GPS: 14 35.582S 178 16.463W
Run: 168.6nm (305.2km)
We left Wallis yesterday morning with Sue at the helm guiding Imagine through the gap in the reef. I think all of us are sorry to leave Wallis and wish we’d had more time there.
It was a beautiful day with light winds and little swell. As the day went on the winds increased to 20 knots by evening. As usual we reefed the sails for the night.
Today has been overcast but pleasant. Not much more to report.
Fiji here we come.
The day started out with Stella and Tony heading off to the motu next to the reef entrance, for a few hours snorkelling. Andrew flew the drone for a few more stunning shots of the outer islands of Wallis.
The afternoon was spent preparing for the trip to Fiji. With everything stowed away and the dinghy strapped to the deck we took photos of our last Wallis sunset. We set sail for Fiji in the morning. Depending on the wind it will take 3 to 5 days to reach SavuSavu, Fiji
Not much to report today.
We officially booked out of Wallis, although not leaving till Monday morning (before the offices open). We had lunch at a nice restaurant, frequented by locals. There are no public buses on Wallis so there is a lot of walking in the heat or hitching a ride with one of the friendly locals. Then we spent the afternoon under the sunshade on the foredeck pacing ourselves for some more snorkelling tomorrow
Guess what?
Another day in paradise. This morning all four of us headed off to snorkel the hole in the reef. One of the best places yet. The hole was over 15m deep so clear you could see three stingrays hiding in the sand below us. The hole was an oval shape, about 50m by 200m.
There is not much more to say about it just wow … see the photos.
Still at Wallis, waiting for enough wind to make it all the way to Fiji.
An exciting day today, we went shopping. Tony stayed aboard while Sue Stella and Andrew headed into town. Stella needed internet to finalise her trip to Tonga to swim with the whales. Andrew and Sue headed to the supermarket for supplies. Overcast but still hot, Sue decided to test out her thumb and within minutes Karl (a local) pulled over to give us a ride. We don’t speak French and Karl doesn’t speak English, but we were able to let him know we wanted to go to the supermarket. After a downpour while in the shops, Sue and Andrew headed back to the boat with shopping bags on hand. It was only a few 100 meters when a lady took pity on us and offered a ride.
Back at the jetty you could see another downpour coming, so Sue and Andrew rushed the food back to Imagine. Andrew then returned ashore to wait for Stella who had found the only cafe with internet to shelter from the rain. Unfortunately we didn’t make it back to Imagine without getting wet.
Tony had prepared dinner while we were away.
After lunch it was still overcast with a few showers, so it was read a book or siesta time. You can’t go snorkelling in the rain, you will get wet (it doesn’t look as pretty).
Tony’s curried chicken smells good.
Another lazy day.
The wind had dropped by this morning, so we headed off to explore a motu on the outer part of the reef. Andrew sent up the drone and we found a hole in the reef a local had told Tony about. We will be back tomorrow with the dive and snorkel gear. On the way back we checked out another couple of motu’s.
We got back to the boat to find the harbour was getting crowded. Another boat had arrived. After lunch we went for another swim and spent the afternoon sitting on the foredeck under the sun shade and thought about you lot hard at work ? It must be time for a coconut and pineapple drink laced with vodka while we watch the sunset.
Yesterday was Bastille Day celebrations in Wallis (Bastille Day is today).
We started the day snorkelling off one of the many Motus here. The edge of the reef went from .5m to 40m, which made for a great array of fish and coral. After lunch we moved the boat back into the harbour, so we could go ashore in the evening.
In the evening the waterfront area was crowded with locals (and four boat people). There was a couple of food stalls, a band and 3 groups of traditional dancers, all of which was being filmed by the local (one and only) Wallis TV station.
Unfortunately the night was interrupted by a sudden downpour, which left everyone sodden. At this point we realised that we had left all the hatches on the boat open (wet beds). Being soaking wet and a 10 to 15 knot breeze, we were cooling down fast. So we decided to head back to the boat.
Upon reaching our dinghy tied up to the wharf and seeing the choppy water, Tony decided not to go back to Imagine. So Andrew, Sue and Stella headed off into the dark, while Tony went back to watch the rest of the dancing.
The trio made it back to Imagine soaked in salt water, whilst Tony talked a local family into putting him up for the night.
This morning Andrew picked Tony up from the wharf and as the wind and waves are a bit high, we all have had a lazy day.
This morning we all went snorkelling in aqua coloured water on the nearby reef. Some beautiful coral and fish were seen. This afternoon Tony and Stella went exploring the motu.
Upon returning late afternoon we were approached by 2 French men on a jet ski. The one that could speak English explained he was making a short movie where the opening scene was a man falling off a yacht. As we appear to be the only yacht currently in Wallis he asked if he could shoot the scene on Imagine. We agreed and he went off to get his actor. Obviously he had trouble finding him as it’s now too dark to film anything and they haven’t returned. Maybe we will see them in the morning. Stay tuned!
This morning we cleared with customs and the gendarmerie and we headed into town. We went to the island’s only bank to get the exchange rate and for Stella to withdraw some money. Once again her card would not work, so she then spent the next 3 hours trying to get internet to contact her bank.
Sue, Tony and Andrew looked around the shopping complex (hardware shop, supermarket, bank, dress shop and coffee shop). The wind had got up by the time we got back to the boat, so we moved south to a more sheltered spot behind another motu. A short dinghy ride to the beach and we were in the water for a swim while Tony headed off to explore the island. We got back to Imagine at 5pm just in time for drinks and nibbles whilst watching another sunset.
GPS: 13 16.829S 176 09.333W
Run: 133.8nm (242.2km)
Avg: 5.5knts
24hr: 131.9nm
We made it with 40 minutes to spare before the tide was ripping through the gap in the reef. Again with Sue at the helm and Andrew up the mast, and Stella and Tony on lookout, we negotiated the reef with a side on swell and lots of eddy currents to the inner reef.
Sue is becoming a master at negotiating these reefs saying this reef was much easier than the last although actually being a narrower pass. She just now has to negotiate reefs without constantly repeating “shit shit shit”! Although we made the opening in time for the tide we did not make it in time for customs so will clear customs tomorrow and spend the night next to one of the motus (islands).
