We left the Harbour a little after 3pm on Thursday 16th October after doing a quick drive by a friend's boat to wave goodbye. On our way out we fittingly saw a gust of water...yes, whales! The first we'd seen since that first morning in Tongan waters. It was a great way to end our time here, like they were giving us a little send off. We saw a mother and calf, just hanging out it seemed. Got to see their fluke a couple of times. Pretty special.
So our magical whale moment was over and we began what was to be, our shortest long passage, but also the roughest, most brutal of recent times.
The wonderfully predicted 20+ knots were certainly that and more. the first 24 hours saw 25+ knots winds with the wind indicator going into the red 30 knot zone often. As great as this wind was; pushing us along nicely ( we were doing 8-9 knots for a good while), it was horrendously coming across our beam. The copious amounts of water that was sprayed into the cockpit was ridiculous! Joel couldn't stay dry, and we didn't want to be in the cockpit for fear of getting soaked through.
Seasickness aplenty all round. Well, Gracie looked green the first night, well technically a shade above white, and no one got dinner. But Belle and I were both sick, several times and at one point sharing a bowl! Fun, fun, fun times. So glad this passage was short, and so thankful it is over.
We arrived safely into the Harbour or lagoon of Ovalau island, off the east coast of the main island of Fiji, Vitu Levi, on Sunday afternoon. Joel set off the next morning to do the official running around and collecting of officers to come out to the boat. After 4 officials came and went, he then had to go in and get local currency to then pay everyone! Six hours later, we were checked in. Talk about wasted day. But, he got bread in town and that was important....I'd wait six hours for bread these days rather than make it.
That afternoon we set off to start heading towards the island, where we were going to see Joel's parents, Helen and Chris aka Mar and Par, the next day.