I am a bit nervous about this upcoming passage against the tradewinds because I know it will not be plain sailing…
We stock up and prepare well and also change some Kina to Solomon dollars at the local BSP bank which as always takes half a day as there are many people waiting patiently in line.
welcome to Buka Bougainville
the anchorage in Buka channel, always something to see
stocking up at Buka market
this lady sells sea grapes
which is a kind of seaweed
look at that abundance of the best vegetables
a meal at Kuri resort in Buka
our neighbours have lost their anchor so we are helping them diving for it...
then we try to escape busy Buka and anchor at Vungan island
but that does not last long...customs calls us back, no valid visum no cruising!
this cyclone is not for us, it goes to Australia
but this named storm Maila is close because it developed near Gizo Solomon islands
there is Maila in the grey as seen from our anchorage in Buka
that is how it looked on Windy and we are near the red arrow
the -now- cyclone is moving away from us so still we decide to check out as the high mountains of Bougainville will protect us
there we go with 25-30knots behind us...grey grey grey and more rain than in Scotland, this was just outside Buka channel
and as expected the sail from Buka Bougainville to Taro Solomon islands was fast..
a dramatic sunset at Taro
the islands here are fully covered in rainforrest, maybe that is where our hard wood comes from
these guys run an outboard repair shop and could help me with a 'new' engine support for the outboard
a beautifull Polynesian sailing boat
day out to the nearby waterfall through crocodile territory
no crocodiles in the upper part of the river because it is sweet water
Near Gizo we meet our dear friend Lekae from Oema atol and Taro who took us up the river last time
Beautiful islands on the way, sometimes all to ourselves๐
Fatboys resort past Gizo
and look what they found in Noro marina, it made an emergency landing on a reef
yea thats something for Stefan to check out
little damage, a tail strike
the interior
look at that current, now a plan is needed
to Lata Santa Cruz islands
to check out of the Solomon islands
In Lata Hilda and her children
bring us these vegetables
more current to deal with...
sail against wind, waves and current looks like this
Did 622nm from Lata still 337nm to go to fiji
a tear in the genoa so from now on we can only sail in reef3
its hard work, still 200nm to go to Fiji
and now it is only 125nm to Fiji
1447nm sailing and motoring against the tradewind from Honiara, Solomon islands to Lautoka in Fiji
Malaka Queen alongside at Vuda marina to check in
Where the marina staff welcomes you back with singing!
