Logbook: Tavua

This was a quick overnight stop on our way to Navadra from Musket Cove. It was lovely scenery, no habitation, nice beach, and some nice snorkeling. However it took us a lot of work to find a good sand patch where our chain wouldn’t touch coral (even though we were buoying our chain) and then we found that the bottom was a shallow layer of sand over a coral shelf which means a good bite at first, but dragging when you put some rpms (or wind) on your anchor test. We set gently, put on an anchor alarm and wind alarm and slept uneasily.

Tip: Wondering why your water clarity is sometimes good and sometimes bad in the same place? If you have sand nearby, anything that upsets the sand (strong swell or wind waves, etc) will make the bay murkier. Having the sun overhead (midday) is also good for visibility. Most people think of those two, but many people forget the tides. You want a maximum of ocean water (clear) and a minimum of land/lagoon influenced water (cloudy with stuff) so, all things being equal, you will have the best water clarity as you approach high water slack, at the end of the flooding tide.