Passage from Tonga to Fiji Photo Log

May 31 – June 2, 2016

We had a beautiful, calm, downwind passage from Tonga to Fiji. Our final multi-day passage. After so much bashing into the wind and after so many squalls since we had left Fiji the year before, this was a fitting and satisfying end to our journey.

Logbook – May 31, 2016 (Tonga to Fiji)

Passage Log Highlights

0748 Engines on
0804 SB engine off, genoa
0929 P engine off – Spinnaker
1717 Spinnaker
1853 Genoa only

Daily Notes

Caught and released skipjack
T/B scrabble

Brenden kicked Tim’s butt in a little passage scrabble

Email to Family and Friends Dated May 31, 2016

Subject: Exodus – Tonga to Fiji Day 1

This is most likely our last multi-day passage, and I’m loving that it’s a perfect downwind spinnaker run. It’s been a pretty uneventful day… set the sails and forget about them. Just the way we like it. Tim and Brenden are playing a heated game of scrabble, and Alex is practicing guitar. The boys worked so hard in the boatyard, I bought an extra 2GB of internet and let them have fun last night. Alex downloaded a bunch of tabs for new songs for the guitar and Brenden got new iPad games. I’m pretty sure they caught up with email with friends too (I hope!) It was a bit sad leaving Tonga, because we’ve had so much fun there, but we are looking forward to fun reunions in Savusavu. The sun is about to set so now I need to go argue with Tim about not flying the spinnaker at night.
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – June 1, 2016 (Tonga to Fiji)

Passage Log Highlights

0417 Genoa only
0700 Same
0823 Spinnaker
1355 Same
1837 Same

Daily Notes

T/Alex – haircuts

Email to Family and Friends Dated June 1, 2016

Subject: Exodus – Tonga to Fiji Day 2

If passages were all like this I might actually like passages. I haven’t even had to nap! It’s fitting that we are finishing with a multi-day spinnaker run… just like our very first passage down to Cabo San Lucas.
And after my comment in yesterday’s email, I must admit that it didn’t take much argument to get Tim to agree to take the spinnaker down for the night, but after a beautiful starry night with 12-14 kts of steady wind and not a squall around, I think it will be a harder sell tonight. Our gennaker is out of commission so we flew only the genoa last night and our speed tanked, as expected. And we need to make pretty good time in order to arrive before customs/immigration closes on Friday.
We had another pleasant, sunny day of sailing today, and Tim even gave Alex a haircut. He wanted Brenden to have one too, but Brenden wanted to stay shaggy for a little longer. I took B’s side on this one… he can get a haircut in CA in a month, why not let him be shaggy his last month cruising?
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – June 2, 2016 (Tonga to Fiji)

Passage Log Highlights

0333 Spinnaker
0659 Same
1226 Same
1502 Same

Daily Notes

Last night watch
2 tunas + head

A couple of yellow-fins for good measure

It was a spinnaker run pretty much the whole way

Email to Family and Friends Dated June 2, 2016

Subject: Exodus – Tonga to Fiji Day 3

So, we left the spinnaker up last night, and we didn’t die. I think I’ll stop talking about the spinnaker.
Alex broke a guitar string today, and he doesn’t have another spare, so he’s been pretty bored. He entertained himself today by sneak attacking Brenden and pantsing him. And since Brenden has new underwear that are kind of big this meant full moons and full montys! Brenden is so funny, he doesn’t get mad, he takes care of it by donning his life vest as sort of a protective diaper.
We caught two smallish tuna today, well two tuna plus a head (the sharks got the third one). However, since I had already taken the dough and sauce (that I made ahead of time) out of the freezer, we are having pizza for dinner. So, it will be sushi rolls tomorrow.
We should arrive in Savusavu tomorrow morning some time. And we are so excited to see Fluenta and True Blue V again!
Love and miss you all,
-D.

Logbook – June 3, 2016 (Tonga to Fiji)

Passage Log Highlights