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| The "Cascade d'Eau" at Tiarei, Tahiti |
To make the best of our
time in Tahiti we hired a car for a day to tour the island. The main
road runs round the foreshore of Tahiti Nui (the main part of the
island) and partway down the east and west coasts of Tahiti Iti (the
smaller part of the island; the two parts are joined at the hip so to
speak!). The whole trip took five hours including a lunch stop and
was unremarkable in many respects. The excellent condition of the
roads took us by surprise after our experiences elsewhere. The
architecture was unimpressive; however, the scenery was amazing with
the verdant hill sides and numerous waterfalls, greatly outpacing the
one in Fatu Hiva!
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| A problem in every island, not just Tahiti |
The down side is that this island; in company with
most others, both here and in the Caribbean; has a major problem with
abandoned derelict cars; there needs to be a system where final
scrapping of cars is funded upfront in the initial purchase price
such that such beautiful places are provided with the means to
dispose of such eyesores! All in all we were left unimpressed, the
architecture outside the city of Papeete was nothing special and
within he city little of historic interest seemed to have been
preserved. I am sure there are many who would disagree with me but I
would not chose to return. It is difficult to think why this island
is such a famed holiday destination; its major endearing factor is
the warmth of the welcome from the people.
 |
| Departing Tahiti |
The next morning we
returned the car, watered ship and fuelled Kurukulla (first time
since Panama – 68 litres! Not bad); after that we set off for the
18 mile reach to Moorea the next nearest island to Tahiti. By 1645 we
were passing through the reef and by 1715 we were anchored in the
tranquil inner reaches of Papetoia Bay, on the north coast. It is a
long inlet and well protected from the trade winds. Here we settled
for the next day or so. The following morning, however, was grey and
with intermittent rain which lasted for most of the day; as forecast,
but not quite what we wanted!
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| At anchor, Papetoia Bay, Moorea. |
Notwithstanding this setback, at
midnight on the second day, we hoisted the mainsail and set off for
Huahine, the next island to the north west some 80 miles away. Our
hope was that we would arrive in the afternoon of the following day
to give us daylight to enter through the reef and to assist in
finding one of the moorings, laid by the local authorities, to avoid
anchor damage to the coral. In the event we arrived at 1530, with
plenty of daylight left, but to find a dozen boats lying at anchor
inside the reef; we did the same!
 |
| Anchorage at Fare, Huahine |
We opted for a brief
trip ashore next day, Sunday, to visit the Town Hall (intending to
pay our dues – it was closed) and get a few odds and ends from the
local supermarket (which was fantastic, a wider range of goods than
any previous supermarket despite it being a very small island).
 |
| Amazing, foil board. |
This
was followed by a beer on the terrace of the Huahine Yacht Club where
we were treated to a demonstration of a form of foil borne board
which was powered by the rider oscillating his weight up and down;
very impressive! Something I had not seen before.
 |
| Port Bourayne, Huahine |
After this we
returned onboard and set off southwards, inside the reef, to reach
Port Bourayne, a large inlet that gives access to the channel which
divides the two halves of Huahine. The bridge over the gap is too low
for us to pass through and we picked up a mooring a mile short of the
bridge; a perfect, tranquil anchorage for the night. Next day we
motored back to Fare, the town of Huahine, and made another short
stop before setting off at 1300 for our next island the double island
of Raiatea and Taha'a.
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| The surf on the reef, Huahine |
Having departed later than planned we opted
for the Toahotu Pass, which is on the eastern side so more prone to
swell, rather than heading round the south end of the island and
entering through one of the western facing passes. Toahotu is
relatively wide and deep, represented no challenge, and once inside
we were able to join eight other boats anchored on the reef to the
north of the pass, just as the sun set.
