We anchored at Urquharts Bay last night so we could ride the rising current up the river to Whangarei this morning. It's great to be back at Riverside Drive Marina, our home away from home.

We are gradually making our way to Whangarei and are now anchored at Tutukaka. Unlike other recent anchorages, this one has good internet access: a blessing and a curse. I guess I'll have to get some work done rather than go hiking!

We had SW 35 two days ago, and NW 35 is forecast for tonight. In between gales we had a great time at Urupukapuka Island, with a great hike under sunny skies. We took the opportunity early this morning to scoot around Cape Brett and are now tucked into Whangamumu Harbour for the next few days.

We anchored briefly at Paihia for provisions and are now in Parorenui Bay. A Parade of Gales is forecast for the next several days, so we may shuttle between this anchorage

We left the protection and expense of the nice marina and headed out to Moturua Island. The small bay next to us is best situated for the strong incoming northerlies but it was full when we arrived, so we are hunkered down in Hahangarua Bay for the next few days.

We were tied to the Customs dock in Opua by 1000, almost but not quite 7 full days after we weighed anchor in Vanuatu. We enjoyed greeting people we've gotten to know in our several stops here, and are now looking forward to a good night's sleep! It was a fast trip but a wet one, so we'll spend a few days getting the boat and its contents dried & aired ouy, then head to anchorages in the Bay of Islands.

Wind and waves calmed considerably throughout the night. By morning we were sailing very slowly and slightly off course, but we aren't in a hurry and chose to simply enjoy a beautiful morning on the ocean. What a sweet sail! The engine went on after lunch, when the breeze dropped below 5k; we'll still make it to Opua by midday tomorrow. We've already been welcomed to NZ waters by 2 whales near the boat, and a green flash at sunset!

Morning had clouds and light rain, but by this noon report we had gray skies behind us and blue ahead. Surely we are going in the right direction!

And on the fifth day, we were resurrected: sky appeared and waves abated. We raised full sails, we are dry, and we are enjoying the ride!

So far this passage has been unappealing but efficient. Dousing waves, cloud cover and rain are balanced by being able to sail the rhumb line to NZ.

Much of last night saw winds in the 30's and rain. We eased off our course a bit to minimize bashing, and went from 2nd to 3rd reef at 0400. We went back to 2nd reef at midday, but will lower to 3rd again this evening since indications are we have another squally night ahead.

Conditions overnight were rowdy; we were relieved when the wind and waves backed a bit so the ride isn't quite as rough. Some excitement this morning: with a loud shattering sound followed by wild flogging of the foresail, the aft starboard winch broke! Looks like Art may get his wish for an electric winch this year after all...

Bound for Opua! We would have departed this morning regardless, since wind patterns for the overall passage looked favorable

We had a very good sail from Vila, and arrived at Aneityum just as the strong winds started to kick up. After a few last-minute chores like stowing the dinghy for a long-distance passage and pre-cooking some meals, we'll be ready for the Big Leap to NZ. Departure could be anywhere between a day and a week from now, depending on incoming weather.

We crammed a lot of tasks into a shortened time frame in Port Vila so we could take advantage of reasonable conditions to sail to Aneityum, >180 miles to windward. So far we've had excellent sailing!

On a mooring in Port Vila, getting ready for the passage to NZ. Depending on longer term forecasts, we're hoping to sail to Aneityum in a couple of days, then head to NZ from there.

Anchored in Mele Bay, gathering energy after our overnight sail from Epi. We'll move to a mooring in Port Vila harbor early tomorrow morning to start prepping for the upcoming passage back to NZ.

We'd planned to stay in Vanuatu for 6 weeks, but the early start to the cyclone season caused us to decide to depart earlier. We are now working our way back to Port Vila, with a pleasant stop at Lamen Bay on Epi Island.

(Our SSB was temporarily out of commission so this report is 2 days old.) When the wind and rain finally eased, we moved 5 miles north to Munvet Point. Aside from an uncomfortable WSW swell, the anchorage was wonderful: interesting beaches & caves, and outstanding snorkeling.

We had an excellent downwind sail overnight to Metenovor Bay on the southwest side of Malekula Island (also known, appropriately, as Southwest Bay). It's a large bay with many villages, and we are the only cruising boat anchored here. We plan to spend the next several days visiting places ashore while waiting out this spell of rainy wind/windy rain.

Conditions are stronger outside the harbor (winds 18-20k and seas 1.5m) but Sema Bay, inside Havannah Harbor, is calm

Anchored at Hideaway, just an hour outside of Port Vila. We'll watch the beach restaurant's Friday night fire show (from the boat; the dinghy is stowed for travel), then move around to Havannah Harbor tomorrow.

We arrived in Port Vila on Saturday but neglected to post anything

After a marvelous stay at Port Resolution, we had a spirited downwind run to Dillon Bay on Erromango Island. Open water conditions are feisty but the anchorage is relatively calm.

Made landfall at Port Resolution on Tanna at 1430 local time. It was an outstanding passage and we look forward to a few days of activities here, including a hike and a trip to the active volcano.

