Last week we finally finished our errands in Suva and we really wanted to get out of the harbour again and into clear water. But where to go? The weather forecast showed strong east-south-east winds until the end of time (meaning 10 days ahead in our model) and that’s not south enough to make it to the northern Lau islands, but also not east enough for a comfy ride southwards to Kadavu… We set out anyway and ended up bashing close-hauled into high, steep waves.
Fortunately it’s only 45 nm to the first protected anchorage there and we reached Nabouwalu bay on the island of Ono in the early afternoon already.
The next day we went ashore to introduce ourselves and bring the traditional gift of kava (sevusevu). We got a super-warm welcome, and a tour of the spruced up village (they just won a prize for having the tidiest village of the district 
). It seems incredible that Ono lies so close to Suva and still remains undeveloped: no roads, just one resort on the other island and lots and lots of nature! We were invited to have kava in the afternoon with the young headman, his pretty wife and the rest of the village “youth club”. For now it’s still blowing hard and we’re pinned down in a bay, but I think we’ll spend a while here and explore this beautiful island!
