Log - Minerva Reef to Fiji

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 First Mate's Log - Minerva Reef to Fiji 🇫🇯, 433nautical miles, 3+ days.

Monday, May 18 - We left at dawn, making the pass in the reef at high tide. The anchor came up with no issues, nothing wrapped around coral. And we are FLYING in perfect conditions. Swell is on our starboard quarter, 20-30 knot winds from the same all day, which means smooth conditions. We cautiously but successfully ate curry & rice for dinns. We are surfing the crest of 4 meter waves - my heart skips a beat each time we get lifted up and flung forward. It's been half a day and we have covered 100miles. Go, Kintaro!

Tuesday, May 19 - We've slowed down a little, but the winds and swell are still in our favour. We poled out the jib to starboard and the mainsail to port, sailing "papillon" or wing-on-wing. All reefs are shaken out, it's smooth and beautiful, and not much to report other than the odd seabird. We pass the time by reading. Dinner of leftover curry (How is boat food so good?!!) along with a gorgeous sunset. Stars and phosphorescence. 89nm to go till the outermost island of Fiji.

Wednesday, May 20 - Wake up to the yell of "fish"!!! All hands scramble madly on deck, Francois reels in a 16lb mahi mahi and it's a filleting frenzy. Ben spotted the first island of Fiji at dawn. We still have 141 miles to go to the official check-in. Ceviche for lunch and fried mahi mahi for dinns 😋 Last night watch for a while. Shooting stars and gentle winds as we glide by the glowing outer islands. 

Thursday, May 21 - After dodging boats all morning and watching the sunrise, we arrive in Vuda Marina welcomed by singing Fijians who give us flowers. Utterly heart-warming. Immigration and check-in is as painless as it gets, and we can take down the quarantine flag after 20min. Med style mooring. Showers for us and Kintaro. Burgers, drinks, sunset, and sleep for 12+ hours. Pretty darn good.



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