[p]abcisme
[s]
position: 20 55.137s 167 16.725e
w: 5knots from the east. Clear blue skies. Baro 1018 (not calibrated). ...and we also have our duvet on the bed!
d: 16/09/16 10:00 GMT+1100
After more than 6 weeks of fair weather island hopping, our overnight passage felt like hard work! Its funny how perspective can change so quickly. We pulled up the anchor as planned at 6pm and beat upwind to get out of the lagoon for 2 hours. The moon and the sky was clear, so visibility was excellent. The highlight came after interpreting the lights on a vessel we were to intersect - "Towing with a line less than 200m". Sure enough, we could make out the shapes as they passed close by - a military vessel with a submarine behind! We had to tack behind them and gave chase before setting our eyes on Lifou.
The wind was further forward than forecast - it's odd how often this is the case. However, our planned flat sea reach became a comfortable beat and we sailed on the same tack until we ran out of wind at the bottom of Lifou and motored the rest of the way. We finally arrived at Baie Du Chateaubriand - or the town of We... and more importantly, the only supermarket for a hundered miles! We inspected the reef by sight and by drone and could find no way through and no comfortable place to anchor, so we resigned to using the local marina. The little marina was deserted and the office is not answering the VHF or telephone. A local directed us to tie up in one of only two available berths and we sent him on his way with a thank you Pepsi, and some of the donated kids toys and books that we are carrying.
Michelle would like to add that she found the entire process of 'inspecting the reef' and 'meandering about the marina' very stressful and was somewhat stressed and overwhelmed. I'm sure the fact that she was a little sleep deprived didn't help.
I suppose we should go and figure out how to get to the supermarket, but we're beat... I'm sure they'll be open tomorrow.

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