Reports from Fiji - transition to the hard-stand area

The first days after I got back on the boat I was busy cleaning and organising transition to the hard-stand so that work on the keel could begin. The hard-stand area (and all stilts) were occupied by boats getting ready to leave, and although Monday was promised it took until Wednesday until it finally happened. No surprise there.

But I was quite surprised that I met so many people/boats that I knew already. I had thought they had all sailed on, but many had spent the southern winter in Fiji or the surrounding island nations and were now getting ready to sail either down to New Zealand (again), or onwards to Australia, or cross the equator and head for the Marshall Islands. Many evenings (and some afternoons) where spent catching up with old friends - or making new ones. While sailing across the oceans can be quite lonely, when in port, sailors are extremely social.



Fiji sunset


Meeting up with Uli, Uwe, Gisela, and Rita (SV Venus, SV Anni Nad)


New friends Patrick, Tom, Josh, Peter


Gudrun being hauled out of her cyclone pit