Auckland Customs dock at 07.30 yesterday (Monday). Hardly had time to finish the last bacln & eggs before we were cleared in and on our way to berth at Westhaven by 08:45 - very efficient and friendly!

fresh southerly has veered to SW

thanks for the relay A-Train

Wow what a starry night, stars reflecting off glassy seas. Motor going hard out.

Sadly we are in the 'skip zone' for GHR and will not be receiving our daily dose of weather and cruiser updates we have enjoyed so much for the last 6 months - boo hoo!

looking at weather in Auckland Monday night. They are talking about hot showers already

motor sailing in light breeze with flat seas all well aboard

Another great sailing day - long may it last.

All well aboard

Sunshine for most of the day. Should be a good moon tonight.

Great sailin All well aboard

good steady progress. All well

Conditions have eased, we might have been going thru a squash zone b/w a trough system and the high on previous report. Steady sailing All well aboard-got to see the full moon this morning

somebody turned up the rollercoaster all well aboard

not very comfortable

rollercoaster continues. All well aboard

reefed down & rollicking along all well aboard

Close hauled in ESE12. Great to be sailing again.

Cava-I-Ra or Conway Reef 76 miles ahead close to our track. Fish?? All well aboard.

Woohoo - 30 mins since start of transmission - 1 nice mahimahi aboard

Motoring on glassy smooth ocean. Moon hidden by hazy cloud cover.

All well aboard

Cleared Navula Pass at 5.30 (FJT). Great sailing on smooth seas with a big moon.

Saweni Bay

Saweni Bay, waiting for the weather window to start the voyage home

Have delayed departure until saturday

Musket Cove. Looking at clearing Lautoka Customs for passage to Auckland leaving later today.

ETA Auckland would be Oct 20 (I have not had a Sailmail connection with the Niue station for a couple of weeks now??)

Navadra - rolly! Looking for weather window for passage Vuda Pt to Auckland; after Independence Day in Fiji ie Tues 11th?

Southern end of Yasawa islands

Namotu island, out from Musket Cove - swell looks to be about 1m

Northern end of Waya island in the Yasawa group.

Enjoyed a guided hike up a 400m peak yesterday, spectacular views on a fine calm day

Yasawa, Northern bay on Waya island

Tucked in to the bay at the northern end of Waya island

Musket Cove

Musket Cove. Only 40 boats moored or at anchor; Regatta week starts 16 Sept

Musket Cove. All well aboard.

Waya Island at the southern end of the Yasawa group

Somosomo Bay at the top of Naviti Island, Yasawas.

Saw a bunch of humpbacks the other evening. Great display, leaping out of the water to crash back down on their backs.

Anchored outside Denerau Marina.

Momi Bay. Those fishing boats around the south end of Kadavu were something to contend with. Limited visibilty in drizzle or rain. They only turned on AIS and a small light when we were within a couple of miles and looking like a collision course. Promptly turned everything off when we changed course. Dodgy!

Leaving Matuku this morning for 200 mile passage south of Kadavu to Navula Pass and head for Denerau. Particularly murky at the moment but should clear as we head west.

Matuku

Matuku

For GHR:we are looking at a passage from Matuku (19d 10m S, 179d 44m E) through to Denarau. With the trough approaching and potential for westerlies (?) I'd appreciate some advice for planning a departure date. Leaving tomorrow, Saturday, or waiting for the system to pass through? The question is how long before that trough will pass through and the tradewind returns? Had a whale of a day yesterday, surfing with a couple of humpbacks. Greta got up close and personal in the dinghy about 75m behind the surf break.

Matuku. Several awesome surf breaks around the island but unfortunately the swell is fading rapidly. Will have a shot this morning.

Hove-to waiting for sun to rise off Matuku.

