[password] grace40

[position] 19 06.483s 178 34.809w

[status] 1400 hrs 20 September 2019. Today we moved to what we call the ?big wind? anchorage on the NW corner of Fulaga. Starting tomorrow evening and through the following couple of days we?re expecting SE 25+ knot winds. All next week it is expected to be a bit blustery averaging SE-E 20 knots. This anchorage is a very good all wind anchorage except for S - SW. With only 5 boats in Fulaga, including us, it will be interesting if anyone else joins us. There are some other anchorages that would be suitable, but I don?t think they are as good as here.

Late yesterday afternoon the monthly (sometimes less frequently) supply boat arrived. It was the third different one I?ve seen in all our time here. It was about 100? long and had a 3-deck bridge-cabin structure in the aft half, with the front being an open cargo deck. The bow dropped down like a WWII landing craft. Visits by the supply boat are always a hustle-bustle affair for the three villages. Village long boats hover around the supply vessel like worker bees around a queen. They load cargo from the village bound for Suva, and take off arriving cargo. Also, a few passengers disembarked, and a few embarked. Leilani has been anxiously awaiting the cargo boat for replenishments of some staples.

Today Leilani went ashore and saw her contact who loaded her up with all kinds of goodies, including: papaya, eggs, flour, apples, a couple of first-of-the-season mangoes, onions, sweet potatoes, and an entire stock of bananas - still on the stock. Unfortunately the sirloin steaks somehow missed the boat. Heaven forbid, I?m turning into a vegetarian.

I haven?t looked at my email since arriving in Fulaga 2.5 months ago. Not knowing what?s happening in the world, and particularly the US, has calmed my nerves, lowered my blood pressure, and generally made me a nice guy again. Okay, the last one may be a bit of an overstatement. But it has been nice ?living in a cave? without any outside news.

Okay, time to bury my head in my kindle where I?m reading a couple of books on the secret CIA wars in Afghanistan. That?s history, not news, okay.

Sototale, John

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