[password]waiknot
[position]18 12.652S 178 50.557W

[status]
We have arrived safely in Lakeba after a sporty sail south! Started at 5am and expected winds to lighten up but they stayed at 25-30 knots most of the day. At least they were from the right direction, Easterly, so perfect for our 60nm sail south. We enjoyed sailing for a change, it has been so long since we have had a full day of sailing we thought we might have forgotten how! We had some higher gusts of wind and at one point Heather heard an ominous sound.....tinkle tinkle clunk! Something metal had dropped off from somewhere - but where?? Quick action by the skipper identified that the new solar panel had lost two of the four fittings that hold it in place and was now flapping in the wind! Another big gust and it would have been gone!! Luckily Karl got a rope around it in time and secured it before it flew away. We really need to find a competent stainless steel maker when we get back to GH, we are certainly not using those other blokes again!!
The anchorage in Lakeba is a nice surprise. No information on the charts, but there is a large v shaped gap in the reef here, very sheltered by the large reef. The water is so clear we can see the anchor on the sandy bottom in 22m of water! Stunning coral garden towards the shore, turtles and other lovely creatures. Worth a visit. Tomorrow we head 30nm further south, to the island of Komo.

[weather] 40pct cloud, 10 knots E in the anchorage but it has been 25-30E all day. 1012 baro
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