Sailing back to Main land

All good things must come to an end, sometimes with timing you don’t like. Leaving Namena was like that. I needed to get back to Savusavu for the next part of my adventure but we could already see the big waves hitting the edge of the reef.

With full bellies and the boat ship shape, we hauled anchor with no hiccups and set sails with a good few reefs. We were getting along nicely. Wind and 3m swell on the beam, getting about seven knots.

DOLPHINS! I hadn’t seen dolphins in the islands yet and all of the sudden they were right next to the cockpit, fully jumping out of the water. They didn’t stick around for long but it was a special moment.

Only mad men would sail in this weather was quoted by John. Soon enough another vessel came up on our AIS. Halfway through the short passage was the closest I got to meeting the Tapps sailing on Molly II but we exchanged knowledge as they were heading to Namena Is.

I hand steered the last while. It was lots of fun counteracting the waves and keeping a good course towards our destination. At one point a big wave hits the cockpit and I get drenched. I go to wipe the water off my sunnies but my vision doesn’t get any better - turns out the water got inside my sunnies.

I was left at the helm to bring us past the reef and towards the bay before we dropped sail, then anchoring off the point.