Totoya lighthouse did not show as we went by this morning - could be out of action

Leaving Yagasa this morning. ETA for Matuku mid-morning Weds

Looking for a weather window for the 110 mile overnight voyage west to Matuku, half way to Suva. Expecting some nice SSE tradewinds tomorrow

So we have broken the Fulaga spell. Anchored at the big island in the Yagasa cluster. Underneath a colony of nesting gannets. Trolled 3 lures along the the barrier reef and sure enough we had a triple hook-up. Mayhem! Nothing landed, the eye of one of the swivels was completely straightened out and the other 2 got off

Leaving Fulaga for Yagasa, a cluster of uninhabited islands 15 miles north

Fulaga, one last snorkel in the pass.

Fulaga. We had a farewell party around the kava bowl last night in anticipation of leaving Fulaga this weekend. Special people in a special place.

Fulaga

Fulaga. Great night sky - starting with Venus & Mercury at sunset, Jupiter, Mars & Saturn.

Fulaga

Fulaga. Fresh greens and pawpaw + petrol from the village. YAY! We're good for another month haha.

Fulaga, tradewinds are back in force

Sthn Lau

Fulaga, receiving lessons on weather via SSB radio. Great stuff.

Fulaga on a calm day - wow

Fulaga

Dumb question: So if the volatility of the weather in recent months is associated with the transition from El Nino to La Nina - when will La Nina settle in? What is the long term view for conditions in October when people start sailing back to NZ?

Awesome snorkeling with the outgoing tide in the pass yesterday. Over the course of 1 hour we were flushed out about 750m to end up on the outside of the outer reef among a school of massive snapper-like fish with big groper types hanging below the school. Amazing!

Fulaga

Fulaga, still. Why move when you have found perfection.

Southern Lau - a few showers yesterday; oil change day! Looking brilliant this morning.

Fulaga, we have tucked into an anchorage among some of the many mushroom islets in the lagoon to shelter from the tradewinds which have been reasonably strong the last few days. Our reported wind strength understates the wind strength outside. Great paddle boarding - found an awesome cave with stalactites like a cathedral organ.

Fulaga

All well onboard

We have a sheltered anchorage so may not be reporting the true wind direction/strength

A trough of low pressure appears to have hit us. Little change in the barometer but wind changed from an easing N, to calm for an hour, then promptly at 15.00 the wind goes whips up to 15-20knots from 180 degree opposite direction. We have relocated for more comfort and swinging room.

Fulaga, started a small varnishing project. An excuse to stay put just a little longer.

Fulaga, more snorkeling in the pass with exquisite corals and loads of colourful fish. Had to retreat from a couple of particularly nosy sharks.

Fulaga

Tracked down some petrol yesterday, cleaned out the bottom of a 44gal drum. Next delivery to the island is about 3 weeks away. A 6 hour mission - 3FJD/litre.

Grete spent the day making mats with women in the village.

Tracked down some petrol yesterday, cleaned out the bottom of a 44gal drum. Next delivery to the island is about 3 weeks away. A 6 hour mission - 3FJD/litre.

Grete spent the day making mats with women in the village.

07.10 Tues 28 06 2016

Church and a day off - luxury

Fulaga

Fulaga

Fulaga. Finished polishing all the stainless - yay!

Fulaga. Great paddle boarding yesterday; we were watching a school of big mullet and 4 turtles popped up at the same time. More turtles in other parts of the bay - a healthy population despite being on the menu for the locals.

Fulaga; 3 catamarans left today so we are the only yacht in the lagoon for now

Fulaga

Fulaga

Heading off for a pre-dawn bottom fish.

Anchored @ Sandspit, Fulaga. Got the paddle boards out yesterday arfternoon, awesome territory to explore.

Anchored at the sandspit, Fulaga. Another 2 yachts came into the lagoon yesterday but we are enjoying splendid isolation. Snorkeled the pass for the lagoon yesterday. Great variety of fish, good corals - big fans, stag-horns and soft corals, lots of colour. Some big nosy reef sharks.

Even paradise has its share of weather!

We are fortunate to be in THE perfect place with a bottle of the favourite champagne. Happy birthday Grete!

We are fortunate to be in THE perfect place with a bottle of the favourite champagne. Happy birthday Grete.

