13th June 2013 - Back in Savusavu

Arnamentia
Jon & Carol Dutton
Thu 13 Jun 2013 11:12

16:46.50S 179:20.51E

13th June 2013 –  Back in Savusavu

We've  had a pretty exhilarating last day of the trip with the Force 5 wind reaching a very decent Force 6 - 7 on the beam for the last few hours as we approached harbour.  We were even forced to put in a couple of reefs in the mainsail towards the end.  Not really very Arnamentia.  As we approached Savusavu it poured and 3 drowned rats were grateful to tie up to a customs mooring in Namaka Creek, Savusavu at 2:15 this afternoon.  Formalities were swiftly accomplished (the officials here are, as we probably said last time, a really good lot) and we moved onto our allocated mooring further up the creek.

This mooring is a mite tricky.  It involves a short journey up-creek but the route meanders around some pretty lethal reefs which require a series of 90 degree alterations in course at precisely the right time.  There are some vague markers here and there but you wouldn't want to place too much trust in the chart plotter.  It was so overcast when we came in - actually horizontal rain - that any hope of identifying the reefs by the colour of the water was a non-starter.  Fortunately, Curly - see previous blog - was there to meet us and lead us in in his dinghy.

Well, it's been a fun trip.  Jack has been more than worth his weight and we've thoroughly enjoyed having him.  We have a number of things to attend to aboard (maintenance never stops) but nothing that is likely to defeat us or take much of our time to sort out.  Notwithstanding the fact that there is absolutely no such thing as a 5 minute job on a boat.  That'll take a day.  And when you've done it you'll have got out of it what a certain US company for which Jon worked would call "great learnings".  Principal amongst these is likely to be that it would be awfully nice not ever to have to do it again.

Anyway, we've made it, enjoyed doing so and now we start a season of island hopping.  I know, I know, but somebody's got to do it.