Auckland Customs dock at 07.30 yesterday (Monday). Hardly had time to finish the last bacln & eggs before we were cleared in and on our way to berth at Westhaven by 08:45 - very efficient and friendly!

fresh southerly has veered to SW

thanks for the relay A-Train

Wow what a starry night, stars reflecting off glassy seas. Motor going hard out.

Sadly we are in the 'skip zone' for GHR and will not be receiving our daily dose of weather and cruiser updates we have enjoyed so much for the last 6 months - boo hoo!

looking at weather in Auckland Monday night. They are talking about hot showers already

motor sailing in light breeze with flat seas all well aboard

Another great sailing day - long may it last.

All well aboard

Sunshine for most of the day. Should be a good moon tonight.

Great sailin All well aboard

good steady progress. All well

Conditions have eased, we might have been going thru a squash zone b/w a trough system and the high on previous report. Steady sailing All well aboard-got to see the full moon this morning

somebody turned up the rollercoaster all well aboard

not very comfortable

rollercoaster continues. All well aboard

reefed down & rollicking along all well aboard

Close hauled in ESE12. Great to be sailing again.

Cava-I-Ra or Conway Reef 76 miles ahead close to our track. Fish?? All well aboard.

Woohoo - 30 mins since start of transmission - 1 nice mahimahi aboard

Motoring on glassy smooth ocean. Moon hidden by hazy cloud cover.

All well aboard

Cleared Navula Pass at 5.30 (FJT). Great sailing on smooth seas with a big moon.

Saweni Bay

Saweni Bay, waiting for the weather window to start the voyage home

Have delayed departure until saturday

Musket Cove. Looking at clearing Lautoka Customs for passage to Auckland leaving later today.

ETA Auckland would be Oct 20 (I have not had a Sailmail connection with the Niue station for a couple of weeks now??)

Navadra - rolly! Looking for weather window for passage Vuda Pt to Auckland; after Independence Day in Fiji ie Tues 11th?

Southern end of Yasawa islands

Namotu island, out from Musket Cove - swell looks to be about 1m

Northern end of Waya island in the Yasawa group.

Enjoyed a guided hike up a 400m peak yesterday, spectacular views on a fine calm day

Yasawa, Northern bay on Waya island

Tucked in to the bay at the northern end of Waya island

Musket Cove

Musket Cove. Only 40 boats moored or at anchor; Regatta week starts 16 Sept

Musket Cove. All well aboard.

Waya Island at the southern end of the Yasawa group

Somosomo Bay at the top of Naviti Island, Yasawas.

Saw a bunch of humpbacks the other evening. Great display, leaping out of the water to crash back down on their backs.

Anchored outside Denerau Marina.

Momi Bay. Those fishing boats around the south end of Kadavu were something to contend with. Limited visibilty in drizzle or rain. They only turned on AIS and a small light when we were within a couple of miles and looking like a collision course. Promptly turned everything off when we changed course. Dodgy!

Leaving Matuku this morning for 200 mile passage south of Kadavu to Navula Pass and head for Denerau. Particularly murky at the moment but should clear as we head west.

Matuku

Matuku

For GHR:we are looking at a passage from Matuku (19d 10m S, 179d 44m E) through to Denarau. With the trough approaching and potential for westerlies (?) I'd appreciate some advice for planning a departure date. Leaving tomorrow, Saturday, or waiting for the system to pass through? The question is how long before that trough will pass through and the tradewind returns? Had a whale of a day yesterday, surfing with a couple of humpbacks. Greta got up close and personal in the dinghy about 75m behind the surf break.

Matuku. Several awesome surf breaks around the island but unfortunately the swell is fading rapidly. Will have a shot this morning.

Hove-to waiting for sun to rise off Matuku.