Fulanga with two other boats. Remedy were No2 for the season

Anchored Fulaga. This place is gorgeous, try zooming in on the yit satellite image. Rained all day yesterday - got rid of all the crusty salt topsides. A day for movies.

Safely anchored in the lagoon. Tough day at the office - challenging and we rose to the situation! All well aboard. Details to follow.

dawn and we are 10 miles from the pass. boisterous conditions,we have been trying to slow Remedy down all night. Visibility not the best. Lookin forward to a good days sleep.

Heading to Sthn Lau from VanuaBalavu at first light this morning. We should complete the 120 mile run before a forecast front comes thru.

Using the Adavaci Pass to exit the lagoon with waypoints from Domino. Farewell to the SeaMercy fleet for now. And farewell to Drew who is getting a ride to Savusavu with 'Interlude'.

Anchored VanuaBalavu with SeaMercy.

Looking for a window to head to Southern Lau. Maybe depart Weds morning for an overnighter to arrive in good daylight Thursday?

Anchored MalakaBay with the SeaMercy fleet. Lots of action on that front, the ARC rally feet of about 28 boats is expected here middle of next week. We would like to get away from here about the same time for Sthn Lau taking advantage of a handy wind forecast with NE winds predicted. BUT the watermaker sprung a leak at the freshwater flush module and we will need to track down a new solenoid unit which might have to come from NZ/US. This might hold us here or require a visit to a main centre to take delivery. Emptied half a watertank into the bilge before we stemmed the flow - just a bit alarming. 'Cruising' - fixing your boat in exotic locations - HA!

Anchored @ 'Bay of Islands', inside Qilaqila Island at the top end of Vanua Balavu. Great spot, not a light to be seen. Big hookup today but no result. Took one of the Sovu Passages (romoured to offer surf) out of the lagoon to run lures all along the outside reef in 200m to 20m (whoops). Just the one hit. Sea Mercy briefing meeting tomor

Anchored off the village on Avea again. The super 'yacht' Nomadess came in this arvo and we helped get a hose pipe from their 500l/hr watermaker to a communal water tank on the shore. Lots of laughs with the locals.

Anchored off Avea Island. Only 12 out of 28 houses are still standing following Winston. Gardens were destroyed, the chief and a couple of men were digging for wild yams on the main island of VanuaBalavu when we arrived. Most of the men from the village are in Suva to apply for a grant of $7k to assist build new homes. We received a very warm welcome. Enjoyed a few bowls of fine kava last night. We are on standby for a superyacht that can make water @ a couple of thousand litres an hour, the idea is they will top-up the village tanks. Expected tomorrow, Weds.

All well aboard.

Another day doing needs assessment enquiries and aid distribution for Sea Mercy. Great to have serious interaction with the locals. These guys have been hammered; major need is replacement gutters for water supplies as the dry season sets in. A busy day by the time the reports are written and filed.

Tomorrow, Avea Island in the top part of the lagoon.

Visited Sasui Village to assess needs following cyclone Winston. All their gutters were torn off in the cyclone. So we have put an order into Sea Mercy for 300m gutters, clips, downpipes etc. Plus facia boards and timber; the library for the primary school and the kindergarten were blown away leaving nothing but a concrete slab. Now anchored under Munia Island, some good 12-15 knots blasts coming thru so no mozzies tonight!

Anchored up off Lomaloma village which is an administration centre for this part of the Lau group. Has a hospital, 8 nurses, docs & dentista, x-ray facililities so quite a big deal. Yesterday topped up with diesel (YAY!) and about a tonne of aid supplies much of it in cardboard cardboard cartons = the ultimate transport for cockroaches (boooo). I'm sure I recognize tins of beans and fruit from the cyclone collection appeal at work a couple of months back. Anyways are to distibute yhis load to 4 of the outlying islands buddied-up with a beautiful ketch out of Conneticut. Dirk & Gretchen travel with a mighty handsome black cat on board. Plenty of evidence of cyclone Winston devistation. NZ frigate Canterbury was based here 2 months helping reconstruction. Some of the roofless buildings tagged with you "luv you NZ" and "thanks for your quick response". Must get this away for GHR weather update. Great nights sleep - all well aboard.

