Bula to the new crew of Silver Fern on the next expedition from Fiji to Australia. We welcomed a fresh crew, arriving first was Ross, a repeat offender on Silver Fern who’s an IT guru from Canberra. Bringing a suitcase of bras is Juliet who lives in the same town as I do in NZ! She’s our only kiwi companion to keep Sharon and I sane among the Aussies. Along came Maureen (Mo) who sailed up to Fiji on Te Kaihōpara earlier this winter. Scott from Wollongong (what a fun name) and Greg from south Sydney make up our numbers of keen sailors who both have extensive racing experience. Our sixth crew member is Will who comes from a construction background and is keen to learn what the flappy cloth things are that make sailboats move.

Day one brought hot Fijian sun to Vuda marina as we navigated the narrow gangplank onto Silver Fern. Settling into our home for the next 16 days, we unpacked and peeked into cupboards. An arrival dinner at the First Landing Resort was a fantastic way to get to know one another and we wandered back to our boat like a crew already. The plan for the next few days is different to what some may have expected. We have a generous period of weather to get to Australia, there’s a travel advisory to not go to New Caledonia, Vanuatu is just too far North for the forecasted winds so the decision was made to stay in Fiji until Wednesday. Staying in the marina would be boring and a waste of time so we are doing a mini Fiji cruise before clearing customs and departing straight for Southport!

Saturday morning we got safety briefings out of the way and readied to pull up to the fuel dock. Typical Fiji time, we ended up leaving the marina two hours later than expected but with 590L of fresh diesel on board (tanks are now full) so it was worth the wait. Onwards to Musket Cove! Motoring into a gentle breeze, we shared goals and took the obligatory crew selfie (thanks Sharon) and Will tried to catch a fish. Before we knew it, Ross had steered us through the reef and we had arrived! After a good look around the anchorage, Sharon chose our spot and plonked the hook down in crystal clear water 15 minutes before sunset. Dinner got underway in the form of Mo making a fresh salad while Juliet peeled potatoes and Scott tackled the BBQ. Sharon and I played with the fridge compressor until dinner was ready then we all sat down to sausages! One by one people fell away to their bunks, and some missed out on late night fireworks from Musket Cove beach! I thought the bangs were actual muskets being fired off then remembered we live in the 21st century. I’ve got to stop reading historical books…

Day 2 woke up to a glassy calm bay and the adjacent sand bar peeking through as the tide dropped. Mo and Ross had made pancakes! What a start to our mini Fiji cruise! They were well received by everyone and our attention soon was draw to the blue blue water. Temptation overcame us and we had a morning swim. Some people got goggles out but others preferred to be unable to see what lurking creatures were following them around the boat. There may or may not have been a shark sighted underneath our swimmers. With strict instructions that the anchor was to be hauled at 09:45, we got dressed and prepared Silver Fern for a day of sailing.

Out of Musket Cove we came south around Malolo Lailai Island (another fun name) and put up the mainsail. Heading downwind, we sailed north with full main and genoa, gybed around a few reefs and had a fantastic time getting to know the ropes. You just can’t beat a sunny day with 10-15kts of wind. Eventually, with Mo on the helm, the wind died so we stowed our sails and turned on the donker (engine). Scott got put on the helm and almost immediately, Will caught a fish! A decent sized skipjack tuna was reeled on board and flapped around the scuppers until a bucket was procured. Scott was very envious that HE hadn’t caught a fish and was driving instead! Changing over to Greg on the helm, we revved up the engine and set a course for Waya Island where we will be staying the night. Ross is having a break from the sun and Juliet and Mo are sitting quietly on deck enjoying the scenery. The 4pm lollies came out and hopefully soon we’ll have another burst of energy, just in time to anchor!

Hannah - Chief Mate - Silver Fern.