Sailing in Fiji – Sailing with Saphir

Leving Fiji to sail to New Zealand

Friday 22 sep Magnus and Jocke arrived very early and had breakfast with us at the hotel. The guys went over to the marina to be ready to get Saphir in to the water. I stayed and enjoyed the pool for some hours before I check out and head back to the marina.

It took some extra hours before it was our time to get Saphir in.We are on Fiji time and we are getting use to it. This time they had enough diesel so we could fill up the tank and not only get a few litres as last time. It had been sunny the whole morning but as soon as Saphir was in the water and we were filling up diesel it started to rain. Luckily it is not cold when it rains.

We have 2 days to prepare the boat before we start our sailing to New Zealand. There are some maintenance to be done like filling grease in to the rudder, food shopping, preparing some dinners, baking, washing and in between some naps…

In the evenings we went out for dinner both at the marina and at the resort . Our last night in Fiji we had dinner at the resort and we got our own farewell song singed for us.

We check out from the Marina and are ready to leave. First we get a quick visit from Andrew from Voager. He had just arrived back and laying on anchor outside the marina. Before we leave we get the staff from the marina coming and singing for us. I love this tradition .

We wave goodbye to Vuda Marina and to our friend boats Far,Voager and Ester of Sweden anchoring outside the Marina. Thank you for the lovely picture on Saphir Ester.

One of the first thing we need to do when we hoist the sail is fix it with some silver tape so the tear won’t get worse. Now we have approximately 1100nm ahead of us if we can sail shortest way but we will need to sail around a bad weather so it will be a bit longer.

The first days we have good weather and nice wind . We work first on four hour shift then after two days we change to three hours in the night and then four hours during daytime. This gave us an easy rotating schedule to follow. When the weather is okay I can continue knitting and cooking is okay also

30 sep I had the morning watch from 05.00-08.00. Still the iron jenua that are working. The sun tried to shine through the clouds. At 14 hour we changed our course 45 degrees to avoid heavy winds and waves. This means also even if we still is going south which is good we are going slowly west and not east . We are in other words going further away from our goal……. During daytime we have had to go even more west. NZ is south east from our point. When it was the worst we was sailing 90 degrees from our destination and see the NM left to our destination ticking up and not down….When I went to bed we had 625NM left.

Next morning we had 603NM left. Tjoho we have been able to change course. The waves are still high and coming obliquely from the front.! The comfort in the boat is not the best. We do not fish but still we get some small ones during nighttime .

300 Nm left to our destination. The sun is shining we have nice wind in the sails. Doing 6-7 knots and the waves keeps us on our toes. Part of the breakfast omelette went on the floor when a wave rocked the boat extra… the coffee spills over and so on. The boat is leaning in around 15-20 degrees angle so we move around in the boat leaning and always one hand holding on to the boat. Sleeping is also a challenge .

We are getting closer and the weather is getting better so we enjoy the calmer sea. Although the water temperature is going down. We started in Fiji with 29 degrees and ended with 15 degrees. I will not jump in the water in New Zealand.

Even if we have reach New Zealand’s tip there is a bit left to get to Whangarei. When the instruments shows that it is only 100NM left you know that the next night we will be sleeping in a harbour and the boat will not rock at all. A full night sleep is one of the first things that we all are looking forward to. Until then we enjoy the scenery on our way down the coast and getting in to the marina.

This is a very protective marina with houses around and some of them have their own privet dock in front of the house. We arrived on the 5 oct 14.30 local time. Unfortunately the immigration could not come until next day but bio security came and took care of our garbage and cleared the boat. Now we have to wait until next morning to be able to go ashore. Luckily we have everything we need on the boat although it will be very nice to walk on land again after 10 days on the sea.

The next morning the custom arrives and we can hoist the New Zealand flag and move the boat the the dock where she will be staying while we take a 10 days tour with our crew and their wife’s Helena and Julia that arrived in the morning.

Hugs Eva

Fiji in between crews

Sorry for delay. Here you can read about our last days in Fiji before our friends arrive to sail with us to New Zealand.

