svbeachhouse

Author: kerrizane

  • Waya pit stop…Manta Ray Bay Island….

    June 25th, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    We left for the trip to Waya Island, most southern of the Yasawa\’s early as to travel the 30 miles and get settled. Kate was in \”her office\” (sun tanning of course) and Sandrine was listening to music. I did my weight workout and all was good. We arrived at Waya around noon and as lovely as it was, we just didn\’t feel we wanted to stay. So on we went the last 12 miles to Manta Ray Bay island. We anchored next to s/v Wetnose and Jim came by for a hello.

    Kate and Sandrine went snorkeling and I quickly discovered that the internet despite advertisement didn\’t work here. The 3G system is supposed to be in, but it just wasn\’t happening. So back to good old \”sailmail\” and that\’s how I\’m posting this blog.

    Kate decided we were going night diving as we had spoken to the local dive guide from Barefoot Plantation Resort and he said it was good right where we had anchored. So, Kate got to do her first NIGHT DIVE. I teased her about the sharks, Sandrine didn\’t want to hear about it and in we went.

    I was a bit disappointed as despite the lovely coral, the ususal suspects were no where to be found. WESTERN Fiji is not known for it\’s diving. EASTERN Fiji (where we will be in about 2 weeks) is. So I\’m cutting the place slack for the time being. No moray eels, no octopus, no whitetip reef sharks. It was for me a bit disappointing, Kate of course was jazzed. She dove at NIGHT!

    When we got back and cleaned up, Sandrine went up at 9 p.m. in her silks with the deck light on. She\’s getting stronger every day.

    It\’s overcast now and the weather is supposed to start being really windy with some rain over the next few days.

    The manta rays are supposed to be in the pass only 250 yards away; they come in at high tide which is this afternoon. We\’ll give them a snorkel try then and report back. More diving today too….

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate)

    Internet is not good here, I\’m sending via sailmail, but I can download emails to beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • 2011-06 Western Fiji – Kate & Sandrine

    Click on any image to view it, click on the ICON at the upper right of the photo to enlarge it.  You can navigate through the gallery with the arrows at the bottom left in any photo.

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/06/23 06:25 LATITUDE: 17-40.92S LONGITUDE: 177-23.16E MARINE: NO WIND_SPEED: 6 WIND_DIR: 059T CLOUDS: 20% VISIBILITY: 25 BARO: 1013 AIR_TEMP: 27.8C COMMENT: Beach House – DOCKED – Vuda Point for windlass repair, then Waya Island. Saw an 8 foot wingspan Manta Ray just outside Vuda Point.

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/06/16 06:58 LATITUDE: 17-46.21S LONGITUDE: 177-11.28E MARINE: NO WIND_SPEED: 6 WIND_DIR: 059T CLOUDS: 20% VISIBILITY: 25 BARO: 1015 AIR_TEMP: 28.7C COMMENT: Beach House – Moored – Malololailai (Musket Cove)…..boat projects tomorrow!

  • New Zealand to Fiji….A synopsis

    May 31st, 2011

    \”I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends\”…. The Beatles

    Dear F&F, We\’re in Vuda Point Marina just south of Lautoka where we checked in. I thought this song was appropriate as Kate is from Essex near London.

    Kate was great in the watch, sailing, cooking, companion and everything else category. A great attitude and disposition.

    We had a raucous ride, but a good one. I hope you enjoyed my \”Magical Mystery Tour\” along the northward trail from New Zealand to Fiji. The deep V cut like a knife. The wound will not heal. It shouldn\’t……

    Checking in: We did the Customs Tango here and boy was it weird. This is the most bureaucratic nation I\’ve ever checked into. As the government here is technically in a \”marshal law\” state of affairs they want to know your underwear size. The forms were thick, the questions lengthy. All in all the folks are great however. Several trips were required to go to the various offices to get cleared in, cruising permits, etc.

    Anchoring: We went to drop the hook and the windlass (thing that raises and lowers the anchor) didn\’t work. I had to use the stern one. We dragged the anchor twice and it was quite the drill to prevent \”the house\” from crashing into other boats and oh yes, the DOCK! After that was sorted, all was good.

    We went to Vuda Point (pronounced VUNDA) and they fixed the windlass motor and re-mounted the water maker which flew off the wall on a big crashing wave and some other minor stuff. We\’ll see about the haul out facility at Musket Cove tomorrow.

