Andromeda Topless / Mal Oben Ohne - Passage to Fiji - 280nm sailed - 16.6.2014, 00:49 (deu/eng)
Andromeda
Michael
Sun 15 Jun 2014 13:17
Andromeda Topless / Mal Oben Ohne
Passage nach Fiji
16.6.2014, 00:49
We left Minerva Reef about 36hrs ago and have been sailing with the spinnakers all this time. What a difference to the previous trip. On the day we left Minerva, I managed to sowe a patch on the ripped bimany part. Quite difficult to squeeze so much material under such a small sawing machine. Anyway, once off, we realized how lovely it is to have the top off. Especially because the air is still a bit cool and the sun in the day feels nice, and at night, we're being accompanied by a still pretty full moon. It really does feel a bit naked and exposed, but it's wonderful to feel yet closer to the elements.
We are sailing against a 1-1.5kn current and still have another 230nm to go.
We are going to check in Lautoka, the second biggest city in Fiji and also on the main island Viti Levu, close to the airport Nadi. It's the center of their sugar cane industry, supposedly a nice town and the marina there told us there are several specialised companies and surely someone will be able to help us with the bearings of the wind generator and one engine alternator.
They import procedure is very strict. We had to send in a pre arrival notice with pictures of boat and captain in advance and then also inform them at least 48hrs prior our arrival. And then I just read, once cleared in, you're supposed to inform the officials weekly about your whereabouts and cruising plan (Fiji has two main islands and about another 300 smaller ones, most of them owned by a local family/families).
When visiting the islands, we have to bring kava (a root vegetable, staple diet and base for a drink) as a present to the chief - which cannot be bought everywhere, so we'll have to stock up before exploring the other island chains).
Sounds all rather restricted and more complicated then in other places, but very much looking forward to a new experience.
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Seid 36 Stunden segeln wir unter Spinnaker - und Sternenhimmel! Am Tag unserer Abreise habe ich die Cockpitplane (bimany) abgenommen und den Riss uebergenaeht. Und so oben ohne sieht das Cockpit ganz anders aus. Und da es noch nicht so heiss ist und wir gerade mondhelle Naechte haben, haben wir beschlossen, die Plane erstmal unten zu lassen.
Wirklich mal ganz nett!
Und ueberhaupt ist dieser Trip so viel angenehmer als die letzten Tage des letzten Trips... Bis vor einer Std. sind wir mit dem Spinnaker gesegelt. Mit Wind und Welle von Achtern ist und klarem Himmel ist es bedeutend schoener.
Jetzt ist der Wind aber wie vorhergesagt noch mehr aufgefrisch, so dass wir bei 20-25 Knoten auch den kleineren Spinnaker lieber reingeholt haben und jetzt etwas langsamer aber doch auch entspannter nur mit der Genoa durch die Nacht segeln.
Trotzdem freue ich mich schon sehr, in Fiji anzukommen und endlich wieder Land und dann bald hoffentlich auch blaues Badewasser und Strand zu haben!
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