Te Kaihōpara woke up in Somosomo Bay to a beautiful sunrise and a still morning. We wasted no time getting the anchor up (in the process getting Callum and I soaked with the hose - 2 for 1) then we were underway north. Sailing downwind, we had the genoa and staysail out, with the staysail goosewinged (2 for 1)! This was fun, and John 11 along with Patti, John 9 and Simon did a fantastic job at getting the sails out with minimal input from me while Sally kept the boat sailing dead down wind. Callum is quickly learning how to become a pirate like the rest of us and is hauling and heaving lines like any good crew member. I have a picture in my head of Kingsley on the bow checking trim and Jo was nowhere in sight, while I was up on the wheelhouse roof. This is a good sign of a fantastic and competent crew that’s able to be trusted.

Once we passed the next island, it was time to strike the sails. Quick smooth like clockwork, the two sails simultaneously furled away (2 for 1) and we stowed the deck ready to weave our way through some reefs into our lunch spot - Nanuya Island. Plopping the hook down to a good hold we settled in for cheese buns and leftover pasta salad for lunch. Wait, there’s a Fijian long boat coming our way! It was Emos and Jonathan and a younger sibling from last night! They had been over to Nanuya for grocery shopping. How cool to see them again, I had a big smile on my face which matched everyone else’s as we saw our new friends again sooner than expected. All satisfied, the dinghy was sent ashore in search of a cold drink and a hammock.

While ashore, some swimming and water aerobics happened while I heard a few cold ones were had. A resort was visited and some relaxing was done, not that there’s been much hard work being done on board! Shenanigans completed, the crew returned to action stations as we hauled anchor again to carry on north while we still had some tidal height. This navigation was particularly interesting as what we could see with our eyes didn’t match what was charted so we had a very zig zag track to avoid anything we didn’t feel like hitting! Some low depths under the keel (expected) and some weaving around reefs (unexpected) kept Jo and I vigilant at the helm while the rest of the crew kept lookout around the boat.

Finally through the hairy stuff, we crept into Oarsman Bay to find a spot to anchor again. Sure enough, we got a fantastic hold and bundled into the dingy again. We sure like this dinghy! Ashore to find another resort for a sundowner and explore the beach. That means two resorts in one day! It’s just been a good day and double whammies everywhere we look which have put us in a good mood. Back onto Te Kaihōpara, we watched a spectacular sunset from the dinghy as the sun dipped behind our masts. No green flash tonight though as there was a thin layer of cloud right on the horizon. The three amigos (John 9, Simon and John 11) got straight into the galley to roast a chicken or two for dinner (2 for 1). It’s starting to smell good! Here’s for another good night on board the majestic Te Kaihōpara. We might even watch the Blue Lagoon movie later, seeing as we’re anchored off the Blue Lagoon Resort.

Hannah - Chief Mate - Te Kaihōpara