(Maybe the following blog from Jo needs to be called Mutiny at the Marina, my co-skipper Jo Ivory was missing for two days prior to this trip! - Skipper Iain)

Well, I am very sorry loyal followers, I must walk the plank! I’ve taken so long to put my fingers to the keyboard and bring you all on this journey with us on Silver Fern around the magnificent Yasawa Islands. I’ve heard many times, the only way to see, smell, breath theses remote Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, is on a boat! What better than a blow boat, a yacht!

Talking about the actual plank. For real! This was a wooden plank that the forever helpful Fijian Jerry, and his gang of merry helpers in Vuda Point Marina, attached from the concrete marina to the stern of Silver Fern.

The first to call out hello and walk the plank was Fiona from Sydney. Phew, all went well despite her terrified shuffle down down towards Silver Fern in low tide. Next to brace their inner core and tackle this plank, Kevin and Chris from Melbourne. Kevin hails from Ireland, albeit 30 years ago, he still has a broad Irish twang! You have to up your game with this one, as he’s always pulling your leg! We can confirm however, he loves potatoes so much so he insisted they be stored in a spare crew drawer in his cabin. How do you know an Irish man loves potatoes, look in his drawers.

Then in come the Kiwi’s, Tony from chilly Christchurch and Andy and Sam from foggy Auckland. All keen and eager to join this adventure in the warmth.

All mastered the wooden footpath onboard to greet the crew, Co Skipper Iain. Where was the other Co Skipper? Well that was me! I arrived at 1600, back into Vuda Point Marina on Te Kaihopara, after being out on a 13 day wonderful sail around the Yasawa Island, with ten fun loving guests (now new friends) onboard.

A table was booked at First Landing for 20 people, as David and Danielle hosted a farewell / welcome party to Te Kaihopara and Silver Fern. The stories flowed between the two yachts of the highs of the trip just experienced.

Next morning at 0900 I joined Silver Fern after farewelling my last guests on Te Kaihopara.

After changing our outboard, refuelling with diesel, we headed across to Musket Cove to within seconds of the anchor going down, all on board were swimming. We got the roaster set for the first team to cook dinner whilst the rest with sundowners in hand, watched the orange sunset. YES we did see the green flash. True! The Kingdom of stars was the next ‘wide mouth’ experience with Sam and Fiona seeing, not one but THREE shooting stars. I believe these two, if Kevin told me this, I would look at him sideways. Remember he’s the one that is always going to pull your leg!

The next three days have been rolling on full of snorkling, sailing, eating, singing. Snorkelling that is so stunningly beautiful, you want to swallow it to keep it’s beauty inside forever. But argh those manta rays, awl there were four of them. Stunning. You perhaps would not want to swallow one of those!

We have wind-on, rain, rock n roll, then sunshine again. The world is far brighter with the sun. But Silver Fern loved the fresh water drops from above, to scrub off the salt.

From Musket Cove, Malolo Island to Yalobi Bay, Waya Island where on a wet grey Sunday, after presenting the village chief with Kava, we were invited to Sunday service, summoned to church by the village drum and beautiful local singing in the church, little did we know it would be followed by an excitable pastor giving a VERY loud sermon for an extensive time! Luckily I missed this experience, oops…..

Note to self, pre warn the guests of an over enthusiastic preacher with a loud haler and an angry approach to congregational education. Hence we had to dish out headache pills with their cup of tea on their return to Silver Fern and the Kevin pulled out the audio recording so we could all relive the joy!

Trying to avoid the heavy black clouds fulled with liquid, Iain, Tony, Kevin, Chris and myself ubered in our dinghy back to the sleepy village and presented the Chief again with the gifts that we brought to give.

We returned to Silver Fern with kindly given coconuts and papaya from our new friend Jim and his niece.

Sails out the next morning in a stiff breeze up to Drawaqa Island and after fantastic snorkling a wet dinghy ride to Mantra Ray Resort for a sundowner. Due to the wet ride across and the onshore breeze, everyone returned pretty fast quick to the good ship Sliver Fern for a hot toddy.

Today at 0700, wakeup music filled the yacht. Grab your snorkel, goggles, fins! All onboard the dinghy for a huge experience never to be forgotten, drift diving with the mantra rays. Boom. We had four! Four majestic creatures gliding seemingly effortlessly through the water so close we could almost have touched them.

As I type we are gliding under sail, with three spinner dolphins and a baby dolphin on our way up to Gunu Village, Somosomo Bay where we have booked a village banquet table for eight onshore at our lovely Chef Ile’s home.