We have been asked many times how we spend our days when we are not sailing. Easy we sleep long have breakfast, lunch,dinner and then go to bed…hahaha . In between all the eating and sleeping the boat needs to take care off and also we need to rest. Living on a boat is like constantly moving/rocking your body even when you laying in bed. Being on anchor is a bit calmer during night but not always . The most safest place to be calm is to moor in a marina although even there it can be rolling. We have had two particular marinas that I am thinking of but probably there was more. The first one and the worst one was Porto in Portugal and the other was Mindelo in Cap Verde. Being moored means that at least the ground is not moving when you walk… So after we have rested and have our energy back we have to do maintenance in/on/under the boat. Inside and outside cleaning as anyone else that have a home,washing clothes, reorganise when we get new crew (we tend to spread our things around when it is only us two) and on top of that there is a hull that needs to be cleaned. That means you have to jump into the water have your snorkel and mask on and start to scrape of the barnicals and everything else that grows on the hull. It does make a difference in speed if you get rid of it. Since I really do like being in the water I don’t mind cleaning the hull but not always, and specially when there is these itching things in the water…. Don’t like them. There is though an easier way to clean the boat(at least for me) and that is lifting the boat and wash the hull with high pressure wash. This is not very often though due to there is not always a place where we can lift the boat and of course it is not free. This time in Fiji we lifted the boat since we also needed the hull to get painted. There are some strict regulations to get in to New Zealand and one of them is to have a clean hull. And Saphir is not clean and the propeller need some extra care and a new paint.

During this time me and Edgar checked in to First Landing resort next to the marina. It is so nice to sleep in a normal bed with lots of space and a roof that is high up so you can even stand up in your be and walk around it and not crawl in to the bed. We was spoiled with our own pool which was extra nice to use before bedtime to cool down in.

We had lovely days at the resort, walking on the beach, hanging by the pool, enjoying dinner and performances in the evening. I took some walks and Edgar went over to check on the boat to make sure the painting went well on the hull and the propeller.

Our friends Jocke and Magnus arrives very early in the morning and we have breakfast at the resort before it is time to head to the boat and get her in to the water again.

Hugs Eva

Marie’s visiting us in Fiji continues

The first dive for Marie after she took her license needed to be celebrated with bubbles and some nice food. Next morning we check out and head towards the Yasawa island and to see the caves. This time the passage was much calmer and we had a nice current with us we went though it quick. We will not make it to the other reef before it is dark so we anchor in a bay and enjoy the sunset, the stars(picture taken with my Mobil. So much easier when the boat is not moving) and the sunrise. At 5.00 we wake up and head out to get through the passage and hoist the sail.

We have a great sailing day. The wind is around 8-10m/s and waves 1,5-2m. The wind is getting stronger and the waves got higher so we decide to reduce the mainsail. It didn’t work that well……the sail came out in full instead. This was not good. The wind was 15 m/s (30knots) and the waves was 2-3m so we didn’t feel comfortable to go up on deck to get the standing battens out of the mainsail. We change course and went behind the main island to get wind shade. Here was less wind and no waves so time to get these standing battens out of the mainsail. Since we furle in our sail in to the mast the battens are standing and are very long from 4m up to 20m. Now when the battens are out the sail can come down and together we tighten it up around the boom. New plans is made since we can’t make it the caves.

We found a bay close to the reef opening and anchored there for the night. Lots of smoke coming from the controlled fires on the island. Luckily the wind is right so we don’t smell the smoke. Time for a night swim before we go to bed.

Next morning we head to Blue lagoon next to Nanuya island. Suddenly we have 20 dolphins around the boat. Now everything feels much better and seeing dolphins compensate a bit that we missed the caves.

After we had anchored at Blue lagoon it was time to fix so that we could furle in the sail in the mast. Since we had this problem seven years ago(that we couldn’t furle in the mainsail)Edgar made sure we had the spear part that was broken that time. It was a small metal thing but it was a bit to long so it needed to be cut off. Me holding on to it with a poly grip and Edgar cutting it. Took us a few times to get the right length but we made it and the problem is solved. The furler is working and now we need a very calm day to hoist up the sail again.