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| Sunset over the reef with Bora Bora in the far distance, Raiatea |
Next morning, after an
“early” swim (i.e. 0900), we set off under genoa alone to visit
the village of Haamene at the end of Haamene Bay, a 2.5 mile long
inlet in the east coast of Taha'a. The moorings advertised in the
sailing brochure of French Polynesia, “The Stopover Handbook”,
were there but appeared not to have been used for some time,
excluding the one with an apparently abandoned yacht on it! We
picked one up and set off ashore for lunch at the local waterfront
restaurant, Maitai.
 |
| The college at Haamene, Taha'a. |
The village seemed to be rather a sleepy hollow,
mostly consisting of one large, and architecturally rather ugly,
education college which seemed to be closed for a recess. After lunch
we headed back onboard, sailed off the mooring, and enjoyed a very
satisfying beat upwind, out of the bay. We then had to bear off,
inside the reef, to head for Raiatea, the next island, a short
distance south. Raiatea and Taha'a share the same outer reef.
Interestingly Raiatea seems to be the centre of the charter yacht
industry in French Polynesia. Our plan was to anchor in Baie Pufau, a
short distance south of the marina at Apooiti; however, our plans
were spoilt by a rather rude individual, who came roaring out in a
motorboat to inform us that “anchoring in the bay was not allowed”;
under what regulation or whose authority we did not question, mainly
due to the proximity of sunset and the need to retrace our steps for
half a mile in order to anchor at an alternative anchorage that we
had identified on the inner edge of the reef. Normally I don't take
such “advice” without question!
The night on the reef
was calm and peaceful but we woke to black clouds and heavy rain! Not
quite what we wanted. Within an hour it showed signs of clearing and
by 1000 we were back to sunshine with a few clouds. At this stage we
weighed anchor and set off northwards, inside the reef, to the most
northerly pass on the western side of Taha'a, Passe Paipai. It was
from here we were to make our exit and head to Bora Bora which was
only 18 miles distant but, before we did so, we picked up a mooring
in Baie Hurepiti, a long narrow inlet with some very smart houses on
the foreshore, and enjoyed a comfortable lunch.
 |
| Sunset at Bora Bora "Yacht Club" |
By 1300 we were
underway again and by 1715 we were secured to a mooring in front of
the Bora Bora Yacht Club. It didn't take us long to launch the dinghy
and reach the bar! On arrival we discovered that the “Yacht Club”
was no longer a club but a commercial bar/restaurant which continued
to use the club name. At 2200CFP (=£16.80) for a bottle of beer and
a G&T they were certainly not charging sailing club prices!
Next morning we idled
our time away doing minor bits of maintenance before having an early
lunch and heading ashore. From the yacht club we walked into the
village of Vaitape looking to recce the local supermarket and find
the Gendarmerie to confirm the arrangements for leaving French
Polynesia. The latter were not as simple as the entry procedures at
Hiva Oa! There were 6 new forms to fill in (one in triplicate!) and
clearance takes a minimum of 24 hours. Nothing happens on Saturday or
Sunday! Our plan to leave Sunday morning just collapsed! Things were
made more complicated by the fact that we had offered a passage to
Fiji to a yachting “hitch-hiker” at Tahiti marina. He was hoping
to join us hours before we sailed from Bora Bora but with a 24 hour
delay between application and approval to depart, and with all
passports needing to be presented when approval was sought, this was
potentially going to further delay our departure.
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| Watering ship at Bora Bora Yacht Club |
In the end he, and
we, decided it would be impossible and thus we left him behind. We
lodged our papers for departure on Friday, at midday, and agreed to
come back for our zarpe (exit clearance) on Monday at the same time.
Saturday and Sunday
were planned to be days of rest and relaxation, mixed with the odd
bit of maintenance, leading up to our departure on the Monday; the
only minor problem was that the weather hadn't got the message;
Saturday dawned grey and most of the morning was taken up with
outbreaks of heavy rain and squalls! A brief walk in the afternoon
was followed by supper onboard and a frustrating pair of hours spent
in the Yacht Club Bar, online, trying to book my tickets to fly from
Fiji to Canada for a '79 Admiral's Cup/Fastnet reunion of the
Magistri Crew (Magistri was the Canadian yacht for which I was
navigator/tactician in the 1979 Admiral's Cup series and the only
Canadian team boat to finish the 79 Fastnet). After several failed
attempts I eventually succeeded by booking direct with Fiji Airways.
