Day 16

Saturday 16h May 2009 19:00

Position: 21deg 05min South, 175deg 09min West � anchored off Fafa Island

The guide book says that the resort on Fafa is the best island resort in Tangatapu group, and I concur � a bit of a pain to approach in a yacht because its surrounded by a large reef. We have anchored on the south side in about 9m of water about 50 meters from the reef. Matt and I snorkeled over the anchor to check � looked well set. This feels like quite an exposed anchorage.

The island resort is immaculate and just out of the picture books. They have guest houses (called fales) each with their own peace of beach and little veranda. They have high ceilings with clinker wooden roofs and traditional walls for the buildings � The bit I liked most was the bathroom which sported a reasonably large area half covered - the shower was actually outside and merely protected by a traditional coconut palm woven courtyard wall.

We met up the plastic surgery team (Zak, Martin and Graham and their 2 OR scrub nurses) that were taking a break from their week at Viola hospital. This was just fantastic � we had a great morning as their guests and returned to Carenza for lunch and a nap at about 2 o�clock. Zak and Graham snorkeled over to the yacht for a visit and eventually we snorkeled back with them and ended the day enjoying some cocktails � time went very rapidly and we ended up having to negotiate the reef in the dingy in the dark (fortunately I had left the anchor light on so we could find the yacht� the overcast conditions made it all very dark)

Abby found a nice dry coconut which we pealed off the husk and cracked it open and removed the hard coconut (shown to us by Graham) which is actually really nice. Actually the place is full of coconuts but they by rights belong to the owner of the island.

Another day in paradise. Unfortunately you really need money to enjoy paradise and we are on a tight budget. We would have loved to have had a meal but that would have represented a weeks provisions.

We are still watching the weather and unsure about whether to leave on Sunday or not. There is definitely a low developing over Fiji that threatens to disturb the settled south Easters with a bit of a blow from the west in the next few days � not good for exploring the Hapai group.

We have found a nice dry empty coconut � and brought it back to the yacht and have named him �Wilson�

We are far enough north now for the skeds on 4429khz to not be so good anymore so we had a sked with Des on 13101kHz which was infinitely better.

Its so warm that we are having to run the freezer for 2 to 3 hours a day to keep it frozen (between -5 to -12)

Skipper