Fiji to New Zealand 2016

Sunday November 20 - Day 0

1115 Sadiqi departed Lautoka after clearing with Customs. I motor sailed south in 10 knot westerly winds.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 10 knots W

Lat: 17 37.57 S Lon: 179 23.53 E

COG: 218 deg M SOG: 4.5 knots

Engine: 2012.0 hours

4 miles since departing Lautoka.

1600 Sadiqi exited Navula Passage like an excited Champagne cork, with the falling tide, at 7 knots.

Then the fun began. Winds 20 to 25 knots ESE with short, sharp, nasty and very wet seas in the lee of the islands. Most things inside and outside the boat got a thorough soaking. I hand steered for several hours in an attempt to ease Sadiqi through the nasty short steep waves.

1700 Beer o clock was skipped. Soggy skipper not feeling too cheerful.

Monday November 21 - Day 1

Sadiqi powered through the night on a beam reach doing SOG of 5 to 6 knots in 25 to 30 knots Easterly winds. Very small mainsail and half furled jib.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 18 to 22 knots ENE

Barometer: 1016 rising

Lat: 19 37.31 S Lon: 179 29.80 E

COG: 182 deg M SOG: 6.0 knots

Engine: 2015.0 hours

130.0 miles since noon previous day.

Rolling along.

1700 Beer o clock was skipped. Soggy skipper still not feeling too cheerful.

Tuesday November 22 - Day 2

Another fast and boisterous night. 

Day 2 Boisterous conditions

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 20 to 25 knots NE

Barometer: 1018 rising

Lat: 21 29.92 S Lon: 175 23.83 E

COG: 185 deg M SOG: 5.5 knots

Engine: 2015.0 hours

129.0 miles since previous noon

Sadiqi bouncing along in breezy, boisterous conditions.

Managed to miss Conway Reef out in the middle of no where.

1700 Beer o clock was acknowledged and libations made to family and friends. The skipper soon became very soggy again when, while enjoying libations, an errant wave crashed over the deck. The skipper beginning to wonder when do we get to the good bit.

Wednesday November 23 - Day 3

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 18 to 20 knots ENE

Barometer: 1019 steady

Lat: 23 34.51 S Lon: 174 14.69 E

COG: 190 deg M SOG: 6.0 knots

Engine: 2015.0 hours

140.0 miles since previous noon

Sadiqi bouncing along in breezy, boisterous conditions.

Swell 2 metres.

1500 Wind eased to 15 knots ENE.

1700 Beer o clock was acknowledged.

The wind picked up to 20 knots ENE. I reduced mainsail again.

Sadiqi seemed to be coping fine with the 100% Yankee jib.

Smithy the WindPilot seemed to be happy maintaining a beam reach.

Thursday November 24 - Day 4

0430 Woke to flapping sails. A small front had passed to the east.

1015 Wind 10 to 15 knots (T) ENE

Raised little stay sail. SOG back around 5 to 6 knots.

Cutter rigged

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 12 to 15 knots ENE

Barometer: 1017 falling

Lat: 25 41.46 S Lon: 173 17.43 E

COG: 175 deg M SOG: 6.0 knots

Engine: 2015.0 hours

137.0 miles since previous noon

Nice sailing with full main, jib and staysail.

Swell 1.5 metres.

1700 Beer o clock

First beer I've had this trip where sea water has not been splashed into it.

Friday November 25 - Day 5

Overnight Sadiqi was pushing against a half to one knot current.

Winds gradually dropped swinging to the north.

1030 Hoisted Big Bertha the asymmetrical spinnaker.

Big Bertha

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 10 (T) knots NNE

Barometer: 1015 falling

Lat: 27 32.17 S Lon: 173 14.24 E

COG: 160 deg M SOG: 5.0 knots

Engine: 2015.7 hours

110.5 miles since previous noon

Still pushing against a half knot current.

Swell 1.0 metres.

1630 Wind less than 8 knots northerly.

Dropped Big Bertha.

Started engine.

1700 Beer o clock.

Skipper went for a swim and wash in the mild sea conditions.

Water temperature a chilly 21 degrees C.

Saturday November 26 - Day 6

The engine rattled and rumbled all night. Winds were less than 8 knots from the north.

