The weather changed as we knew it would. Southeast wind means the anchorage at Nairai is too exposed, so yesterday after church (and the afternoon feast) we said our goodbyes to Esther, Epele and the other folks who have been so nice at the little village of Lawaki. The wind filled in around midnight at about 15 knots, but since the island no longer blocked it, we had two foot waves to try and sleep by. A bit of a restless night and we were anchor up at 0800. Esther was waving from the beach. Such nice people!
We made a 30 or so mile passage to Makogai (pronounced “Mackongai”). A nice 15 knot following wind brought us in through the reef around 1600 and the anchor was dropped in time for Charismas at sunset.
Makogai is a former leper colony and there are some artifacts left on shore that are one of the attractions here. The others are hiking and snorkling. We’ll see what the weather allows tomorrow and then Wednesday we’ll make the final jump up to Savusavu to reprovision for our last push of the season back out to the islands for another month or so before having to get ready for the journey back to NZ to wait out the cyclone season.
Well, all I gotta say is how in the world can you be in the middle of nowhere and eating so high on the hog? BBQ and lobster!! C’mon…I’d have difficulty getting that sumptuous of a menu here in the bay area. And I’m not even including kava.
I also keep marveling at the island family connections. I suppose if you think about it, it makes sense. But wherever you go you seem to be welcomed by someone who knows someone from where you’ve been.
A leper colony? Now that gets me to thinking about washing my hands constantly. I know it’s not scientific, but the leper thing does give me the creeps. Probably because I heard about it in some biblical reference and associated it with pestilence and other horrid calamities.
I think I’ll go back to imagining BBQ and fresh lobster as my main course.