We enjoy the sunset but are a bit frighten when we see big fires on the island next to us even though we understand it should be under control. Feel sorry for the people who are staying at the resort on that island. Must smell alot. The fire was on for two hole days also.

Time to explore the island and walk over to Lo’s tea house. It was a long, hot and beautiful walk. The view was great when we came up to the top. We was rewarded with a fresh lemonade and Fiji donut.

The ferry can’t get in to the pier so smaller boats comes out to leave and pick up people. In the evening we had dinner at Sami’s house and celebrated also his sons birthday. Herman and Ute from Thetis was also here at the Blue lagoon. So nice to see them again.

We wanted to dive again so we hoist the anchor and went south to Manta rays passage. First we snorkelled in the passage hoping to see some Manta rays but no luck but we saw lots of fishes and nice corals. We got to dive the next day. This time we was six divers and 2 instructors which feelt good until we started to dive. Our diver friends did not keep distance from us or swam together with their buddy which made it a bit enojing . You miss part off the fun in the dive since your focus is more keeping away from the others ( which of course you always do but then you expect the other also to keep away) Part from that it was a interesting dive in tunnels. Not a fan of that but fun to have done it. We saw one shark but not a great picture though and and we saw also an giant moray looking out from its hideout. All in all it was two okey dives. The sight was good even if the the water was not that clear. Feelt like it was a lot of plankton in the water.

I went snorkelling next to our boat after our dive. This is still my favourite snorkelling spot so far. Lots of cool corals, fishes and colours. Got a cool photo of the sun shining in the water

Next stop was Musket Cove. It was quit many boats there but we found a spot to drop the anchor. Here we stayed a few nights before we needed to go back to Vuda Marina. Me and Marie went for a long walk around the island perfect timing when it was low tie. We ended it with a dip in the pool.

Me and Marie went out to dive the next day and this time the other divers knew how to act which made the dive so much easier and more fun. The first dive I had problem with my tank. It was leaking a bit but managed anyway stay down for 37 min. The rest of the group came up 5 min later. Lots of fishes and a few black tip sharks as well. On the second dive we went next to a sandbank which appears only when it is low tie. Here we saw a very cool coral that looks like cabbage I also saw a moray. Which I didn’t catch on my camera this time.

Join me in to the water

Time to head back to the marina to prepare the boat for getting it out of the water since we are going to paint the hull. Not me and Edgar though we let the Yacht help do it for us. The freezer and fridge needs to get emptied since they don’t work when the boat is on land as they are water cooled. Good that the marina has a freezer where we can keep our food. And it was really time to defrost them as well. I took out all stored food boxes and realised we still have little more than we need of dry food ,cans and spices for our sailing to New Zealand. I have to make sure we don’t have any food that is not allowed to bring into New Zealand so we just buy the nesicery that we need as some fresh food and water. The dinner was taken at First Landing . This is the first time we are sitting indoors eating dinner, but it was raining heavy this evening. Luckily it had stopped when it was time for the fire show .

In the Marina there is a sea swimming pool more or less hidden on the island outside the restaurant. I have been out there several times but not swimming in it. Now it was time to try it and it was lovely. Since it is getting seawater in it naturally there was some small fishes and also some crabs.

Last dinner at the Boat Sheed restaurant with Marie before Karan picks her up and brings her to the airport. Thank you Marie for sailing with us. It was great to have you onboard and hope you learned to slow down and relax a bit. I am extra happy that I got a diving buddy

Hugs Eva

This was an extra long post. There will come a blog later from our days in between guests in Fiji. Until then enjoy the days we had with Marie. Love to here from you readers

Marie visiting us in Fiji

28Aug to 17Sep

Marie arriverad and we introduced here to Fiji dance and she gladly joined. The next day we leave for go up to Vanua Levu and Suvasuva. It is a bit up so we will do it in two stop. First some rest and the Marie is full energy and start cleaning the windows which was really in need. We find a perfect place and anchor outside Nananu-i-Cake Island.Just in time befor the sun goes down. Lovely to finally be able to jump in the water from the boat. The moon is shining very bright this night.

