Cruising Yasawa Islands - Vuda to Waya Island

July 8th, 2024

This trip started in Vuda Marina which is on the western side of Viti Levu. We had stopped in the marina for a few days to re-provision and to collect a DHL package sent to us from New Zealand.

The day started with a difficult decision regarding the depth in the marina entrance channel at low tide and whether we could get through without touching the bottom with Te Taiko drawing 2.2 m. I called the marina on VHF CH11 at 7 am and asked minimum depth in the channel with the reply being 3 m. This didn’t make sense as I had seen shallower depths on the way in. There is a tidal gauge in the marina which was indicating (displayed on Navionics) low tide would be 0830 and the logical thing seemed to be to go as soon as we could to offset our departure from low tide.

At 0745 we were towed out of our berth by the marina tender who actually did a very skilful job of pulling us clear of the other boats and also the submerged mooring lines (which are a risk of tangling around a spinning propeller). Once out in the middle of the eastern basin, the tender kindly led the way through the channel. I was motoring at around 2 knots over ground, enough to steer but minimising speed in case the keel contacted the bottom. With Vicki on the bow we proceeded very cautiously behind the tender. There are some shallower parts of the channel which the marina staff know about and can advise on but a visitor would never know until too late!

Midway through the channel we approached the shallowest part and the depth sounder trended to shallower depths. We have an offset in the sounder to indicate total water depth. Depths decreased steadily, 2.7 m…2.6 m….2.5 m - then “Last 2.5 m” which is what it displays when it can no longer read depths. I thought oh well there is no point in panicking at this stage if we are to contact the bed it is about to happen and we are already moving at snail pace - so short of stopping - what more can I do! Nail biting! We proceeded smoothly with no indication of touching the bottom. Once in slightly deeper water the depth measurements recommenced on the display. All I can think is the keel moving through such shallow water was stirring up sediment from the bed and interfering with the functioning of the sounder?

Once out in open water we made our way to the vicinity of the yellow quarantine mooring ball where we rounded up into the wind and hoisted the mainsail. Turning downwind put us on a general heading for our destination, Waya Island, at the southern end of the Yasawa Island chain. However our course would intercept a reef so we jibed onto a port tack for 15 mins to open up a course to Waya, before jibing again. 

The idea of heading off early was that we could make the most of the SE wind before the NW sea breeze set in which would cause headwinds for us. We were sailing in 15-18 knots but the wind gradually died and after a short period wing-on-wing directly towards Waya, our boat speed dropped to the point we had no option but to motor sail. We motor-sailed at 5.5 knots for most of the remainder of the trip.

Approaching Kuata Island, south east of Waya Island, the wind filled in from the north and we were able to motor sail close hauled with full sail at 6-6.5 knots following the curve of the breeze up into the anchorage at Yalobi Bay. The Navionics charts seemed accurate enough and the recommended route was helpful in guiding us past the few scattered reefs on entry to the bay. At anchor was the cruise ship, Caledonian Sky. We dropped sail and motored close past its stern and anchored in 25 m of water on a sand bottom. A coral reef fringes most of the beach here but this was visible in the conditions at the time.

Sevusevu was required ashore.

Trip statistics: 29.2 nm, 5 hrs 37 mins, average speed 5.2 knots, max speed 7.3 knots.

Cheers from Skipper Adam