Savasavu was a good place and the weather was better than at Tonga apart from one afternoon when we had a deluge. We played golf the following day and the course was a quagmire. It was the worst course I have played, with greens in the middle of lakes you had to pitch to. We hired a taxi one day to go across the island to a resort called Palmlea. A couple Joe and Julie had set this up after sailing around the world for years. It was very difficult to find, but an idyllic spot and a lovely lunch.
We set off the following day to an island called Makogai about 50 miles away with an unmarked reef passage to enter. We had to do it using way points. Jus' do it, Cleone, Talula Ruby, Quasar V of Lleyn are all here. A boat called Quark is here and the skipper Charlie is from Chester. He has been sailing around here for years on a Nicholson 32. He has been very helpful with advice.
The island was a leper colony with 5000 lepers. It closed in 1969. We had to go ashore to meet the chief and give gifts. Usually kava root is given but we had not bought any. This is the root from which they make the foul tasting kava drink, which you have to down in one from a coconut shell. I gave him a bottle of rum. The following day he took us for a 1.5 hr walk to the other side of the island where we visited the school. The children sang and danced for us and introduced themselves. It was a memorable occasion. In the afternoon we went snorkelling the coral and coloured fishes was great to see. Last night we all had a BarBQ together with the chief ( Watson) and the local villagers and children.
We set off this morning at first light carefully negotiating the reef and have been motoring all morning as there is no wind but lovely sunshine. We are now in Bligh Water and are going to enter the reef in about 2 hours time through Nananu Passage. Talulah Ruby and Strega came this way yesterday. I have just been in contact on the SSB Radio and they have given us useful information regarding buoys missing etc. Talulah unfortunately using C-maps went aground on the reef but managed to get off hopefully unharmed. All the news for now Bob and crew Andante of Mersey.