Aloha from Sea Child!

We are currently 196 nautical miles from the reef exit at Fiji, sailing on a course of 260 degrees with winds 20 knots on our port quarter. We are broad reaching and surfing along nicely at an average of 10 knots. After clearing out of Lautoka yesterday, we motored to Monoriki Island and enjoyed a delicious dinner just off Castaway Beach. The clear skies and half moon illuminated the beach nicely, and around 11pm last night we finally cleared the reef. It was slow going as we steamed toward the western reef, with Lindsay on the sonar down below, Steve & Tamara on each bow looking through the clear water at the rocks just 9 meters below us, and Eric at the helm. Once outside the reef, the main was hoisted as was the big screecher, and finally, we bid a fond farewell to Fiji.

The weather forecast is for 10-15 knot winds through tomorrow with scattered tradewind showers. With our good friends Steve & Lindsay Robins on board Sea Child for this passage, we are enjoying a watch system with 3 hours on watch and 9 hours off. Its wonderful for us to have good sailors join us since they have covered some ocean miles themselves aboard their sloop Jemellie, which they left back at Vuda Marina in Fiji. They are both from the English island of Jersey just off the western French coast, where Steve restored homes and Lindsay is a pharmacist. They continuously regale us with tales of their antics from Jersey, France, and of course, the sea. They are amazed at the performance of Sea Child, her speed and her comforts, and we are thrilled to have them aboard.

Life at sea has us all reading, steering, sleeping and settling into a comfortable routine. Since the seas are light to moderate, the ride is turning into a comfortable passage.

At our current pace, the gps has our ETA into Port Vila, Vanuatu in about 30 hours.