We have been in Port Denarau Marina for a few days, getting the boat ready for Australia.  We were sad to leave the sunny white sand islands of the Mananucas, but it now time to get Time2 to safety for the cyclone season. With lots of cleaning and polishing, its looking like new again. We have also had to reduce our provisions to just what we need for the crossing, as the Bio-security rules in Aussie are very strict. 

We were sad to leave the sunny white sand islands of the Mananucas, but it now time to get Time2 to safety for the cyclone season.

Port Denarau marina is a great place, part of a larger complex than includes 6 top-end hotels, many beautiful homes on waterways and a shopping/ eating complex.  The international airport is close by, and all the tourists heading out to the island resorts leave here by ferry. These range from large ones, some travelling over 5 hours to the Yasawas; to old sailing boats for the Pirate feel; to open Pangas for a closer and cheaper ride. It also attracts the biggest and best yachts sailing through the Pacific. Here is a picture of Time2 dwarfed by the super yachts Koo (141ft) and  Erica XII (172ft)

 

 

The crew have been very busy on the yachts, and while the Koo crew was hoisted up the mast in a bosun's chair, Erica XII used a snazzy two-man electronic lift platform!   You can read all about Erica XII design at this link  http://www.hoekdesign.com/home/boten/tc/fr_sailing.asp?ID_Ship=93&ID_ShipType=1      Just before we left , the magnificent Dragonfly (240ft) also pulled up!  We have seen this yacht a few times this year - she is quite something!

 

 

We will check out of Lautoka port and head off south west. Our trip to Brisbane will route us via the south end of New Caledonia and then straight on to the Queensland coast just north of Brisbane.  Total miles to be covered are a little over 1500nm. We plan to enter the 35nm shipping channel into Morton Bay at sunrise, to make it into the Port in good time for customs & immigration.  I will update our position regularly as long as all goes well with the Sat phone (we don’t seem to be able to get a balance on our minutes!?)