All my earlier attempts through Skyscanner came to nothing as the
company to which it linked, MyTrip, insisted on demanding a US zip
code, even for non US residents, before it would accept payment! I
wonder how many bookings that costs them!
On Monday morning we
collected our “Permis de Sortis{International}Plaisance” from the
Gendarmerie (aka Zarpe), food from the supermarket, water from the
yacht club and then we were off! Leaving the lagoon at 1500 and
heading west to the remote Atoll of Suwarrow, 680 miles away. As the
sun set at 1800 we caught possibly our last glimpse of French
Polynesia as we passed the island of Maupiti, another atoll but one
we had chosen not to visit. We had opted for the northern route to
Fiji, via Samoa, and as a consequence we would miss out on the Cook
Islands, Nime and Tonga; next time! Time pressure was upon us and you
can't do them all!
 |
| Anchored at Suwarrow, Cook Islands |
In the following days
we settled into a passage routine again but initially it was slow
progress. The winds were light and directly from astern. This
combined with two long crossing swells meant that we rolled heavily
and were deafened by the crashing and banging of the fully battened
mainsail as it flopped from side to side. Over the first two days we
averaged a meagre 4 knots; however, on day three things livened up
and we managed 5 knots for most of the day, and from there on it just
got better! The other “up side” of day three was, as the sun was
setting, we caught sight of another sailing vessel on the horizon,
directly ahead of us; during the night we slowly overhauled her and
by sunset the next day we had lost sight of her again below the
horizon astern of us; very satisfying!
 |
| Tahiti to Samoa(US) |
The result of our much
improved speed was that we made it to our next anchorage just before
nightfall. Part of the Cook Islands, the island of Suwarrow (aka
Sovorov) has no permanent residents. Conveniently it lies almost on
the rhumb line between Bora Bora and Samoa and has a suitable pass
into, and anchorage in, the lagoon. We negotiated the entrance
without difficulty and joined three other vessels anchored in the lee
of the main island. Within minutes, whilst we were still stowing
sails, the resident park-keeper appeared on the beach waving a
portable VHF. Via channel 16 he informed us that we were not allowed
to land until clearance had been given tomorrow morning, we were
either to go ashore when invited or he would come to us; we invited
him onboard for coffee!
 |
| The hermit crab raid! Suwarrow beach |
Next day the Park
Rangers arrived at 0900 and we went through the entire clearance
process for entering the Cook Islands; not that it was a problem but
as Suwarrow was the only island we were visiting, and it was
uninhabited (save for the 2 park rangers), it seemed a bit excessive!
At 1100 a Brazilian registered yacht arrived which we thought had
departed Bora Bora the day before us; we later confirmed, at the
evening “pot luck” supper on the beach, that it was them that we
had overtaken two days earlier. The afternoon was spent snorkelling
on the reef around the island; the most spectacular and fascinating
variety of fish and coral that I had ever witnessed; breathtaking!
 |
| Black Tip Shark, Suwarrow. |
Also breathtaking was the encounter with a black tip shark who was
also cruising the reef but for other purposes! He lazily swam past
me, taking a good look but showing no further interest, and slowly
disappeared again into the distance. Black Tips are not dangerous
unless threatened but it was my first encounter with a shark with
teeth, in their environment, since we had departed the Caribbean!
Catfish, although shark family, are not quite the same!
Monday morning dawned
grey and rainy but improved rapidly. We had decided to depart
Suwarrow on Monday evening, or Tuesday morning early if there was no
wind the evening before. In order to achieve this we had to check out
with the park rangers during the Monday afternoon. Needless to say,
at 1600 on Monday afternoon there was not a breath of wind! The
decision taken, departure 0700 Tuesday!
