What a difference a day makes.

Yesterday we motored from Musket Cove to the Queens Wharf in Lautoka to "clear out" with the Customs office prior to our trip to the Yasawa Islands. It was a gray day with little breeze, and something took half the feathers off one of my fishing lures without finding the hook. The wharf is not a favorite place for cruisers; you anchor in slimy mud that is hard to remove from the chain and the ash from the burning of the sugar cane fields is like black snow on the boat. We arrived mid-day and found Customs closed for lunch so we took a cab into town for more fresh veggies. When Customs reopened the told us we needed a Cruising Permit to visit the Yasawas, so another cab ride to the ugly little town for a piece of paper that costs nothing and contains only information already on our Customs document. They learned this from the English.

Up early for a 7am departure for a 56 mile passage through a maze of reefs, motoring for the first three hours and then a nice breeze that built to the high teens and we reached along at 8+ knots. About 5 miles from our destination we hooked and landed a big barracuda named Sarah (photo). Anchor down, dingy launched and into the small native village for permission (Sevusevu ceremony) to stay. This involves finding the chief/elder and introductions and a gift of Kava, a plant root that they use to make a mildly numbing drink. We also brought him the fish; 40-50 lbs of barracuda is not on our menu. Nice day.