Yadua to Yasawa Islands – July 9 – 11 2016, S 16.42 E 177.34

Continuing on the Road less traveled!

Despite our longing to stay and enjoy this wonderful anchorage, we had been waiting for a weather window to make our passage to the Yasawa Island chain.  Typically this is done by transiting the Bligh Waters. 

As the name suggests…there is something less than desirable about this passage.  It is an area of very deep water rising rapidly to reefs in a bottle neck on the western end that with any wind at all becomes a stretch of very uncomfortable seas.  There is however, the path less traveled…Uncharted waters no less.  This route from Yadua Island to the north end of the Yasawas was only 53 miles…but just long enough to make a full days sail at 6 knots of 9 hrs.  This doesn’t sound to bad…however, leaving and arriving thru reef infested waters demands good light on both ends to see the hazards…that can be difficult to find over a 9 hr. period.

Despite the chosen route being thru uncharted waters…we were quite certain from what information we had that our prevailing depth was 100 ft. and with good light we would see any ‘hot-spots’…shoals, rocks, reefs, disturbed water etc. that we needed to avoid.

The day was lovely, the sun was shining, and winds were light and the passage pleasant.  We finally hit the Bligh waters about noon…perfect to see any shoals on either side of the Yalema Kalou Passage (Round Island Passage).  This route ensured the least amount of time transiting the Bligh…only 6 miles from side to side.  We were thru and no sooner had we turned south when we hooked a small Sierra (Mackerel) reward enough for dragging the line. 

We continue on to our intended anchorage appropriately name Champagne Beach.  It lived up to its name…sandy bottom, good holding, and a white sand beach that stretched for miles.

Unfortunately for us, the weather changed and brought brisk south winds into this open road-stead.  This made for a rather rolly uncomfortable anchorage and we decided to head for ‘The Caves’.

July 7 – 9 2016 Bua Bay – Cukuvou Harbour, Yadua Island, Fiji S 16.49 E 178.17

This passage was relatively short albeit thru uncharted waters.  Despite my desire to catch fish which would prove more likely if we cut thru the reefs into the Bligh and then back again into Yadua Island, we elected to stay inside the reef and keep a sharp eye for any disturbed water, a sure sign of shallows and hidden reef.  I charted a course that would take thru one skinny patch of water surrounded on both sides by shallows and steep reef walls.  Sure enough, we were rewarded with our second Walu.

Altho slightly smaller than Kaija’s catch, it was just as tasty.

I had just finished filleting out that fish, cleaning up my gear when the reel started spinning out again…hahahah it was to be a double Walu day…hey what can I say…some days it just goes your way.

We rounded the North West corner of Yadua Island and pulled into Cukuvou Harbour.  This is Paradise.  Not another soul around…beautiful soft water and white sandy beaches, snorkeling was excellent and the anchorage pristine.  We had this all to ourselves and fresh fish for dinner.  Time to Count our Blessings!  To be sure, for us, it’s a Wonderful World and a Wonderful Life!

June 29, 2016 Savuna Pt – Bua Bay – S 16.52 E 178.34

This was a perfect sailing day!  Every so often in a sailors life ou have a perfect day. No, they are not all perfect, so when you have one, you relish it.  We were sailing downwind inside the reef in very settled water and roughly half way along our days passage the fishing line started singing.  We had just rounded Coconut Pt. and were feeling somewhat lacking in our fishing prowess…despite having a few nibbles in the past few weeks, we had not landed a thing.  But this time was a keeper.  We could tell we had a nice fish on the line…he was pulling hard…and then…the line went slack! OH NOOOO….SAY IT ISN’T SO!.   We started reeling in the slack line and then we felt a slight tug…could it be?  Kaija was committed…she wanted her fish.  She began doing her fish dance, reciting all her best fish jokes (did you hear the one about the fish that got away?...IT WAS SOOOO BIG!...) no doubt you have heard some rendition of it from any or many of your fishing buddies.  To make a long story short…Kaija landed our first Walu.  13.5 lbs of the best tasting fish you will ever sink your teeth into.  

The Walu is found in Fiji waters…long and sleek like a Wahoo, but fatter in the body with a distinct blue stripe running along the body from shoulder to tail.  It has a mouth full of teeth and is sometimes referred to as a Dog Toothed Tuna.  It is dense white meat and a real tasty treat!

We continued on to Bua Bay which was a return visit for us…having anchored here on our first passage from Viti Levu to Savu Savu some months ago.  This is a quiet well protected anchorage that offers some very nice snorkeling.