Fiji

Fast run from Tonga to Fiji. Like scary fast. Like how the FFFFFF we going to get this sail down? Just about went right past. Had all hands on deck and waiting for a lull in the blow. It was topping out around 35 knots. We were flying a borrowed asymmetrical spinnaker. Heavy construction. Rated for 35 knots. Maxed it out. We were hauling Vivo azz. Got a lull down to the 20s about midnight and got to hauling it down. Went quite well but hope not to have to do that to many more times. At night anyway. Up until that point we were straight downwind. After the Asym came down we put out a triple reefed jib and turned up to get up the west side of the island. We hit 9.5 knots boat speed. That is with VERY little sail out. The swells that up until then were helping push us along are now hitting us broadside. Very noisy very wet. Mr. Toads wild ride. Saw 50 knots of wind at one point. Gale force. Would have taken in more jib but it would have been a bit unsafe at the time. The boat did great but I was sure tired by the time we got in. Three days or so with very little sleep. Gosh this is fun. Not at the time mind you. But afterword. A couple of monohullers we were talking to in the marina as we were tying up asked where we came from. Said Tonga. Asked how long it took. Said 76 hours. They were incredulous. “In those conditions?” Yup. Met another fellow some time later. When he heard what boat we were on he said “the 76 hours Tonga to west Fiji cat?” Yup. Word gets around fast in these little places.

Anyway. Here we are. In Vuda Marina. Nice place. WAY fast WIFI on the boat!! Going to be some big blogging! Only problem is we are stern to the dock wall and there is a 6-foot tide swing. You set up a plank to get across the 10 or 12 feet to the sea wall and an hour later the conditions require a different configuration. At high tide we pull the boat back and jump out of the dingy hanging on the davits onto a finger pier. That’s not to bad. Then the tide goes out and drops the dingy 6 foot. But late at night across the 2 X 10, 6 feet off the water, springing along as you go with nothing to hold onto is going to lead to a late night salt-water bath sooner or later. Not going to be pretty. Going to work on some better system as we plan to be here for a while. Have a lot of work to do and equipment to swap out. This is one expensive little hobby I have.

12 feet to the wall. Whats it going to be? Walk the plank or jump the dink. No good choice here. And the water is not something you want to be in here. Rather nasty.

So we have a lot of work to do and a lot of Fiji to see. We will be here a month. So far these are some of the nicest people we have met anywhere. And English spoken everywhere. The marina is a little loud though. The marina is essentially a big bowl with all the boats stern to in a wagon wheel configuration. And surrounding the perimeter of the bowl is a working boatyard. Grinding, welding, hammering, all day. Gets eerily quiet at night. Then 9:00 AM wham! Back at it. These people work hard!

Here is a throw back from Tonga. Ran across this picture from dinner and an evening we spent on Vivo with a wonderful young couple who are circumnavigating on their 41 foot mono. Mi and Conni. Mi, pronounced Me, from Japan, speaks three languages. Conni, pronounced Connie, from Sweden, would not fess up to how many languages he speaks but Mi said it was a lot. I think Angolan was one of them of all things. Anyway what an interesting and hilarious couple. He sounds like a Swedish Borat when he talks. Sorry Conni but its true. The stories they told had us in stiches for hours. So we get talking about boat names and how one arrives at one. Their boat name means white horse in some language. Vivo means Live. Or if you had read some earlier posts, in some South Pacific islands means nasal flute. So out come the nasal flutes (We have four. Doesn’t everyone?) and Lorenzo taught Mi the theme from the Pink Panther. Hope to see them again. They are a hoot. Safe travels Mi and Conni.

Lorenzo, Mi and Conni. Fun night on Vivo

New crew coming. Dave, an old friend but a stinkpot power boater, (going to make a sailor out of him), and Glada, Lorenzos girlfriend who he has not seen in 7 months. All onboard in the next week or so. That is the crew through Australia.

Side note: There is a pandemic of a mosquito born illness called ckiungunya throughout the pacific. It’s all over the Caribbean as well. If you haven’t heard of it Google it. It’s as far north as New York. It’s rather serious and I would guess it’s going to continue to spread. Its epidemic in Tonga. We cover ourselves in bug spray and hope for the best. We were in quarantine entering Fiji until a health inspector came on board. Interviewed us and fumigated the boat. Someone is going to get it though. There are about 100 people in the ARC at the moment. And none of us like bug spray.

More to follow as we get out and about some. See some Fiji.

M