Uto Ni Yalo - Update 1
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FINGER LOSS MARS VOYAGE START

Early this morning, while fishing for the crew’s breakfast, crew member Vili Yalikanacea lost the top of his finger after what must have been a large fish pulled hard on the line, slicing the finger to the bone and severing the finger from the first knuckle.

With basic medical equipment on board, the crew has been able to treat the wound but medical authorities have advised the crew that they need to be sure that infection does not set in and have advised that Vili may require the exposed bone to be cut off as well.

Details of the accident are sketchy and contact with the Uto is sporadic. More information on Vili’s health will follow as soon as it is available. A detailed update was sent by Colin Philp just prior to the incident involving Vilimoni’s finger:

4.30am NZ Time

Bula

We are approx 75NM from Suva with just under 1000 nautical miles to go. We are doing better time than expected and have cleared Cape Washington over 2 hours ago.

Average speed 7.5knots, wind 12 - 15 knots, sea very choppy. On watch are myself, Vili, Junior, Una and Carson
Just caught our breakfast, a 4 kg Ogo or Barracuda.

A couple of crew were sick yesterday afternoon including our chef Rupeni and crew member Una. Una is steering and feeling much better now particularly after we forced her to have dinner. Dinner was chicken and Bele soup with cassava. We are eating the cassava first as it will not last as long as the dalo and kumala. We will keep the kumala for day 4 onwards.

Next watch starts at 0500 with Sonny, Kai'afa, Salome and Kele. We are heading just west of North Cape as we expect the wind to begin to swing to south in a few days time.

Over and out (before the signal drops out)
 

Vinaka
Colin Philp


The Uto Ni Yalo expects to reach New Zealand in 10 day’s time however current progress is good and they may reach their destination sooner.

Once there, they will join five other vakas (sailing canoes) and continue an epic journey to French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa and back to Fiji. This is being done in an effort to raise awareness about the effects of noise pollution on our marine environment and to foster a better understanding and appreciation for traditional sailing and boat-building.

If anyone wants to contact the Uto Ni Yalo to send a message to the team onboard, or to receive regular updates on the voyage, they can do so at fijivoyaging.com