Day 1 - Fiji to New Caledonia

An early start this morning as we wanted to be on the fuel berth when it opened at 8am to top up the diesel tanks and needed to get the dinghy on deck and fill up the water tanks. We left the berth at 7.50 but were beaten to the fuel dock by a tourist boat and a small boat with about 20 jerry jugs. We hovered in the basin but by 8.30 the fuel dock was still closed so we went alongside a pontoon to pay our marina bill and spend the rest of our Fiji money before heading to Lautoka to clear out.
On the way out of the marina we met Ishka in their dinghy who had been out to rescue Drimia off the reef. Orono 1 had ended up pulling them off.
We made it to Lautoka and dropped the anchor. Jonny gave Andy (Drimia) a lift ashore to check out as his outboard had stopped working and i called Jane to make sure she was ok after their reef experience. The boys were back quicker than expected and we were soon on our way back to the marina to fuel up.
A brief stop in the marina to top up the fuel tanks and then on our way to the reef pass. Head winds and tide against meant we didnt reach the reef pass til 4pm.
Once through the pass the wind was just forward of the beam and the auto pilot was struggling with full main so we put a reef in and that helped.
Overnight the wind died so we put the engine on and then the wind swung round to right behind us so we couldnt set the genoa without the pole and it was too dark and rolly to set the pole so we motored most of the night.
In the morning we turned the engine off and set the genoa and have been sailing even since.

Distance travelled on Day 1 from Vuda Point: 137n/m
Distance remaining to New Caledonia pass: 511n/m