left beqa island on 2 june 2013 and sailed overnight to savu savu arriving there early monday morning. a very easy downwind sail (sw 20kts) until the wind gradually died out and then motor sailed the last miles.
savu savu is very attractive and while the township small, were able to replenish diesel ($1 per litre cheaper than suva) and stores easily (including great meat from fiji meat supplies). the coprashed runs the moorings and is well organised with helpful pleasant staff. spent 4 days there which we really enjoyed, in which time caught up with "domino 2" (tracey and jevon) again, whom we first met up with in suva, and jock and leanne off the catamaran "just in time", all from the hibiscus coast, nz. many laughs and exchange of stories was had over a beer or two at the yacht club bar!! and for the record, the best chinese meal we had tasted at a small restaurant opposite the waitua marina building.the wontons especially are truly amazing and some were known to go back again the next day for more of the same :).
left savu savu on friday 7 june and sailed in a 15kt se wind to koro island, yet again another lovely sail even if upwind. anchored in matana bay on the nw coast and went into the village of nabuna by dinghy the next morning to do our sevu sevu with the village chief (a couple of miles east). this is a beautiful deserted anchorage with only a few houses to be seen on the hills which form part of what is known as the koro seaview estate (freehold land divided into 450 lots all sold but little frequented). the amazing thing about the northern part of this island is that there are three cell towers within as many miles, so the internet access is great. we even managed to listen to the 2 all black tests on sports radio to gavin's delight! moved 1.5 miles south to dere bay (14.5 miles around the outside of the reeef)on monday 10 june and picked up a mooring put out down by one of the two small resorts in the bay. met neil and hwei- ying who own a property here and own a ketch called "koro", although now for sale. have been here ever since as it is very sheltered and attactive being the south side of the estate. had planned to move on to gau island on wednesday but gavin has an infected foot which has taken some time to start to improve, despite the "old" nurse’s treatment with 2 antibiotics (2) and then medical advice from andrew in chch. it now looks as if we may have finally got on top of it. as gavin said, we are in paradise so what is the hurry!! the weather has been a bit of a mixed bag  - se winds 25kts with rough seas for most of fiji waters the last few days so a good place to be stopped. the bigger of the 2 small resorts here only has 2 visitors, so we have been truly spoiled by the local villagers, especially jone, and donna, with beautiful fresh fruit and veggies – yum. even been eating breadfruit!! also, had a great time meeting up here again with domino 2, who just happened to come into dere bay the same day as us, then overdraft (neil and gillian) living in auckland and with whom we exchanged goodies (gave us some beautiful fresh mahi mahi), visions of johanna (bill and johanna)from maine,usa, whom we first met in tahiti in 2010 then later in wellington and today, just in time arrives too!! should be a fun night ahead! our loose plans are to head south to gau island as soon as the winds swing more to the east / north, then down to the southern lau group, namely, matuku, across to totoya, komo island, lacemba and then make our way back to savu savu slowly. so will be in fiji for a while yet it seems. we are definetly now on fiji time - what a life!