Next stop is in the north tip of Vitu Levu next to Nananu-i -Cake island. We have a lovely sunset and a fantastic sunrise

We take the dinghy to see if we can find a good snorkelling place. We did see a lot of nice corals. Unfortunately not so many fishes though.

Next stay we have a sunny day and some wind so we can sail. I forgot to but enough sunscreen so my face got a bit red…

New bay and another sunset view. The moon is still very bright. We leave early in the morning to get true the passage in right time. Don’t want the current against us, it is enough with rough to go throw the passage.

Entering Suvasuva and Copra shed marina. We have to use our anchor and unfortunately it didn’t stick properly so we needed to get some help from the harbour master. He and Edgar went out to through it in and it worked. Edgar found the best place to race shave him self. The last photo shows where we are and all the blue dots are places we have visited. As you see some places have we been a few times

Me and Marie explore the town and find some nice things and gifts. We also find the market that was hidden behind some ground working place.

We also found Ocean Ventura Fiji dive center and booked us for a dive the next morning with Sara and Matthew. First we had to take a cab for 40 min to get to them on the other side of the island and then it was 30 min boat ride to the dive place. The first was called the the Zoo and the second the white tip . This was Marie’s first dive after she took her license just before she came to us. Both of the dives was great. Lovely corals and fishes. Some scared ones and some curious and puffer fish.

Moore will come. Time to leave Fiji and no internet for a week to ten days.

Hugs Eva

Fiji week with Elin

In beginning of Aug my cousins daughter Elin came to visit us for a week before she is flying back to Sweden after spent 6 months in Australia. Luckily she didn’t have jet leg so she was ready to go and explore part of Fiji. The wind forced us to stay in the harbour for a few days so we went to visit Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple a wooden colourful Hindu temple in Nadi. After that we decided to go to Sleeping Giant zip line, Orchid falls & Jungle Safari. The way there was very interesting. First it was a nice road but after a while it started to be very bumpy and narrow and on top of it a bridge whiteout any fence. Luckily not that high bridge.

Me and Elin had a great time riding the zipline. Edgar didn’t dare or maybe not that keen on it so he stayed on the ground and watch us. There was some lovely orchid and other flowers. We was a bit tiered afterwards so we didn’t go up to the waterfalls. It was a quiet a bit to walk uphills. Might do that if I will visit the place again.

On the way back I got a better picture on the bridge without any fence. Glad we didn’t meet anyone on it. On the other side the farmer had started to burn on the field. Was a bit scary to drive through that but everything went well.

Back in the marina we had high tie and it was easy to walk out on the pier totally opposite from the morning when it was low tie. A tour in to Lautoka ended up with Edgar cutting of his long hair. I didn’t expect it to be that short but it will grow out in a few days/weeks. Now when he was so shorthair why not dress as a Fijian as well. The jumper to Nellie is finally finished only need to attach all yarn ends… and they are a few.

We went to First Landing for dinner and this time they had the show down by the water. This was by far the best light show we have seen there. The effect being in the water help a lot.

The weather was better and we motor sailed over to Muskat Cove. Nice to be able to jump in the water from the boat again. It was women’s world championships football and the Swedish ladies was playing. With help from my cousin we manage to see the game via messenger.

Outside Musket cove on a reef there is this place called Seventh Heaven that we went out to check out. It is a floating restaurant/bar and bathing platform where you can stay during daytime. We had a great day snorkelling, swimming and Elin jump from the tower. I was told that during the last year they have started to feed the fishes and also put in some metallic things that looks like beds to get the corals to grow. We had a great day there and I know that Elin was extra happy since she got to speak to an actress that she really likes. Don’t ask me who she was… not anyone I have ever seen. But happy that Elin was happy.

A week goes quickly and it is time for us to say bye bye to Elin. So glad that you came and stayed with us .

Hugs Eva

Fiji days with Ella and family

We had almost 25 hours to clean the boat, do the laundry, going to physiotherapist (me) and have a dinner just the two of us before Ella, Filip and Nellie arrived on Friday 14July.

