Report #7 - 2012 - Meet the Men of the Uto ni Yalo
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 Report #7/2012

 

Date: Monday, Jan 30th Local Time (Tuesday, Feb 1st Fiji Time)

 

Time: 1800 hrs LT (1400 hrs FT)

 

Latitude: 28 degrees 06.5' North / Longitude: 115 degrees 58.4' West

 

Course: 160 T

 

Average Speed: 3.1 Kts

 

Wind: Westerly / NW 5 - 10 kts

 

Good day today with calm patches here and there. Pretty irritating bobbing around going nowhere. We had a breaching humpback whale next to us with about 50 plus dolphins and one seal in the middle of them all. We had them the whole afternoon. Was fun watching the seal trying to copy the way the dolphins jumped..the seal seriously had some identity issues. Ben made a lovely curry and roti for dinner. All is good here and ready for another night of dodging big container ships, bulk carriers and tankers. Loloma yani

Skipper, Johnathan Smith

 

Uto ni Yalo off Punta Eugenia, Baja, Mexico

By Robert Tuxson on board Uto ni Yalo

We are part of a vaka fleet of 5 other vessels representing the following Pacific Islands

1. Uto ni Yalo - Fiji crew   2. Haunui - Maori mixed crew - NZ  3. Te Matau - Maori mixed crew - NZ  4. Marumaru Atua - Cooks Is.  5. Gaualofa - Samoa  6. Hine Moana - Pacific mixed crew   7. Faafaite – Tahiti (not joining us until Tahiti)

Title: Meet the men of the Uto ni Yalo - their thoughts during week #1

In no special order - each contributed when not on watch.......let's meet

Jim - Tikodelai Tuimoce Fuluna - 23 years old from Koro Va, Moce, Lau. "Bula vinaka maiviti nui taki ni qaravi vinaka tou nai tavi. Toso vinaka tiko na soko bulabula vinaka tiko na lewa ni waqa toso vinaka tiko na soso. Mei vakabula taki na noda tovo ni vei tosoyaki ena wasawasa. Mei qacoya na noqu bula ni soko ena vei waqa vaka viti e so."

Greetings to Fiji. Hope all is well. We are all fine. All is well on our voyage so far. All the crew are healthy. I am hoping to revive my tradition of going from island to island like my ancestors did and keep up the family sailing tradition and give back to others what I am learning during the voyage.

Moala - Moala Tokota'a - 43 - Tubou, Lakeba, Lau - " Tou mada au viavinaka vua na kalou ni rawa ni solia edua mai solisoli vei keda eda rawa ni raica lesu na nodra dau soko voli na tukada. Marau taka vaka levu na soko oqo ni vei maliwai ni yabaki ni bula.Au via vakadou taka lesu nida rawa ni soko waqa lacatale nai taukei. Au tiki ni veiqaravi ni kena toqo maki ni noda wasa bula kei na noda vakadutaka tiko na noda i tovo vakaviti kei na soko waqa lata."

I thank God for giving us this gift to have the opportunity to experience what our forefathers did sailing over the ocean. I am enjoying this voyage because of the different age groups of our crew. I want to prove that we Fijians can still sail camakau and drua like our ancestors did!

Seru "Awesome guy" - Seru Saumakidonu - 24 - Kubulau, Bua, Vanua Levu " Bula re mai vale! Dou bulabula re tiko. Kena vaka bulabula taki tale na soko era dau cakava tu na noda qase keikei na kena vaka dewatakio nai tukutuku ni kena taqo maki tiko na noda wasawasa mei baleta no noda siga ni mataka."

Hello to all at home in Bua. It is my wish to help revive what our seafaring ancestors did as they sailed in the traditional way sending a message across to other people about the importance of protecting our ocean saving it for future generations.

Tuks - Setareki Laveti - 30 - of the traditional carvers from Navidamu, Fulaga, Lau - " Bula Viti sa vaka nuinui vinaka vei kemudo mei vale. Qaravi vinaka tu ga nai tavi e waqa. Keimami bulabula vinaka tiko na na "crew" ni Uto ni Yalo. Sa vaka nuinui vinaka tu nida na qai sota bula tale. Au vinakata meu tiki ni lako lako ni Pacific Voyaging Society . Au vinakata meu volica na veika e bula ena loma ni wasawasa.Au vinakata meu volica talega na noda ceuceu na veiyanuyanu ena Pasifika, vei era keimami soko vata tiko."

Hello Fiji - wishing you all the best. All crew on board are doing well especially keeping up with our duties. It is our hope and wish that we all meet again when we return. I've always wanted to be a part of the Pacific Voyaging Society so I am happy to be a part of it now. I want to learn more about the ocean and while voyaging to many different islands I would like to learn more about traditional carving from the carvers on the other vakas.

