Navadra and castaways - 11h30 27 August 2008

Navadra and castaways - 11h30 27 August 2008



The last lunch on board Soren is nearly upon us as we head back towards Lutoka and the final port of call on this leg of their trip. As with all holidays, one is left wondering where the time went! On Monday night we sailed from Beqa to the island where - supposedly (disputed facts) - the Tom Hanks’ film Castaway was made.



I was on the 4-6 watch and saw a wonderful sunrise - my first, and it would appear only, on the Soren, off the starboard bow.

The colours take your breath away and I tried to catch the moment the sun popped up over the headlands on my camera’s movie film.

The rest of the morning was taken up with the completion of our journey, the responsibility of another watch, while I could catch up on some shuteye - and do some laundry!



Disrupted sleep patterns on the Soren is certainly one thing I shall not miss. Our trip, however, was worth it, as the island of Navadra - Castaway location or not - was all you would expect of a cut-off pacific island: huge breakers crashing over the dangerous reefs out on the horizon, swirling currents and a deep swell in the bay, surrounded by a jutting headland - in the shape of a crouching animal - and a curved promontory, linked by a spit of a sandbank.

Watersports were again on the cards and I spent most of the afternoon on the windsurfer, avoiding the reefs and the worst of the swells! In fact, it was probably a bit too much windsurfing as I have felt shattered since.

We said our farewells to the island early doors this morning after a final spot of snorkelling and began our short hop across the bay to the main island town of Lautoka. The Captain is keen to get there mid-afternoon to ensure that all the clearing, customs and immigration work is completed in timely fashion, before our final ship party - fancy dress again!

And so the Soren blog is nearly complete. A great trip - tiring at times - but all in all a wonderful experience. I have been wondering to myself if I could have done a longer spell at sea, like one of the deep sea crossings from say Auckland to Easter Islands. Part of me screams ‘no, you fool’ as the experience of ocean going just for three days felt long at times, but then the adventurous part of me thinks what an experience that would be; what a challenge. And for me, the best memories from this trip have been the challenging times, notably the first couple of days in the force 5 storms, the memory of being on the helm trying to hold a course, looking down the boat at a steep angle as the bow crashed into yet another wave, and then back up again. Brilliant experience.

The final words in this entry should be reserved for the crew, starting with the professional crew. A very friendly, able and professional group, allowing people to participate to the extent they wanted to in the experience, while encouraging people along. Led by the Captain, Darren (a Mancunian), First Mate, Matt (a Scot), Second Mate Gareth (another Mancunian), the Engineer, Gavin (New Zealand), the cooks - in my view the linchpin of the boat - Ali (a Scot) and Carson (American) - Cath, the Purser, (Australian) Laura, the bosun (Canadian) and the four deckhands, Gemma & Dave (English), Mike (American) and Darren (a Scot). And ably supported by the voyage crew of whose number there included: Ken (English), Sheila (Scottish), Gerlinde (German), Paul (Swiss), Gernot (Austrian), Crystal (American), Chris (English), Jon (English), Judy & John (English), Lyn & Jay (American), Jimmy (English), Jane (Irish), Jane (New Zealand), Geoff (Irish), Maureen (English), David (New Zealand) and Vince (English).

So « bon voyage » and a fair wind to the Soren Larsen and her crew on the next stage of her trip back home towards New Zealand! Talking of home, there is talk that she might return to the UK next year to mark her 60th anniversary - I shall be on the lookout for any sightings of her in Belgium or Holland!

More on the Soren Larsen can be found at http://www.sorenlarsen.co.nz/

My next stop is Sydney on Friday where I’ll stay a few days with a friend there before heading home the middle of next week. No doubt a few land blogs will appear along the way

Rob