The plan is to stay in the Marina get batteries hopefully on Monday or Tuesday. Lucky me I got a nespresso machine. From now on nice coffe onboard Saphir. Not the best weather over the weekend rain and cloudy. With right cloths and umbrellas we are of to get some ice cream.

The rain stops and we decided to go to First Landing for dinner or me and Edgar take the bikes and Ella and Filip walks. Nellie has the best place in our wagon and granddad pulling her. Hopefully she will fall a sleep on the way back. Hmmmm

Ella wanted us to come with here when she was going to have some massage at First Landing the next day. Not much of a beach as it was low tie but Nellie had fun and I enjoyed a coffee.

We rented a car since the batteries will take little longer time to get. Bio security will fume them? Don’t understand why and then of course some paper work… Driving on the left side is not for me so Edgar has to be our designated driver. Our first stop at Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Tempel. I had brought my sarong and one to Ella so we was good but the guys had also to cover their knees.

Made a stop in Nadi to find a support belt for my hip. Didn’t find the correct one but one that will do for know. Will continue look or get someone to bring it with them from Sweden. Me and Ella meet this lovely lady that introduced Ella to Savusavu. Ella was not so keen on it either.

Next to the roads there is railways and also in to the land. These is not railways for commuting it is for the suger plants. Now is the season to harvest so we see a lot of them.

In the Marina they have started to build some nice shades and put up hanging chairs(hammock?). Very nice to sit in and watch the boats coming in and out of the harbour.

I have a training partner. She is cheating a bit though and are done long before me. Some how I promised Nellie in a weak moment to make her a rainbow jumper. These are the colors. Pict on the jumper will come. Let see if I manage to make it before they leave. So training, knitting is not all we do when we hang around in the boat I also do some baking. Since we end up staying here until Thursday and we took out the pool for Nellie so she could have some fun. An 80feet catamaran came up next to us and suddenly we feel very tiny…

Thursday the batteries arraives after Edgar and Karran (our taxi driver) went to the warehouse to make sure we got them. At 5.00 pm the batteries are here and now we wait for the custom to come so we can lift them onboard. We bought them as yacht in transit to avoid vat. 5.30pm the custom guy arrived and saw them taken onboard our boat. Yippie we can leave the Marina after 10 days for us and a week for Ella& fam. Friday morning we are off to Muskat Cove. We get some help with the lines from the marina since we are moored with two buoys in the front that crosses over the other boats. Getting out of the marina Nellie enjoys the sailing or motoring for be exact. After 3 hours we have anchored outside Musket cove.

We will go in and see if they have some space for us tomorrow. For now we will enjoy not being in a harbour and the benefits of jumping in to the water whenever you feel for it. It is though so much easier to be in the harbour with the family. Then everyone can leave the boat when they want and not need the dinghy. First of all we need to cool down and enjoy the water and freedom to jump of the boat in to the water when ever we feel like it. This is the one off the best things with anchoring in a bay.

The morning after we went in with the dinghy to have a look and there was a lot of free space so don’t know why he said we couldn’t come in yesterday. Never mind we went straight out again and took Saphir in to the harbour since it was high tie.

Nellie loved the pool and tried to get friends or getting help with the water. Nellie did meet a new friend and her name was also Nellie. They had great fun together at the pool and also at the restaurant.

We went to the song and dance show at the restaurant this time also and Nellie loved it and also went up dancing

Me and Ella went snorkelling on the reef just outside the harbour. It was okay but the sight was not that clear. I have seen much better places. Fun for Ella to snorkel and the first time for me in six weeks. Feelt good that I can do that again. Saw a lot of blue starfishes and a cool heart shaped pink coral and a few fishes as well

A week goes fast and it is time to leave Muskat Cove for this time and head to Vuda Marina again. It is not that far but someone got tiered. I am working hard on the jumper to Nellie, still have some color strips to ad before it is done…… can be hard to be done before they leave. In the marina we end up next to the catamarans again and we do feel very small although our mast is almost the same hight.

Went in to Nadi again to have a look around the town. Visit the fruit and vegetables market that was very nice. We also went to visit the handicraft market and that was a bit of disappointment. Felt that many of the things was not made in Fiji.

