Minerva to Fiji
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Fri 10 Jun 2005 05:45
Minerva Reef to Savu Savu Fiji
Savu Savu
10th June 2005
On the morning of the 31st May Nordlys and
Troubadour left this mid ocean pond and set sail for Savu Savu on the second big
island of Fiji, Vanua Levu. Taking pictures of each other going through
the pass we then enjoyed a brisk broad reach before about fifteen to twenty
knots of wind. For quite a few hours we sailed at the same speed and on
the same course but then as night approached our strategies differed. For
us darkness and the evening transmission to friends in New Caledonia brought a
problem. For some reason we do not understand as I write the SSB managed
to cause the big alternator to burn out. At the same time the wind died
and we ended up motoring for most of the night with the tow generator
streamed! This was for me worrying and confusing. I will not bore
you with the whole of the technical details but suffice to say that in the
morning we tried the alternative smaller alternator and that worked so we were
not without power. Before we had ascertained that the strange affects of
the radio waves from our SSB had only affected one alternator and not the
regulator nor the other alternator I had without thinking streamed the fishing
line at first light. Bingo the line and the tow gen rotor met and joined
company. They wound themselves together in no uncertain way but as we were
motoring over a flat sea we managed to stop the boat and thus the rotating line
of the tow gen before the fishing line broke.
At this stage Annette insisted I went to bed before
I managed to do any more damage. Several hours later after a lot of
work she had the fishing line back in action. I was awoken with cries of
FISH as the reel screamed its tune. Now the fun began. We soon
realised we had a real whopper on our hands. Again as we were motoring we
managed to slow the boat down to a couple of knots and we set about winding
in. I pulled on the line and Annette wound. Between spells of the
fish taking lots of line out. After about half an hour we had him some
fifty meters off the stern. We could at this stage see he was a Mahe Mahe
or Dorado as it is sometimes known and he was big. On and on we toiled and
then he was along side. This is when we have lost them in the past as they
tend to fight like hell when near the hull. Who can blame them!
Luckily he was tiring and having lost two lures since New Zealand I had put
piano wire as my trace and a big hook on the lure. Gaffing was not
easy as he thrashed around until I managed to get my gaff in his mouth and with
a monumental effort pulled him aboard. He was far too heavy to pull up
with the trace even with thick leather gloves on. A large slug of very
rough Fijian brandy, bought last year in ignorance of its roughness, and his
life was over. The butchery began. Luckily he was male which always
makes one feel better. He was 1.45 meters from head to tail and I estimate
his weight at about 20 to 25 kg or rather more than a full can of diesel which I
know the weight of too well by now.
Suffice to say that when we eventually got into
Savu Savu just after first light on the third of June we were very popular as we
managed to give most of the anchorage some fish despite three meals ourselves
and another three in the small freezer part of our fridge. We do not have
a deep freeze as such on board.
I am writing this some seven days after our
arrival. The alternator has been rewound and re dioded, 12 diodes at £23
each -ouch-, in a small back yard workshop by a cheerful Indian by the name of
Pillai. The diodes came from Suva on Vitu Levu by air in 24 hours and the
special wire was also brought in by air overnight. This modern
transport was in marked contrast to Pillai's workshop but he seemed to know what
he was doing. Next door they were actually taking old TVs and ghetto
blasters apart to repair. Throw away society has not reached Savu
Savu.
We have managed to get permission to go out to
Vanua Balavu in the otherwise off tourist Lau group. The plan was to leave
today but yesterday the weather deteriorated and we filled the water tanks in
minutes as the rain came down in sheets. Lightening flashed and the
anchorage was generally not a pleasant place but much better than being at
sea. Thus we are giving it one day and hoping for more settled conditions
tomorrow. At 100nm it is too far to do in a day but only just an
overnight trip. We will try to leave at about 1200hrs and sail
slowly for arrival at the pass a few hours after sun up. That is the plan
anyway.
The other interesting thing here is the rumblings,
one could say screechings in the local newspapers, as the people in power try to
get a bill through Parliament that will give a pardon to all who committed
outrages in the last coup. Things are beginning to boil and we will keep
the boat well stocked and be ready to go to sea at a moments notice.
Interestingly enough it is not over Fijian/Indian arguments that the
potential conflict is but over the old reactionary Chiefs with their
undemocratic powers and the more democratic members of society, including the
military who want to see justice and a forward looking Fiji. Interesting
times are ahead in the next few months.
Best wishes to all our readers,
David and Annette
The one that did not get away
Hot, muzzy making work as we motored over the big
swell