He has only been on the boat one day and Austin has already blocked the toilet!This morning the toilet blocked just after Austin had used it. The problem as with all salt water toilets was calcium build up in the system. It didn’t take too long to fix but as you can imagine it’s not a nice job to do straight after breakfast (or any time).
After that was sorted we all went across to the reef and spent a couple of hours snorkelling. Today the water wasn’t as clear, but the fish were still there, swimming through the colourful coral.
After lunch was nap time. We went for a walk along the beach late in the afternoon, then sat on deck and watched the sunset
Author Archives: Captain & First Mate
Something strange
We returned to Denarau five days ago to restock fresh fruit and veggies and wait for the arrival of our new crew. While waiting a strange thing happened. The weather wasn’t good. Overcast and raining.
We had a break in tbe rain one day so we went into the marina and fueled up. That was a mission. We had to radio in to be in the queue. Once in the marina we had to go around in circles for more than hour because every time the fuel dock was cleared and we were called in, a little motor boat would cut in front of us to fuel up. When we finaly got to the fuel dock we discovered the pump was on a go slow. It took another hour to fill up.
The next day day we had winds reaching over 25knts and plenty of rain. Yesterday we braved the rain and did a little more shopping. When we got back to Imagine she had moved. There was a boat anchored very close to where we had left Imagine and the guy on it was waving us over. We went to see what he wanted. He told us that not long after he had anchored Imagine dragged anchor and hit his boat only causing a small scratch. He jumped on Imagine and was able to stop Imagine from drifting onto the reef. Strange because there was only 5kts of wind yesterday, but we were not there to say wether he had anchored across ours and dislodged Imagine, or it was something else. A guy from the catamaran anchored aside us for the last 3 days came over to help them rescue Imagine and also mentioned to them how strange that was since we have been both boats aside each other in 25kts winds with no problem.
This morning we picked up Austin, our new crew and headed out to Malolo Lailai island for a few days. The weather still cloudy but we jumped in the clear blue water as soon as we anchored and we have been lucky to get a couple of hours of sun.
Something to celebrate
It was a beautiful calm morning. The water was clear without any ripples. We decided to see if we could find the snubber that had broke 5 days ago. The water was so clear that it only took 5 minutes to locate it on the seabed. The snubber was in just over 11m of water. This meant that I needed the Hooker dive system to reach it.
After recovering the snubber we had to celebrate, so we thought we had better go to Musket Cove Marina and test the ice cream again. The rest of the day has just been chilling.
Emergency surgery!
We are still around the corner from Musket Cove waiting for a weather window, so we can head back to NZ. It looks like we will set off at the end of the month. Meanwhile we have explored more beaches and reefs.
While we have been here more and more schools of small fish have gathered around Imagine. This has attracted a seabird that joins us twice a day, diving for it dinner. Another preying on the fish, is a Sharksucker. It’s about 500mm long and it hides under Imagine possibly attaching itself to the hull. It darts out every now and then to score a meal. A sharksucker is known to attach itself temporarily by its modified dorsal fin used as a sucking disc to various hosts such as sharks, rays even sometimes boats.
We have been making several trips into Musket Cove for the soul purpose of quality control. We have to make sure the Kapiti White Chocolate and Rasberry Icecream is of the same consistency and taste every time.
We just sitting in the cockpit writing the blog when a local boat come racing up to us. Shouting out asking for medical help. We quickly went out on deck to see what we could do. There was five in the boat. One face down. They shouted out for a razerblade and needle. We raced inside to get them and the first aid kit. The man had been walking through the water near the sand spit and stepped on a sea urchin. We passed the things across the the boat and the woman digging out the thorn. We then gave them some antiseptic cream pad and bandage. After thanking us they were on their way back to their village, the man still in pain.
Started with a bang
The last few days we have been anchored off Malolo Lailai island (around the corner from Musket Cove). Walks and snorkeling in the sun. Last night the weather turned. The swell and wind came in the Bay and made it an uncomfortable night.