Tuesday morning was
somewhat better; but not a lot! Wind ENE at 5 knots. As we left
Suwarrow behind we hoisted the spinnaker and set off, dead downwind,
for Samoa (US) 450 miles away. Kurukulla was doing 4.5 knots with
~3kts of wind over the deck. Pleasant sailing but hardly fast! At
least it was an opportunity to use the spinnaker for a long leg!
 |
| Downwind, Cook Islands to Samoa |
In
fact, the conditions were so good, we carried it overnight for the
first time since leaving the Mediterranean; however, next morning we
decided discretion was the better part of valour and with Kurukulla
doing 8 knots, in 10 knots of wind over the deck (18 knots true), we
took it down and reverted to a poled out genoa. The stronger winds
lasted for the next three days getting us to Pago Pago, Samoa (US),
on Friday in the early morning. US Samoa is an “Unincorporated
Territory of the United States” whatever that may mean; vis a vis
Samoa (previously Western Samoa) which is an independent nation.
By 0700 we were 21
miles off the entrance to Pago Pago and made our first attempt to
contact Port Control by VHF radio on channel 16, in accordance with
local requirements. No answer! From then until 0900 we tried every
half hour but to no avail; from there we reverted to quarter hourly
calls but still no answer! Eventually we anchored in the inner
reaches of the harbour and made a final attempt at 1045; several
minutes later we got a response asking us to weigh anchor and go
alongside a tug on the wharf outside the Harbour Master's Office.
This we did. From here on it became more like a kindergarten trying
to put on a Shakespearian comedy.
 |
| Pago Pago, US Samoa |
The harbourmaster's official came
to the boat to escort me to his office but first I had to go to
Customs (they are responsible for collecting the money when you
depart). From here, after the usual form filling, I went to the
harbour master's office in the floor above. More forms and a brief on
where I was to anchor and stay put; to move needed prior approval
from the harbour master and this would not be granted for anything
outside Pago Pago harbour! Great, no coastal cruising then! Next we
were to await Immigration, onboard Kurukulla, but they never arrived!
Eventually after an hour delay I returned to the Harbour Master's
office to find out if they had told Immigration of our arrival; they
hadn't. By now it was past 1200 on Friday and Immigration had gone
home for the weekend, as had the Health Department who were to check
us for contagious diseases etc. “Don't worry” was the phrase,
“come back Monday! Just keep your Q (quarantine) flag up”! “But
if we do that we cannot leave the boat” says I.....”don't worry”
was the answer! Hence we became illegal immigrants to the USA; thank
goodness Donald Trump doesn't know about us – we'd be locked up!
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| Bus station, Pago Pago, US Samoa |
That afternoon we went
ashore for an initial look around and to find some internet to catch
up on events. Where do you get internet in the USA, well McDonald's
of course. So we opted for a coffee in McDonald's - “Sorry we don't
have the internet code. Only the manager has it and he isn't working
today!” Well no coffee then...... We finally got connected through
a very slow connection at Sadie's Bar; a bar/restaurant established
in the name of the lead character in Somerset Maugham's book about an
American prostitute whom he met at the inn and who had become
stranded in Samoa, in the early 1900's, when on passage from Honolulu
to Fiji. I was beginning to know how she must have felt! Even here we
were rationed to 30 minutes of internet, no matter how many beers you
buy! It's obviously dangerous to let drunken clients access the
internet! We will not be staying longer in Samoa (US) than we have
to; however, we cannot leave before Monday as we need a Zarpe from
customs to present at our next port of call! Sailing without one
causes all sorts of problems downstream!
 |
| High Court, and inevitable church, Pago Pago, US Samoa |
Sunday was spent doing
maintenance onboard as nothing opens or runs in Samoa (US) on Sunday;
standfast the churches! Buses were few and very far between and
virtually no cars on the road. Kurukulla had developed some stiffness
in the steering which needed investigating and that involved emptying
the stern locker and me taking up residence in there to work on the
rudder gland (water proof seal). After four hours, much swearing and
cursing, and a few cuts and scrapes, the job was done. The steering
now spins from lock to lock freely. Important as battery drain caused
by the self steering is much increased if the steering offers
unnecessary resistance.
Monday morning we paid
our $52 to the harbour master, for 4 days anchorage, and $100 to
customs, for the Zarpe, to allow us to escape. An expensive few days
at anchor! One of the more amusing aspects of Samoa (US) were their
buses. They are built on any truck chassis available, to any length
required, using a standard front at back to the passenger cabin (both
made from pressed steel) and wooden framed sides and seats made to
measure! We had intended to go and do a bus tour of part if the
island in the later part of the day but our disillusionment with the
place sapped our enthusiasm and in the end we settled for lunch at
Sadie's Bar, did some victualling in the local supermarket and then
retired back onboard. We both agreed we had no desire to see more.
