Having left Fiji two days ago, we are now on passage to Vanuatu, just nearly half way. It was not so easy to leave Fiji, and we do intend to return next year. To reminisce, we did a lot of stand up paddleboarding, and were getting pretty good at it taking the boards out to relatively open water, practicing pivot turns, walking on the board, etc. I was not prepared for how much fun this is, and it turns out to be a really good workout - something every yachtie needs. Our boards are inflatable Hobie, like the famous Hobie Cat. We bought them in the little store at Vuda Point Marina, and were given a good deal on them.

Our friend Jeff has joined us for this trip to Vanuatu and a few weeks visit while there. Having Jeff here is special because we all met back in 2007 when we crewed on the Alaska Eagle, and sailed from Suva, Fiji to Port Resolution, Tanna, Vanuatu. So we are having a bit of a reunion which will continue at Port Resolution with the people we met there back in 2007.

Our last week in Fiji was spent at Musket Cove, the yachtie's headquarters in Fiji. While there, we paddled (standing up) way out to the sand bar for snorkeling, met some new people who are also on passage to Vanuatu right now. Most notably is the Musick family on the boat, Water Musick. We met by virtue of music!

One evening, when it was dark, but not late, we were returning from having a nice Pastis with our friends Jacques, Marie, and their daughter Sophie on board the boat Extrapoles. Jacques plays mouth harmonica and played for us into the darkness. It was quite special, so how could I resist to "speaking back"? Back at Proximity, I took my guitar and amplifier out into the cockpit and played something nice for him across the dark anchorage. When I finished, I got an applause and a request for more from a close-by boat. This happened to be Water Musick. We met the next morning.

While we were in Vuda Point Marina, we got invited out to the local Fijian village for a kava night with the guys who work the marina. Of course, we brought guitars and ukuleles, and it didn't take long for the Fijians to get brave enough to play the instruments, which was what we had planned. It was wonderful, although the kava only made me sleepy!

When we left the marina, the staff there came out to the boat and sang us the traditional farewell song. It was so very touching. We promised to return next year. Hmmm, are we getting stuck in the South Pacific? We had seen that in Mexico, many gringos sail down there and never go anywhere else because Mexico is so nice. We had vowed that this would not happen to us, so while we are not stuck to a small area (the Pacific Ocean is incredibly huge) we do see a similar relationship. We must keep our attention on that.

Until next time, this is your Rock and Roll Argonauts, wishing the best to everyone out there.