Across the Koro Sea

We arrived back in Savusavu yesterday after an enjoyable afternoon sailing up from Makogi Island.

Scudding along at 7 or 8 knots with a double reefed main and genoa.

Our Plan in the morning had been to stop at Koro Island but once we were out and sailing we realized that the usual southeast winds were more from the east the trip to Koro Island looked to have some closehauled sailing. Closehauled is something we have so far avoided on our journey and so we decided to maintain the 'clean sheet' yesterday as well.

The Koro Sea is about the middle of Fiji Islands (if there is such a thing). It is different from much of our other cruising because the water is 2000 feet deep. This makes it less important watching the depth instruments.

We had a lovely time at Makogi Island.  After we arrived there we went ashore to present our Sevusevu. Makogi is mariculture centre operated by the Fiji department of Fisheries. The island's caretaker toured us through their facilities showing us the giant clam's that they grow to seed the reefs of Fiji. The giant clams are actually 'giant' and it is pretty cool to see how they are grown and cultured.

Enjoying a beautiful day in the Pacific.

But the most interesting aspect of Makogi is the leporsorium which operated from 1911 to 1962. It is a strange and interesting thing to walk through this facility which was essentially a town complete with cinema and jail in the middle of the pacific. We had a great conversion with the caretaker about the residual spirits of this 100 year old medical facility.