Cruise Notes

Naivinitei Anchorage, Yanuca Island

Visiting Fiji's remote Ringgold Islands

Roam anchored in Naivinitei Anchorage, facing south.

We are presently anchored near the village of Naivinitei on Yanuca Island, part of Fiji's Ringgold Islands. These are seldom visited.

We enjoyed a fabulous broad reach from the northern tip of Taveuni Island. Despite a forecast for motoring conditions, we enjoyed 15 knots from the SSW under full main, Code 65, daggers up, calm seas.

Crossing the reef into the Ringold Islands. C-Map charts were reasonably accurate.

Like most of the Pacific islands, Fiji is poorly charted. We rely on beta from other cruisers and satellite images to get around the reefs. We crossed the Ringgold Reef at 016º30.392' S / 179º45.952' W with a minimum depth of 68'. Visual navigation through it was easy with overhead noon sun and high tide. Apple Maps had the most useful satellite images.

Fiji's reefs are poorly charted. We rely on visual navigation and satellite images to safely cross the reef.

We are set in clean sand back from the reef with no coral heads on the bottom. Our own private reef shelf to snorkel.

We used high tide to get over the reef to the other side to meet the village headman and the chief for Sevusevu. The chief blessed us, the boat, and gave us permission to visit and enjoy the islands.

Tomorrow Willie will guide us out to Cobia Island's volcano cone for a hike.