Glassy conditions. We have ended up 9 miles from TongaPass to Vanua Balavu lagoon. Will soon start motor to clear the pass approx 8am. Customs/Immigration, diesel, fresh veg (maybe) - 15 days since we left NZ. O, and a solid nights sleep! All well aboard.

We arrived at the Tonga Pass about 2 hours too late to safely navigate 9 miles thru the lagoon to anchor. So we have 'hove-to', in the lee of Katafaga Island. Looks like an abandoned resort with no roofs on the buildings and no lights ashore.

Motorsailing against the tide. Tide change expected @ 08.30

Still motoring, very light breeze from behind. 22C at 5.30 mmmmm nice.

Going thru some of the southern Lau islands/reefs as dusk approaches. A night of extreme vigilance in store. Hopefully we get anchor down before sun gets too low tomorw. Using truckloads of diesel which likely to impact on medium term options.

Motoring

Motoring in less than 5kn from behind. Getting a lift off 4 to 5 m SW swells. Not much wind expected for the next 12-24 hours. Lots of small skipkack tuna catching the afternoon sun but not our lures.

cleared N Minerva Pass 07.30 Sun

We plan to leave Nth Minerva Sunday morning heading for Tonga Pass, the entrance to Vanua Balavu. Advice is to take the route west of the Lau Group. Forecast is predicting 20, maybe 25 knots of wind. We need it to make some ground north because diesel levels took a hiding on the way here to Minerva Reef.

Snorkeling the drop-off on the outside of the reef was amazing. Big fish, some had pointy noses and big grins. Lobster(S) - oo lala! 23 boats in the lagoon tonight. All well aboard.

Anchored at North Minerva. Thru the pass at 7am after a couple of runs along the reef edge at dawn. We had a major hookup, one jump and it was off and 500metres of line later it was showing little sign of slowing down. Tension was very slowly applied and the line was tinkling under the strain. The new knots held ... but the 200lb wire leader gave up at the connection to the lure. Darn it! So the tally stands at 1 flying fish at 2gm and another flying fish at 3gms.

Walked the reef at low tide. Checked out a couple of keels from yachts that have previously perished on this reef in the middle of the ocean. Snorkled with reef fish and Drew just missed on a big painted crayfish. Sundowners - life is good.

just arrived at N Minerva, About 6 boats there now and more expected.

We haven't been getting updates away by email so thanks to Gulf Harbour Radio for updating our position on YIT. We are so close to Sth Minerva but not going to make it before dark. Saw small schools of BIG yellow fin tuna yesterday. One school had a big shark moving lazily around the boil up and another school had a sperm whale floating about. Swam in the pool - about 2000m deep,couldnt touch the bottom!

will arrive S Minerva in dark so will heave to until dawn. Will consider N Minerva as South has been reported rolly

Second day of trade winds, just a light 8knot ENE, and fantastic sailing. Yesterday was spent repairing a small tear in the mainsail. 4 broken needles later we finished the job with an embroidery needle. Like digging a tunnel out of jail with a teaspoon. We have lost power to the autopilot ('Wally') so hand steering. About 300 miles south of Minerva Reef (S) - another 48 hours maybe. All well aboard.

06.30 14/05/16 Motoring in calm conditions. Targeting a sea mount coming up to 180m from 2000m 120 miles south of Minerva Reef to trail the lures over sometime tomorrow. Today we will pull up for a while and have a swim in a 3000m deep swimming pool. Temperature is climbing. We are having issues getting emails to work thru Sailmail. The SSB does not pickup remote frequency selection from laptop since programming some new HF channels in the SSB.

great signal and clear report. radio and boat going well!

15W, 95% light cloud, 1013 rising, course 012m at 7kts

Remedy has set sail from opua - blustering conditions with an approaching front. Showers. Excited and looking forward to some decent sailing. All well on board.

on anchor off Opua