Sunday 29th June
Up at 6am, anchor up and heading out the bay at 6.45am. Cleone, Andante and Quasar just ahead. We wave goodbye to the people ashore and negotiate our way back through the reef following the line we came in. There’s a beautiful sunrise, it’s flat calm with not a breath of wind. Stewy sets two lines for the glorious hour. We motor all morning, then motor into the bay cautiously using eyeball on the bow, Curly’s cruising charts and the plotter – Paul has kindly sent us a warning that he came aground coming in here yesterday. Thankfully we arrive safely at our chosen anchorage at 2.45pm. On route Stewy hooks 6 fish but alas, they’re all barracuda – 2 get off and 4 are landed and set free. By the time we’ve anchored it’s grey and overcast and starting to rain. We’re in a large sheltered bay in the north of Nananu I Ra Island. It looks well populated with several expensive looking houses and some resort type buildings. The island is very different to where we’ve just come from, very mountainous and cultivated and drier looking with low scrub and bush, and tiny little palm fringed beaches. Cleone, Andante and Quasar anchor nearby. Norfy goes ashore and soon radios to tell us he’s found a bar but nowhere to eat. We all meet in a funny little bar where you have to walk to the shop behind to get the drinks , then take them to the tables. Apparently food has to be ordered a day in advance. However, Will manages to arrange burgers for Jus’do it and Cleone while the others return to their boats – well done Will! The burgers are delicious, we enjoy the usual good crack with Cleone, then home for another early night!