Denarau and Homeward Bound
Tuesday 25 October – Jo and Earl have left us to return to New Zealand and we are now starting preparations for our departure to Auckland as well, which looks like it might now be as early as this Friday!
It’ll be a busy few hours coming up then. Geoff has a list of items which have to be attended to on the boat and I will need to get laundry done and start a shopping list for the supermarket tomorrow and Fruit and Vegetable market on Thursday, so it’s all systems go! Chris and Peter are flying up and arriving at lunchtime on Thursday.
Wednesday 26 October – I was up early this morning as I wanted to make sure I got into the laundry first –in there at 7.00am I was able to an to grab the machines and get going. It’s very busy around here as everyone knows there is a weather window coming up and are making arrangements for their departures.
About 60 boats have already sailed out this morning and there is lots of action around the marina with last minute jobs on the boats happening, provisions arriving, boats being cleaned, rubbish being disposed of etc. The big fancy superyachts are having all their groceries and fruit and veg delivered, not like us on the smaller craft, it’s shopping bags out and lugging them around the markets and back.
Plenty of action happening on this boat too, lots of things to fix before we leave. A delightful trip to the supermarket this afternoon, never my favourite job, but I’ve loaded up as much as I can as, with three very competent sailors on this trip, I have now been downgraded from First Mate (yeah, I really was when there were only two of us – I even had the mug to prove it!!!) to being in charge of the Galley (aka Galley B***h!) with the easy watch after dinner until 9.00pm. It was certainly a workout getting all the supermarket bags into the trolley on the wharf, into the boat and then finding space in all the cupboards – just so hot, but now all done and a chance to sit down and enjoy a sunset.
Thursday 27 October – up early again and into the Bakery to stock up on bread, then off into Nandi to the Fruit and Vegetable market.
I managed to get the taxi driver to agree to come in and find me every 10 minutes so he could take bags back to the car – 6 big heavy bags full and back to the Marina! Just as I was getting the last lot of vegetables away Chris and Peter turned up so we’re now a full crew of 4. Chris has brought up a new water pump to put in and the “To Do” list is getting shorter! There’s been a lot of other action too – something wrong with the alternator so the guys are returning to get it sorted tomorrow morning.
We took the dinghy off and put it upside down on the walkway so I was able to start cleaning it with Peter, it’s hard work as the seaweed etc. has really stuck to the bottom, but we need to get it as clean as possible for when we get inspected on our arrival in NZ. Chris fitted the new water pump while Geoff sorted out the sea anchor. I’ve had a good go at the dinghy and will continue tomorrow as we are not leaving till around 12pm. We enjoyed a last Fijian sunset and a curry at our favourite restaurant. Off to bed early for a big day tomorrow!
Friday 28 October – our final day in Fiji and it has been frantic. Geoff and I were in the Immigration Office at 9.00am to get our clearance paperwork done and that went smoothly. The Officer wanted photos of the boat, so that was easy as I had some glorious ones which I whatsapp’d to him. Peter and Geoff had a go cleaning underwater on the boat and I cleaned the whole underside of the dinghy and am very proud of myself, it looks like new (my hands, fingernails and skin don’t though, never mind, they will recover!). It was hard work in the 30 degrees but very satisfying. Chris has been sorting out ropes on the bow and the Electrician is just finishing up his work.
16:29 hours and we’re off!
“Moce” Fiji – we’ve had a wonderful 8 weeks here. Take a look at this photo, this shows all our routes on the boat between Denarau, the Yasawas and the Mamanucas whilst we have been in Fiji.
Back in touch when we arrive in Opua in the Bay of Islands to check in!