Enroute to Tanna, Vanuatu

We did leave yesterday from Fiji after all. When we got to the pass through the reefs (Malolo Pass) at noon, it appeared too calm. We got through at 12:30pm and then had no wind. I had to turn on the motor after the boat lost steerage and our autopilot failed. We motored for another mile or so and then I saw whitecaps or breakers off to port and wondered if there was another reef out there that I did not see on the chart. Well, it was the wind picking up as we got away from the Fiji Islands. It started blowing real hard and then the seas picked up and we were off to a rocking and rolling start. It never got up to the 30's like it did for our friends the day before but we saw 20-25kts steady with a big swell coming on to the beam which rolled us constantly.

Since we both suffer from Mal de Mer we had taken a new type of anti-nausea pill we got in Suva. It did the usual - made us tired and sleepy and irritable and lethargic. And, it did not completely stop my seasickness so I had to put on half a scopolomine patch that we had in our kits. They work the best for me. But all this stuff has the ironic side effect of not letting me sleep very well. I stayed up in the cockpit all night and dozed while Cindy slept, or tried to, down below where it is incredibly noisy from the rolling of the boat and the effect on the sails and rigging. Lots of bangs and bumps - constantly. This is not the "paradise" side of cruising, at least for us. We were making good time though.

White Swan was in front, then behind, but as the wind filled in, they slowly overtook us. We do well with wind on the beam but not on the stern so they could outsail us in those conditions. I last saw them about midnight as their tricolor light on the top of their mast slowly sank below the horizon off our port. It was blowing briskly but no rain or clouds.

Today the winds moderated and we are poking along from 3-6kts all day with better seas. Cindy napped while I was not feeling well in the cockpit and could not even read or do puzzles with any enjoyment. It has gotten better as the day has gone on. It is almost 7pm now and dark outside as I write this. Cindy is heating up some excellent beef stew she made before we left Fiji just for the passage. We are debating whether to have a glass of some good red wine we opened our last night at anchor, before it spoils. Normally we never, ever drink on a passage, but we might have half a glass each tonight. I will see if I can sleep down below with ear plugs tonight some and let Cindy watch. We'll see. We have about 300nm to go as the crow flies but expect to vary the direction some with the winds. I think we should be there two days from tomorrow morning, or about when we planned. That puts us in on Thursday morning which would be great as the Vanuatuan (or Ni-Van) authorities supposedly visit Port Resolution to check in a cruise ship that comes by each Thursday. Otherwise we have to grab a ride in the back of a pickup and go a long ways on bumpy dirt roads to the only town on the other side of the island to check in. Tanna has lots to see and do so I would not mind the ride if it works out that way.

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