day 158:
Miriam: This evening finds us anchored at Denarau Island in blissfully still, quiet waters. The sunset was spectacular, a full sky event reflecting rose in the east even as the west blazed in carmine and tangerine. We are out a ways from shore and the marina there which is lovely for sleeping and less convenient for errands. Luckily Magnus ran us in for groceries and a dinner of burgers at the Mexican restaurant (we were sceptical but it was actually delicious). This is a well developed tourist haven of shops and restaurants and bright lights; I for one felt completely overstimulated, like a bumpkin visiting the big city for the first time. The motoring and sailing over from Waya island was uneventful. We are beginning to weigh departure plans, looking at weather and provisioning up so that we will be ready to go when the weather window opens for a safe trip back to NZ.
Matt: left Waya in dead calm but the wind picked up and we got 12 - 16 knots forward of the beam for the last hour of the run into Denarau. Full canvas, did about 8 knots, nice sailing