Fuel tank was topped up with 20 litres from a jerry can.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind less than 8 knots (T) NNW

Barometer: 1014 falling

Lat: 29 16.44 S Lon: 173 13.35 E

COG: 170 deg M SOG: 4.0 knots

Engine: 2034.5 hours

105.0 miles since previous noon

Strange stuff. I was in my bunk reading a book when I smelt something different and not altogether pleasant.

Not having anyone else on board there was no one else to blame. I checked the composting toilet. I pumped the bilges. Finally, I went up on deck and looked around. Sadiqi was around 300 miles from either Norfolk Island or New Zealand. I noticed two large hulks astern. I can only assume they were basking whales. Maybe, two humpback whales or two humping whales. I also, assume that the smell was their breath.

1605 Winds 12 knots (T) NW

Barometer: 1012 falling.

Turned off the engine. (The sounds of silence:)

1700 Beer o clock. Beer was skipped as the likelyhood of a long night. The GRIB model files had forecast a front passing during the night.

Sadiqi was beating to windward on port tack.

Winds 15 to 20 knots (T) SE, raining.

The small front passed, the wind swung to the SE.

Sunday November 27 - Day 7

0200 Winds les than 10 knots (T) SSE

Sails flapping. Started the engine.

Fuel tank was topped up with another 20 litres from a jerry can.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 8 - 10 knots (T) SSW

Barometer: 1016 rising

Lat: 30 27.19 S Lon: 172 50.06 E

COG: 150 deg M SOG: 4.0 knots

Engine: 2048.7 hours (way too many engine hours)

75.0 miles since previous noon

Motor sailing with full main, jib and stay sails.

Sadiqi seems to still be pushing against a current.

1700 Beer o clock. Winds 8 - 12 knots (T) SW

Turned off the engine to send and download emails on SSB.

Monday November 28 - Day 8

Overnight winds 12 - 18 knots (T) SSW

Sunrise

 Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 12 - 15 knots (T) S

Barometer: 1017 steady

Lat: 32 19.53 S Lon: 173 15.50 E

COG: 130 deg M SOG: 5.0 knots

Engine: 2054.9 hours

114.5 miles since previous noon

Beating to windward again.

1700 Beer o clock. This has not been the best beer drinking passage.

Winds 10 to 15 knots (T) S

150 Miles out of Opua, NZ

Tuesday November 29 - Day 9

Winds decreased overnight.

0600 Wind 8 - 10 knots (T) S (where I was headed)

Motor sailing to windward - again.

0930 New Zealand Air Force Orion contracted Sadiqi on VHF 16.

Asked to give arrival details for NZ.

Noon 1200 UTC +13 hours

Wind 8 - 10 knots (T) SSW

Barometer: 1019 steady

Lat: 33 56.11 S Lon: 174 09.40 E

COG: 130 deg M SOG: 4.5 knots

Engine: 2057.9 hours

107.0 miles since previous noon.

1315 Wind 8 knots (T) S

Started the motor again.

1700 Beer o clock. Winds 8 knots (T) SSW.

Motor sailing - still.

63 Miles out of Opua, NZ

Wednesday November 30 - Day 10

0400 Winds 8 - 10 knots S

Started the engine and headed into the wind toward Opua, NZ

0750 Arrive Quarantine Dock at Opua, NZ

Engine: 2065.8 hours

Temperature was decidedly cool compared to Fiji.

Clearing into New Zealand was almost effortless.

No vermin was found on board. All rubbish, meat, vegetables and seeds were handed over to Bio-Security for disposal.

Ding on "Chiquita" who had left a day before and arrived in Opua 2 days before Sadiqi. 

Total engine hours: 54.7 hours.

Fiji 2016

http://cruisingsavusavu.blogspot.com/

Nakama Creek Savusavu, Fiji

Some of the cruisers in Savusavu:

“Eagles Wings” Ken and Beth from Chicago

“Sofia” Jonathan and Anne from UK

“Kairos” Menno from Holland

"Fair Winds" Sherman and Judy form USA and Australia

“Second Wind” Art and Nancy from Seattle, USA

I spent a good deal of time, on Fiji's second largest island of Vanua Levu, working on the boat, visiting a dentist in Labasa and anchored off the Cousteau Resort. Savusavu is an easy and friendly town to stay in.

