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Firefly - Riding the 'Bangowali' to Savusavu



Firefly passed another milestone en route to Savusavu from Port Vianni. She clocked up 40,000 nautical miles since her launch back in 1999. The first 10,000 was when she was with the original owner, Andrew Bray, who undertook an 'Atlantic Circuit' - to the Caribbean and back. The other notable milestones are that when we left Salcombe to start our circumnavigation the log was at 20100 and at the start of the World ARC in St Lucia it was right on 25,000.

Interestingly another record was set at the same time - our maximum recorded wind speed. Due to the weather situation we have been experiencing some enhanced trade winds - known in Fiji as Bangowali and translated as '8 day winds'. We had made the passage from Lau to Vianni ahead of the stronger winds and then spent 3 nights anchored in Vianni Bay while we did some spectacular scuba diving, followed by lovely lunches with Dolphin Divers. Vianni is very sheltered as it is downwind of an Island called Taveuni, the highest in Fiji - and despite this it was still receiving sporadic gusts of 20 knots.

To stay on schedule we needed to make the 45 mile passage to Savusavu and after some deliberation with Stuart and Pat on Brizo (our buddy boat), we decided to set off together. The passage was downwind and once in Savusavu we would be very well sheltered - however we had a forecast of 25 to 30 knots from the South East and were anticipating that this could reach 35 to 40 knots in the gusts as GRIB based forecasts tend to be lower than actual, especially at the windier end of the scale.

As we motored away from the lee of Taveuni we joined the 0800, channel 08 radio net from the ICA and the 'predict wind' forecast that was discussed was for 25 knots gusting to 34 - so things sounded ok. After we passed clear of Taveuni the wind was at about this level for about 3 hours. Firefly and Brizo were reefed well down and in a steep confused sea it was lifejackets and harness lines on board Firefly. However, during the last hour as we approached the entrance to Savusavu Bay the wind speed climbed and we saw a peak speed of 47 knots, the new record - with several sustained periods where it was above 40 continously. To pass through the relatively wide entrance between the off lying reefs we needed to gybe and this was taken very carefully.

Since we have owned Firefly, the previous highest wind speed was 42 knots on passage past the notorious Columbian coast en route to San Blas - that was the occasion when we clocked our highest speed, 18.5 knots, surfing down a huge wave. The maximum speed en route to Savusavu was just above 15 knots, the waves being too confused to surf for any length of time.

Savusavu was chock a block with yachts as none had been leaving due to the prolonged strong winds. Finding a mooring took a little time as the usual marina, the Copra Shed had no space on the quay or any moorings free. Luckily, Robin, the owner of Savusavu marina at the head of the creek overheard the radio calls and offered us moorings - kindly coming out in a dinghy to guide us in as it was very tight. Robin, it transpired had set off on a sailing trip around the world 39 years ago - leaving from Dartmouth in a boat he bought in Salcombe - he had chosen to settle in Savusavu and was delighted to have Firefly from Salcombe and Brizo from Dartmouth on his moorings.

Savusavu is a great little town, the creek is really beautiful and very sheltered with steep hills just behind and mountains in the distance - the town is a little scruffy but really full of life. Fiji has a very large Indian population, the result of British Empire bringing 'indentured workers' from the Asian Continent in order to work on sugar cane plantations - many stayed in Fiji and settled here. In Savusavu there is a very high proportion of Indian's, probably 2 to 1 compared to Fijians - therefore, with the heat and all the hustle and bustle it feels like you have landed in Deli!

We had 2 nights in Savusavu and did several chores - restocked with fresh veggies at the vibrant market, filled up with water and managed to get last years SIM card working and loaded it with voice and data credit. Now we can catch up with family and do our admin after quite a long period with very limited internet. We had both nights out at the 'Surf and Turf' restaurant, complete with its own dinghy dock. Indian owned, the 'fish lover's red curry' was great the first night and the 'cruisers roast' very welcome the second. There was a great atmosphere at the 'roast' as there were so many cruisers in town, a large number being from the World ARC.

Yesterday, on Sunday 21st June we left Savusavu heading east to the Yasawa Group of Islands. Planning to make the 120 miles over 2 days it was an early start and as the Bangowali was still going we again checked the weather forecasts carefully. Despite a rain squall and gusts over 30 knots for a short period on the way to the Nasonisoni Passage the weather was good and the wind in the 15 to 25 knots range. Significant overfalls at the entrance to the passage got the adrenalin pumping but once through it was flat seas as we were protected by off lying reefs. A superb days sailing on a broad reach got us quickly to Mbua bay, a huge anchorage that we shared with just one large motor yacht, having not seen any other boats all day long.

Today we pulled up the anchor at 0630 and are now on route across 'Bligh Water' - named because Captain Bligh and his 18 men came through this stretch of water back in 1789 having been cast adrift following the 'Mutiny of the Bounty' at Tofua, Tonga, back in 1789. The Bangowali is definitely finished as we have less than 10 knots so we are motor sailing at present. This is a notoriously windy area so we are hoping the breeze will pick up and speed us onto our next destination called Sawa-I-Lau on the southern end of Yasawa Island.

Paul and Susie


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