Totoya lighthouse did not show as we went by this morning - could be out of action

Leaving Yagasa this morning. ETA for Matuku mid-morning Weds

Looking for a weather window for the 110 mile overnight voyage west to Matuku, half way to Suva. Expecting some nice SSE tradewinds tomorrow

So we have broken the Fulaga spell. Anchored at the big island in the Yagasa cluster. Underneath a colony of nesting gannets. Trolled 3 lures along the the barrier reef and sure enough we had a triple hook-up. Mayhem! Nothing landed, the eye of one of the swivels was completely straightened out and the other 2 got off

Leaving Fulaga for Yagasa, a cluster of uninhabited islands 15 miles north

Fulaga, one last snorkel in the pass.

Fulaga. We had a farewell party around the kava bowl last night in anticipation of leaving Fulaga this weekend. Special people in a special place.

Fulaga

Fulaga. Great night sky - starting with Venus & Mercury at sunset, Jupiter, Mars & Saturn.

Fulaga

Fulaga. Fresh greens and pawpaw + petrol from the village. YAY! We're good for another month haha.

Fulaga, tradewinds are back in force

Sthn Lau

Fulaga, receiving lessons on weather via SSB radio. Great stuff.

Fulaga on a calm day - wow

Fulaga

Dumb question: So if the volatility of the weather in recent months is associated with the transition from El Nino to La Nina - when will La Nina settle in? What is the long term view for conditions in October when people start sailing back to NZ?

Awesome snorkeling with the outgoing tide in the pass yesterday. Over the course of 1 hour we were flushed out about 750m to end up on the outside of the outer reef among a school of massive snapper-like fish with big groper types hanging below the school. Amazing!

Fulaga

Fulaga, still. Why move when you have found perfection.

Southern Lau - a few showers yesterday; oil change day! Looking brilliant this morning.

Fulaga, we have tucked into an anchorage among some of the many mushroom islets in the lagoon to shelter from the tradewinds which have been reasonably strong the last few days. Our reported wind strength understates the wind strength outside. Great paddle boarding - found an awesome cave with stalactites like a cathedral organ.

Fulaga

All well onboard

We have a sheltered anchorage so may not be reporting the true wind direction/strength

A trough of low pressure appears to have hit us. Little change in the barometer but wind changed from an easing N, to calm for an hour, then promptly at 15.00 the wind goes whips up to 15-20knots from 180 degree opposite direction. We have relocated for more comfort and swinging room.

Fulaga, started a small varnishing project. An excuse to stay put just a little longer.

Fulaga, more snorkeling in the pass with exquisite corals and loads of colourful fish. Had to retreat from a couple of particularly nosy sharks.

Fulaga

Tracked down some petrol yesterday, cleaned out the bottom of a 44gal drum. Next delivery to the island is about 3 weeks away. A 6 hour mission - 3FJD/litre.

Grete spent the day making mats with women in the village.

Tracked down some petrol yesterday, cleaned out the bottom of a 44gal drum. Next delivery to the island is about 3 weeks away. A 6 hour mission - 3FJD/litre.

Grete spent the day making mats with women in the village.

07.10 Tues 28 06 2016

Church and a day off - luxury

Fulaga

Fulaga

Fulaga. Finished polishing all the stainless - yay!

Fulaga. Great paddle boarding yesterday; we were watching a school of big mullet and 4 turtles popped up at the same time. More turtles in other parts of the bay - a healthy population despite being on the menu for the locals.

Fulaga; 3 catamarans left today so we are the only yacht in the lagoon for now

Fulaga

Fulaga

Heading off for a pre-dawn bottom fish.

Anchored @ Sandspit, Fulaga. Got the paddle boards out yesterday arfternoon, awesome territory to explore.

Anchored at the sandspit, Fulaga. Another 2 yachts came into the lagoon yesterday but we are enjoying splendid isolation. Snorkeled the pass for the lagoon yesterday. Great variety of fish, good corals - big fans, stag-horns and soft corals, lots of colour. Some big nosy reef sharks.

Even paradise has its share of weather!

We are fortunate to be in THE perfect place with a bottle of the favourite champagne. Happy birthday Grete!

