Passage North

We did it! We sailed to Fiji! We waited and watched weather and it paid off. We think this passage was one of the best, if not the best, we have ever had in terms of weather conditions. About 95% of the time we were downwind sailing, either dead downwind or with the wind just aft of the beam. Wind speed was generally in the mid teens to low twenties. There were a few squalls with high winds that wrapped around bringing the wind forward of the beam, but this only required slight modifications to sail trim or course. We did not see any lightening, and the few squalls we passed through or around only had light rain. No free fresh water boat rinse at sea, but that’s ok. The sea state was never more than 2.5 meters, and typically between 1.5 and 2 meters. It was also generally from behind so we were surfing waves instead of being knocked around by them. We made excellent time, as we expected the passage to take at least 8 days. Though we were not technically racing with friends who left at the same time, we are pretty sure we won (and some friends agree with us). This passage was the definition of the sailing greeting we exchange with fellow cruisers upon departures: “Fair winds and following seas.”

Here are details from our passage:

• Total nautical miles: 1175
• Duration: 7 days 19 hours
• Fastest day: 168.8 nautical miles (June 21)
• Slowest day: 137.4 nautical miles (June 19)
• Hours motorsailing: 15.5
• Hours running engine in generator mode: 2
• Diesel used: 15 gallons
• Flying fish on aft deck: 3
• Books read/listened to: 2
• Times the oven door fell open: 2
• Albatross seen: 3
• Vessels seen in international waters: 0
• Showers taken per person: 1
• Jibes: 3
• Crew overboard: 0
• Repairs completed underway: 2 (replaced/reinstalled screws for cam cleat holding port traveller line after they sheared off; removed rudder and re-torqued bolts on Hydrovane to stop leak in stern, just like on our passage from Tonga to NZ)
• Times we said we were so glad we waited for this weather window: 1,000

And a few thoughts from the passage as written in our log book and Kris’s journal:

• 16 June: Checked out of Opua, New Zealand and weighed anchor!!! Motorsailing with genoa. Saw 3 penguins! Still motorsailing. Amazing stars and glittering bioluminescence. Motor off at 10pm. Very gusty. 0.5-1 knot countercurrent.
• 17 June: Seas & winds have picked up. It’s a little rolly but for the most part we are surfing down the 2 meter swell. I feel great. This is my dream and I’m living it. Of course I’m tired, I haven’t adjusted to the watch schedule just yet. But we’re doing it. We’re literally sailing to the tropics right now. Eventually I can trade in my 3 coats for a t-shirt and my 2 pairs of pants for shorts. We’ll get there.
• 18 June: Dark out. No boats on AIS. Sailing along. No changes. Sunrise. No changes. Jibed genoa at start of watch. Air warmer – no hats! Champagne sailing! Albatross flew by! Two! Crescent moon at sunset.
• 19 June: My last watch was intense. Dark, middle of the night, squalls, gusty. Max gust was 32 knots. We surfed a wave at 10.7 knots. I stared at instruments and altered course for 4 hours straight. No music. It was too intense. Got some rest then. Sea state really kicked up from last night but gusts have died down.
• 20 June: Winds stabilizing, minimal gusts. Nice sunrise & sail. Fast beam reach. Champagne sailing! Starboard traveller cam cleet screws sheared off while sailing at 8.5kts — fixed! Put 1 reef in main. Flying along. Stars & moon peeking out from clouds. Great sailing.
• 21 June: Flying along in the dark. 10 knot surf, 22 knot gusts. No changes. Low bilge alarm, investigating small water leak. Cruising along. No countercurrent. Passing fishing fleet cutting between net AIS transponders. Sunset blocked by clouds. Cooking dinner and flying along. Gusting to 28 knots. Surfed at 12.2 knots!
• 22 June: Phew. Eventful last hour. Nothing like an ocean passage to keep you on your toes. Investigating the water leak, we found it was the Hydrovane mount bolt! The nut was unscrewing itself and water was dumping in despite our best efforts to repair it in the yard. The plan: One on the stern banging the bolt back in with a hammer then holding it in place with the other below deck using the drill with extenders to torque the nut back on the bolt. I volunteered for stern duty. I jumped out of the sea berth, pulling on my pants and pfd. I tethered myself to the stern and climbed out of the cockpit. We were racing along at 7 knots with a good 2.5 meter swell and 20 knot winds. We used headphones to communicate. I pounded away on the bolt with the hammer, at times my arms and legs fully submerged in the water from my kneeling perch on the swim step. Time was of the essence as we were taking on water. After a while, it became apparent that the water force on the Hydrovane rudder was too strong for the hammer to compete with. Next plan: Remove the rudder, then get back to the bolt. Still on the stern, I attempted to remove the pin that holds the rudder in place. The force of the ocean jammed it in. We switched spots, Mark now on the stern, and he managed to remove the pin with great effort and good timing with the motion of the waves. But then the rudder would not budge. We paused for a few minutes to think and decided the best option was to slow the boat to decrease the force on the rudder. We furled in the headsail and turned towards the wind to depower the mainsail. Within minutes, the rudder popped off on it’s own. We fished it back to the boat and into the cockpit with it’s safety line. Ok, back to the bolt. I got back on the stern, clipped in, and knelt with the waves crashing around me. Mark went below and stretched his arms as far as he could with the longest drill extenders we have. And we did it! We tightened the nut and stopped the leak. What an afternoon. My pants are now hanging up to dry and we’re back on track sailing north.
• 23 June: Winds easing. Moonset at 12:20. Bioluminescence behind stern. Couple of short motors to get through wind lulls. Full main and genoa. LAND HO! at 8:40, Kadavu Island. Hot showers in the cockpit. Furled genoa, unfurled jib with 2nd reef and full main. Glorious sunny morning, boobies fishing all around us, smooth sailing. Champagne sailing! Sporty wind shift while cooking dinner, squalls around. Radioed Norweigian Spirit cruise ship to avoid collision. Gusting to 30 knots, put 1st reef in main. Squalls, light wind.
• 24 June: Motorsailing on and off under the stars. Back to champagne sailing. Motor on at 9:00, dropped sails, flying Q flag. Arrived Nawi Marina at Q dock for clearance then on to slip to wait for cruising permit.

So here we are, 1175 nautical miles away from the country we called home for over 7 months. It still feels a bit surreal to be back in the tropics and in a new country. Our first impressions of Fiji are that it is very mountainous and jungle-y. It is quite different from Tonga which sits at a similar latitude, likely due in part to the comparatively massive land size of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu (the two main islands of Fiji). We are at a marina in the town of Savusavu on the island of Vanua Levu. We were able to complete our formal clearance into the country at the quarantine (Q) dock except for one final government document, the cruising permit. We are required to have the permit before we visit any other port, anchorage, or island. So we are waiting here and enjoying some well earned rest and the comforts of this marina. It is possibly the nicest marina we’ve ever stayed at, and at a very reasonable price.

Next Stops: Waiting in Savusavu, then Rainbow Reef or Namena Island or elsewhere (depending on the weather…)