This morning we lifted the dinghy and motor for the final time in Fiji this year. We motored over to the fuel dock and tied up. After we fueled the boat we paid our bills at the Marina/Resort and went for one last swim in the hotel's pool. By the time we pulled away from the dock it was about noon. By 2pm we were outside the reef protecting Nandi Waters (the interior sound to the West of Nandi/Latouka area) and turning on the first leg of our course to New Zealand.

We motored into the wind heading Southwest in huge, steep swells till we were out of the influence of the big island of Viti Levu then the wind came around to the SE. We set sail and were soon making 8k over ground in 12-15k True wind from the SE. We were sailing close hauled and heeling over quite a bit.

Around 5pm, before sunset, we put in the first reef on the main to help bring the boat more vertical and trimmed the genoa a bit to match. Our speed was barely affected and we are continuing with that arrangement through the night. It is now 8pm and we are sailing on a reach with the apparent wind about 50 degrees off the port bow and making 7-7.5k over ground in 10-13k wind from the East. The wind has slowly moved more into the East and varies from 85-110 degrees Mag.

We are now 996 miles from Opua and 486 miles from the end of the first leg (and course change waypoint).