Waitui Marina late afternoon

I planned to sail to Taviuni Island to the east of Savusavu. Dark o clock, Saturday July 2, I should have stayed in bed. The alarm woke me at 4.30am. After a coffee I hauled up the anchor in drizzling rain. Once away from the shelter of the reef the seas were a little unpleasant and winds up to 25 knots from where I was headed! The seas and swell were around 2 metres. Roxy the Rocna anchor had not been secured and attempted an escape. If you can picture the skipper at the pointy end of Sadiqi in 2 metre seas trying to retrieve Roxy. The skipper received a thorough dunking. Roxy managed to put a semicircular gouge near the bow, topsides before being arrested and restrained. Returning to the cockpit to re-evaluate my intentions - I came to me senses. Beating to windward in 25 knot winds for 30 miles was not my idea of fun. I radioed 'Fair Winds', the yacht that was planning on accompanying me, that conditions were "unpleasant" and that I was returning to the anchorage. "Fair Winds" had just hauled anchor. I passed two larger yachts on their way out to sea - conditions were abating. I was grateful to return to the shelter of the anchorage.

Close to midday July 16, despite being a Friday, I hauled anchor near the Cousteau Resort for the 100 mile sail to Suva - the capital on Viti Levu island. The winds were from the east south east making for a good sail south. Sadiqi arrived mid afternoon the next day after a pleasant sail. I met up with Tom and Jan on "Ambler" near the Novotel hotel anchorage (formerly Tradewinds Hotel). It was a pleasant sheltered anchorage - also called the Bay of Islands. Suva, as I found out, is also called soggy Suva - it rained most days. Sherman and Judy on "Fair Winds" arrived in Suva a few days later.

Bay of Islands anchorage Suva

On Tuesday August 8 - dark o clock - I motored through Suva harbour toward the Astrolabe Reefs of Kadavu - 40 miles to the south. Ambler left shortly after Sadiqi - neither of us do buddy boating. Just after Midday after a very pleasant beam reach I dropped anchor off the island of Dravuni, within the shelter of the Great Astolabe Reefs. The water was beautiful and clear. Tom, Jan and I went ashore to visit the village Mayor to present kava and show our cruising permit.

Dravuni Island, Astrolabe Reefs, Kadavu

Two days after our arrival it started to rain and continued to do so for 6 days. The islands needed the rain. The wind was forecast to strengthen from the south. We moved to a more sheltered anchorage Naqara on Ono island. When the weather started to clear I headed north to the island of Namara. A very pleasant anchorage in crystal clear water. The small island provided hours of fascinating beach combing.

Ambler anchored off Namara, Astrolabe reefs

The Cob BBQ was dragged out of the deep soggy depths of the cockpit locker. If memory serves, which it has been known not to, the last time I used it was in the San Blas islands.

Pizza on the beach - Namara

Pizza on the beach - Namara

On Monday August 15, after a pleasant over night sail westwards from the Astrolabe Reefs, Sadiqi arrived back at Musket Cove resort. Clothes were washed and the skipper had the best hot water shower since leaving New Zealand.

Some of the other cruisers at Musket Cove:

"Muneera" with Nick and friends from Austalia

“Kairos” with Menno from Holland

"Fair Winds" with Sherman and Judy form USA and Australia

"Cachalot" with Alison from England and Greg from USA.

"Jig Saw" with Phil and Fay from Australia, last seen in the Caribbean. 
 

I motored to Lautoka. Fiji's second largest city also called the "Sugar City" due to the large sugar cane refinery near the port. I found Lautoka a good place to re-provision - water, fuel and propane/gas are easily available. The shops and markets are within easy walking distance from the port. The downside of anchoring near Lautoka is the soot and ash from the sugar refinery, when the wind is blowing from the South East.

In September a friend arrived from New Zealand. Liz flew into Nadi International airport and took a taxi for FJD$25 to Lautoka port. The following day we headed for Waya the southern most island of the Yasawa group.

