A whirlwind of travel: Fiji and USA; What happened before we left for USA? Propeller came loose; What was the cause of the propeller coming loose? The key corroded; What happened after we returned from USA? Two computers with our navigation fell into the water and are TOAST; New used computer and Nav s/w re-installed and ‘working’; Resolve by nix panicus; Diwali, the Hindu holiday—Christmas or New Year (too hot to check) happens on November 4 stalls us; Ports awaiting: Noumea and Opua
A whirlwind of travel: Fiji and USA
It has been a whirlwind of travel since March of this year to present day: through much of the waters of Fiji, the Lau group being the highlight of our voyage; to Honolulu for 10 days as first landing for a wedding highlight on the horizon; to California, Oregon, Washington for business and wedding plan preparation and visits; to the spectacular Hawaiian island of Kauai for my sunflower daughter, Sarah’s wedding to the love of her life, Dannel in a FAIRY TALE best-day-in-their-lives event.
A roller-coaster ride for sure and now we are in spin-dry with Zulu up on the Hard at Vuda Marina, Fiji preparing for what I hope is safe voyage to New Caledonia and New Zealand—for the fourth hurricane season.
One hurricane season in Fiji, with Force 5 Evan hitting Vuda Marina full on—where we holed up safely--is a peak experience (“Terrible beauty” is Russ’ description), but we’ve declined to buy tickets for a repeat performance.
What happened before we left for USA? Propeller came loose
During a 245 NM arm-chair sail back to Denarau, Viti Levu from the Yangassa Cluster in the Lau group, with winds behind us and just short of the pass our propeller came loose.
We tied our dinghy to the side and fired up the outboard motor, and with sails up and a light breeze continued limping toward the pass. Inadvertently, help came our way after speaking with a ship on VHF channel 16—that was in the end not speaking to us—about the fact that we did not see them and had no engine power. It was like the three stooges, but the last three words—no engine power—bore response.
Those words transmitted, long-ago-German friends from NZ anchored in Momi Bay called us on channel 16 and came out to the pass in their dinghy to at least tow us in.
A beautiful sailing vessel--Gypsea--too, came to our assistance. They were sailing in the opposite direction to see the Fire dancing down the coast and also heard our radio transmission.
In Ozzie style, they turned around and towed us 3.5 hrs to Port Denarau and eased us into safe anchorage outside the port. We took them out to dinner to an Indian restaurant--Indigo--on the water front: savoured mango lassies and curry with a magnificent sun set instead of limping forward between reefs. Thanks to them!!
As for our German friends, we gave them cold white wine and fruit in passing and sent smiles back to their dinghy waiting for us back at the pass as we got towed along.
Sailors are there for each other when in need! How grateful we are. Sorry for not acknowledging names and sailing vessels, but the heat has singed my brain.
What was the cause of the propeller coming loose? The key had corroded
It looks like there was a bronze key used with a stainless steel propeller and propeller shaft by some thoughtless outfit in Seattle in 2008.
What happened after we returned from USA? Two computers with our navigation fell into the water and are TOAST
We arrived at Denarau about 9 PM at night. Russ found the Marina Security and they brought their Tinny to the dock where our luggage was piled high. Out boat was tied to a mooring very close by.
The Fijian driver was not quite in control banging into various and sundry things, the small outboard smoking and puffing. The security person on the dock kept saying: “New driver! New driver.” That was just a distraction for what followed. As Russ started loading luggage onto the short bow cover, I noticed a lot of water in the bottom of the boat and clung to my computer like a piranha, as I always do.
I pointed the water out to Russ and the dinghy driver.
That said, Russ slung his computer bag—not dry bag—onto the dinghy seat and pow it went straight into the bottom of the dinghy. SPLASH. He grabbed it up quickly only find out shortly after we boarded Zulu that it was THE END for them.
He carried the computers in his brief case, versus a dry bag, because we were flying to US. Usually computers are put in a dry bag when we dinghy to shore. This one time not.This one time we lost it all.
