33:59.400S 174:27.180E

 

After almost exactly six months in New Zealand Savoir Vivre is back on the open ocean and we are heading towards the islands of Fiji.  We cleared out with customs in Opua this morning and after travelling out through the Bay of Islands we are now about 80 miles off the coast of the mainland.  Sadly, there is not much wind at present so we have had to motor sail all day but are keeping our fingers crossed that we will pick up a bit of breeze in the morning.  We have got just under 1000 miles to go to Lautoka at the western end of Viti Levu and the idea is that we sail most of that distance rather than tramp along with the sound of our heavy old diesel engine thumping away in the background.  Having said that, this is a piece of Ocean that deserves particular respect so we are both happy to have not enough wind, rather than too much. 

 

We are also particularly keen to get north as fast as we can as New Zealand is heading rapidly into winter and it is getting cold.  I am writing this just before midnight and am all wrapped up wearing my heavy fleece and my not very stylish woolly hat (It's functional rather than fashionable but there is no-one here to see).  Lucy is currently tucked up in her toasty sleeping bag, probably dreaming of warm sandy beaches and trying to ignore the thought that in just a few hours time I will be turfing her out of the bunk for her turn on watch. With a bit of luck in three or four days time it will be back to t-shirts and swimmers. 

 

Roll on the tropics!!!