Hibiscus III, Bay of Islands, Fiji 12 July 2012

Spike on the wheelFirst blog I’ve written since we arrived in Fiji in May (very slack) – definitely on Fiji time!!! Firstly vinaka vakalevu to Tonch for crewing up with us this year – it was a pleasure to have you on board and we thoroughly enjoyed your company!!! Shame you couldn’t have stayed longer - as the boys keep saying “I bet Tonch would like this place!!” and they’d be right!! boys on bow sprit on way from NZ to Fiji

It’s been a pretty full on couple of months, what with helping FIVS organise the waka fleet festivities, finishing up the report for USP on the trip to the Lau last year, lots of talking with Gavin and the Greenheart crew and Di (B9 Shipping) and how they’re progressing with their designs and plans, lots of networking with various stakeholders in shipping in Fiji, and all positive so far. We’ve also been working on sources of funding for pilot boat(s), with IUCN, WWF, FIVS, Greenheart & USP (thanks to Vikki we had flash logo to use!!) and working with the same bunch plus B9 on conferences on sustainable shipping for Oceania in late November this year and in 2013. We’ve also been making links with other groups involved in sailing and sustainable shipping operating in other parts of the world, and there seems to be quite a few others out there giving it a go, so good to know we’re not the only ones who think it obvious to put sails on boats to transport people and cargo.

And let’s not forget about the bras!! Thanks to Leo and Yasmin (yacht Selah) and Toby on Nexus we delivered the 3,000 bras donated by the NZ Girl Guides to the Fiji Girl Guides and the Fiji Cancer Society. They were delighted to get the bras and are going to distribute them via the Girl Guides annual camp which will be in Vunisea in August – breast cancer is going to be one of the things the GGs are going to be talking about on their camp – so very timely. See Page 4 of the attached Fiji Cancer Society newsletter at the bottom of this page for story and pictures of the bra delivery. Still have more bras that need transporting from NZ to Fiji and other Pacific islands – so if anyone has room onboard I’d love to hear from you or get in touch with “Uplift” – a charity focusing on getting bras to women who need them (see weblink to their website).

Uto ni Yalo arriving in SuvaWe’ve caught up with old friends from Solodamu (Eva, Gavin, Etta and family), as well as the “Suva gang” and the Uto crew and a few fellow kiwi crew whilst the waka were in port. Vaka fleet at USP wharfA few too many beers and tequilas (Peni’s idea)– good job they were only here for 10 days – lets say the hangovers were a little bit good!! And catching up on all the gossip too – we’re still trying to find out what happened to Sisi in Monteray (we’ve had a few suggest we ask her!). Pete, Peni and Spike by Uto ni YaloAnd cool to catch up with Angel and the crew at na KorovaKorova camakau escorting Vaka fleet in Suva - Also had the pleasure of having Peter H on board for 10 days (well done Pete for surviving another Hibiscus experience) and it was great to be able to introduce him to so many friends and for him to be here whilst the waka fleet was in port too!Pete Horsley onboard Hibiscus

Pete’s been churning out PhD pages at a rate of knots, as well as background papers to shipping in the Pacific – and managing to do some boat maintenance too! List is endless as always – no chance of varnishing in the next few days though – recently discovered Suva is 8th rainiest city in the world) – at least water tanks are full. The boys have been working hard too – both of them snorkelling and kayaking full on in every possible school break! Boys at Leleuvia IslandThey’ve had great fun at Leleuvia where I think Spike would stay forever given half a chance (and me too) and are looking forward to catching up with their mates in Solodamu. Have been hoping to lure Kerri, Sue and Andrea up this year with photos out of the galley window!! view from galley at Leleuvia IslandPawpaws in the market are sweet and juicy!!! On that note... looking forward to seeing Lars and Sam and meeting Mel!

moce mada, Ali