Sawaieke Village at Gau Island

20 September 2011

After leisurely breakfast and a game of cribbage (card game with pegs where your partner most often squashes you like a bug), dropped dink from davits to offer sevusevu to assistant chief as head guy is elsewhere. Only made a few mistakes as we brought powdered kava instead of roots, Jan wore pants, I wore shorts and we both wore sunglasses around our necks. They seemed friendly in any case, but didn't insist we stay for or as lunch.

Heading to Levuka tomorrow as Customs guy in Suva said we had to (and called ahead so they're expecting us - later learned we could probably have just stopped en route, not told any customs people and avoided hassle of unprotected anchorage). At least we can buy plants there and drink the bagged kava ourselves.. maybe. Then probably sail Koro Island before heading north to Savusavu on Vanua Levu. Ought to snorkel here as reported exceptional, but it's overcast and we're currently otherwise disposed.

Speaking of which, alternator ceased alternating. Can't seem to keep exciter connection exciting as it tends to fatigue at terminal. Contemplating additional foot of wire to offer option of breakage elsewhere. Thus constitutes strategy, other than sloth, for balance of day.

Expensive, US Coast Guard approved, night activated, efficient, sealed, LED masthead anchor light still draws amperage. One wonders what mischief those little electrons are provoking as result is other than emitting light. By the way, has anyone else noticed a severe paucity of maintenancelessness (not a real word) over the previous, oh, say, three weeks... eight months? Should one wish to define cruising as boat work in exotic locations, we be there.

Jack