We are fortunate to be in THE perfect place with a bottle of the favourite champagne. Happy birthday Grete.

Fulanga with two other boats. Remedy were No2 for the season

Anchored Fulaga. This place is gorgeous, try zooming in on the yit satellite image. Rained all day yesterday - got rid of all the crusty salt topsides. A day for movies.

Safely anchored in the lagoon. Tough day at the office - challenging and we rose to the situation! All well aboard. Details to follow.

dawn and we are 10 miles from the pass. boisterous conditions,we have been trying to slow Remedy down all night. Visibility not the best. Lookin forward to a good days sleep.

Heading to Sthn Lau from VanuaBalavu at first light this morning. We should complete the 120 mile run before a forecast front comes thru.

Using the Adavaci Pass to exit the lagoon with waypoints from Domino. Farewell to the SeaMercy fleet for now. And farewell to Drew who is getting a ride to Savusavu with 'Interlude'.

Anchored VanuaBalavu with SeaMercy.

Looking for a window to head to Southern Lau. Maybe depart Weds morning for an overnighter to arrive in good daylight Thursday?

Anchored MalakaBay with the SeaMercy fleet. Lots of action on that front, the ARC rally feet of about 28 boats is expected here middle of next week. We would like to get away from here about the same time for Sthn Lau taking advantage of a handy wind forecast with NE winds predicted. BUT the watermaker sprung a leak at the freshwater flush module and we will need to track down a new solenoid unit which might have to come from NZ/US. This might hold us here or require a visit to a main centre to take delivery. Emptied half a watertank into the bilge before we stemmed the flow - just a bit alarming. 'Cruising' - fixing your boat in exotic locations - HA!

Anchored @ 'Bay of Islands', inside Qilaqila Island at the top end of Vanua Balavu. Great spot, not a light to be seen. Big hookup today but no result. Took one of the Sovu Passages (romoured to offer surf) out of the lagoon to run lures all along the outside reef in 200m to 20m (whoops). Just the one hit. Sea Mercy briefing meeting tomor

Anchored off the village on Avea again. The super 'yacht' Nomadess came in this arvo and we helped get a hose pipe from their 500l/hr watermaker to a communal water tank on the shore. Lots of laughs with the locals.

Anchored off Avea Island. Only 12 out of 28 houses are still standing following Winston. Gardens were destroyed, the chief and a couple of men were digging for wild yams on the main island of VanuaBalavu when we arrived. Most of the men from the village are in Suva to apply for a grant of $7k to assist build new homes. We received a very warm welcome. Enjoyed a few bowls of fine kava last night. We are on standby for a superyacht that can make water @ a couple of thousand litres an hour, the idea is they will top-up the village tanks. Expected tomorrow, Weds.

All well aboard.

Another day doing needs assessment enquiries and aid distribution for Sea Mercy. Great to have serious interaction with the locals. These guys have been hammered; major need is replacement gutters for water supplies as the dry season sets in. A busy day by the time the reports are written and filed.

Tomorrow, Avea Island in the top part of the lagoon.

Visited Sasui Village to assess needs following cyclone Winston. All their gutters were torn off in the cyclone. So we have put an order into Sea Mercy for 300m gutters, clips, downpipes etc. Plus facia boards and timber; the library for the primary school and the kindergarten were blown away leaving nothing but a concrete slab. Now anchored under Munia Island, some good 12-15 knots blasts coming thru so no mozzies tonight!

Anchored up off Lomaloma village which is an administration centre for this part of the Lau group. Has a hospital, 8 nurses, docs & dentista, x-ray facililities so quite a big deal. Yesterday topped up with diesel (YAY!) and about a tonne of aid supplies much of it in cardboard cardboard cartons = the ultimate transport for cockroaches (boooo). I'm sure I recognize tins of beans and fruit from the cyclone collection appeal at work a couple of months back. Anyways are to distibute yhis load to 4 of the outlying islands buddied-up with a beautiful ketch out of Conneticut. Dirk & Gretchen travel with a mighty handsome black cat on board. Plenty of evidence of cyclone Winston devistation. NZ frigate Canterbury was based here 2 months helping reconstruction. Some of the roofless buildings tagged with you "luv you NZ" and "thanks for your quick response". Must get this away for GHR weather update. Great nights sleep - all well aboard.

