June 2008 Fiji
Had another slow 38-day passage, but crew still in good spirits.
All of our new crew arrived a few days before our planned departure. One week it was just Kat and myself, the next week we were 16 people.
There was Luc and Matheiu from France, Michael and Niklas from Sweden, Kev from the U.S.A., Kristina & Thomas from Germany, Elena and Dan from the UK, Mariano from Argentina, Sergio from Italy, Phil from Australia, Rosie from New Zealand, Nicolai from Norway and of course Kat and myself from Oceana.
Our planned 10 April departure date came and went with a long list of maintenance and provisioning yet to be done. A week later the work list was short. Followed by another week waiting for a break in the weather. We finally departed Nelson on a calm sunny 24th of April. We had anticipated a 5 to 7 day passage up the west coast to North Cape. We used the engine for the first 45 hours of calms. Just 50 miles short of half way there came a light southerly enough to fill the sails.
The next week there were light airs from all around the compass. By the end of that week there were 3 noon positions within 7 miles of each other. Then we were hove-to for two days with a westerly gale. Then the wind backed to the south west, we started making progress north once again. By day 14 we finally cleared North Cape sailing to the west of Three Kings islands.
The wind again veered to the north, threatening to push us back on to the bank north of North Cape. There is a wind against current situation there that is prudently to be avoided, so we started the main engine to motor sail onto the deep water off the north east side of the bank. Just as we blew the head out of the flying jib an Air Force Orion flew over wanting to our clearance details and E.T.A. for Suva. After clearing the bank we again drifted waiting for a fair wind. That evening we were becalmed under jet black skies and a lightning storm. We disconnected all the electronics and sent the crew below deck.
After another day of north and westerly winds until the wind backed to the sou’west. For the next week the wind backed to the south east and stayed. We sailed north with the wind on the quarter. Sixty and 80 mile days with only one square sail left to set.
Kat and I had been standing watch and watch to supervise the all 3 watches. Twenty five days into the passage, with Rosie as leader of the third watch, Kat and I took a watch each and an easier 4 on, 8 off, routine.
Four hundred miles south of Suva we were met by a north west then a north east gale with seas running 5 meters and the wind 40 knots and gusting to nearly 50. We heard on rag of the air that our friends on Aguja were anchored at Minerva reef. When we sailed to within 12 miles of the reef we raised them on the VHF radio for a short chat. Turned out there were 6 other vessels in the lagoon sheltering from the sea
By the 30th day of the passage full foul weather gear had been replaced by short pants and bare feet. We crossed into the tropics. The winds were light from the south and the sea was running rough. The rolling was flogging the sails. The fore and main had to be unbent for repairs. With our only remaining square sail set, the fore course, we made easy, but slow progress.
By the 34th day, still 350 miles from Suva, we sailed past the Ono-I-Lau islands, Fiji’s southern most islands. The Fijian fishing vessel Forika No.3 motored past for a wave and a smile.
We sail into the Lau group between Totoya and Matuku, the wind freshened from the east south east. On Saturday morning of the 38th day we furled the fore course and motored into the quarantine anchorage. We had sailed 1876 miles noon to noon and used the engine for 91 hours. We had to wait another 2 days for Customs to come out and clear us. Despite the extra delays the crew of 16 stayed good natured to the end. It was a good group.
Project MARC wants us to pick up some supplies here that are due to arrive the last week in June. In July we will sail to the Mamanutha Islands on the west side of Viti Levu. We plan to clear customs 10 July at Lautoka, Fiji for the sail to Port Vila, Vanuatu. From Port Vila we will load supplies for the Banam Bay water restoration project. Then sail north soon after the first of August.
Our last project MARC expedition begins 30 August at Luganville, Santo and finished at Luganville on the 21st of September. We plan to be back in Port Vila by the 10th of October to prepare for the sail back to New Zealand.
Evan
All of our new crew arrived a few days before our planned departure. One week it was just Kat and myself, the next week we were 16 people.
There was Luc and Matheiu from France, Michael and Niklas from Sweden, Kev from the U.S.A., Kristina & Thomas from Germany, Elena and Dan from the UK, Mariano from Argentina, Sergio from Italy, Phil from Australia, Rosie from New Zealand, Nicolai from Norway and of course Kat and myself from Oceana.
Our planned 10 April departure date came and went with a long list of maintenance and provisioning yet to be done. A week later the work list was short. Followed by another week waiting for a break in the weather. We finally departed Nelson on a calm sunny 24th of April. We had anticipated a 5 to 7 day passage up the west coast to North Cape. We used the engine for the first 45 hours of calms. Just 50 miles short of half way there came a light southerly enough to fill the sails.
The next week there were light airs from all around the compass. By the end of that week there were 3 noon positions within 7 miles of each other. Then we were hove-to for two days with a westerly gale. Then the wind backed to the south west, we started making progress north once again. By day 14 we finally cleared North Cape sailing to the west of Three Kings islands.
The wind again veered to the north, threatening to push us back on to the bank north of North Cape. There is a wind against current situation there that is prudently to be avoided, so we started the main engine to motor sail onto the deep water off the north east side of the bank. Just as we blew the head out of the flying jib an Air Force Orion flew over wanting to our clearance details and E.T.A. for Suva. After clearing the bank we again drifted waiting for a fair wind. That evening we were becalmed under jet black skies and a lightning storm. We disconnected all the electronics and sent the crew below deck.
After another day of north and westerly winds until the wind backed to the sou’west. For the next week the wind backed to the south east and stayed. We sailed north with the wind on the quarter. Sixty and 80 mile days with only one square sail left to set.
Kat and I had been standing watch and watch to supervise the all 3 watches. Twenty five days into the passage, with Rosie as leader of the third watch, Kat and I took a watch each and an easier 4 on, 8 off, routine.
Four hundred miles south of Suva we were met by a north west then a north east gale with seas running 5 meters and the wind 40 knots and gusting to nearly 50. We heard on rag of the air that our friends on Aguja were anchored at Minerva reef. When we sailed to within 12 miles of the reef we raised them on the VHF radio for a short chat. Turned out there were 6 other vessels in the lagoon sheltering from the sea
By the 30th day of the passage full foul weather gear had been replaced by short pants and bare feet. We crossed into the tropics. The winds were light from the south and the sea was running rough. The rolling was flogging the sails. The fore and main had to be unbent for repairs. With our only remaining square sail set, the fore course, we made easy, but slow progress.
By the 34th day, still 350 miles from Suva, we sailed past the Ono-I-Lau islands, Fiji’s southern most islands. The Fijian fishing vessel Forika No.3 motored past for a wave and a smile.
We sail into the Lau group between Totoya and Matuku, the wind freshened from the east south east. On Saturday morning of the 38th day we furled the fore course and motored into the quarantine anchorage. We had sailed 1876 miles noon to noon and used the engine for 91 hours. We had to wait another 2 days for Customs to come out and clear us. Despite the extra delays the crew of 16 stayed good natured to the end. It was a good group.
Project MARC wants us to pick up some supplies here that are due to arrive the last week in June. In July we will sail to the Mamanutha Islands on the west side of Viti Levu. We plan to clear customs 10 July at Lautoka, Fiji for the sail to Port Vila, Vanuatu. From Port Vila we will load supplies for the Banam Bay water restoration project. Then sail north soon after the first of August.
Our last project MARC expedition begins 30 August at Luganville, Santo and finished at Luganville on the 21st of September. We plan to be back in Port Vila by the 10th of October to prepare for the sail back to New Zealand.
Evan