Out of chronological order post

6 September 2018

Paradise Resort, Taveuni Fiji

I am behind since we got to Fiji, but just had to write this today.

Exciting day in the mooring field today.

Things started off to plan. Leisurely morning, coffee, run the generator. Dennis working on weather and route planning for our next couple of hops. North from  here to Matei and then on to Vanua Balevu in the Northern Lau. Yikes I did laundry and stowed dive gear and made water.
Around noon we went ashore  to drop off rubbish, refill the water jug i used for laundry and fill up on gas (petrol, not deisel).  Flat calm when we left the boat, but by the time we were  ready to head back it was rocking and rolling. No major though. We  got back,  stowed a few more things, had lunch and decided to sit out the bounce on shore. Really rocking and rolling by that time, but again no issues. Not fun, but not worrisome either.

On shore we were standing by the dinghy to make sure it wasn't rubbing on the rocks and chatting to the woman from the boat  moored in front of us. A couple of boats had already left, having decided to wait out the rollies in a more protected anchorage. As we chatted  we saw her boat moving down wind. Really,  that is not supposed to happen.

We quickly loaded her and her husband into our dinghy and Dennis drove them out to catch their boat.  (I swear she dove into the dinghy. Keeping in mind there was alot of surge, it was a spectacular leap) On the positive side they were able to board, get the engine started and get the boat under control. Sadly not before hitting Evergreen and damaging the port toe rail and breaking their own bow sprit. Our toe rail has two small fist size gouges and a 3 foot split. Dennis says that's okay, Ray will know how to
fix it!!!

To be honest, both boats are very lucky. Things could have been much worse. Two heavy boats colliding?  Yikes a recipe for disaster. And yet......Our toe rail is fixable and basically cosmetic. The other boat may have more damage, hard to tell at the moment. They are worried about their rigging
 
In the meantime on shore we were trying to move dinghies around so that the dive boat could come to the dock. After a pretty impressive chinese fire drill, the dive boat decided not to come in. Poor divers had to swim ashore.

During all this I am being told we have to leave the anchorage or wait, just add another line to the mooring, no leave, no....   in the end we are still here. Not having dinner ashore as planned, but oh well. All boats are situated, owners on board. Our anchor alarm is set tight, just in case. Sunset was beautiful  (no green flash) and fajitas instead of Fijian. Ahhhh the relaxing life of cruisers.......