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Firefly - on the West of Fiji



Firefly left Nanuna-I-Ra on the North of Viti Levu 2 weeks ago. We managed to sail nearly all the way around the north coast of Vitu Levu only motoring from Lautoka. We met some very friendly Fijians and Spaniards at Vatia Beach Resort, a new resort they are establishing and ate excellent Tapas and Tortilla while we helped explain what we thought would attract yachts to stop at their resort. We checked into Vuda Point Marina, a really good and well priced marina, for 4 nights and caught up with several or our friends from World ARC, did a number of jobs, visited 'Ironsides' (the late actor Raymond Burr) orchid gardens and got provisioned before Rosy, our daughter arrived.

Rosy arrived with 2 surfboards and jetlag aside, we sailed from Vuda to Namouto, near the famous surf spot called 'Cloudbreak' the following day. Fortunately the swell was fairly gentle and she jumped off the back of Firefly in the Namotu pass and spent 2 hours surfing 'Namotou Lefts'. Suitably stoked, we collected her in the dinghy and then sailed Firefly into Musket Cove on Malolo Island for the World ARC rendezvous.

This rendezvous was the drop off point for about 10 boats leaving the rally, most of them carrying on with World Cruising to New Zealand and rejoining WARC 15/16 in Tonga/Fiji next year. It was therefore fitting that it was one of the best meet ups with a great atmosphere and two really enjoyable evening events. Along with the other boats leaving at this stage, Firefly was presented with a World Cruising plaque - while Rally leaders Paul and Suzanna, who are recently engaged, were presented with a gift from those crews that were leaving - we all wanted to show our appreciation for a brilliant 6 months.

While the remaining WARC fleet were leaving for Vanuatu, the NZ bound boats got together for a meeting and we now have all our comms sorted out between us in order that we can all stay in touch for the next few months as we make our way to New Caledonia ready for the passage to NZ starting on November 5th.

While the rendezvous was underway, Rosy was using the Musket Cove surf shuttle and had an amazing few days, on one - surfing Cloudbreak in a really big swell - she came back looking exhilirated but somewhat shell shocked. Following the rendezvous we were back at Tavarua and Namotu for a couple of days and due to the size of the swell, Restaurants, the break inside Cloudbreak was the break most people were surfing - some of the pro level surfers taking massive waves and being barrelled - all very visible from the anchorage, literally just 100 meters from the break.

Its now Monday 7th July and we are just heading back to Tavarua for another surf session after a night at the very well organised Port Denerau Marina were we spent the evening with friends from Chez Nous, Skyelark and Tulasi. We are fully provisioned and watered again ready for our proposed trip to the Lau Group, on the extreme east of Fijian Archipelago. These islands are really remote and apparently extremely beautiful. Fulanga is our intended destination and its about 250nm south east of our current position. We believe, according to the forecast that we have a break in the south easterly trades coming up over the next few days so will try and make the passage to Lau.

Paul, Susie and Rosy

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