Our plan now was to water ship at first light on Tuesday and then
sail asap for Neiafu, in Tonga. The passage is expected to take 2
days but because of crossing the dateline we will arrive Friday
morning. They are actually east of the 180 degrees line and so should
consider themselves to be on the other side of the date-line but have
elected to be the only place in the world who keep GMT -13 as
standard time! Tonga's motto is “The place where time starts”.
What it does mean is that they are on the same calendar day as New
Zealand and Australia, their two biggest neighbours.
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| Alternator repair in Pago Pago |
We had originally
intended to miss Tonga and go via Samoa (Ex Western Samoa) but our
experience of Samoa (US) and the description in the pilot book of a
prolonged entry procedure to Samoa, followed by the need for a letter
of permission from the Prime Minister's Office (5 copies!) if you
wish to leave the port of entry, Apia, and sail to other locations in
Samoa, all caused us to think again. Even the reports of a floating
pumice “island”, of an area of 150 sq km, between Tonga and Fiji,
our potential next port of call after Tonga, was not enough to put us
off changing the plan and going via Tonga.
As ever, the best laid
plans get committed to the waste bin! On Tuesday morning we were up
and ready to go at 0700. Started the engine and …... no output from
the alternator, hence no battery charging! Five hours later, after
much frustration and cursing by me, it was fixed. The earth lead to
the field windings at the back of the alternator had broken off. Not
visible without dismantling the whole alternator mounting and not a
common fault, therefore not the first thing you look for. By mid day
we were ready to go again; however, by this stage I was in need of a
beer and lunch was calling. Because of the delay in leaving we were
unlikely to make Tonga on Friday early enough to check in and
therefore the pressure was off. By 1300 we had moved to the fuelling
station, watered ship and were ready to leave. I called Port Control
on Ch16 for approval …. nothing. Called again … No answer …....
We went!
 |
| Samoa(US) to Fiji |
Tuesday night we had
light and variable winds all night, reconfirming that we were not
going to make Tonga on Friday. That said, after a day of very light
winds, Wednesday evening the winds steadily increased until we had
20+ knots and were storming along on a close fetch on port tack. It
developed into one of the wettest and lumpiest sails we have had
since leaving the Caribbean! Not withstanding that and even with the
increased wind, plus an average of 6-7 knots boat speed, we only made
Vava'u Island, Tonga, at 0300 on a moonless Saturday morning (we had
lost a day by crossing the dateline en route). The choice was to
heave to off the western side of the islands or navigate in, to find
an anchorage, by starlight. We opted for the latter and by 0400 we
were anchored in Funga'Onetail Bay. The depth came up quickly and
hence we anchored in 15m but by the time we had dropped back we
needed all 70m of cable out as we were now in 28m of water! With the
anchor drag alarm set we enjoyed a whisky nightcap and went to bed
having set the alarm for 0800.
 |
| Neiafu waterfront, Vava'u |
We awoke next morning
to torrential rain and a green and verdant bay. By 0900 we were
underway and heading for the main harbour at Neiafu where we hoped to
clear in. The pilot stated that, provided you were prepared to pay
the overtime charges, clearing in was possible on Saturday's; it
lied. We called on Ch26, as instructed in the pilot book, and were
answered by a volunteer group called VVMRA, (Vava’u Volunteer
Marine Response Association), who informed us that Customs were not
working today and therefore it would be Monday 0900 before we can
clear in. C'est la vie! No moorings were available and so we gently
pottered through the harbour and anchored at the south eastern end
for the weekend, to remain onboard, Q flag flying, and await
clearance.