Glassy conditions. We have ended up 9 miles from TongaPass to Vanua Balavu lagoon. Will soon start motor to clear the pass approx 8am. Customs/Immigration, diesel, fresh veg (maybe) - 15 days since we left NZ. O, and a solid nights sleep! All well aboard.

We arrived at the Tonga Pass about 2 hours too late to safely navigate 9 miles thru the lagoon to anchor. So we have 'hove-to', in the lee of Katafaga Island. Looks like an abandoned resort with no roofs on the buildings and no lights ashore.

Motorsailing against the tide. Tide change expected @ 08.30

Still motoring, very light breeze from behind. 22C at 5.30 mmmmm nice.

Going thru some of the southern Lau islands/reefs as dusk approaches. A night of extreme vigilance in store. Hopefully we get anchor down before sun gets too low tomorw. Using truckloads of diesel which likely to impact on medium term options.

Motoring

Motoring in less than 5kn from behind. Getting a lift off 4 to 5 m SW swells. Not much wind expected for the next 12-24 hours. Lots of small skipkack tuna catching the afternoon sun but not our lures.

cleared N Minerva Pass 07.30 Sun

We plan to leave Nth Minerva Sunday morning heading for Tonga Pass, the entrance to Vanua Balavu. Advice is to take the route west of the Lau Group. Forecast is predicting 20, maybe 25 knots of wind. We need it to make some ground north because diesel levels took a hiding on the way here to Minerva Reef.

Snorkeling the drop-off on the outside of the reef was amazing. Big fish, some had pointy noses and big grins. Lobster(S) - oo lala! 23 boats in the lagoon tonight. All well aboard.

Anchored at North Minerva. Thru the pass at 7am after a couple of runs along the reef edge at dawn. We had a major hookup, one jump and it was off and 500metres of line later it was showing little sign of slowing down. Tension was very slowly applied and the line was tinkling under the strain. The new knots held ... but the 200lb wire leader gave up at the connection to the lure. Darn it! So the tally stands at 1 flying fish at 2gm and another flying fish at 3gms.

Walked the reef at low tide. Checked out a couple of keels from yachts that have previously perished on this reef in the middle of the ocean. Snorkled with reef fish and Drew just missed on a big painted crayfish. Sundowners - life is good.

just arrived at N Minerva, About 6 boats there now and more expected.

We haven't been getting updates away by email so thanks to Gulf Harbour Radio for updating our position on YIT. We are so close to Sth Minerva but not going to make it before dark. Saw small schools of BIG yellow fin tuna yesterday. One school had a big shark moving lazily around the boil up and another school had a sperm whale floating about. Swam in the pool - about 2000m deep,couldnt touch the bottom!

will arrive S Minerva in dark so will heave to until dawn. Will consider N Minerva as South has been reported rolly

Second day of trade winds, just a light 8knot ENE, and fantastic sailing. Yesterday was spent repairing a small tear in the mainsail. 4 broken needles later we finished the job with an embroidery needle. Like digging a tunnel out of jail with a teaspoon. We have lost power to the autopilot ('Wally') so hand steering. About 300 miles south of Minerva Reef (S) - another 48 hours maybe. All well aboard.

06.30 14/05/16 Motoring in calm conditions. Targeting a sea mount coming up to 180m from 2000m 120 miles south of Minerva Reef to trail the lures over sometime tomorrow. Today we will pull up for a while and have a swim in a 3000m deep swimming pool. Temperature is climbing. We are having issues getting emails to work thru Sailmail. The SSB does not pickup remote frequency selection from laptop since programming some new HF channels in the SSB.

great signal and clear report. radio and boat going well!

