Monday 28th Sept - Noumea, New Caledonia

An early start in the search for new engine mounts. We first went to the customs headquarters to get a permit for tax free spare parts for the boat - a long conversation in French and we were told to return later! We then went to the marine industrial area (a 45 min walk) where they told us we could get them at another shop, a 1 hour walk in the other direction. We eventually (hot and tired) got to the other store to find they did have engine mounts, and 4 on the shelf, but only 2 the right size for us. We bought the two (convincing the shop to give them to us tax free even though we still didn't have the permit from customs) and headed back to the boat.
Warren from Memphis and I installed the two new engine mounts (we replaced the failed one and the other one on the port side which felt the worst of the other 3) quite quickly (less than an hour in total) and then we helped Memphis with some computer problems in return! Kate meanwhile set off to see customs again and managed to get our tax free permit so we had it if needed!
We did some internet jobs at McDonalds (free wifi - shame you need to buy an icecream to use it!!!) before heading to Memphis for tea with them and another Kiwi couple off Baikal. We had a lovely evening - only interrupted at 10pm when we had to nip back to McDonalds to make a Skype call to the UK tax office (who have eventually got all our papers, have processed them and should be giving us our overpaid tax back any day!!). A long day, but the weather looks good and we are hoping to leave on Wednesday for Australia.

Tuesday 29th September - Noumea, New Caledonia

Another early start to get ourselves ready to leave. We did showers, cut Jonny's hair, filled the water tanks and tieded the boat up. Then it was off to see customs, immigration and the port captain (all on the other side of town a 30 min walk away) to get our clearance papers to leave on Wednesday. Back at the boat and we were ready to leave. We fired up the engine and it made a terrible knocking noise - our hearts sank! We fiddled with it a bit and then decided to see how it ran, so we motored over to the fuel berth to fill up with diesel. It didn't sound too bad (certainly better than it was when under way) but not good in idle. We decided to head back to the marina to see if Warren off Memphis could lend his expert ear to our new knocking noise. We caught Memphis just as they were about to leave and they thankfully were more than happy to come and help us. Warren and Jonny had a quick look and two heads being better than one (Warren's quite a bit better when it comes to engines according to J!) dediced the new engine mounts were a little low. They lifted them and the knocking noise went away! They then set to trying to stop the rattling on the propshaft we had had since Bonaire, and by lifting the engine up slightly on the mounts managed to stop that too. We left the marina and motored around the harbour for 30 mins to make sure the mounts were nicely bedded in - the engine has never sounded so smooth since the day we bought her!!
We are currently anchored in the bay off Noumea having a relaxing afternoon before we set off tomorrow morning for the 840 mile leg to Coffs Harbour in Australia - we are hoping to arrive early next week.

Sunday 27th Sept - Noumea, New Caledonia

After a long and very needed sleep we woke to a glorious day in sunny New Caledonia. It was to be a day of jobs! We headed over to the market and got some veggies, and then to the supermarket for some bits. Then onto the serious boat work. J went up the mast to replace the cups on the wind speed instrument (a bird had landed on it and broken it), and also to put the flag halyard back on (which fell out). It was then bimini cleaning time, J doing the stainless tubing and K cleaning the canvas on the dock. Warren from Memphis came over to help J with some jobs and so K decided to clean the brass door handles through the boat! Warren and J managed started to investigate a knocking noise which had been coming from the engine for a few weeks and had been getting worse on the trip here. We knew we had a slight bend in the prop shaft, but the noises we were getting were not consistent with that. After some probing we found a broken engine mount (there are 4 mounts which attach the engine to the boat - they basically transfer all the power of the engine to the boat and also stop the engine falling over in big seas!). Warren helped us jack the engine up and remove the mount so we're off to see if we can find a new one tomorrow - no leaving New Caledonia without one!! Warren and J also repaired the genoa track we had bent on the way from Fiji - a big heat gun and a hammer and in no time at all it was straight again and back down on the deck! All in all, a productive day with lots done, the worry over the engine noise is now resolved, but the new worry is whether we can get the new part and how much it will cost!!
A nice evening beer with Warren and Alison off Memphis (a free beer at the bar when you use the marina!) before back to Newt for tea and more sleep!