 |
| Mango bar/restaurant and Moorings base! |
Monday morning at 0830
saw us berthing alongside the Quarantine (fishermen's) Quay and
awaiting clearance from Customs, Immigration, Health and Bio
Security. By 1230 we had been processed; we had filled in endless
useless forms, all with the same information just in a different
order, and we had been relieved of $74 US for the privilege....but
at least we were in! To recover we set forth on a tour of Neiafu,
purchased a data SIM card and then hit the Mango Cafe for a bite and
a lunchtime beer. By 1500 we were back onboard, having topped up with
a few victuals (including possibly the most expensive shoulder of
lamb and two pork cutlets ever purchased, $(Tongan)160 which equates
to £72! and yes we did query the price; at least it did for four
meals!). Thereafter we set sail for the delightful anchorage at
Mouihouma Point on Kapa island. Blue skies, turquoise water and sandy
bottom to anchor on; what more could one ask? Well $T15 for the
privilege of anchoring in this “Special zone”, as we found out
when the local collector arrived. The bottom was sand with coral
outcrops and snorkelling was amazing. Over and around the coral
outcrops it was like swimming in an overcrowded aquarium; a multitude
of various types of spectacularly beautiful, brightly coloured, fish
 |
| The Vava'u fruit and veg market |
After 48 hours in this
bit of paradise we moved to Naupapu Island, anchoring for the night
off Matamaka; and what a night! Although we were in the company of
seven other yachts, all anchored in the same “sheltered”
anchorage, by midnight the wind had swung round to the west and was
increasing rapidly putting us on a lee shore. By 0200 it was blowing
30-35 knots and horizontal heavy rain; ideal! I spent a large part of
the night seated in the cockpit monitoring our position; making
certain our anchor did not drag. It didn't! Others were not so lucky,
the next boat to us was forced to get underway in the midst of it
all,struggling to release their anchor from the coral bottom and
fighting the atrocious conditions. Fortunately they did not come
drifting our way! By morning we were one of only two boats left in
the anchorage!
Next day we moved to an
even more enclosed, sheltered, anchorage, near Lape Island. Here we
were able to put the anchor down on pure sand, in 8m of water, and
with very little coral. Much better! The night passed quietly and by
next morning we had recovered after a decent night's rest. Sadly we
were able to remain here for only the one night as we had to return
to Neiafu on Vava'u island to clear out of Tonga on the Friday
afternoon ready for a Saturday afternoon departure for Fiji.
 |
| Neiafu, Vava'u Island, Tonga |
Our first stop was the
Moorings (charter company) Boating Base, to top up with water;
something we had personally arranged during a visit the Monday
before. As we approached we called on VHF and got approval to come
alongside their jetty. This was where we met the “manager” the
most unpleasant person I have come across in the Pacific Islands. He
started by protesting that we had “no right to come alongside”
their jetty, we explained it was all previously organised and had
been approved only minutes ago on VHF. He was unwavering, we moved
berth at his insistence to another of their jetties and proceeded to
top up with water, after which I went to the office to pay. In the
process I asked if we could stay alongside for a further 45 minute to
take lunch at the Mango Bar, “no problem” was the answer. 15
minutes later he was at our table asking why we were still there (he
had been in the office when I asked for approval!) and telling us we
would have to move “Now”. I refused..... and in the process gave
him a lecture on good management. He didn't come back! After a
leisurely lunch we moved to the quarantine berth to start the outward
clearance process, berthing on the same fishing boat we had used
before (kinder on Kurukulla's topsides; the jetty was rough
concrete!). Fortunately this was much quicker and less painful than
the inward clearance!
 |
| Our favourite bay, Mouihouma Point |
After a shopping trip, to top up on victuals,
we moved off again and re-anchored in our favourite bay, Mouihouma
Point, for the final night. It was from here we reluctantly departed
for Fiji at 1300 the next day. Both Christoph and I agreed that Tonga
is a place we would both like to come back to at some stage.
Beautiful cruising ground, lovely people (Moorings manager excepted!)
and a great welcome.