15W, 95% light cloud, 1013 rising, course 012m at 7kts

Remedy has set sail from opua - blustering conditions with an approaching front. Showers. Excited and looking forward to some decent sailing. All well on board.

on anchor off Opua

Past Whangaparoa and the home of Gulf Harbour Radio; last corner in front of us. A HUGE THANK YOU to Patricia and David for the weather updates over the last 6 months and to Mike who runs the YIT website.

4,600 nautical miles and about 50kg of muesli since leaving NZ 6 months ago. Escorted by dolphins scorching phosphorescent trails through the sea early this morning.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew - signing out.

Just south of Poor Knights as the sun goes down. On the home straight to AK, arriving Thursday morning. Cuba libras in sight.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Sunny calm conditions-glorious. No sighting of land yet... later today. ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Motoring in calm conditions. Deck fitting for the starboard aft mast stay gave way this morning so very grateful for the calm conditions. ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Finally able to steer the rhumb line to clear Kawau Island (266 miles away) with a steady SW breeze. Current ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

A SSW breeze started to fill in around 1300 hours today so we are closer to making our course for Auckland. Current ETA for AK is Thursday.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

And sill being pushed eastwards. We will have to tack before we reach Chile! All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steo me and Drew

Still being pushed eastwards. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Course is being pushed eastwards. About 300 miles to North Cape, ETA for the cape Tues. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Glorious sailing day, battening down for the night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

An uneventful night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Turned out to be a nice days sailing with light winds all day enabling us to hold course on the rhumb line. Single reef in the main for the possibility of squalls overnight (last night we had 22 knots at 1am). Still no fish to be had. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Turned out to be a nice days sailing with light winds all day enabling us to hold course on the rhumb line. Single reef in the main for the possibility of squalls overnight (last night we had 22 knots at 1am). Still no fish to be had. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Motor sailing in shifty winds and lumpy seas. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

A great days sailing, sun shining throughout. Not a fish to be seen. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Breeze is easing, steady sailing. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Finally got away from Noumea at 14.00 today, Weds. Cleared the north pass through the reef at 16.30. Just had the sun go down and enjoying steady sailing pretty close to the rhumb line. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Clear Noumea Customs this morning for passage to Auckland, NZ. At this early stage our ETA is Tues/Weds 21/22 Oct. Brother Drew has joined the crew so we are 4 PoB.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve and Drew

Anchored off Noumea. Looking at Weds or Thurs to leave New Cal for NZ. Interested in any comments from David about the timing of the low predicted by Bob Mcdavitt to arrive in NZ around about Sun 19 /Mon 20 Oct?? All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Anchored Ile Casy, Bay de Prony. Catching up on rest after a tedious day/night of motor sailing into light headwinds with lots of rain showers. Staying put for the day and hope for sunshine to break through.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Motor sailing for Havannah Pass about 50 miles away. Fresh mahimahi caught in boisterous conditions yesterday afternoon. First fish in New Cal after a month of trying.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete and Steve

Leaving Ouvea today bound for Bay de Prony. We will be sailing overnight to time our arrival for the incoming tide at Havannah Pass early Thursday morning. We will be in tandem with Kailani but they will be a lot faster than us. The rain eased early yesterday evening but is back this morning. We moved north yesterday to get more protection from the northerly swell and brisk NE breeze - just a few more coconut trees to hide behind. Looking for that weather window for the passage back to NZ, sometime after 15 Oct.

All well on board. Cheers, David, Grete and Steve

Anchored at Ouvea. Steve has joined the team so now we are 3. Starting to look for a weather window for the passage back to NZ, sometime after 15 Oct.