This morning started with a bang! I ran out on deck to see what it was. Imagine was being bounced around in 1m waves and 25knt winds. The Snubber had snapped. (The Snubber is a rope that hooks onto the anchor chain and back to the boat. It stretches a little bit to soften the jarring of the chain as the boat rocks with the waves.) I had a spare hook and rope so I quickly, not neatly spliced the hook onto the new rope and connected it to the the anchor chain.
After breakfast we ventured out to the back deck for our morning shower. It wasn’t easy washing and keeping balance while Imagine bounced around but we had fun.
The rest of the day wasn’t as exciting as it was too rough to do anything.
Fresh fruit
As we were out of fresh fruit and veggies, we needed to do some shopping. At Musket Cove being a marina it is expensive. Two small zucchini’s $17. So headed back to the mainland.
We arrived by lunchtime yesterday and went ashore.We caught a bus into Nadi. We checked out a couple of supermarkets and found the prices better than Denarau. Denarau is a shopping centre next to all the resorts and you pay tourist prices.
We also found the fresh fruit and veggies market that the locals go to. The prices were much better than anywhere else and much cheaper than Vanuatu. We also found a good butcher where we got mince, sausages and chicken.
This morning we were going to get fuel at the Denarau marina, but there was a power outage and the pump wouldn’t work. So it was time to head back to an island for more swimming and snorkeling.
ET didn’t go home
The water was still this morning, so after doing a few jobs on Imagine we snorkelled the near reef. The clear water and plenty of fish made it an interested time. We returned to Imagine and I thought I would fly the drone over the reef.
Just as I was set up a turtle popped it’s head up along side us. I quickly got the drone in the air but couldn’t find the turtle. The drone got great video as it flew over the reef. As it reached 800m away the remote control lost connection with the drone. When connection is lost the drone is supposed to return to its takeoff point. We waited, but no drone. We jumped into the dinghy to see if we could get to where it may have been and reconnect. No sign of the drone. It didn’t come home. So now we won’t have any more nice aerial shots to show you.
A tiring day
It started with breakfast at sunrise and a swim. We then headed ashore to check out Musket Cove. One way up the hill of the Island.It was only 10am and we couldn’t resist to an Ice cream at the resort. We walked back around the shore line.
Back on Imagine the wind and swell had changed so we hauled anchor and moved closer in the Bay. Then it was an afternoon of sleeping in the shade on the back deck, few swims followed by games of cards.
NOTE: We figure out that the Baraccuda we caught 2 days ago was in fact a Crocodile-needle fish.
Chilling out
This morning there was no wind and no clouds. We knew it was going to be a hot day. First up we headed into Denarau to stock up with fresh veggies. Then we motored out across the bay to Malolo island. We were almost here when the wind came up. From this side of the island we can see the mass of boats across at Musket Cove for the race week.
We chilled out as the 20kt wind kept things cool. In the afternoon we went for a swim around Imagine. We set off in 20kt wind and in the time we had gone around the boat the wind dropped to nothing and has stayed like that.
we caught a Fish
This morning we were on deck at sunrise. After breakfast I went ashore and picked up Marion (who was going to join us for the trip from Vanuatu). Once everyone was onboard we hauled anchor and headed across the atoll, looking for somewhere with clean water, for a swim. There was no wind and the water didnt have a ripple on it. On the way I tried fishing. It only took 5 minutes and I had a Barracuda on the line. We stopped at lunch time (Barracuda) at Yanuya island across from Castaway island, where Tom Hanks and Wilson was filmed.
We swam and snorkelled for an hour in the beautiful blue water. We could see the anchor sitting on the bottom 18m below. Unfortunately the swell was coming in the bay so after lunch we headed north. As we set off the wind started and over the next few hours it increased to 25kts. This gave us the chance to sail. By 5pm we were anchored and having drinks and nibblies on the back deck in the Bay on Kuata island. Tomorrow we will explore the island.