Prior to departure I
tried, via the internet, to discover the whereabouts of the floating
island of pumice which had appeared, a few days before, from an
underwater volcano to the north west of Tonga. Although it was very
newsworthy on the day of it's discovery I| could find no reference to
it's current position. We opted for the straight line between Tonga
and Fiji keeping a good lookout for any evidence of it. On day two we
started to see streaks of floating pumice, like salt foam, along the
direction of the wind. The largest lumps were about the size of
footballs but the majority was nearer pebble size; all very low
density and nothing to worry about. Within twelve hours all trace had
disappeared again; that is until we entered the Coro Sea, between the
outer reef islands and the major islands of Fiji (250 miles wide).
 |
| Remains of the pumice island |
Evidently more of the pumice had become trapped here but even then
the density was not enough to cause us problems; still only isolated
patches. On the morning of our second day inside the reef we were
faced with a flat calm and mirror like sea. Fortunately there was no
sign of any pumice to get sucked into the engine intake and hence we
motored to make some way towards Fiji; the first time we had
“cheated” by using the engine to make passage progress since the
Canary Islands! Notwithstanding a couple of attempts to use the
spinnaker, in lieu of the engine, by midnight we were still motoring
in virtually no wind; very depressing! Definitely “one of those
days”.
 |
| Trailing at 2 kts (under spinnaker) |
Tuesday
morning found us off the south west of Viti Levu, the largest island
of Fiji, still motoring with only 1.5kts of wind over the deck but at
least we were only 45 miles from our destination, Vuda Point Marina.
The wind did eventually pick up somewhat but barely enough to meet
our deadline of being in the marina before 1500 to ensure clearance
today. We had already e-mailed the Fijian clearance form, all 13
pages of it (2.6Mb!), to the appropriate addresses and received a
confirmation of receipt plus 9 notifications that it had been
declined due to the inboxes of the recipients being too full!
 |
| Welcoming garland, Vuda Marina. |
Fortunately I also e-mailed an additional copy to the marina office;
this was the only copy to appear when we cleared in! Having motored
for 24 hours to arrive at our declared arrival time of 1400 we were
confident we had at least saved ourselves the additional costs of
overtime for the clearances which Noonsite (an info web site for
yachties) warned were severe. Not a bit of it! It is not your time of
arrival that matters it is the time the officials arrive; and of
course they didn't turn up until 1630, conveniently the time at which
overtime charges start to apply, and so a normal hours bill of $Fi248
(~£100), expensive enough, became $Fi598 (~£239); extortion
sanctioned by the Fiji government! This included $Fi170 (~£68) for
the taking away and disposing of eight eggs and a small jar of honey
(if you try to avoid the fixed charge by offering up nothing they
will simply search the boat until they find something! No one tells
you about the free amnesty rubbish bin outside the BioSecurity
Offices, you have to find that out for yourself once you have paid!).
As ever in such places, arguing with Government Officials gets you no
where; beyond a brief protest I didn't even try!
 |
| A welcome beer at Vuda Marina bar. |
The boat we were
alongside fared even worse, they had arrived before midday and still
got hit for the overtime charges! It is a total Rip Off
but it is apparently sanctioned by government, hence you can do
nothing but grudgingly pay up.
 |
| Vuda Marina. |
In light of all the
above we were on the point of turning around and saying goodbye to
Fiji without setting foot ashore. Fortunately we did not! What had
persuaded us to stay was that thirty minutes after our arrival we had
been presented with a garland of fresh flowers, (aka Salusalu) and a
chorus of singers, plus a guitarist, had arrived on the jetty to sing
us our welcome, Fijian, song. Truly beautiful and summed up the true
people of Fiji. Once you get beyond officialdom the people of Fiji
are some of the nicest in the world, happy, polite and a joy to meet.
The marina staff are a pleasure to work with; they are also
embarrassed by the corrupt actions of the authorities but are in no
way responsible and, unfortunately, have little leverage to get
things changed.
 |
| Sunset at Vuda Marina. |
The necessity for a “cruising permit” (24 hours
minimum to receive) and a desire not to lose our berth, resulted in
us deciding not to leave the marina in the five days between arrival
and my departure for Canada. We spent the days sorting out admin and
relaxing, our first spell, of any length, in a marina since Panama.
Our next destinations
are Vanuatu, New Caledonia and then New Zealand; more on Fiji and
these destinations in the next edition, once we arrive in New
Zealand....................
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