windyty

Fiji

http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/Fiji

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji

Currency Fijian dollar (FJD) 1.50 = AUD 1.00

The health officer arrived at the clearance dock to clear Sadiqi into Fiji. The first piece of paper issued was an invoice for Fiji$254.50 or US$123, then the Certificate of Pratique. She asked if I knew what the boat name “Sadiqi” meant. She is Moslem and said that it means “Friend” or “Simple” in Arabic. The next official was from Bio Security, and what a load of BS that was, charged Fiji$89.70 or US$42. The customs officer sauntered down at around 1645 hours and asked me, amongst other questions, for all ports visited since leaving Australia in 2010. I was charged 2 hours overtime at Fiji$42.80 or US$20. Total charges, including Copra Shed marina facility charges, was close to US$200. The Fijian clearance is cheap compared to that of boats, less then 25 metres in length, arriving in Australia, where Quarantine charges a minimum of AU$480.00 or US$350. That's an awful lot of beer money.

By the time I finished with officialdom it was getting dark. The Copra Shed security guard led me to a large mooring buoy, which I declined. From experience I knew Sadiqi would bump against the large mooring all night. I asked if there was a place to anchor. The security guard dismissed me saying “outside” - not at all helpful or friendly! With apparently no alternative mooring buoys available I went to find a place to anchor. I managed to find a spot in a depth of 12 metres amongst the moorings.

Early next morning I moved onto a Waitui Marina mooring buoy, when it became available. Jolene at Waitui Marina was cheerful, very friendly and helpful. Thanks to Jolene I found my weary sense of humour again. The facilities at the marina can be regarded as having character. I'd have no hesitation on recommending Waitui Marina to cruisers.

http://waituimarinafiji.com

Waitui marina

Sadiqi in Savusavu

Savusavu is an interesting bustling little town. 

Some of the other cruisers in Savusavu:

“Fair Winds” with Sherman and Judy from USA and Austalia

“Second Wind” with Art and Nancy from Seattle USA

“Muneera” with Nick, Andrea, Ella, Millie and James from Australian

“Wairua” with Andy and Megan heading to New Zealand

“Kairos” with Menno from Holland.

“State or Mind” with Rod and Brenda from Australia and New Zealand

“Navire” with David and Janet from New Zealand

“Boxing Kangaroo” with Brett and Lynn from Belgium.

“Amelie IV” with Mark and family from Canada.

The South Pacific Convergence Zone SPCZ dominated the weather in Fiji. Many of the the cruisers in Savusavu were waiting for an opportunity to cruise the islands or head to their next destination. Around the middle of October the Fiji weather bureau announced a tropical depression several hundred miles north east of Fiji. The official Cyclone season starts at the beginning of November. The news of the tropical depression caused some angst amongst cruisers.

One evening, with rain beating heavily on the old corrugated iron roof of the Waitui marina club house, Nancy from “Second Wind” gave cruisers a solo violin concert. Nancy is a concert violinist and teacher from Seattle.

Savusavu Calm weather

Yachts began to leave Savusavu on Monday October 19. For the first time in two weeks the strong south easterly winds abated. Sadiqi was not able to leave the mooring in Savusavu as the skipper had torn a muscle in his back and was almost immobile. A stewing in the hot springs baths at the medical clinic near by gave the skipper much relief. 

Nakama creek Savusavu

22-10-15 Thursday

I made ready to depart Savusavu – stocking up with food, water and beer.

Fiji is a challenging cruising area. The islands cover a vast area of the South Pacific, unfortunately it also has a veritable minefield of coral reefs. This is not an area for complacency. Departing and arriving between the hours of 0900 and 1500, with good visibility, is smart navigation. Also, the C-Map charts that I use are not accurate. There are very few reference points to identify chart errors. Navigation marks shown on the charts have been lost over the years due to cyclones etc.

2225 Sadiqi dropped the mooring at Savusavu and headed to Makongai island, aprox 50 miles south.

Engine: 1729.4 hours.

The winds were around 4 knots easterly in the lee of Vanua Levu Sadiqi motor sailed out of Savusavu bay. The winds steadily increased to 10 knots. The engine had a rest until 0500 hours when the winds dropped to 4 knots easterly in the lee, west of, Koro island. The seas were sloppy.

23-10-15 Friday

0920 Sadiqi entered the pass to Makongai island. This was when I noticed that the C-map charts were roughly 0.08 nautical miles out to the north.

1010 I dropped anchor at Makodgroga island.

Engine 1734.4 hours.

I went for a snorkel to check the anchor. I was amazed with the beautiful coral closer to shore of the island. The anchorage at Makodroga island was not suitable – it was roly and Roxy the anchor dragged almost 100 metres over the sand covered rock.

