint too bad - when u wonder how others are getting on in smaller quarters. However two days of having the wind howling so loudly that you could not hear the surf and most books on board getting exhausted, it was a welcome relief to hear the forecast that the wind was dropping this morning. Well it did subside but only really by lunchtime?when the sun came out as well. We were also joined by a Tongan Navy vessel who circled the reef so we could see how Read more...
Rayfiki - The Oasis of North Minerva
position 23 39.4s 178 54.1w We were greeted this morning with a dull and overcast day with rising winds. This was overshadowed by the forecast of increasing rain and wind. Sure enough by tonight we have hit 50k and have probably 1/2 m swells which Rayfiki is riding nicely. Everyone read and I tried to get the AIS going again. Miracles on miracles it has started working and the Raymarine chart plotter once again appears on our iPads or iPhones?.very very useful for the crew as they lie in bed Read more...
Rayfiki - Great to be at North Minerva
position 23 39.4s 178 54.1w The weather was quite good - a bit of sun squeezed through. Went for a snorkel near the reef in the lovely warm water?.as crystal clear as it comes. Unfortuneatly there is very little coral. However, it was so lovely to see all the familiar tropical fish swimming around. The excursion was topped off for me by spending a few minutes in the company of a half metre turtle and later on with a 1m reef shark.
The tide was going out mid morning and by midday we were
Read more...
The edge of the reef at low tide is about half a meter above the sea level and has been eroded away with time but equally has much growth on it. The waves crashing on the ocean side of the reef send water across the reef to the inside of the lagoon so there are a myriad of waterfalls along the ledge. It all makes it look like the terraces of Pammukele or even what I imagine the pink and white terraces may be like with a different hue.
Decided to take my copter for a whirl?over the reef. Despite the cloud cover I am rather pleased with my photos. Went up to 220m and from that altitude have some very good pics all the way to the pass. You get such a different perspective of the reef looking down on it. I will post some when I get WiFi. I hope the wind dies and the sun comes out before we leave so I can get some more pics?however I doubt that will be the case After lunch took the dingy down to look at the lighthouse. Mark & Joel climbed to the top! Mark was looking for some surf :) They then spotted a wreck in the distance so took off to examine it. Only when they were nearly ontop of it did they realise it was a lump of rock or coral that had been weathered to look like a wreck.
Rayfiki - Awesome North Minerva
Its quite awesome being in here...waves crashing on the reef outside & then calm water - 14 boats in here last night. 1 came in about 7pm in the dark and there are 3 boats outside about to come in with daylight with I think some more behind that Just dancing around beautifully. Ross & Pam Vixen7 anchored next door...they arrived soon after. Had a chat with Citrus Tart as we came past South Minerva - they heading up here today. There were 2 other yachts in S Minerva. Fullcloud cover and Read more...
Ray hi