All well on board. Cheers, David, Grete and Steve

Anchored at Ouvea. All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. The "GT's" we saw snorkeling the other day was a reference to Giant Trevally. I'm not sure when a trevally becomes a GT, probably when it is longer than 50cm. These were about 1.2m long and really broad across.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored at Ouvea. Went snorkeling under the bridge between Ouvea and Mouli. Big school of trevally and the biggest GTs imaginable. Lots of turtles and other fish life. AWESOME! Planning to stay around Ouvea through the weekend.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Lovely calm day at Ouvea.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored Ouvea. Nice that the wind has eased off. Hopefully the depression due late Sunday will not affect us too much.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored off Paradis Resort, Mouli, Ouvea. Yesterday was peaceful with a multicultural gathering at the administrative centre for the island. We intend staying at Ouvea through the weekend if the weather permits.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored off Paradis Resort, Mouli, Ouvea. Public holiday today to mark the arrival of the French in NewCal. Extra gendarmes staying on the island! All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored @ Mouli, Ouvea.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Left Thio for Ouvea this morning.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored Baie de Kouakoue. 43 miles yesterday in ESE breeze that hardly get over 10 knots all day. Heading up the mainland east coast today for Port Thio (supermarket). Hope to head across to Ouvea the following day.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

We had a lovely day anchored in Port Boise. The river was running strong after the rain and lots of osprey. Heading up the mainland east coast today.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored in Port Boise, half way through Havannah Pass, at the South end of mainland New Caledonia. Heading up the mainland east coast over the next few days.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Heading for Baie Uie, inside the lagoon, at the South end of mainland New Caledonia. The plan is to make our way up the mainland east coast and then 'step' across to Ouvea. Peter & Linda joined us in Noumea. Loved the slice of France in Noumea, huge selection of wine and cheese - oooh la la! All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored in Bay de Prony, New Caledonia. Arrived 21.00 last night after catching the last of the incoming tide through Havanahh Pass. Hit 11.3 knots over ground under motor with the help of the strong tidal stream. Spectacular sunset with clouds billowing up into the jet-max. Pretty much clear and calm now. Squally showers yesterday started to ease up about midday. Clearing Customs etc in Noumea later today.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Greta

55 miles off Havanahh Pass entrance. Gybing our way downwind. Hoping to make the pass before the tide changes to outgoing early evening. Alternative is heaving to off the entrance for the night. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Greta

Arrival Tu/wed Havannah pass

Scooting along with up to 9.5 knots SoG assisted by a favourable current. Steering 225M but CoG 230M. Heading for Havannah Pass to make our way to Noumea inside the lagoon - 380 miles to go to the Pass. Our reported position is as at 07.45 Sunday 7th.

Fresh mahimahi for dinner-caught motoring yesterday afternoon.

All well on board. Cheers, David & Grete

NNW wind early yesterday evening glassed off so that we motor sailed through to 3am. An Easterly with a touch of South in it has filled the sails again and speed varies between 5 & 6 knots. Lovely clear skies overhead. All well on board. ps Hooked a marlin 10 miles off the Malolo Barrier reef but after jumping about close to the boat and then peeling out 500M it spat the lure - phew! Cheers, David & Greta

Heading up to Lautoka to clear Customs this morning bound for New Caledonia. Very light winds at this early stage of the day. Should be clear of Fiji barrier reef by nightfall- will keep you posted. 2 x PoB - all well.

Cheers, David & Greta

Namotu Island, Wilkes Passage. We will head for Denarau today to provision for the passage to New Caledonia in the next weather window.

Cheers, David & Greta

Musket Cove with 50 other cruisers. Light breeze and clear skies, lovely and warm.

Planning to leave Fiji for New Cal at the end of next week, preferably Thurs 4 Sept.

Cheers, David & Greta

Waya Island, southern Yasawas. Gusty winds swirling around in the bay at the southern end of Waya. Looking at heading south to Musket Cove today. Yesterday we had up to 20 knots from ENE through the passes between islands.

Planning to leave Fiji for New Cal at the end of next week, preferably Thurs 4 Sept.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach in the middle of the Yasawa islands. Heading south to the manta ray pass today.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach in the middle of the Yasawa islands. All well on board.

Cheers, David & Greta

Blue Lagoon beach with 10 other cruisers. Tragic to see the south end of Yasawa island up in flames as we sailed by yesterday. Many, many hectares burning out of control.

