Our week started at Komo Island as we continued to journey north from Fulaga. I am not sure if Bob mentioned this in last week’s blog, but when we arrived at Komo, the conditions were awful just as we got ready to enter the pass through the reef. The winds picked up to 25–30 knots and then we had to get the mainsail down in the wind-driven chop. Not ideal, and I may have said a few choice words. We hoped we would be able to go ashore and hike to the village, but weather conditions were not conducive to safely getting the dinghy in the water. So sadly, we got up on Monday and weighed anchor to head to Lakeba.
The sail to Lakeba was pretty windy, but thankfully downwind. The seas were not too bad, with rain off and on. We arrived at Lakeba in the afternoon and were the only boat there—quite a contrast to our journey south when we had a full anchorage. But just as we turned to head in and drop the mainsail, the wind (which had dropped to the teens) suddenly spiked again. Second anchorage in a row! I was at the helm when the sail came down, which is especially challenging when watching out for reefs. Still, we successfully anchored and settled in for an early departure toward Vanua Balavu.
| Passage Leg | Distance / Route | Weather & Conditions | Anchorage Highlights |
| Leg 1 | Fulaga to Komo Island | 25–30 knot winds, wind-driven chop | Conditions too rough to launch dinghy for village hike. |
| Leg 2 | Komo Island to Lakeba | Windy downwind sail, sudden wind spike at entry | Empty anchorage; night rest before long leg. |
| Leg 3 | Lakeba to Vanua Balavu | 70 NM, heavy swell, 30-knot squall in narrow pass | Anchored at Daliconi; completed customary sevusevu. |
Braving the 70-Mile Swell & A Stormy Pass
We got up at first light for the 70 nautical mile leg to Vanua Balavu. I had a Zoom call for a committee I serve on with the Association of Child Life Professionals, so it was quite the experience managing a professional call while rolling in big swells! I even had to warn my colleagues to let me know if they needed my camera off so they didn’t get seasick watching the roll!
After the call, I went back on watch while Bob did some work below. The swells were impressive, but less impressive were the occasional waves breaking right into the cockpit—drenching me from behind! As we approached Vanua Balavu to enter a new pass with a tricky dog-leg around the reef, nature decided to test us one last time: 30 knots of wind and driving rain hit right as we turned into the narrow channel. For three days straight, terrible conditions right at the critical moment! Bob calmly navigated us through while ignoring my litany of sailor vocabulary, and we finally anchored Meraviglia safely in Daliconi.
The Lomaloma Provisioning Mission & “Fiji Time”
Having had no real reprovisioning opportunities in six weeks, we were running completely out of basics: flour, bread, coffee, cheese, cookies, snacks, wine, and Diet Coke! On Wednesday, we set out to take the local bus from Daliconi to Lomaloma.
- 7:15 AM: Arrived at the beach by dinghy. The village headman kindly pulled out chairs for us to wait under the palm trees.
- 8:30 AM: Clouds began rolling in as we joked about “Fiji Time”.
- 9:00 AM: Heavy rain started. A local villager invited us under a shelter and explained the bus was coming from the airport.
- 9:30 AM: The “bus”—an open-backed mid-sized truck with an awning and wooden benches—finally arrived!
The 25-minute ride over hilly, eroded cement tracks was a true hold-on-for-dear-life experience. In Lomaloma, the bakery was closed, but between two small counter-serve shops and the local Post Office/supermarket, we managed to score flour, butter, crackers, carrots, onions, potatoes, cheese, eggplant, tomatoes, and cookies!
The Return Ride: Extreme Truck Bed Sailing
Getting back proved even more memorable. By noon, the rain was pouring. Our ride turned out to be a regular open pickup truck. I was squished inside the cab with a mom and two kids, while Bob and six other villagers rode in the back in the pouring rain! A villager told Bob it was better to stand up in the back and hold on…it was not. Bob said it was more like being on a roller coaster in torrential rain!! The driver was going much faster than the bus driver so we made it back to Daliconi in record time, safe and uninjured, thank goodness!
Stern-Tying in a Secret Nook
After the village trip, we headed back to the Bay of Islands. We decided to unlock a new skill: stern-tying Meraviglia into a tiny, secluded nook surrounded by rock walls on three sides. Bob backed us in like a pro, creating an amazing echo-chamber anchorage.
We spent the day kayaking, listening to the birds, and enjoying the breathtaking surrounding scenery before moving back to our favorite spot by the rock cliff and the turtles. We hope to depart tomorrow but will truly miss the beauty of the Lau group! Next stop: Taveuni!