Yalobi village, Waya, Yasawa

Waya

We met up with Judy and Sherman on Fair Winds at the anchorage near Yalobi village. Waya is a stunningly beautiful island. We spent hours walking the long beaches. It was wonderful to share the experience.Toward the end of Liz's stay we motored sailed back to Musket Cove. We then motor sailed to Port Denarau for Liz to catch the plane back to the cold island of the long white cloud. I headed for Saweni Bay after re-provisioning at Lautoka.

I headed for Saweni Bay after re-provisioning at Lautoka.

Sunrise at Saweni Bay

Saweni Bay

Some of the boats in Saweni Bay:

“Second Wind” with Art and Nancy from Seattle, USA.

"Impetuous Too" with Duncan, Ruth and, newly arrived crew, Ravi from UK.

Sadiqi spent much of the time anchored in Saweni Bay on the west coast of Viti Levu - Fiji's largest island. Several times I've walked the 3 miles south along the sugar cane rail tracks to Vuda marina to visit friends there. I've also walked the train tracks north to Lautoka. The 5 miles took nearly 2 hours, what with stopping to chat with the friendly locals along the way. I felt I was living on the fringe of a generally happy and content society. If the wind is blowing in the right direction I could hear the muezzin call the faithful to prayer. On Sundays, sometimes, I could hear the fire and brimstone sermon from one of the Christian churches. Toward the end of September Saweni beach became a kaleidoscope of noise, colour and activity when the Hindus had a celebration for Lord Ganesh. The rhythmic sound of kava being thumped into powder sometimes also intruded on the serenity. Sadiqi may well stay anchored in Saweni Bay until ready to depart for New Zealand. It's that kind of place. If there's a downside it would be the occasional dusting of soot and ash on the deck from the burning of the sugar cane fields.

  

Sugar cane train

Socialising on Second Wind

In July, while in Suva, I visited a dentist to have 2 crowns/caps fitted. This turned out to be one of my less successful experiences. I had the crowns replaced by a more competent dentist in Lautoka. I've written this off as a bad experience. My fault for inadequate research in the first place. The cost of parsimony.

In early October a trough developed near Vanuatu and moved over Fiji. Wind speeds were forecast up to 35 knots. I use the Windfinder app when I have Internet access. For awhile the winds blew from the north on shore up to 25 knots. Then there was a 180 degree wind shift and winds gusted up to 40 knots. The wind fairly howled through the rigging. The boom awning was ripped. My fault for not taking it down before the wind really blew. The challenge was getting the rest of it down before it damaged me or the boat.

Musket Cove

Toward the middle of October I motor sailed to Musket Cove to catch up with friends, do laundry and have a good hot shower.

Some of the cruisers at Musket Cove:

"Cachalot" with Alison from England.

"Irie II" with Al from Texas, USA.

"Anahata" with David from Canada.

"Vian Dante" with Grant from USA.

"Chiquita" with Ding from UK.

"Falshator" with John and Shelly from NZ.

 

Vivid sunrise at Saweni Bay

From Musket Cove I returned to the serenity of Saweni Bay.

I received a message that a few solo sailors were venturing to the Yasawa group of islands. Sadiqi departed Saweni bay on October 27 and headed for Drawaqa island some 27 miles north west. The wind increased in strength the further west I motor sailed. Ding on Chiquita and David on Anahata were anchored near the Manta Ray Bay resort. The anchorage can be rolly at times. The following day I borrowed scuba gear and dived on the pinnacles dive site - a huge coral bommie with amazing fish and coral life. Ding was not scuba certified. The last scuba dive that I had done had been at Saint Helena island in the South Atlantic. 

http://mantarayisland.com/

Shark dive

Nemo found

Christmas Tree Worm

Moorish Idol

Lion Fish

Loin Fish

Stone Fish

Peacock Smasher

The crew

I donated my old 4mm wetsuit to Jacob. It had been a few years since I had last used it and it seemed to have shrunk. Well, I had expanded somewhat. It was a very memorable week. Weary and with depleted stores we all sailed/motored back to Musket Cove.

