Our friend Kathy visited for week and had no trouble slowing down to Fiji Time and cruising life. She held a drink in her hand every sundown and rarely went to bed later than 9 P.M. That’s how we roll in the islands. During the day, we made the most of her time snorkeling, visiting villages, getting her mandatory “I went somewhere sunny� base tan, exploring Malolo Lai Lai by bike, on foot, and kayaking— her favorite. It was fun for us too.

Passage time is upon us again. You may recall we changed our cruising plan after the eventful passage from New Zealand to Fiji. One boat sank. Others had noteworthy mechanical problems, one of which resulted in a boat towed to port; another lost their auto-pilot and hand-steered for several days. There were more issues, but those faded into distant memory. I am 41-years-old you know. With our cruising adventure coming to a close, the Captain and I decided to play it simple and safe for the season by staying in Fiji for the duration of our season, therein limiting the frequency of multiple-day passages and lessening the process of learning new places and hazards. By eliminating two countries from our sail plan—Vanuatu and New Caledonia—it makes for a longer, single passage to Australia. The trip length is about 1,450 miles and BPD should make it in 11-12 days ideally. Weather has not followed normal trends for the last three months though: forecasts have been very wrong, both in wind direction and speed, and minor weather systems continue to roll through every 7–10 days. This means the passage to Australia could meet with unforeseen conditions and at minimum one or two systems including some measure of high winds and inclement weather. In discussing this with fellow cruisers, Jim found two buddies happy to do the passage with him on Blue Plains Drifter: Steve from Elusive and John from Scarlett O’Hara.

It’s no secret to any of you what my thoughts regarding extended passages and the number of people appropriate on a boat for long passages. Three people is an ideal crew in regard to rotating watches and living space in the cockpit. Yes, that means I’ll be diverting. I haven’t seen Mom in 2 years so this seemed like an opportune time to visit her in Hawaii. Not only do I get to visit Mom but my gal pal, Ann, is flying in for the first week as well. It’s a regular reunion on the Big Island! The best news of all (don’t tell Mom I said this)… they have a Taco Bell near Mom’s house! Those of you who have read along for the last few years know that the thing I’ve missed most during our travels is Taco Bell [Of course, that’s just behind missing all of you—wink, wink.] I know it is a separate food group but for that reason I haven’t found a substitute for my one fast food indulgence. I can almost smell a steak soft taco now and maybe a burrito supreme (hold the sour cream please). Yes, I am very excited about my two weeks in Hawaii with Mom, Ann, and the friendly staff at Taco Bell.

Jim and I will keep in touch during BPD’s passage to Australia from Fiji via emails over the single-side-band (SSB) radio. I will also watch and report weather forecasts to him since I will be able to access them over the internet. I’ll use his tidbits to update you on their progress. The plan is for Blue Plains Drifter and her “old saltsâ€� to leave Fiji around the 7th of September. I’ll drop you a note when they’re underway. Taco Bell, here I come!

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