Back up? Do it!
I had Nav s/w backed up on my external drive, but not the tracks. I had my computer with an old version of Open CPN on it and working, but MaxSea could never get GPS on my computer. We needed TWO computers with Navigation installed before going to sea.
New used computer and Nav s/w re-installed and ‘working’
I flew around like a bat out of China taking the computers to Dell representatives in Nadi. The good news is that the data could be retrieved by means of a converter. The bad news is the computers were TOAST and all the s/w gone forever. CRY!
Resolve by nix panicus
I bought a used Dell Latitude, which belonged to a Consulate for three months—only 3 years old with Windows 7 on it. The screen was 1 inch smaller. But the price was right.
Dell down-graded it to XP so MaxSea could work, and transferred all the data over.
I frantically emailed SOS to my s/w Guru friend Jonathan in Thailand to send me his brain. His initial response was Nix Panicus! Breathe in. Breathe out!
I adhered to this introductory advice and between his clear-cut direction, and another smart yachtie named Jeff on SV Saharazad, from Oregon---AND through my slugging in humidity hell 4 days to trick the computer into getting GPS on MaxSea, all is good and up and running. Sort of!
It is not perfect. Something is of question with Open CPN 3.2.2 as Jeff could not convert our tracks from MaxSea to CPN.
I feel good baking and sweating up on the hard with new cockroaches and wasps and flies and mosquitoes and mud: bottom painted, prop fixed, hole welded. New zincs TBD. Clean boat TBD. Do blog TBD.
Russ and Masi, a Fijian boat-yard worker, have sanded and painted the bottom in a usual mismatch of colours. This time black Resene paint with left-over Vivid green just below the red-rust boot stripe.
I love that sea-green colour, but have not seen the boat all that colour on the bottom for 3 years. It is a kaleidoscope of mismatch for fish curiosity.
The prop is fixed with a stainless steel key.
The small hole in the boat has been welded.
Zulu was taking on a small amount of water and the pumps kept pumping. It was a mystery to resolve. “Retrieved navigation would not help us down with Davey Jones” was Russ’ gem of the day.
Good news he found where it was from the outside—a hole drilled perhaps by previous owner for a through-hull fitting then plugged up perhaps because location turned out not good. The plug had come out. Breathe a sigh of relief, it is not corrosion.
Last on the list is putting new zincs on, clean boat, load fuel and water, and provision. Then away we go.
Diwali, the Hindu holiday—Hindi New Years happens on Sunday, November 4 Monday is a holiday and stalls us
This is a fun occasion with Indian SWEETS and glitter and sparklers, and fireworks and Indian dancing and music.
We are invited to JDs home, a carpenter here at Vuda Marina. His niece tells us about meaning of Diwahli: All the lights lit in small clay holders filled with coconut oil and cotton wicks--and all the fireworks--are to call on the Hindu god of Wealth. The lights are to attract this god to bring in a prosperous new year.
The holiday that follows calls for no workers Monday. Soooo I have put all my bets on Tuesday for being back in the water. I’m throwing lucky charms around. And pray for a good weather window so we can check out Wednesday and sail away Thursday.
Ports awaiting: Noumea and Opua
Noumea, New Caledonia is calling with chocolatiers and French bakeries fresh fish with French waiters sashaying with perfect service---clear, cool waters.
And Opua, North Island, NZ where our South African, German, Kiwi friends await. Along with strawberries and champagne.
The Blog will happen. Sooon?…..soon......with Fijian tales and pictures of a wedding Fairy Tale.
………if I can get a second breath in cooler climate out of the paths of hurricanes.
We send love your way and will take your good thoughts toward our safe passage.
This news has little colour, but lets you know umbrella drinks have not been served on board yet! I am anxious to go to sea.........and to cooler shores south.
Marilyn and Russ
Yacht Zulu, on the hard, Vuda Marina, Fiji
Zulu on the hard with Russ' 'artwork' in paint colour and design. The port side is left freehand with green spatter on the rudder. Creative license.
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