Pos 16:49.03S 178:17.07E

Cukuvou Bay

20130629 Saturday

Another early start as we got some 40 plus nautical miles to go to Yandua Island just off the western coast of Vanua Levu the second biggest island of Fiji. As soon as the sun is high enough to see the reefs were away. With little wind and on the nose as usual the seas are slight and make for a smooth passage as the swell has also dissipated.

                      Sunrise start.

After navigating our way through the reefs to releatively open water I put out the fishing line and repair to my Blogging duties, while Lars hands over to the autopilot and buries his head in a book. Tonton has returned to his Bunk.

Coming up from below Lars notices that the rod is bent double. We have a fish! And what a fish. It’s one of the most beautifully irredescently coloured and good eating of fish, a Mahi Mahi or Dorado, the golden fish as it is known. He’s hauled aboard with great gusto, Lars is handed his tools of trade and having tied its tail up so it can’t slip back overboard administers the “Coupe de Grace”

                            Reeling in.                                                                                                       Landed.  

On cleaning it and removing the head we see that it had previously just caught a flying fish which is lodged in its throat along with our hook. The gold, blue and silver body is soon reduced to two massive filets as Lars sets about his task some dexterity.

Tonton has been roused from his bunk and declares the change to the evening menu going away to ponder the recipe for this one while we return to our books and the occasional course tweek as we near our destination.

Meanwhile I taken to repairing my flash “Nike” swim trunks, purchased at  vast expense while in Raratonga. Vietnamese quality control leaves a lot to be desired as they are already falling apart at their poorly stitched seams.

          A sailors work 

Arriving at Cukuvou Bay we have to negotiate between two large reef that nearly seal the enterance before running towards the beach. According to the pilot book one should take bearing on the lighthouse and run in. We search the hills but can see no sign of it until we are inside and then it appears as small beacon perched on top of a hill in the middle of some trees !

The reef is great disappointment as visibility is just over a metre and the one new type of fish I spy disappears into the gloom before I can snap him.

                                 Living                                                                                                                      and dead reef.

For dinner we have and excellent fish stew of green peppers, onions, garlic and tomatoes etc. incorporating our latest catch. Yummie!

             Venus rises at sunset.

Bob the Blog