Back in the boat and our last evening Nellie wanted to make ponytail on grandma with help of grandpa that didn’t work that well… so grandpa let her do Pippi Longstocking ponytails on him instead….with some help from grandma.

Need to show the sunset. Been a few days without it… Nellie decide that she wanted sleep with me and grandpa since it was her last night with us until we come home . A bit tight in the bed so I ended up turning me around. Seems my feet didn’t smell to bad. The next morning they are off and will see them in end of October. Safe flight back home to Sweden.

Big hugs Eva

Fiji days with Erika and her family

Five days to recover more in my back/leg, before Erika with family arrives. We also need to rearrange the boat so they can sleep in the beds. Luckily the cleaning we got help with. Thanks to a neighbour boat I got in contact with a new physiotherapist that help me much better. Got new exercises/stretches and she also gave me massage and this electrical muscle stimulator that felt really good. Hopefully this will help but it will take a while and need to do my stretches 3times a day. Puh!!!

Erika, Oskar, Max and Mia have arrived ! They are a bit tiered . It was a long journey 36 hours with not much sleep. We are so happy to have them here.

After a day resting and grocery shopping we head out off the Marin to go to some off the island near Musket cove. As often the wind is not right so we use the iron genua instead. Nice to have help with all lines and fenders.

We passes some reefs and need to be looking out for corals heads since not all are marked on the sea chart. There are some very nice resorts that we pass and we anchor outside one. So nice to have a swim in the sea. I have been swimming in the sea since we was in Tonga and that is three weeks ago. With the sup board in the water it is easier to get M&M in the water. They think it is a bit to high to jump from the platform in the back off the boat.

We had anchored outside an adults resort ops!! so we couldn’t go in to the beach with the kids and didn’t find any other nice place to go ashore. Edgar took an extra drive around with the kids in the dinghy before we left to a new place.

We ended up on Cast away island. A bit rolly here also but much better then the last place. I thought when we where inside the reef it should not be rolly , of course not totally calm but less then we had. Now everyone is ready to go ashore so we took the dinghy in to Cast away resort. It was on its way to get low tie so we was lucky to get in to land. Now we had to wait for the high tie to come , which takes 3-4 hours. Good that they had a restaurant so we could get some lunch and a swimming pool that we could use. M&M enjoy swimming and playing in the pool and I enjoyed sitting down and relaxing and not needing to walk.

The next day we went to Musket cove to spend some time with the World Arc fleet before they continue in a few days to Vanatue, Australia and onwards. Since we are not joining we thought it would be nice to be their start boat and wave them off. Musket cove turned out to be a perfect place to stay with kids with the beach and a pool to swim in when the tie is low.

It was very nice to spend time with the fleet. We enjoy every minute. We will miss them all a lot. When we started our sailing a year ago I thought/ hoped that we would meet some nice sailors. Never in my mind I thought we was going to be part of such a super great group and find truly new friends.

The starting day for WARC is here. We welcome Tim onboard. Erika will be in charge off the starting flags using our boathook as help. It was a bit scary start when Salt and Sara of Sweden past us and headed straight towards the reefs. You can see on the picture where we had anchored next to the reef. They turned in time and we wave to our friends. Some off them came very close up to us before the went away. We wish them all a great sailing to Vanuatu and onwards.

The bar was located just next to our boat where we could have some food as well. Good for me I didn’t have to walk very far. In daytime when it was high tie we cold have a swim next to the bar but at low tie you could walk all the way in to the beach without getting wet.

Slowly getting better in my hip and leg due to my stretches 3 times a day. The massage I took also help a lot I straighten out so to say. I continue to bike everywhere since walking to far hearts and standing still is not working more than a minute or two. Will come back to this lovely place and get more massage fore sure.

We spend another day here by the pool and in the evening there was a dance performance that we all enjoy. Two fascinated kids sitting like a light as we say in Sweden. Meaning they are sitting totally still and not moving around. Mia wanted to join the dancing so Erika and her went up.