Kele - Kelekele Timateo Lausi - 21 - Bagata, Cakaudrove - "Ni bula vinaka mai Viti! Lako vinaka tuqo na soko. Bulabula vinaka vei malaiwai vinaka tuqo na "crew". Au susu mai na matasawa Au dau tadra va tu ena mai sokota na wasawasa levu oqo. Sa mai yaco dina tuqo na noda todra. Au via bula tale na sokovi ni nodra na qase kiliu kei na nodra bula na manumanu i wai vaka na vonu tovuto etc......."

Hello Fiji! Good sailing to all. Everyone here is fit and focused on this trip. The crew are bonding well. I was raised in Nukuwatu, Lami and all my life I lived near the shore. My dream was that someday I would be able to sail as my ancestors once did without fossil fuel and just using what God has given me. Now that dream has come true as I am sailing with the Uto ni Yalo. I am taking part in this voyage in order to help restore the sailing traditons of my ancestors and at the same time do my part in protecting the marine life especially the ones that are already endangered.

Seta - Setareki Ledua - 20 - traditonal navigator from Naividamu, Fulaga, Lau - "Do sa bula vinaka tale mai Viti. Kemami bulabula vinaka tiko no kai mua ni waqa oqo na Uto ni Yalo. Kemami na marautaka na soko wasa ni dau maka tu na draki. Na vuna au via soko kina na Uto ni Yalo baleta niu vaka toro cake taka na noqu kila soko. Au tale taka talega na soko wasa."

Hello to everyone in Fiji. We are all well here on board the Uto ni Yalo. We are happy to be back at sea sailing again with the Pacific Voyagers in good weather. I joined the Uto ni Yalo to gain valuable at sea experience and to learn more about traditional sailing methods. I love being at sea. I wanted to be a part of the filming of "The Blue Canoe" carrying the message of protecting our oceans to all parts of the earth.

Ben - Benjamin Valentine Sorby - our cook [Did you ever try cooking three course meals in rolling seas? Ben does this with gusto and enthusiasm and manages to make every meal a sea faring feast!]. Ben is 37 and hails from Raviravi on Beqa and his traditional clan can walk on the hot coals. He's a "vasu" of Lakeba, Lau.

Bula vinaka to my family in Nausori and especially to my sons Shaun and John and my parents, extended family and friends. I send you all a big thanks for kind your words and prayers during my 10 months away from my beloved home. I enjoyed my dry dock days in San Diego [September - January] especially the generous Fijian community there for all their kindnesses. I first joined the Uto ni Yalo when Captain Johnathon Smith, who I cooked for on The Naia, invited me to join the crew. I believe in the message being communicated by the Pacific Voyagers and the Uto ni Yalo in particular. I have traveled to places like Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands that I never thought I would get to see. Having new experiences like going to the Galapagos Islands will make me a better father. I am a single parent and I owe much to my parents for looking after my sons while I am away. I will return to Fiji a better person for having these experiences.

Jone "Johnwar" - Jone Malorua - 26 - Navolau, Naitasiri - "Vakavinaka vei rau na noqu ta levu na noqu tiko vei rau nodrau maroi au tiko.Vaka levu taka na noqu kila vaka livaliva kei na noqu soko. Au vinakata na soko vata kei na na kena levu. Vaka vinaka vei Captain Johnathon vata kei Colin Philp nodrau solia vei au mei join taka na Fiji Islands Voyaging Society and the Uto ni Yalo."

To my uncle and aunties back home thank you very much for looking after me. I am gaining many experiences while sailing that will help me with my electrical career. I am looking forward to heavy seas and large waves and different varieties of fish! I want to express my gratitude to Captain Johnathon and Colin Philp for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the Fiji Islands Voyaging Society and the Uto ni Yalo.

Bob - Robert Walter Tuxson - "matua" - born Long Island, N.Y., USA - reborn Fiji - now hails from Vugalei, Lami and his wife's home in Maragteu, Noatau, Rotuma. I am here because of my beloved and never forgotten grandparents, Otto and Theresa and my mother Evelyn. I am here because of the unconditional love for me shown by my wife of 34 years, Marseu Viki. I am here because I would like to show my three wonderful children Robert, Teri and Rupeti how proud I am of them and how much I love them for who they are and I am here to leave a legacy for my lovely and cherished granddaughters Naudalyn and Nyomi. Vinaka vaka levu Viti.

Friends and families in Fiji. You have now met the brothers and sisters of the Uto ni Yalo bonded by a desire to be at one with the ocean and their seafaring ancestors. They will sail together on this epic journey home visiting many diverse islands with adventures along the way. They share a common cause to restore traditional sailing to its rightful place in our islands, while at the same time being disciples of the gospel of saving our mother ocean from further damage thus ensuring that its many marine inhabitants will continue to be there for future generations to enjoy.

Just as Odysseus, of Greek mythology, sailed with his crew into many an adventure before returning home and Jason and his Argonauts sought to find the Golden Fleece, we seek to find ourselves while we live the message of hope in ourselves, each other, our families and our beloved Fiji. Hope that together, united in our quest, we can do our small part to save the seas, "The Blue Canoe", our home.

 Tabu Soro - the voyage continues................