1600 I moved to the main sheltered anchorage of Makongai island less than a mile away.

24-10-15 Saturday

0600 departed Makongai island

Engine: 1736.0 hours

It was nice sailing in 10 to 12 knots ESE once clear of the Makongai fringing reef. Just after Levuka, Fiji's former capital, on Ovalau island the wind dropped to 5 to 8 knots easterly. I started the motor again to get through the slop. It was a trying days sail with wind shifting and easing near the rain showers that past over.

1700 Beer o clock. Winds were 12 knots ESE – very nice sailing toward the south west.

25-10-15 Sunday

During the night it was a pleasant drift downwind at between 2 to 3 knots SOG under mainsail. Around 0400 hours the AIS alarm sounded. I steered clear of the ship travelling at 17 knots headed for Suva. I made several course changes to sail to the island group of Beqa. I knew Nick, Andrea and family on Muneera were heading to Beqa.

1120 Arrived at Malumu bay, Bequ.

Engine: 1739.5 hours

I anchored alongside Muneera. There were no other yachts in the beautiful, sheltered bay of Malumu. 

Muneera in Malumu bay, Beqa

26-10-15 Monday

1030 Sadiqi departed Malumu Bay, Beqa

Nick, Andrea and the zoo onboard Muneera headed for a small island nearby for the four kids could do the Gilligan's island thing and wreak havoc.

Sadiqi had a very leisurely sail westwards under mainsail only to Yanuca island.

1305 Arrived in a beautiful bay in the not so sheltered bay on the west side if the island. I managed to find a relatively clear spot in the coral to drop the anchor. Several hours later Muneera dropped anchor near by. 

Yanuca island

Yanuca (pronounced Yanutha) island is a very pretty island. There were two small backpacker type hotels, one of them had been abandoned for several years.

I spent a good deal of time with the zoo on Muneera. Nick, Andrea, Ella and Millie sailed from Seychelles nearly 6 years ago. Nick's brother Chris, with family Jude, and Darcy flew to Fiji from Australia to visit. James, Chris and Jude's oldest, had flown to Tahiti for sail with his cousins and experience sailing the open ocean. I called it a zoo as I was not familiar with all the interaction between the four teenagers and the four adults. The repartee and shenanigans were very amusing to watch and be a part of. Andrea and Jude worked wonders in the galley on Muneera to feed us all. 

Muneera zoo - Nick, James, Jude, Andrea, Millie, Ella, Chris and Darcy

We walked to the village on the east side of the island to visit the chief – hoping to do a traditional Fijian Sevusevu ceremony. This is where Kava (Yagona) root is drank seated with the chief of the village. The Chief was busy making Pandanus mats when we found him. He accepted the Kava, muttered some words in Fijian, then said we were free to walk around the village. This was not quite what we expected. We had tried to follow the Fijian traditions.

Yanuca chief

On the walk back to the boats Andrea, wanted to visit the school. The school catered for up to year 8. The older students went to school across the lagoon on Mbengga island. The younger students sang for us. Andrea enrolled Millie, James and Darcy for school the next day. Ella and Millie have been home schooled on board Muneera since leaving Australia in 2009. This was a unique opportunity for the the kids to experience school in a different country. The local kids wear uniform and shoes were optional.

28-10-15 Wednesday

1615 Sadiqi and Muneera departed Yanuca for a 60 mile overnight sail to Mololo island.

It was a pleasant downwind sail westwards at 2 to 3 knots under an almost full moon.

29-10-15 Thursday

1130 I picked up a mooring at Musket Cove, Mololo island.

Engine 1743.5 hours

Fiji is a beautiful cruising ground - all be it with a lot of treacherous coral reefs. It's not an area to be complacent in. Musket Cove resort is a very yacht friendly resort. Paying $5 for life membership entitles one to use most of the resort facilities.

http://www.musketcovefiji.com

Musket Cove Yacht Club Bar

Early Sunday morning, November 1, resort guests and cruisers gathered at “Dicks Place” to watch New Zealand beat Australia in the world cup rugby. Probably a little too much time was spent either on Muneera, tied to the dock, or in the Musket Cove Yacht Club bar near by. Between socialising with the zoo on Muneera and enjoying Musket Cove a good deal of time was spent analysing the weather for the next leg of the adventure.

November arrived – the official start to the southern Pacific cyclone season. I aimed for a weather window around November 9. The Tasman sea is up there with: north west USA, the Gulf Stream off south eastern USA, northern Colombia, east coast South Africa as areas that can get a little uncomfortable at times. I use several tools – OpenCPN with grib plugin and Android tablet for passage planning. There's also a weather routing plugin that I have had a look at - way too complicated. These are great tools where there is good internet access. Maybe I focused a little too much on November 9 as that was the day I decided to leave.