The next morning we headed out and went a bit north and ended up at the island Waya outside the village Nalauwaki. After the anchor was drop Edgar and Mia went in to meet the chef and give cava. We was all invited to the savusavu ceremony later in the afternoon followed with song and dance by the locals. To be allowed to snorkel, swim in the water,walk on the beach etc you have to meet the chef of the village and bring cava and drink it with him. This is not the cava with bubbles this is made out of cava roots and mixed with water. Not very nice taste according to me.

We went in to the village for the savusavu and dance. The tradition is to drink up everything in the bowl so we hade to take a few drinks. It was a very nice song and dance performance. Mia and Edgar join the dance but Max didn’t want to dance.

Nice sunrise and then we are off to Vuda Marina. A bumpy motor going so the kids ended up sleeping.

The next day was a fun day in the water park. Even me went on the slide once with Mia. It was really fun.

Vuda Marina has a built part of the playground like a boat and the kids loved it. Sometimes it is nice to watch a move and just relax in the sofa.

Two weeks goes fast when you have fun. Time for the family to go home. Will miss them a lot. Love you Max and Mia

Hugs Eva

Fiji with Elise

Suva yatch club anchor place didn’t make a good impression on us rather the opposite. Lots of ship wrecks and ships that almost are a wreck.

We decided to leave and found a bay just around the corner. This feels much better. Although it is a bit rolly when the tie comes and goes. We stay here over night and I did some very stupid thing so my hip and leg got really bad. Hope it will get better soon. Elise is a bit yet lagged and I try out my new baking machine. This will take a few times I guess to get a great result. First I guess was to much flour.

We leave the bay next morning and head up to Nadi. Outside Denarau Marina we drop the anchor since the marina was full. We take the dinghy in to the marina to do some shopping and fill up petrol to the dinghy. When we came in and starts walking I realise that my leg /hip is worse then I thought. Can only walk 10- 20m before it is to painful to walk. After done the shopping I am totally exhausted and can’t walk…. Grateful that Erik is in Denarau and gives me a pain relief shot and some strong pills. Feels already much better on the way back to Saphir.

Laying in anchor outside Denarau was not the best place and we realise that many of the fleet is in Vuda Marina so we decided to go there. It is a very nice relaxed marine. Not as commercial marina as Denarau.

As Elise have been on big cargo ships she have learned a few tricks how clean a boat. I am very happy that she us to clean part of the boat. She also went up the mast to free the flag that had got stuck in the mast.

We went in to the Boat Sheed(the restaurant in the marina) for dinner in the evening together with Chris and Karen. We had a great evening that ended up with Chris singing karaoke and Karen joining him.

Often it is something that needs to be fixed, repaired or replaced on the boat when we come to a marina. This time the boat was okay but me and Edgar where broken. I can hardly walk and Edgar have problem with his back. Poor Elise was looking forward to sail around the island in Fiji but ended up in Vuda Marina and a few day at a resort. The days in the resort help Edgar a lot and I was feeling a bit better but still not good enough to walk . We did enjoy our days at the pool and lovely dinners. So nice to sleep in a full size bed, a bed you don’t need to crawl in and is totally still.

Elise went on a day trip on a catamaran. She snorkelled and saw lovely corals and fishes. This is what I hope to do and see soon.

Back in the marina after days at the resort Edgar and Elise goes to do some grocery shopping while I rest… So glad that we have our folding bikes onboard. This is my life saver. I am not stuck on the boat although we can take the dinghy in to the marina where there is a restaurant, chandelier and a food/ cafe/gift shop. To walk from the boat to the marina takes about 5-10 min and for me probably 20 -30 min, since I have to stop every 20meter due to pain. Biking is without any pain and the roads are okay to bike on. I can easily move around. We saw that is was going to be a market on First Landing resort so me and Elise took the bikes over to check it out. Found some nice things. Most of them handmade by the locals. I even bought a small bag that I had to wait for to be done

Vuda Marina next to the resort. Short distance but long to walk to.

In the evenings we went there with our friends and had dinner. They had performance and invited us up to dance with them. It was only Elise and Karen who went up. New drinks has to tries and Elises was very blue and good she said.

Our last evening with Elise. She leaves early morning to fly home to Sweden and start work. Safe flight back Elise and next time we hope that you can sail a bit more …