    Clean up inside and out and off to Musket Cove, Malololailai Island to do Kate\’s PADI Open Water course and have some relaxing fun.

    KIT, Scott with wide awake Kate….Facebooking like a fiend!…:)

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/05/27 02:25 LATITUDE: 17-35.96S LONGITUDE: 177-26.50E MARINE: NO WIND_SPEED: 6 WIND_DIR: 059T CLOUDS: 20% VISIBILITY: 25 BARO: 1013 AIR_TEMP: 32.8C COMMENT: Beach House – Med Moored – Vuda Point Marina. Windlass and Sail drive repairs. BIG clean up to do as well….

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/05/26 03:35 LATITUDE: 17-35.97S LONGITUDE: 177-26.49E MARINE: NO WIND_SPEED: 12 WIND_DIR: 043T CLOUDS: 30% VISIBILITY: 25 BARO: 1010.6 AIR_TEMP: 30.6C COMMENT: Beach House – ANCHORED – Lautoka, Fiji (7 days 20 hours). All checked in, moving to Vuda Point Marina tomorrow for check out of sail drive and a few other \”delightful projects\”. We\’ll be there at least two days getting cleaned up (sorted as Kate would say). The most bureaucratic check in ever, easy enough.

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/05/23 00:00 LATITUDE: 19-29.99S LONGITUDE: 177-36.52E COURSE: 332T SPEED: 6.0 MARINE: YES WIND_SPEED: 25 WIND_DIR: 101T WAVE_HT: 1.0M WAVE_PER: 8 SWELL_DIR: ESE SWELL_HT: 3.0M SWELL_PER: 8 CLOUDS: 70% VISIBILITY: 18 BARO: 1014.5 TREND: -1 AIR_TEMP: 27.8C SEA_TEMP: 27.8C COMMENT: Beach House – ENROUTE – Lautoka, Fiji. 194 nm day 07 run. 15 miles to abeam Kandavu Island landfall. 95 miles to Navalu Pass entry, 114 miles to Lautoka. We are under 3 reefs, no head sail to slow for the next 20 hours. We will enter Navalu Pass at first light tomorrow, check in Lautoka by afternoon. Kate still cooking and finishing Skippers course. It\’s now tropical warm at 81 deg F, water 80 deg F. Almost there. Still very windy, big swell. We should have protection from the swell once by Kandavu Island in about 3-4 hours. USE Sailmail address to respond.

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/05/24 00:09 LATITUDE: 22-25.27S LONGITUDE: 179-03.28E COURSE: 328T SPEED: 7.5 MARINE: YES WIND_SPEED: 21 WIND_DIR: 104T WAVE_HT: 1.0M WAVE_PER: 8 SWELL_DIR: ESE SWELL_HT: 3.5M SWELL_PER: 8 CLOUDS: 40% VISIBILITY: 20 BARO: 1017.6 TREND: 1 AIR_TEMP: 25.6C SEA_TEMP: 24.4C COMMENT: Beach House – ENROUTE – LAUTOKA, Fiji (change of port for engine room leak repair). 181 nm Day 6 run. 7pm to 7pm will be over 200 nm!.. We hit 18.9 knots today! Kate still studying Day Skipper and Diving Course. Expect A.M. arrival on 26 May (Eastern Hemisphere Date). 295 nm to go.

  • POSITION REPORT

    YOTREPS: YES TIME: 2011/05/23 00:17 LATITUDE: 24-35.62S LONGITUDE: 178-41.41W COURSE: 002T SPEED: 7.1 MARINE: YES WIND_SPEED: 22 WIND_DIR: 126T WAVE_HT: 1.0M WAVE_PER: 8 SWELL_DIR: ESE SWELL_HT: 3.5M SWELL_PER: 8 CLOUDS: 40% VISIBILITY: 20 BARO: 1019.3 TREND: 1 AIR_TEMP: 24.4C SEA_TEMP: 23.9C COMMENT: Beach House – ENROUTE – POSSIBLE COURSE CHANGE TO LAUTOKA, Fiji. 175 nm for Day 5 run. We will skip Minerva Reefs as to poor weather conditions and expected arrival after dark. Kate has started PADI Open Water Dive course modules on DVD. Investigating fixing leak at Musket Cove near Lautoka, WEST Fiji. Estimate arrival 27th May. 475 nm to Lautoka, Fiji. Will keep you all updated. We are IN the Tropics. Scott with wide awake Kate!….:)