A perfect sailing day! We're glad Camden is getting a day of passage-making at its best. Okay, so no fish on the line yet...but everything else is ideal.

We had several hours of winds over 20k and seas up to 3m, so Camden's first night on an ocean passage was pretty boisterous! He's doing great and we're all enjoying the voyage.

An invigorating start to our passage to Vanuatu with Camden!

Moved back to Denarau, where we'll spend the next few days preparing for our son's arrival. We're excited about his visit, and about him coming with us on our passage to Vanuatu in about a week!

Playing hide and seek with the wind! Had a great sail back to the mainland, where we're riding out the northerlies at the north end of Nadi Bay. Tomorrow we'll move around to Saweni Bay, hopefully before the strong southerlies arrive.

We were headed for Manta Ray Pass but the predicted easterlies were bending south into that anchorage, so we diverted to Cuvu Bay on the south end of Naviti Island. We'll do some projects here for a couple of days, and with a bit of luck we might still be able to dinghy over to the pass for a swim.

With calmer conditions the Musket Cove anchorage felt better, and the shore facilities were attractive. However, with some strong winds predicted in a couple of days, we decided to move on. The Navadra anchorage is deep and rolly, but has gorgeous beaches and sunset views; a good stop!

It took us 3 seasons in Fiji to finally make it to Musket Cove! We're not sure why this place is so popular; the anchorage is windy, deep, close to reefs, and very crowded. We'll check out a bit of the shore scene tomorrow, but plan to move on soon.

Robinson Crusoe Island did indeed have a marvelous Dance & Fire Show! Now we're anchored in Saweni Bay, our home base for the next several days: we'll pick up the replacement stanchions shipped from the USA to Fiji, then put the boat back to pre-ferry collision condition. En route we stopped at Denarau and had a lovely evening with Gordon of S/V Ms Murphy and his friend Sue. It was fun to connect person to person, rather than boat to boat as we did on that fateful night in Suva!

Had a wonderful sail to Likuri Island, a.k.a. Robinson Crusoe Island. Many people have told us they have the best fire show anywhere, so we'll celebrate our 44th anniversary tomorrow night in flames!

Finally escaped Suva City! Happily anchored at Yanuca in Beqa Lagoon; we're the only ones here and hope it will warm up enough for a swim tomorrow.

We would love to have stayed at Namara indefinitely, but unfortunately business drew us back to Suva. We'll be here at least a week, for dentist visit(s) and trying (still) to get reimbursed for the ferry collision damage.

No overnight sail this time; just 3 nm to Namara. A beautiful sandy beach and snorkeling right off the boat beckon

We arrived at Draveuni in the Astrolabe Reef after another overnight sail, hoping to snorkel for a few days here. Some forecasts say it will be too windy for comfortable swimming, others say it will be okay. We're voting for okay.

An overnight sail brought us to Herald Bay on Gau. Sevusevu in the village of Saiweke was interesting; the elderly chief was listening to BBC news on his radio (no internet here) when we arrived. He is astute and up to date with current world events

Anchored in Paradise

We came to the south end of Rabi Island to look for manta rays. Didn't find mantas, but did find a lovely anchorage: Katherine Bay is safe, secluded, and very pretty.

Had a delightful sail to Albert Cove on Rabi Island. There are 7 other boats here; the first time in 4 weeks we haven't been by ourselves in an anchorage. Back to civilization? (Probably not; one of the boats is Midnight Sun...)

An overnight passage brought us to Qelelevu Lagoon, well off the beaten path. An exposed and rolly anchorage, but stunningly beautiful!

Anchored back at Vatudamu Point; had a nice dinghy trip up the Wainikoro River this afternoon. The next couple of days are likely to be rainy so we'll stay put. When that system passes, we plan to head east.

Given the stable weather pattern, we decided it was safe to anchor overnight out at the Great Sea Reef. Afternoon winds created waves too choppy for swimming, but morning snorkeling was fantastic!

Labasa was rowdy and fun! Now we're anchored at Vatudamu Point, very near a pass in the Great Sea Reef. If predictions hold, it will be calm enough to snorkel out there in the next couple of days.

Took advantage of calmer conditions and traveled upwind to Malau. It's basically just an open roadstead, but is the closest anchorage to Labasa. We look forward to taking a bus into town in the next few days, for both sights and fresh produce.

Anchored at Kia, outermost island in the Great Sea Reef. It's still a bit windy to be away from the protection of Vanua Levu, but prediction is for slightly calmer weather for a couple days so we figured it was now or never. The bottom is not ideal, sand and rock, but the scenery is gorgeous and the village of Daku extremely friendly.

Anchored at Kia, outermost island in the Great Sea Reef. It's still a bit windy to be away from the protection of Vanua Levu, but prediction is for slightly calmer weather for a couple days so we figured it was now or never. The bottom is not ideal, sand and rock, but the scenery is gorgeous and the village of Daku extremely friendly.

