Of course we got more than the predicted 15 knots, so in the end we had to reef down to almost nothing to avoid arriving at night. Vanua Balavu is a big archipelago with numerous islands within a deeply submerged barrier reef that doesn’t give much protection and we’re anchored in a bay on the E side of the main island to be able to… Continue reading »
2022
29
Nov
2022
28
Nov
Flat in Graz to rent
We are searching for new tenants for our garden flat in Graz, Austria. Send us an email if you’re interested or know someone how may be!
2022
28
Nov
On to the next island
We are getting ready to leava Fulanga. We’ve had quite a hyperactive time here and would have needed 48 hour days to fit everything in: – village life (spending time with our host family, Christian did some electric repairs, spreading info about sustainable fishing) – nature (snorkeling and kayaking in different areas, each one prettier than the last) – and of course boat projects (Christian… Continue reading »
2022
28
Nov
Tabu – protected taboo areas
After the success we had in Matuku persuading the chiefs and headmen to install protected areas (Tabu) around the island to protect the reefs from overfishing and to ensure a sustainable use of the resources, we tackled the same issue here in Fulanga. The problem’s the same like everywhere in Fiji (and the rest of the Pacific islands and probably elsewhere): the islands were able… Continue reading »
2022
18
Nov
Isolation and Lockdown
No worries, this is not a blog about Covid19. We haven’t seen another cruising boat in almost 2 months, so we’re as isolated as it gets and the daily lockdown is all about the vicious mosquitos here. Now that the weather is hot and calm they swarm out all over the lagoon–no place is safe. The first evening we simply retreated to the aft cabin… Continue reading »
2022
17
Nov
The pass of Fulanga
Fulanga is one of the few atolls (or rather island-cluster with an outer reef–there are hardly any classic atolls here in Fiji) with a proper pass, meaning a narrow outlet of the lagoon with steep coral-clad walls like we know them from the Tuamotus. Most other “passes” are very open, wide and don’t have walls up to the surface so you hardly notice you’re in… Continue reading »
2022
16
Nov
Guests at the village
Like everywhere on the islands of Fiji it’s obligatory here in Fulanga to visit the village to introduce yourself and to bring a sevusevu (kava bundle as a gift), so we wandered across the island to the main village (that sounds serious, but it’s just a twenty minute walk on a well-cleared path) to ask for the Turanga ni Koro (headman) who then introduced us… Continue reading »
2022
14
Nov
Strange wonderland Fulanga
Fulanga is a strange geological phenomenon. Imagine an atoll with a line of outer motu, numerous coralheads and reefs which was then lifted 20 m or so by tectonic movements. That’s what happened here. The lagoon is now shallow and gleams in light turquoise and scattered all across are mushroom-shaped limestone islets–former coralheads that were eroded by the high tides here in Fiji. Thanks to… Continue reading »
2022
13
Nov
Musket Cove Regatta Week
Our article about the regatta is now online on Cruising World: https://www.cruisingworld.com/people/2022-musket-cove-fiji-regatta-week/
2022
10
Nov
Sailing to Fulanga
We explored all around the islands of Yagasa, anchored in a few extremely scenic spots that looked perfectly protected on sat images, even brought out landlines to be as snug as possible, but it was always the same: calm at low tide, seriously bouncy at high tide. The outer reef is just too low to keep out the swell. With stronger NE winds predicted we… Continue reading »
2022
09
Nov
Turtle hunters
Yesterday we took the kayak to a beach, found a camp fisherman had recently left (Yagasa is uninhabited, but people from neighbouring islands come here) and followed a horrible stench to the carcass of a turtle. We collected a bag of plastic rubbish around the camp site and burned it on one of the many fire sites the raiders had left. It’s really sad to… Continue reading »
2022
07
Nov
Advanced Elements Island Voyage two-seater Kayak
We brought a new kayak back to Pitufa from the US, but until now we didn’t have the opportunity to use it. Now, among the mushroom-shaped limestone islets of Yagasa we unpacked it, inflated it for the first time (quickly done), admired the bright-yellow, sleek vessel and took it out for a first round. The ancient kayak we used to have, had its own mind,… Continue reading »
2022
05
Nov
Mosquitoes!
Most outer reefs here in the Lau Group don’t give much protection and the anchorages are accordingly rolly, so we counted ourselves lucky yesterday to find a calm bay on Namuka. We were a bit disappointed about the lack of wildlife (no birds ashore, nothing to be seen in the water). At sunset the local wildlife got up: a cloud of mosquitoes descended on the… Continue reading »
2022
04
Nov
Namuka
Instead of blowing from the North (we would have tacked to the NE) and then shifting to the SE (we would have tacked east) the wind kept shifting between slightly north and south of east–never enough to help us with proper tacks. End the end we arrived in Namuka. Even though we’ve only sailed a short distance it took us one and a half days,… Continue reading »
2022
03
Nov
Tacking and more tacking
The wind remains from the NE to E, so we keep tacking up and down… We had about 90 nm to go when we set out Wednesday morning, now we have 40