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Firefly - Firefly on passage to Aneityum, Vanuatu



Firefly is on passage to Vanuatu - we have arranged special permission to clear into Aneityum (sometimes called Anatom) - the southernmost island in the chain. We left Vuda Point Marina at 1400 on Monday 15th September having provisioned, fueled, watered and checked out all in one morning. Leaving was not actually that easy as the SE trades were curling around the end of Viti Levu and creating a SW on shore sea breeze. We slowly managed to motor into the chop and then had a change of plan and managed to bear off and get the sails up to beam reach to the north of Malolo Island (instead of going south) and out through the fringe reef and into open sea.

This is our first long passage since arriving in Fiji from Tonga back in mid June - preparing for it and undertaking gives us somewhat mixed feelings....we were looking forward to it, and to seeing Vanuatu but being 'out of practice were also feeling slightly apprehensive....I am sure most people do when they put to sea in remote parts of the world in their own boat.

The wind has been south easterly and constant at 20 to 22 knots ever since we passed through the reef leaving Fiji. We have a full main and reefed jib and are averaging about 7.5 knots and have managed to complete 180 miles in our first 24 hours - this is a really good mileage and about the best we can do. We are on port tack on a broad reach and the sea is moderate to rough so we are rolling around a lot and its not comfortable. Cooking is also a mission as our galley is on the port side and when the boat heels away from that side things tend to go flying! Sleeping is not so bad as the starboard saloon berth is in a good central position on the boat so there is not so much movement there.

Our ETA at Aneityum is about 1000 on Thursday morning. We are expecting the wind to moderate although there is no sign of that at present and are currently deciding whether we should reef the main overnight!

Paul and Susie
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