Onboard after 2 years.

South Pacific Familyadventure 2008
Claes Brodin
Tue 10 Aug 2010 01:55
13 agusti 2010
Shall we see you again Tarita? I wrote in Riatea august 2008, and now we
are here in Fiji, sailing her again 2 years later and few years older
and maybe….wiser? Back onboard gives nice and happy feelings, pays back
all efforts, and erases doubts about keeping her.
Life onboard is a beat different with 4 teenagers. Somehow it feels more
crowded than the last time, and there is a generation difference. Not
surprisingly, Claes and me could spend the whole day just reading and
relaxing but our younger crew prefer water activities, beach and party.
Still quite healthy, compared to some sailor stories I have heard from the
West Indies in the 80’s.
Slowly we are sinking down in nomad life, restricted fresh water and
fresh food supply, salty sunburned clothes, fins and sea legs. Soon we
will reach a state of total comfort in this new life with no wish to be
back into western lifestyle.
Fiji is paradise: Volcanic islands with alive koral reefs for snorkeling
and diving and so friendly and happy people.
We spent first some time at Musket Cove Bay (Malolo Lai Lai island), a
friendly place for sailors with beach life, reefs and water-food- fuel
supply, and a nice island bar with evening fire places for own grilling.
Here we met some old swedish friends like single handed Bernardo s/y
Albertina, and Lisa s/y Magia (both 60+) and Kerstin and Thomas s/y Freja.
All them left Sweden several years ago and have been sailing in the
Pacific for more than 3 years. Lisa is particularly interesting, a very
nice and pretty MD from Uppsala, sailing alone. When I ask her how she
gets the guts for lonesome ocean sailing, she looks at me as if I were
from Mars.
We have now spent some time in Mammanuca and Yasawa islands, times goes,
snorkeling, reading, meeting other sailors and natives, and long table
discussion on everything.
Navigation is maybe as in Stockholm archipielago with the exception that
many reefs are not marked, and paper and digital charts can vary. It
requires ball naigation and I think we are getting better on this.
The islands have commonly one or two villages wer Fijians live as they
always did. Sometimes they can also hav a resort for western people. The
Fijians in the villages, fish, and eat what grows in the island, sweet
potatoes, kasawa root, and fruits. Tis year the harvesting has not been as
good sdue to the cyclones (Thomas and Mick). Sometimes is difficult to
find fresh veggies or fruit. What it strikes me most is that Fijians live
in very simple way and are always happy.