15 August – 6 September, 2015
After a couple of very hectic days at Port Denarau provisioning and doing boat projects, we were happy to shove off and head for the Yasawa island chain to the northwest. We were even happier because we were going to meet back up with our very good friends on Lumbaz. They were waiting for us up near Manta Ray resort where the Lumbaz girls were taking a scuba course. Unfortunately, we left Denarau a little too late to make it there in one day, so after motorsailing all day in light conditions we stopped for the night at a little bay called Waikoka Bay on the east side of the island of Waya. It was not a very good anchorage for the prevailing trade winds, and we were on a lee shore, but since conditions were light, it was OK. The next day we rolled into the Manta Ray anchorage to reunite with not only Lumbaz, but also our friends on Field Trip and Breeze. After a couple days of swimming with the mantas, all four of us (Exodus, Lumbaz, Breeze, Field Trip) headed over to the island of Viwa, which is a less popular cruising destination due to the fact that it lies 15 miles west of the rest of the Yasawa chain. Viwa turned out to be a surprise gem, but we couldn’t stay long due to the poor anchorage combined with winds forecast to pick up, so after a couple days we headed back down to Navadra, which is an island between the Mananuca and Yasawa island groups. We had previously spent several days there when mom was visiting. At Navadra, the kid boat party only got bigger, but all good things do come to an end and after 5 fun filled days the larger group dispersed and a few of us headed back up north to the Yasawas, first stopping at Nalauwaki Bay, the large north facing bay on the island of Waya. The second stop was back at the Manta Ray resort and then on up to The Blue Lagoon, with a brief stop at Natuvalu Bay (Naviti Island) on the way. Eventually, our kid boat posse was down to 2 as we departed the Yasawas with Fluenta in the early morning of Sunday, 6 Sept bound for the island of Yadua.
(Port Denarau) –> Waikika Bay (Waya Island) –> Manta Ray Resort –> Viwa à Navadra –> Nalauwaki Bay (Waya Island) –> Manta Ray Resort –> Natuvalu Bay (Naviti Island) –> Blue Lagoon –> (Yadua)
Gresham Family Exodus 