A wonderfull time, nine months in French Polynesia ends. The latest weather prediction promises that the trade winds pick up and bring us to Tonga, 1280 nautical miles west, either to Niuatoputapu island or Neiafu in the Vava’u group. Time to go through the pass to the open sea before the wind starts…
The sail from Niuatoputapu island to Neiafu in the Vava’u group is on. But there actually is a lot more wind than predicted. In Port Maurelle a sailor said this is due a local compression zone that is often present near Tonga. Other sailors reported 60 knots of wind on their short passage from Niue to Vava’au.
The wind on passage from Port Maurelle in Tonga’s Vava’au group to Suva in Fiji is just right. 15 to 20 knots of tradewind pushes us gently downwind. Jimmy Cornell’s book World Sailing Routes advices to take a small detour further South to avoid dangerous reefs in Fiji’s Lau group.
Again a beautifull sail from Suva to Denarau out following the wide access channel through the reef surrounding Suva harbour. South through the Beqa passage avoiding the shallows at Caesar rocks. Then following the South coast outside the reef over a track donated by a generous cruiser.
We pulled the anchor up and left at last from Vuda Point. We headed north past various rusty hulks outside Lautoka. We saw the pile of orange sugar cane chaff again which had smelled so sweet from the bus. Motoring north in idyllic conditions following Ocelots or Paddy’s tracks inside the reef.
The pass out through the reef surrounding Namena Island is without any markers which is a bit nerve wracking however we have our track to follow and we motor out smoothly enough. There are dive boats in the distance as we leave one of the best diving sites ever, so they say.
When you anchor for the first time near an island of the Lau group it is often necessary to do a sevusevu ceremony. Shortly after our arrival near the village of Daliconi in Malaka bay, Vanua Mbalavu a neighbour-cruiser popped over to tell us that the chief had asked all who had arrived to come to his house at 1pm.
From Daliconi it is a short sail to the Bay of Islands. An astonishing beautiful expanse of water with numerous small islands and islets. Please choose your anchorage of the day! We anchor in front of a wall where hundreds of large bats fly when the sun sets.
Makogai lies 130 nautical miles west of Vanua Mbalavu. We sailed quickly with the wind behind us at 6-7 knots through the night. It was just getting light when we arrived at Makogai. After carefully navigating through the narrow pass in the coral reef we arrived in the lagoon in front of a village.
From Levuka we sail to Astrolabe reef to get a glimpse of it before sailing back to Denarau Viti Levu Fiji. A cruiser in Fiji told us that there are big manta’s to see in the narrow channel between Drawaqua island and Navita island and hopefully we will still have time time to explore Ono and Kandavu.
Too bad we got sick! Covid like symtoms. Probably got infected in the bus from Nadi town a few days ago when visiting customs for a “facilitation letter” for my brother Michael who comes soon to sail with us to New Zealand. The infection disabled Stella for a week and Stefan for more than 14 days….
Sailing to Tauranga in the bay of Plenty for quite a few important reasons: to have our headsail repaired, to catch a glimpse at the interior of New Zealand for the first time and to meet a highschool friend who immigrated here many years ago. Stefan has not seen her for 46 years….
After 2 two restful weeks in the marina it starts to itch again. Where shall we go? Burton Sails Tauranga truly are a quality company and they keep their promise: the sail is back so lets go! Escaping the marina with the invaluable help of lads in a dingy that stopped us from bumping into our neighbour….
Beaufort wind scale 5 to 7 broad reach to beam, a bit inconsistent. Mostly reef one in genoa but sometimes reef two and a half when it is gusting forty. A bit more heeling than is comfy but grand, we make great speeds. The odd wave splashes on our sofa and by the time it is dry it happens again….
The sun was rising at 6:15 as we sailed with the wind behind us nicely out of the Bay of Islands New Zealand. Leaving in a rush with the only weather window we could see before my flight in 10 days time. The passage looked a bit challenging with the last two hours of tacking in 25 knots gusting 35….