Sunrise Saweni Bay

November 12, I returned to the serenity of Saweni Bay. Preparations for the trip south to New Zealand continued. I avidly watched the weather forecasts for a kind weather window. A departure date of Tuesday 15th November looked good for awhile. However, by the weekend I would have been beating into 20 to 30 knots winds and 4 metre swell from the south. I was reminded, by Ding on Chiquita, that gentlemen do not sail to windward. I motored back to Musket Cove to continue preparations. David, Ding and I socialised with Duncan and Ruth on Impetuous. The next suitable weather window was Sunday 20th November. I was running out of time, my Fiji visa was due to expire and I had booked flights out of New Zealand in mid December. Leaving on a Sunday meant I was going to have to incur $134.00 overtime charges. I sailed back to Saweni Bay on Saturday November 19. I recognised Cattiva with Maurice and Maria whom I'd last seen in Panama. After a brief visit with them I continued preparations for departure the next day. The weather window still looked good. Bearing in mind that any forecast over 4 days is suspect. The screen shots below are at 1300 each day. They show the date of the grib file in local time and the estimated position where Sadiqi should be. Average speed is 4.5 knots or 110 miles a day.

 

 

 

New Zealand to Fiji and warmer waters

It was time to escape the cold and damp New Zealand. I managed to pick a reasonable weather window to depart from Opua on Monday May 16 after most of the fleet plus 2 rallies had left. The boats that left on May 11, 12, 13 and 14 had several days of motoring close to New Zealand. I was surprised at the number of boats that departed on Friday the 13^th. Maybe I am superstitious after all.

Sadiqi and I took a bit of a beating the first night out, which challenged my sea legs or lack of – somewhat. NW winds up to about 30 knots (True) around midnight with rain squalls. Beer o clock was missed on a few days due to the skipper not feeling the best. We were easily averaging 5 to 6 knots for the first 7 days of the passage. 

Mackerel sky before the storm

We copped the top end of a large weather system that caught NZ on the following Saturday night. Another queasy stomach episode - food became overrated for fear of having it twice. The south island, I believe, got its first snow falls for the season. Sadiqi was around 600 miles north of New Zealand near Minerva Reefs when the weather system passed over NZ north island. The strongest winds, 25 to 35 knots (True), from SW came through Sunday morning for a few hours before easing below 20 knots. Sailing with partial main sail (3 + reefs) and partially furled head sail – still averaging 5 knots I sloppy seas. 
 

At around 6am Sunday Sadiqi was knocked down by a breaking wave smacking the port aft quarter. The seas and swell had been picking up during the night to around 3 to 4 metres. I was laying in the bunk and heard the wave breaking and felt her as she started to lurch to starboard. I grabbed the hand rail to stop myself from being flung across the saloon. The new stove was baptised with salt water splashing through the closed companionway hatches. Most things not secured on the port side ended up somewhere on the starboard side. It took awhile to clean up the mess. She was sailing with partial main sail (3 + reefs) and partially furled head sail. I hand steered for several hours after that giving ‘Smithy’ the WindPilot a rest. 

Red sky toward night - after the storm

I managed to haul up Big Bertha for several hours on the second last day. Eventually the wind headed us and I had to drop the Asymmetrical spinnaker. Ken, the pRaymarine autopilot did an exemplary job in the light airs. 

Motoring north

Glassy seas

I emailed a status reports to Yachts in Transit – Gulf Harbour Radio most days. I had problems with the antenna lead wire, which I fixed, but the microphone needs more attention. 
 

Sadiqi arrived back in Savusavu, Fiji after a reasonable 10 day passage. There was a lot of motoring and where possible motor sailing due to light winds - if any - 72 engine hours!

I picked up a mooring at Waitui Marina at 1000am May 26. Sadiqi had followed the large cruise ship, the ‘Sun Princess’, into the bay. 

Most of the last 3 days were spent motor sailing - due to lack of wind - usually on the nose - what their was of it. Other boats wanting to leave NZ after I did had to wait until the beginning of June for the next good weather window.

The officials were brought to Sadiqi by the Waitui boatman. Much paper was shuffled, signed and invoices issued. Having gone through the process last year I was less intimidated and I was soon cleared into Fiji. Savusavu is an "easy" place. The temperature here is a lovely 30 degrees most days. The Waitui Marina has character more than it has anything else. 

Savusavu got a fair whack from cyclone Winston when it came through a few months ago. Apparently, with the strongest winds -185 knots - for a cyclone in the southern Pacific! 20 boats were washed up on the shore in Savusavu. The Waitui marina dinghy dock was destroyed and is a work in progress.