To Buca Bay
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Fri 26 Jun 2015 22:57
|
To Buca Bay via Kioa
Island
 Our planned
route.
We had a leisurely morning and set
off at a quarter to one, we were leaving Viani Bay at the top of the tide to
meet slack water as we went between Vanau Levu and Taveuni islands to anchor off
the main village on Kioa Island ten miles away.
 As we ducked out of the shelter of
Viani and looked across to Taveuni the sky looked ‘full of
it’.
 As we approached the wind turned and
was blowing over twenty knots, at anchor we would be back to Kioa Island. Not knowing what the holding was like or if
the wind would get stronger over night Scott-Free and Beez
Neez decided to take shelter in Buca Bay back on Vanau Levu. A shame, but
we were only venturing six miles away and felt it better to retry our ‘looked
forward to’ visit in the morning.
  The marker post on our chart plotter, although unlit was
proudly showing the edge of the reef.
 Once more in the main
channel we heard the school bus pass, the children
squealing and laughing as they caught a wave.
  The driver called
“Beez Neez”, the children waved and laughed
as did a pleasure craft. All home
soaked methinks.
 All quiet as we picked
our spots, the only two boats in Buca Bay –
pronounced Botha.
 The six mile journey
from Kioa to Buca we could happily take on in the pitch dark. Deep water all the
way and you can pick any depth you want to anchor - solidly in the thick muddy
bottom. Bear fancied eight metres and we were all settled by four o’clock.
The high sides act as a very effective wind
break.
 The plan on the morrow is to try for Kioa Island and if we
have to divert, head to Katherine Bay on Rabi Island.
 A
fisherman slowly making his way home.
 Looking out to sea it’s hard to believe it’s blowing a
hoolie out there.
.
ALL IN ALL SNUG AS
BUGS
A VERY SHELTERED
BAY |