Tuesday May 6, Day 6:
Bula,
LAND HO!!!!
Yep, after 5 days of nothing but ocean we spotted in the afternoon the island of Kandavu, an island south of the main island of Viti Levu……we will be cruising it in about 4 months…..getting ever so close and to that passage beer…..yep, the Captain is Captain Bligh no more…..bring on the rum!!!!
FISH ON, FISH ON…..TUNA, TUNA, TUNA…..oh how sweet….a double hook up….honey, help….ok, don’t get your panties in a wad, I’ll show you how to bring in a fish….oh, wait, the lines are crossed…..smart fish……and, you guessed it, the Captain lost his and then lent assistance to the Admiral….a nice 20 pounder…..Yellowfin baby!!!!!! OK Adam and Cindi, we are ready for the sushi 49’r/SeaHawk bet payoff but hurry up before we eat it all 🙂 ))))
Another great trawler like day. Weather was as forecasted: winds 8-15 kts ESE-SE. Seas were 4-6′ 8-10 sec, a little shorter period than we like….but all behind us. A very good ride indeed!! Bob, the weather router, thinks those very unpredicted NE winds yesterday were from a small system to the East…..between Fiji and New Caledonia…..so small the computers did not pick it up…..yikes!!!!
It is now official, this is our 2nd longest passage ever!!!!!
#1 Galapagos to Marquesas, 19+ days, 3000 nm
#2 Opua New Zealand to Savusavu Fiji, 1150 nm, 6+ days
#3 Nuku’alofa Tonga to Marsden Cove New Zealand, 1060 nm, 5+ days
#4 Panama to San Cristobal Galapagos, 960 nm, 5+ days
Our ETA is around 3:00pm today, Tuesday, May 6. We will pick up a mooring at Copra Shed Marina and hopefully get checked into Fiji…..all the officials will come out to the boat…..maybe not quite as formal/strict as New Zealand but it is right up there…..ugh!!!!
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Stats:
Position: 17 46S 179 04E
Traveled: 183nm today; 1088nm total; 61nm to go; ETA to Savusavu 3:00pm 5/6
Course: 004M COG
Wind: 8-15 kts ESE-SE
Waves: 4-6′ 8-10 sec, 1′ wind chop ESE
Speed: current speed is 7.9 SOG; has varied 7.2-8.4 kts; avg is 7.7 kts; 1625 rpm
Weather: 100% cloud this am; sea temp 82 deg F; air temp is 77 deg F
Boat sightings: 0 today; 2 total
Fishing: best day yet (Jim you were right, 200 nm from Fiji and get ready), 1 Tuna, 1 Mahi; 5 total
Sail: down
Fuel burn: 1.25nmpg; 1.39 nmpg total
Hope all is well!
John
Mystic Moon