Day 5 - Fiji to New Caledonia

We sailed well overnight with just the headsail out making between 4 and 5 knots as planned. The wind swung to the SE so we could easily head for the reef pass. At 5am we were 6 miles away and so put the engine on for the final approach. We hit the pass at exactly 6am and rendezvoused with Memphis who left Fiji the same day as us. The pass was straight forward and we spent the rest of the morning motoring in flat calm seas throughout the reefs and islands off the south of the main island. We entered the main harbour in Noumea at 12:00 (11:00 local time) and secured in the marina. We got the quarantine lady and immigration man to the boat (quarantine was upset as we had no fruit veggies or meat for her to take off us!) and then wandered into town. We had a McDonalds for lunch (it never tastes as good as you expect - even after a week at sea!) and then wondered to the chandlers and the supermarket. With sealant to seal the deck after I repair the bent track tomorrow and a baguette we headed back to the boat. We'll sleep well tonight! Watching the weather now for a nice window to do the 840 mile leg to Coffs Harbour ... AUSTRALIA!!

Day 4 - Fiji to New Caledonia

Well, they say these things come in 3's! Firstly we ran the day tank for the engine a little low yesterday afternoon and a wave came causing the fuel to slosh around and air to get into the diesel lines. This meant replacing both the fuel filters and bleeding the engine (which took several attempts!) in a big swell - not much fun! We motored all night and then switched the engine off this morning to slow down - we drifted for a couple of hours before the wind filled in. During the drift we tried to stop the engine from knocking (which has been getting worse since Tonga - diagnosed as a bent prop shaft in Fiji - needs a new one in Australia asap!) by adjusting the stern gland - its no better (if anything slightly worse!) so more tinkering needed when the seas drop (or when we arrive). The wind finally filled in around 10am and we had a good close hauled sail. I (Jonny) moved the genoa tracks back to the back of the track to try and get more speed - a gust came and bent the back of the track ripping it off the deck - nightmare (another Noumea repair!). We are now motoring (with the engine knocking when on big waves come!) with the staysail out to steady us. Should be at the pass first light tomorrow to time the tides and head inside the reef for the 50 mile passage to Noumea.
24 Hour Run: 125n/m
Distance to Pass: 75n/m

Day 3 - Fiji to New Caledonia

We had steady winds in the 20 knot region all afternoon and then just before dark the wind swung more the east so we had to pull the genoa around onto the pole to windward. Still good winds though and making good speed. During the night the wind continued to swing more to the NE and so we headed more south to prevent having to gybe in the night. At 7am we gybed and the wind dropped so the engine went on. We had a quick squall with 20 knots from the SW and some rain (!) and now we are in zero wind motoring towards New Caledonia.
24 Hour Run: 156 n/m
Distance to Reef Pass: 200 n/m

Day 2 - Fiji to New Caledonia

Another windy day! We snugged down another reef in the main and furled away half the headsail just before dark and were still making over 6.5 knots on average. The wind stayed that way all night and with dark skies. One huge wave broke over the boat and found the hatch over our back cabin which wasn't fully dogged down - cue one wet bed and an unhappy and wet Kate who was sleeping in it at the time!
Nicer day today with blue skies mostly and winds steady.
24 Hr Run: 154 n/m
Distance to Pass: 383 n/m

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

20th Sept, Vuda Point Marina, Fij

A busy morning - Jonny did an engine oil change and i took advantage of the fact that the internet was working to send some e mails and update the journal page with Fiji pictures.
We had a relaxing afternoon watching a dvd and eating ice cream.
We headed over to Blues (Bertel and Brita) who were having problems with their computer for Jonny to help. We have met Blues on and off since the Tuamotus but this was the first time we had had a proper chat with them. Afterwards Drimia came over for a drink as well.
From Blues we headed to Ishka to collect our memory stick with some new pictures on it and ended up having a drink. Drimia also arrived and then Jeff (Nemesis). We are unsure when we are going to see Ishka again as they are staying in Fiji for a while and then heading to New Zealand. They are a great couple and we hope we cross paths again soon.

19th Sept, Vuda Point Marina, Fiji

A busy day doing boat jobs – 3 loads of washing, cleaning the dinghy, polishing the coach house roof (the white bits on deck that aren't teak!!), cleaning the rope bags and cleaning the bathrooms.
At 5pm Drimia (Andy and Jane) and Ishka (Ian and Ida) came over for drinks and to look at Newt. For tea we were having sausages and Drima said they were using their bbq so to come and cook our sausages with them. When we went over they decided they had enough sausages so they fed us a lovely meal of sausage, salad and couscous.
We headed over to the yacht club to watch the New Zealand v Australia rugby match. The New Zealand boats sat on one side, the Australia on the other side and we sat in the middle with Jonny wearing his new Fiji rugby top!!