4TH NOVEMBER, 2013

Around the world with the Aqualunies
Jonathan & Gabrielle Lyne
Fri 15 Nov 2013 14:29
SAILING FROM MBAVATU (BAVATU) HARBOUR, ROYAL EXPLORINGS YACHT CLUB

We set sail at about 6 am for the nine hour sail to Metei on Taveuni Island to drop Bart and Bianca off to catch a local flight to Nuie and then on back to Canada. We had some extremely good sailing with the asymetric up and humming along at 7 - 8 knots.
We anchored off a small resort which didn't have much activity but we got permission to land on the beach with B and B's luggage so that they could get a taxi to the airport 2 mins away. Having said fond good-byes to B and B the following morning we cleaned the yacht and did all the laundry before moving on to Somosomo.

Somosomo is a small town, with a 'supermarket' but containing mainly tinned foods and looking more like a warehouse. We bought a few things but not much as we wanted to see what the market the next morning would have. We walked the following morning up the street to the main part of the town where there were market stalls lined along the streets where we were able to buy fresh vegetables and fruit to restock for another couple of weeks. We also went into a shop to buy Jonathan a Sulu
this is a male garment worn instead of trousers and a bit more masculine than a sarong, more like a pair of formal black trousers but a straight below the knee skirt instead, he could then wear this when we do sevusevu at the various villages and islands we will be visiting.

We set sail at midday for the Southern Lau group of islands which would take about 24 hours to sail there. Past out between the reefs keeping a good look out although this time the charts were pretty accurate.

The three of us divided up the night watch into three hour watches. David did the 9 - 12, Jonathan did the 12 - 3 a.m. and I did the 3 - 6 a.m watch. David got the worst of the weather with some squalls but by the time I came on watch it was all much calmer and a very easy one. We arrived at our destination at 14.15. an island called Fulaga.