Pos 18:07.37S 178:25.52E

20130715 Monday – off to ???

We talk to “Morning Glory” regarding our routes and passages as we both plan to leave this morning. They have a problem with one of their engines stuck in reverse gear which has still no been resolved so they will be heading out for Port Denarau.

We're going out west and then once clear of the reefs to the west of Leleuvia turn south which takes us outside of the reefs that run all the way around the coast of Viti Levu, Fiji's main island. Turning south, which puts the wind more or less on the nose, we will decide whether to turn east or west. In the event, after ploughing through three metre waves, we turn west and head for Suva the shorter and achievable run as apposed to Astrolabe Reef some 60nm away.

                      Our route.                                                                                  Our destination 

As we slowly round the reefs and turn south, the sailing became easier as we’re now on a beam reach. Eventually on the last leg into Suva were running downwind as we slip through the barrier reef and run into the port.

Our arrival is perfectly timed for a six o’clock happy hour as we drop anchor next to the club moorings and off the old dynamite store, a concrete hut built on a reef patch just of the club..

                          Off the bow                                                                                                            Our neighbours on the moorings  

Being a Monday we know from past experience that the restaurant is closed but we are pleasantly surprised to find they have a bar-b-que on and for $20 a head we get a meal and jug of beer each! At the bar we meet up with the Commodore and old friends, put in a pate order with John the Dane and then break off to dine.

As a plus point it’s not raining and having beered and dined they then put the Phil Collin final tour video on the big screen, fantastic. Tonton is overcome with emotion or tiredness we're not sure which, so we with the “Show” over we sup up and head home to our bunks.

Bob the Blog

20130716 Tuesday -Suva

Suva harbour is busy this morning with container ships coming and going and tugs busy assisting those and other ship going in and out of the docks. Off our bow, the floating dry dock has a large ferry on board and behind us the wrecked fishing boat that lies on its side, is covered in Terns a the tide exposes its hull like a large sandbank.

Lars has done a wondrous job of sewing in another line onto the Welsh flag which is slowly decomposing and had snapped from the halyard in yesterdays winds. The Dragon has already lost its tail and the wear is slowly creeping to its nether regions. Hopefully it should last until Shan arrives with a new one

                     Lost its tail!

We were told by the Commodore that there is and RFD  (A company that services life buoys and dinghies) has a workshop near here where we should be able to get glue and patches for the dinghy.

Arriving at the yacht club we pull the dinghy up the ramp opposite their jetty and with aid of paint brush and soapy water set about looking for the leak. The only one we could find was a small leak in the last patch we had put on. As we had run out of glue in the process we hadn’t held much hope for it at the time.

Then it’s off in search of the RFD workshop, and after going round the right around the block, bump into Tonton who has managed to find it and negotiate some two part glue and patches. The only catch is we have to supply a couple of suitable glass containers with metal lids for the glue and catalyst.

Grabbing a taxi that just happened to be passing were off town to the shopping mall for food and liquids and to see what we can get in suitable glass containers. Bolognaise sauce and nail varnish seems to be the answer. Then over the road  to the vegetable market for some tomatoes and Kava root packages for Sevusevu.

Re-launching the dinghy we return to the yacht in time for a beer and lunch, intending to return ashore after 2pm when RFD should reopen. In the meantime the sun has gone in and it’s getting overcast, but its not raining, yet!

Bob the Blog