Prior to leaving Musket Cove I scrubbed the bottom of Sadiqi, filled with water and fuel and prepared for another lengthy voyage. I sent off all the requisite forms to necessary authorities for advance notice of arrival. Sunday evening, November 8, I visited the Musket Cove Yacht Club bar to say goodbye to the friends I had made there.

Early Monday November 9 I headed for Vuda marina to clear out of Fiji. This was relatively painless – filling out a 6 page form of people and boat particulars.

Sadiqi departed Vuda Marina at 1145.

Engine: 1746.4 hours

The winds close to Viti Levu – the largest of Fijis' islands were onshore 10 to 12 knots westerly. These were local conditions. Once I clear the fringing reef the winds should come from south south east.

 

Tonga to Fiji

03-10-15 Saturday

1000 Depart Port Maurelle, Vava'u, Tonga

Engine 1724.4 hours

The winds were 10 to 12 knots (T) SE once out of the lee of the islands.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 10 – 12 knots (T) SE

Lat: 18 37.95 S, Lon: 174 07.80 W

COG: 290 deg M, SOG: 5 knots

Engine: 1725.7 hours

7 miles since leaving Port Maurelle.

Nice down wind sailing with full main and poled out jib.

1700 Beer o clock.

Winds easing toward the east

Pretty pink and red sunset.

The wind dropped below 10 knots (true) before midnight.

The sails banged, the sheets and halyards creaked as Sadiqi wobbled westward in rough seas at 2 to 3 knots SOG.

04-10-15 Sunday

I was woken before dawn by the Cross Track alarm on the GPS.

The sails were backed - Poled out jib and main held by the preventer. Sadiqi was going slowly backwards.

The nasty confused seas slapped at Sadiqi from nearly all directions.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 10 – 12 knots (T) SSE

Lat: 17 55.55 S, Lon: 175 30.97 W

COG: 280 deg M, SOG: 4.5 knots

Engine: 1725.7 hours

89 miles since noon previous day.

Wind steadily increasing – a much more comfortable sail.

By mid afternoon the winds were up to 14 knots, swinging toward the south. Sadiqi was romping along with the wind on the beam at up to 7 knots speed over the ground (SOG) in a half knot favourable current.

1700 - Beer o clock UTC +13

Change time zone to UTC +12 hours

1700 Beer o clock UTC +12 :)

05-10-15 Monday

Noon 1200 UTC +12 hours

Wind 16 – 20 knots (T) SE

Lat: 17 16.62 S, Lon: 178 00.36 W

COG: 280 deg M, SOG: 5.5 knots

Engine: 1725.7 hours

147.5 miles since noon previous day.

Sadiqi rolling along.

1500 Wind 18 to 22 knots (T) SE

Fiery sunset over Fiji

1700 Beer o clock was forfeit due to heavy weather and the prospect of a long night avoiding the many reefs and islands on the east side of the Fiji archipelago.

1930 Sadiqi gingerly entered the fringing reefs of the Fiji archipelago – 120 miles to clear in at Savusavu.

The winds over night were mainly 18 to 22 knots with periods up to 25 knots. The seas were a little milder once inside the reefs.

I managed to snatch 20 minutes sleep every now and again, having set the GPS cross track error to half a mile. Most of the reefs that Sadiqi weaved and passed through were at least several miles apart. It was still disconcerting trusting only the charts and chart plotter on a dark night. Fortunately the C-Map charts were accurate.

06-10-15 Tuesday

The shortcut through the reefs cut 80 miles or nearly a day off the voyage. I was relieved to see the sun in the morning, all be it a little overcast.

I continued to push Sadiqi hard with single reefed main and yankee jib. Smithy the windpilot seemed to cope with the strong winds and big following seas. I noticed the windpilot was sticking on some points – another clean up and lube was required after arrived in port. I was hoping to arrive in the Savusavu, Fiji anchorage before 1630 to avoid expensive overtime charges on clearing into Fiji.

Crossed meridian 180 just before noon.

Noon 1200 UTC +12 hours

Wind 10 – 26 knots (T) ESE

Lat: 16 55.57 S, Lon: 179 32.99 E

COG: 277 deg M, SOG: 6.5 knots

Engine: 1725.7 hours

141.8 miles since noon previous day.

Rolling along in boisterous seas.

After entering Suvasuva bay I contacted the Copra Shed marina to contact the relevant foreign vessel clearance services.

1605 Arrived Savusavu, Fiji – clearance dock.

Engine: 1726.4 hours