October 25-30, 2015
Logbook – October 25, 2015 (Koro to Somosomo)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0420 engines on
- 0456 P engine off, main + genoa
- 0519 SB engine off
- 1020 P engine on
- 1300 SB engine on
- 1334 engines off Somosomo
Daily Notes
- On approach to Somosomo – VHF call from Ariel IV. Swedish couple Eric & Brigita, also going to Marshals. They know Field Trip & Breeze.
- Anchor off Somosomo. Internet afternoon.
Email to Family and Friends dated October 25, 2015
Subject: Exodus – Koro to Taveuni and Brenden’s first dogtooth
We had a fast sail up to Taveuni today close hauled with 20 kts of wind. Fast, that is, until we got into the lee of Taveuni, and then the wind dropped to nil, so we motor-limped the rest of the way. We are anchored off a small town called Somosomo that has an MH grocery store and a market, so we will make a quick trip to shore tomorrow morning to restock our fresh fruit/veg supply before heading up to the island of Rabi. Rabi has an interesting history, as the inhabitants aren’t even Fijian, but I’ll write more about that when we visit there.
Our last few days at Koro were quite memorable, especially for Brenden. His first milestone is that he can now load his speargun himself. I guess all those pullups he’s been doing are paying off. But the real memorable milestone is that he speared his first dogtooth tuna! Photos already posted to facebook. The dogtooth is a prize among spearfishermen, so Brenden was quite pleased. We all were, actually, because it’s very tasty sashimi indeed.
Love and miss you all,
-D.
Logbook – October 26, 2015 (Somosomo to Katherine Bay)
Passage Log Highlights
- 1148 engines on
- 1215 P engine off, main + genoa
- 1227 SB engine off
- 1405 engines on
- 1530 engines off Katherine Bay Rabi
Daily Notes
- Shopping (and eating ice cream) with Fluenta in Somosomo
- Passage over to Rabi
- First anchor spot at end of bay – not good holding
- Beautiful green, lush bay lined w/ hills & mangroves
Logbook – October 27, 2015 (Katherine Bay to Albert Cove via Nuku)
Passage Log Highlights
- 0905 engines on
- 0933 SB engine off
- 1048 SB engine on
- 1115 engines off Nuku
- 1300 engines on
- 1410 engines off Albert Cove
Daily Notes
- Lots of safe track waypoints in the chart plotter
- Rain while anchoring at Albert Cove
- Warmer water
Logbook – October 28, 2015 (Albert Cove)
Daily Notes
- T/D – go to shore to visit Maria
- T/B – spearfish – coral trout – gave to Maria
- Dessert & tea on Amosea Island
Email to Family and Friends dated October 28, 2015
Subject: Exodus – Rabi Island
After a brief shopping trip on Taveuni, which pleasantly turned out to be an opportunity to spend a few more hours with Fluenta, we made our way over to Rabi and we are now up on the NW side of the island in a small bay called Albert Cove. It’s lovely here and well protected. We made a stop at the main village called Nuku on our way up in order to check in with the Rabi police and request permission to visit the island. The inhabitants of Rabi are not Fijian, not even Micronesian, they are Polynesian, and they are from the island of Banaba (formerly known as Ocean Island). They were relocated here shortly after WWII because their island became barely inhabitable due to phosphate mining by the British and then the invasion by the Japanese. Their story is a sad one as they seem to have gotten screwed from every direction. Now, they seem to be doing OK although you can tell most of their infrastructure here is many decades old. On the surface, the people here seem less friendly than the Fijians, but like the Polynesians of Tonga, it’s not that there’s any ill feelings toward you, it’s just that they are less extroverted, less outgoing. We seriously could have walked through the whole town without anyone talking to us, but we know better than that by now, and we stopped and talked to several people, and they were all nice, helpful, and curious about us, it’s just that we had to make the first move. They seemed pleasantly surprised when we greeted them with, “Mauri,” which is how you say hello in their language, Gilbertese, instead of the well-known Fijian, “Bula.”
I’ve already written more than I intended, because the boys have some stuff to contribute today.
Love and miss you all,
-D
Brenden’s Beat
Dad and I went spearfishing along with Per from Breeze hoping to shoot a tuna. We went diving a couple of days before then and I was finally able to load my gun. But this time I wasn’t able to. I had to have dad load it for me. I probably just didn’t have the gun in the right spot on my chest.
Swimming along with my gun pointed in front of me, I watched dad dive down and lay on a rock. Turning my head to the left, I saw a school of about 20 tuna, but they swam faster once they noticed me chasing them. That was the first tuna sighting that day.
After seeing the tuna, we swam a bit farther away from the dinghy. I was just about to dive down when dad unexpectingly dives, aiming his gun at something. Then, just before he shot, I noticed it; a walu had swam up to him. Bang! The walu was ours to keep.
We dropped the walu off at the dinghy, then headed in the opposite direction. Dad and I traded guns, me with the big one, him with the not so big one. We swam a bit farther, then dad dove down and shot a trevally. Most of the fish scattered but one fish didn’t; a dogtooth tuna. I had the big gun, so I dove down straight on top of it, and once I got close enough, I shot. It missed just to the left. If only I hadn’t missed…
Later, after putting the trevally in the dinghy, we went back out. Dad shot a baracuda to use as bait so another tuna might come. After waiting about five minutes, another tuna appeared and started circling the baracuda. This time I was taking my time. I didn’t want to miss this one. I dove down, took my aim, and fired. I hit it, but only pierced its skin and it swam away.
I shot at two tunas and both are still swimming freely. “The next one I see,” I think to myself, “is going to have a new home in our freezer.” Dad continues to jig the baracuda up and down. Then out of the distance, another tuna came and inspected the fish. I then dive down, scaring it away a little, and keep going down. Patience should get me this one. I wait until it gets close and bang! Finally, after all this time, I was so happy to have my first tuna.
Alex’s Alcove
I had never realized how much I needed a fiberglass surfboard until I tried one. Although I haven’t tried real surfing on it, the dinghy surfing is pretty awesome. The first time I tried using one I knew that I would either have to steal one or get one of my own. Luckily, thievery didn’t win that one.
Before I got my own, I tried using the big foam surfboards, but it wasn’t the same. The carving abilities were far more limited, and I found it even harder to stand up on.
To be honest, I’m not in favor of going to The Marshall Islands. Hopefully, there are some surfing spots!
Logbook – October 29, 2015 (Albert Cove)
Daily Notes
- T/B spearfish – trevally + sweet lips
- D – paddle, visit on shore w/ Maria
Logbook – October 30, 2015 (Albert Cove)
Daily Notes
- Hike over to other side, met Tarawa and his family
- “Fire” on shore – we rushed w/ buckets. Maria’s dad was just burning rubbish
Gresham Family Exodus 