Our third and last evening on the small island of Suwarrow is spent around a friendly barbecue with the other boats anchored there. Fishing is prohibited for pleasure boats in this nature reserve, but the two island rangers are allowed to troll fish in the atoll pass and share their catch while playing guitar for us. We raise anchor the next noon, heading for Wallis! Libertaire covers the 800 miles in 5 days thanks to constant tailwinds of 20-25 knots, another good average under the trade winds!
We cross the South Honikulu pass on August 13 and anchor in front of the small motu Fungalei, which offers great snorkeling and a beautiful beach at low tide. After some rest, we are fortunate to attend the August 15 ceremony, which begins with a colorful mass in the presence of the King of Uvea, head of the customary hierarchy, in the imposing Notre Dame de l'Assomption Cathedral, adjacent to the royal palace. Upon exiting, we are surprised to discover the many roasted pigs presented as offerings during the following Kava ceremony. The meal prepared by the different families of the island is shared with the entire population, and we are invited before attending the singing and dancing performances that conclude the day.
The Assumption holiday is also the occasion for the under-17 rugby tournament, which brings together teams from Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and New Caledonia on Wallis; the importance of this sport in this region of the South Pacific is evident, especially since the World Cup is coming soon!!
The absence of ciguatera in the lagoon motivates Damien to hunt with friends from the boats Vanille, Mektoub, and Ambrym, who gradually join us and lead to great barbecues on the small surrounding motus.
Nina also takes advantage of the 15-day school holidays on Wallis to participate in the sailing school workshop in the village, too bad for Diane who is not yet 4 years old but ultimately not unhappy to have her parents all to herself!
Renting a small car for the day allows us to discover the rest of the island with beautiful viewpoints, including Lake LaloLalo, a crater lake testifying to the island's ancient volcanic activity.
Almost two weeks on Wallis before the weather window becomes favorable to reach the Fiji Islands 350 miles to the Southwest. We arrived yesterday in Savusavu, one of the country's 4 entry ports, after a somewhat rough sail in 25-30 knots crosswind, during which Perrine confirmed that pregnancy amplifies seasickness! A new country, a new culture, but always smiling and welcoming people; the Asian and Indian influence is felt, with the smells of curry and masala filling the markets. We plan to spend about a month in Fiji, especially in the Lau Islands to the east, before heading to the capital Suva and making our exit for Nouméa in New Caledonia, which we must reach by early October.
As usual, photos on our FB page!