Northern Yasawas. Gusty winds,blue skies and flat sea anchored in the lee of the island.

Heading south tomorrow, braced for strong winds in the passages between the Yasawa islands.

Anchored just south of Yasawaira at the top of the Yasawas. Enjoying the window of calm weather. All well on board.

Anchored at Narawa Bay, just south of Yasawaira at the top of the Yasawas. Gorgeous! Cheers, David & Greta

Anchored north Naviti Island, Yasawas. Clear skies. All well onboard

Naviti Is, heading from southern bay to Somosomo Bay. Snorkel with manta rays in the Tokatokaunu Pass on high tide this morning-AWESOME! all well. Love to all

Anchored off Navadra Island, top of the Mamanuca group. Another beautiful, uninhabited spot. Swell entering the bay makes for a rolly anchorage and too much to make a landing on the beach in current conditions. Quite a heavy overcast sky which is a bother given the plan to head through coral infested waters to the Yasawas.

Loula & Sheran aboard for a week, all well. Love to all

Here we are in Musket Cove along with every other sailor . This has to be the busiest anchorage yet, but interesting to see the place and David wants to surf the famous cloud break . Hopefully he won't be smashed to pieces on the reef if he misjudges his take off. I don't quite feel ready to sail Remedy solo! Didn't get to either Namena or Yandua due to weather so fast tracked it on to Lautoka. We leave Musket cove tomorrow for Vuda point and to pick up friends then it will be cruising the Yasawas. Enjoying the warmth and tropical fruit. Love to all.

Back in port at Savsavu getting supplies ready for the next leg of our journey. This feels like a busy metropolis after the quiet places we have been. Have been lucky enough to time this visit with the yearly Savsavu carnival. Great performances and a real look into the local politics.We are sad to be leaving the Taveuni area and all the outer islands as it has been fabulous cruising and uncrowded anchorages.We are heading off on Monday to make our way to Nadi. We will stop at Namena Island and check out the marine reserve, hopefully get permission to land on Yandua Island to see the iguanas. All well on board.

Anchored off Welagilala Island. Perfect coral atoll/lagoon. Limited protection from the swell at high tide. Chart shows one island but cyclone in 2010 blasted a hole through the middle so now there are two islands.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored off Yanuca Island in the Ringgolds. Wind in the anchorage off the school back eddies to come in from the north at less than 5 knots. Great snorkeling inside the crater on Cobia Island yesterday. Hopefully will snorkel the outer Budd Reef today. Head to Welagilala Island tomorrow - weather permitting.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored off Matei Airport, north end of Taveuni Island. Picked up Finn who will cruise over the next week orso. Heading for Ringgold Islands (Budd Reef) and Welagilala Island - weather permitting. Calm hot days, the local gardeners are preying for rain. Not much of a sailing wind today.

All well onboard. Love to all

Anchored Albert Cove, northern tip of Rabi Island. Another lovely calm morning, sheltered bay.

Anchored Albert Cove, northern tip of Rabi Island. Lovely calm morning, sheltered bay. 3 thatched huts used by the locals when they come up from the village down south to gather coconuts for copra and tend their grog crops. Otherwise empty and full of bird song, fish leaping about al night long. Awesome! All well onboard. love to all

Picked up a mooring somewhere in Savusavu Bay at 21.49 NZST. Looking forward to waking up to find out where we got to. Moored outside MH supermarket and a gas station. Just what we need to stock up before heading off again. After stocking up on fresh fruit & veg at the Saturday market. Had a mega-bustoff on the trolling lure today - Paul sporting nylon burns to show for it, lucky not to lose a limb in the process. Lost another favourite lure-these fish play rough. Fun & games coming into a mooring in the dark, avoided driving into an island at the last minute. happy to be here. Love to all

In sight of Gau and Nairai islands on our port side. Good sailing, beautiful sunrise. Panic averted on Grete's watch - ship to stbd turned out to be the moon!

