Back to Savusavu

Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Mon 28 Jul 2014 20:44
 
I head from Rabi to Taveuni to wait for the right weather to go to Vanua Mbalavu, sometimes know as the Exploring Isles and certainly easier to pronounce. While waiting with three other boats the police come aboard and check us out very carefully. Then a superyacht of 148 feet arrives. Who was on board we never did find out but they obviously warranted some protection.

The forecast looked poor for going east so I revert to my original plan and bay hop towards the west. On the way I meet Per Ardua skippered by Peter. He is from Strabane, surely the epicentre of sailing excellence! I arrive back in Savusavu and meet Peggy West skippered by Ron who was brought up at Ballysallagh; obviously a fresh water sailor. Another boat called Val arrives; I haven't met up with him yet but the accent on the radio can only be Belfast. It's a Paddy takeover...


Friends from Cultra have just arrived at their first stop in Indonesia and here is the problem we all now face. After India you cannot go through the Red Sea. The situation in Somalia is getting worse instead of better. So now we have to go to South Africa (nice place but VERY challenging sailing) and from there the only route to the Mediteranian is Brazil, all the way up through the Caribbean to Bermuda, Azores, Gibralter and into the Med. That is a lot of sailing and a lot of sailing in places I have already been to. The other option is to go to India or Sri Lanka and ship the boat to the Med. It saves a lot of hassle. It just happens to be very expensive. We will see...

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