Ship's log

Without delay, we leave Apia bay the morning of Saturday 8 October 2016 for Pacific Harbour on the south coast of Fiji. Along the way we enjoy this beautiful day tacking towards the island of Beqa renowned for diving with "sharks". Beautiful navigation, entering the east pass. We try a first anchorage but it turns windy with a heavy current. We change place and enjoy a quiet anchorage to allow three divers on board (Laure, Candy and Amélie) to plunge into the water. Back on board, Laure, visibly shaken, mentions the "worst" dive she has done ... We only understand later that she saw a large shark in rather murky waters ...

The Pacific Harbour is not far away and we reach it by nightfall. It is impossible to enter the pass as the tide is too low and the wind strong. It will only happen the next day after a night anchored in the shelter of a reef in the sea! On the morning of Sunday 9 October, the tide is high and we enter the port where Fleur de Passion is obliged to make a U-turn in a narrow channel of 60 meters. This isn’t the easiest manoeuvre, but finally the boat is moored at the dock of a hotel complex. A welcome stop after days at sea. Three of the passengers on board, Laura, Philippe and the designer Ambrose leaves us, filled with an collection of memories. We all benefit: sailors, young and the remaining passengers, of a few days to visit the island. We can see that the last cyclone Winston in February 2016, has left important traces on land and at sea!

Before leaving, we welcome aboard two new passengers, David and Carlos, who settle into the rhythm on board as old hands. We leave the evening of 14 October for the islands to the west of Viti Levu (the main island). The first night is magic under an almost full moon. The next day, the wind picks up and we take advantage to reach Vanua Levu, two uninhabited and gorgeous islands. The seabed is wonderful, even if the rain comes at night, everyone will hold an unforgettable memory. The young ones have again spent the night ashore as budding Robinsons.

Soon after we must leave. Lautoka, the departure port of Fiji, is waiting for the usual administrative duties that we will perform on 18 October. The departure from Fiji will take time for another reason: because of a technical problem at the dock we have to, again, "make water" - fill the tank of 1,700 liters - with 5 liter cans! But finally we depart with all sails set, headed for New Caledonia.