Steady progress - 65 miles south of our first Fiji island - Matuku. all well onboard. love to all

making good progress. difficut to sleep in higglydpiggly seas. love y'all

Departed Sth Minerva 11.00 NZST. Just gone past Nth Minerva. 28 yachts anchored-looks like Westhaven! Had a double strike-lost 1 lure and landed a 1.116m mahimahi. Took over an hour to process the fish, packed down in the fridge/freezer. Loads of flying fish, dare not put a lure out again. NZ airforce Orion came by this am doing a roll call of all the yachts. Downwind sailing making 5.5knots with 3m swell-rollypolly again. Missing a party on the reef this evg but keen to make use of the breeze. Love to all

Anchored South Minerva held in by massive swell left over from dirty weather system stationary upon us. System is slowly moving away but not the swell at this stage. Waiting on weather update before making plans. Cabin fever developing. Love to all

Anchored sth minerva. Big blow and steady rain overnight, steady 25 knots this morning. Yesterday's forecast was for easing today which may allow us to punch out through the swell to make our way north. All well on board, lots oflove

Anchored south minerva. Blustery outside and stronger winds expected. Will stay a day or 2 before weather allows us to continue to Fiji. Todays snorkle trip had plenty of colourful fish but crays proved elusive. Grete had a couple of shark encounters but she was bigger than both of them. She did not see the big one that Paul did. Had sundowners with lovely couple and there 6 year old, Sophia. Great tips for Fiji. Returning across the lagoon in the dark with 750 miles from coastguard was pretty out there. Paul serenading on ukelele-awesome. Lots of love...

Anchored South Minerva. Just 2 other yachts in the lagoon. Rollypolly coz high tide allows swell to get across the reef. Snorkle trip yesterday motivated by stories of crayfish galore. No crays but lots of colourful fish. Back to Remedy just ahead of a nasty squall up to 30 knots with lashing rain. Happy to hunker down and it blew hard thru the night. Plan another day here before North Minerva where there are a dozen yachts already and more expected today. Lots of love

The sun has just risen (06.23) as we approach the entrance for South Minerva in calm, cloudy conditions. Breakers on our starboard bow. Flying fish landing on the deck. Great sailing and looking forward to getting the anchor down for a bit of RnR. All well aboard - lots of love.

Making about 5 knots on light breeze under high cloud/full moon. Caught a big mahimahi (1.1m) today so that's the end of fishing 'til we eat our way thru it. Great kokoda for lunch yesterday, everybody ate so much we did not bother with dinner. Made some water while charging batteries. Have not been able to hear much on the SSB radio-weak signal. Speed has dropped off and likely to have calm weather ahead so maybe motoring to make either Minerva reef b4 nightfall on Thurs.

All well, Drew's back improved. Love to all ...

Glorious night sailing. Clear skies, close to full moon and lots of stars. Flat seas and steady light winds. 3 yachts ahead converging on Minerva. Heading for North Minerva. Yesterdays highlight was landing a mahimahi, losing another and then hooking up a BIG marlin.   Too much drag tension, too BIG, and too much HAVOC. Lost the lure but well worth it.

Drew's back/sciatic giving him grief but otherwise all well on board. Love to all

Single reef in mainsail and genoa. Trucking along nicely on track for Minerva. One light (yacht?) seen 06:00, freighter heading south 2 miles to port. Finished last of NZ snapper & small fresh tuna for dinner last night. All well onboard. Love to all.

Downwind sailing with double reefed mainsail only. Taking it easy -all well onboard (Thanks to Mike for advice on email format) David

position at 15.33 NZT 10/05/14 SW 20knots gusting 28kn. 1010.5 mb Average speed 6.5knots On track for Minerva with 'Aradonna' and one other yacht in sight. All well onboard Love to all Grete David Drew Paul

Still in Opua weather keeps changing on us. Funny that who would have thought. hoping to go tomorrow otherwise there may be a mutiny on board.

In opua waiting for the weather.