[password] TwinkY6433
[position] 16 43.567S 179 43.744E
[weather] SE 15knots, 1018 baro.
[anchorage] Anchored in Fawn Harbour, Vanua Levu, Fiji.
[status] Yesterday we did a final shop for some fruit and veg, and got some tip top ice cream as a treat from back home :) After paying our bill at the Copra Shed Marina we dropped the mooring and headed out. The forecast in the morning had said 20-25knts, but it was still and muggy in Savusavu, so we figured it couldn?t be that bad out of the protection of the island. We were right. We had to motor into the wind for half the trip, but it was only 3-5knots. Once we rounded a headland we put all the sails up to get a bit of extra speed so we would arrive at the pass before dark.
It was a great trip, although there was a really weird haze everywhere which cut visibility down quite a lot.
We also hooked a marlin! First time (that we know of) for us. It was only a little squid skirt lure for tuna and had small hooks, so we were surprised he didn?t shake the hook out. Instead it stripped a whole bunch of line off the reel and the line then snapped at what looks like some previous damage to the line (maybe?). Who knows for sure, but at any rate, we didn?t want to try to land him anyway!
Steve sorted a new trace for it and put it back out, but there was no more action on that front for the rest of the trip.
We got into the pass with good visibility and using Ovital, and then had drinkies on Cop-e-cat.
We have woken to 15-18 knots of wind, and the boat covered in fine dirt/dust. I guess that may have been the cause of the haze yesterday?
We?re gonna leave here and head around to Viani Bay for a few days.
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