YACHT BOTTLEBLUE ARRIVES SAFELY IN LAUTOKA, FIJI - AND WHY I LIKE FIJI

Yesterday, Tuesday 21 September, at 9 in the morning, on a bearing of 077 degrees, we entered Navalu Passage - a deep, untroubled patch of water between two surf-pounded reefs, spray flying - and turned to port, in both senses of the word. Six hours later after motoring/sailing the smooth inside-the-barrier-reef waters, we dropped anchor at Lautoka.

It was a wonderful dramatic night - hove to off the coast while shepherds watched their flocks by night with big ships all around - and at 3 am we raised sail for the Navalu Passage, speaking on the radio to a friendly captain of a fishing vessel who nearly ran us down. the winds eased to 10 - 15 from their all night 20 -25, as the day broke.

Now we wake to a beautiful quiet morning, all still. You can't know what it feels like to come in to calm waters after six days and nights on the rough and tumbly ocean unless you've done it. Maybe you can imagine it.

Oh - why do I like Fiji? It's when you handwrite the name Fiji, and you put those three dots over the iji - simple thing, but it gives me pleasure.