November 10, 2023
Big winds were forecast so we wanted to get moving to prevent getting pinned down for a few days. The plan was up at 4:00am for the 50-ish mile passage to Matagi Island (a small horseshoe shaped island with a fancy resort (opposite side of the anchorage)). Like clockwork, both Carl and I popped out of bed and jumped right…
November 8, 2023
It was a beautiful morning and soon the paddleboards were in the water, as we headed to a farm and lookout spot 300 feet above us. Reaching a dock, we started the climb up 270 odd stairs. Other than a few loose and rotten boards, that we managed to avoid, we were soon on the top of the hill and…
November 7, 2023
The sun rose as we slowly clicked off the miles to enter the pass of the next atoll, Vanua Balavu. After what seemed like an eternity, around 8:45am, we reached the calm interior of the atoll and with that I headed down to make my breakfast. Eating breakfast I noticed I had cell signal so with Carl’s help I spent…
November 6, 2023
A lazy-ish morning while we waited for high tide gave me a chance to soak into my brain the colors from the green vegetation to the explosion of shades of blue. I tried my best to lock it into my memory banks. Around 11:30am it was go time, so off we went. Getting through the pass was smooth sailing due…
October 23, 2023
We had been watching the weather for a few weeks and hoping for a weather window to get to the Lau group. With the trade winds from the east 99% of the time, we weren’t sure but our chances did not look good. A small window could get us to Kadavu, about half way there, but with typically a month…
October 20, 2023
It was going to be a huge day, we lifted anchor at 4:00am and with the cruise ship and mega yacht’s lights it made it easier to remain oriented for the ourselves. Exiting from the blue lagoon, we weaved around the islands and reefs timing the sun’s arrival with our exit into longer straight stretches. And with it, up came…
October 13, 2023
October 9, 2023
The islands are all close to each other in this area and today’s hop was just three hours north to “The caves.” We arrived and soon after jumped in the water to snorkel the nearby reef. Always great when you can swim from the boat. This was the best, most healthy corral to date. Carl and I pretty much swam…
October 5, 2023
Our first couple days flew by. When visiting villages in Fiji it is important to ask permission from the chief and present an offering of kava. This is called sevusevu. Into the dinghy with our fancy clothes (sulu skirt and collared shirt) in a dry bag we headed to shore. We were met by an nice women, who after changing…
October 4, 2023
Everyone was up pretty early on the boat and Carl made the call for a 6:30am departure, perfect I love getting up and getting going. We were in the wind shadow of the big island, so no chance of sailing but also nice sea state. After seeing 3-4 meter seas all week on the south side of the island this…
May 9, 2022
Technically the rally was over but Bill had heard about Ralph’s multihull rally tradition of a final day French toast extravaganza. But not before we earned it. So Bill, Ali, Alison, Allan, and I got up at the crack of dawn to hike the volcano. Truth be told, our boat got a 15 minute head start but it didn’t take…
May 8, 2022
A day of motoring to Isla Coronado. Whelp at least we weren’t banging into waves. Up the outside of Isla Carmin, around the point and what is that? Wind? Yes! We had a gorgeous downwind sail. Again Free Luff took the east course and managed to sail the whole way. Mad props to them! Again faster than the fleet (gawd…