We had 20-30k winds for a couple of days, with a brief respite today before even stronger winds arrive over the weekend. We took the opportunity for a change of scenery and moved 5 miles up the coast to Nukubati. Gave our sevusevu in the village of Naqumu and played some music for them; a nice outing, since it's likely we'll be "boat-bound" for a while!

The enhanced winds predicted for the next several days looked a bit less strong to the east of us, so we moved a ways up the coast to Vunisinu Bay. It's a smaller version of Bua Bay (though still fairly large): surrounded by mangroves, shallow with a mud bottom, no villages.

Anchored in Naurore Bay, near the village of Naviqiri. We gave our sevusevu at the village this afternoon and are looking forward to a very placid night. Tomorrow we'll walk to the school, about 30 minutes away, to play some music for them.

We have reached the north coast of Vanua Levu, one of our primary destinations this season. It's fun to explore new places, especially ones off the beaten path! Koroinasolo Inlet is pretty but a chute for today's winds; fortunately it's shallow with a mud bottom, good holding. The next safe anchorage was too far to reach in good light today, so we'll move on tomorrow morning.

Anchored in large Bua Bay, expecting a windy night so we're glad we're in shallow water on a mud bottom. We plan to start heading around the north coast of Vanua Levu tomorrow morning.

Our stay in Savusavu was short and sweet; it's very easy to get errands done there. We didn't get to snorkel at Namena Reef when we passed through a few days ago and conditions were ideal today, so we made a return visit. Namena hasn't recovered from Cyclone Winston

We needed to stop in Savusavu for internet access, so we can follow up on ordering replacement parts. Close inspection of the rudder has revealed no damage, so we are hopeful that all we need to replace are the stanchions (w/their sockets), a furling lead block (already replaced), and some paint on the keel. As collisions go, that sure was a lucky one! It will be nice to spend a couple of days in Savusavu catching up with friends.

Namena Reef wasn't in the plans, but it was on the way so we decided to stop and check it out. Art caught a 4' wahoo this morning, so we'll feast for a while and have plenty to share with friends in Savusavu!

Our repairs from Princess Civa's collision could not be done in Suva and weather permitted an exit to the east, so we departed; sure were glad to leave Suva Harbor! We enjoyed a brief stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Levuka (Ovalau I.), and are now anchored at the north end of Makogai I.

We were one of the 5 vessels impacted

Anchored outside the Royal Suva Yacht Club at 0930; they facilitate all customs clearance formalities. Will go into town tomorrow to pick up the Fiji cruising permit & pay fees, and will move on to other islands as soon as weather permits.

A large squall in the night brought plenty of rain and wind; other than that, we've had constant motoring. Hoped-for breezes this afternoon did not materialize, but we're surrounded by beautiful blue and expect to arrive in Suva tomorrow morning, so all's well.

After driving all night, we were able to set sail in a light breeze this morning and are revelling in it! The band Great Big Sea's lyrics: "I've sailed the world over

Departed for Fiji this morning. This is the first time we've ever chosen to start a passage with no wind, but we've been in Minerva 1 1/2 weeks and there was no forecast for good sailing winds in sight, so we fired up the engines are are driving. Thank goodness for the new autopilot Art installed in Opua!

We were hoping to depart for Fiji today, but departed for the other side of the reef instead. 9 boats are tucked up on the ENE edge of the lagoon in preparation for this weekend's winds; we'll head out when this system passes.

Anchored in North Minerva Reef with 5 other boats. Wind & waves will increase, but we'd rather ride them out here than battle the nasties at sea between here and Fiji. Plus friends Dave & Wendy from Elysium just pulled in nearby; the Minerva Reef Yacht Club will be in full swing.

We are very close to North Minerva and expect to drop anchor in the early afternoon. It's been a great run from Opua! The reef anchorage will be a bit rough for a few days, but it will be nice to be off watch.

Had a boisterous overnight sail, clear sky and no squalls. Wind died for a bit in the morning so we motorsailed, and now are downwind with the full main up. A swell forecast indicated waves over 4M at South Minerva this weekend, so we will bypass that option and hope to reach North Minerva in good light tomorrow.

Reduced sail last evening in time to skirmish with an occasional nighttime squall. The edge of the large low pressure system crossing NZ is starting to catch up to us, so we are keeping 2nd reef + inner foresail, expecting winds & seas to build.

Another excellent passage day! One squall last night, but conditions today have been ideal.

Departed yesterday from Opua, bound for Minerva Reef. Best first-day wind and sea conditions we've ever had for a passage! We're pinching now so when the strong NW winds arrive, we'll have room to ease off. Position reports are from the noon sight.

Enjoying some of our favorite Bay of Islands anchorages while waiting for a weather window to sail north.

Anchored outside Bay of Islands Marina at Opua for final departure preparations.

We've been in various anchorages within Port Fitzroy, enjoying some nice walks for a few days then hunkering down during the NE gale. Hoping to head back across Hauraki Gulf tomorrow and arrive in Opua on Wednesday.

After lengthy diversions