[password] grace40
[position] 19 08.375s 178 34.533w
[status] 0900 hrs 10 October 2019. Well, folks, after 3 months, 2 days it's finally time to move on. Today we depart Fulaga. Believe me when I say both of us are not looking forward to it. We absolutely love it here. Is it our last visit? The answer is: "?". We won't the be able to answer until well after we return to NZ. Two big ifs will have a direct affect on the answer: If my back comes completely right? If we want to continue cruising? We'll get back to you on those life altering questions. In the meantime, sufficit it to say, we had a wonderful time these past 3-seasons in Fulaga. From the chief to all the villagers, they sincerely want us to return. Of course they do. They want more sunglasses and bras.
We said our goodbys yesterday, and will depart at 1700 this afternoon. The reason for that departure time is to arrive at the destination in daylight, and at high tide to make it across a bar at the entrance to the river we have to navigate. Our destination is the Pearl Resort Marina. You can google it for more information. It's on the main island of Viti Levu on the south side, just west of Suva. There are just 12 berths which are part of the Pearl Resort - google that, too. Reports we've gotten from a fellow cruiser have been excellent. Not sure how I'll make the transition from relaxing village life to glarmous South Pacific resort. I think Leilani is looking forward to it. At least we can again eat meat that doesn't come out of a can.
Since my last post, the yacht population exploded to 4, with a 5th arriving two days ago. Today one left, and we leave this afternoon. If want Fulaga to yourself, come late in the season. Three events dominated these past couple of weeks. First was the second visit this season of a cruise ship. Yikes, is tourisim featuring sunburned, pink tourists going to take over from yachties? At 93 meters, the ship was too big to make the pass. Tourists were ferried in by several ship's tenders, about 80 of them. The village put on a traditional sevusevu (chief accepts them into the village), a meke (dancing), lots of kava drinking, and a $5,000 visitor fee. When you consider yachts are charged $50, that's considerably cheaper per capita than what we poor yachties pay. And we don't get any of the welcoming festivities except sevusevu. While I understand the village wanting the cruise ships because of the money they bring, I see it as another encroachment of civilization. Oh well, can't stop progress, if that's what it is.
The next event was another picnic. Only two of us yachts attended. But we still had a wonderful time with the villagers. However it was a pigless picnic. Instead the villagers provided boiled land crabs as the featured dish. Much smaller than mud crab. The benefit to struggle-to-eat ratio didn't make it my favourite species of edible crab.
Yesterday we attended the funeral of one of the villagers. Actually we attended the wake after burial. The men sat on a huge tarp spread on the ground with a temporary cover drinking kava all day. The women sat elsewhere serving the wake lunch which consisted of dahl soup over rice. Not a casserole in sight.
Our trip is 201nm, with winds expected to be right behind us at about 10-13 kts. I think we'll have the motor on much of the way. Wind up the bum is not the best point of sail. At least the conditions will be gentle. We expect the trip to take 33-36 hrs, depending on speed. I'm sure other yachties will think we are sailling a tank. I guess we are.
Leilani is making passage food, including chile & rice, salmon spread, banana bread, and white bread. Rice and two kinds of bread. No one has ever accused us of going light on starch in our diet.
This is it from Fulaga. Next post will be from civilization (civilisation for our Kiwi friends).
Stototale, John
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