Fahiti ho!

 Read the caption in the picture...

Stardate Oct 6, 2023 Got out of the Somosomo anchorage in the morning.  Wind was all over the map again, requiring motor sailing.  Had full main up all the way, even though it was luffing much of the time.  Tried to use the genny and got headed again.    Only took a couple of hours to travel down the shore of Taveuni to Paradise Resort.  They had a guy in a kayak come out to greet us and guide us to moorings.  What a relief after the past two days.  Going to sleep well tonight. Got sorted and went ashore.  Now this is a place aptly named.  Without a doubt the toniest resort Nick and I have seen on the trip.  Beautiful setting.  I forgot to bring my phone so no pics today.  Registered with the owner (submit credit card, get the rules, etc.) and sat down for beers.  What do they cost?  Don't care.  Bring another round.  Pre-ordered the Indian special dinner for 6:30.  When the sun went down it was ac...

 I spoke too soon.   I woke up at midnight to the sound of chain on coral.  Not right - I anchored on sand.  Looked at Anchor Sentry.  WTF?  My tracks are now going at right angles to this afternoon's.  And wandering all over the place, not back and forth like they would if the chain were stretching and contracting.  Jumped up to check the depth.  28 feet.  I anchored in 45 feet.  Oh crap.  Conclusion?  The wind had shifted and the anchor was no longer set.  I was being dragged over the coral that Nick had had his problems with earlier in the day. So at 12:30 am, in pitch darkness, I go forward to raise the anchor.  Luckily I had my headband light with me.  It was blowing quite a bit, but not the 40-50 knots that we had earlier.  Got the anchor up and ran back to the cockpit, turning the boat around into the wind.  I headed for my previous anchor spot, overshot it by a bit and dropped the hook agai...

 ...makes us stronger - Nietzsche.  Nick and I have made this our favorite saying lately. So we got off the boats when the tide was going in.  Found a cove where we tied the dinghy stern in with a sea anchor leading out.  On sand!  Figured if we timed it right we could skate over the coral and get away from shore. Started walking toward the village of Somosomo.  Hailed a cab.  Saw everything Somosomo had to offer in about five minutes.  Got another cab.  "Take us south to the ferry dock."  There was supposed to be a bakery there.  Also a seaside bar.  It's 10:30 in the morning, but I don't care.  Got a little tour of nothing.  We decided to go back to Somosomo to get some veggies in the roadside stands there.  On the way back, we looked out and noticed a big gap between Nick's boat and mine.  Bigger than we had remembered.  We decided to stop at the dinghy and get out to his boat to check. So Nick had d...

 Stardate Oct 4, 2023 Tried to raise the anchor - crap, caught on coral.  Put the snubber back on and took a few runs at it.  You could feel the boat jump when it let go.  Very little wind, so I ran the main all the way up in preparation for the short ten mile jump to Taveuni.   The wind coming out of Viani was all over the placer.  The wind vane at the masthead was spinning.  I tried once to open the jib - hah!  It got about five feet out, flopped the other way, then flopped back.  Back in it went.  Even Nick had to motorsail across. As we approached the shore, the wind *intensified.*. We were supposed to have shelter against the lee shore.  Well that didn't happen.  Anchored in 48 feet on sand.  By the time the chain let out I was close to Nick.  We decided it was ok.  Went below.  Came up a hour or so later and our boats were close enough we could talk!  Nick opined that there must be current here be...

 Stardate Oct 3, 2023 Last happy hour at the Dive Academy.  Nick and I were in a good mood - three beers worth.  That's $40 FJD all told.  Let's see...6 beers for $20 US equivalent...about $3.50 a beer.  Should have had four. Donated a set of guitar strings to the house guitar.  Not that it needed any, but it would some day.  Had enough pleasure out of playing it so that's my thanks.  Gave a book off Michelle's bookshelf to Marina for her birthday.  (Sorry, Michelle.).  It looked like a love story so I knew I wouldn't read it. The Chinese dive crew came in for dinner.  We had been nodding and smiling at each other for two days now.  Nick offered that there was an app that would translate what you say to Chinese and it was too bad that we didn't have it.  I said, "But we have Google," and showed him how to use Google Translate.  I typed in 'I hope you have a great vacation' and took it over to play for the women. ...

 Stardate October 3, 2023 Nick wanted to walk up the hill on the island off which we were anchored.  Talking to the Dive Academy cook, Nessie, there was supposed to be a trail.  She lived there, she should know.  We're headed to Taveuni tomorrow during a weather window, so we took a day to explore. Dinghied ashore, met a woman who got us started in the right direction.  Had a constant companion - a dog named 'Dolly.'  Went up the hill and it was a nice view of the anchorage.  The two houses on the island are a testament to the poverty of these people.  Basically ramshackle hovels, it appeared.  We looked for the woman when we left to give her a couple of dollars but couldn't find her.  We'll donate to Nessie at the bar tonight. Tomorrow:  Taveuni - the farthest east I intend to get this season.   We have been assured that Taveuni provides plenty of shelter from east winds.  I can see the hills (mountains?) of Taveuni from ...