Musket Cove Regatta Week : Party, Party,Party.

13th –18th September 2019

The hole punched right through the port hull into the bow locker

Having spent a week in the Port Denarau marina where the final repairs to the hole in our port hull were completed, it was time to head back over to Musket Cove for the annual race week.






Below are a few pics of the superyachts that were docked in Port Denarau marina during our stay. There were plenty more including Dragonfly 73m, Legacy 50m, Pursuit tender to Legacy aka the toy boat or fast support vessel 51m. she also has a chopper,, Deniki 52m, Drumbeat 53m , Clan V111 45m and the list goes on.

'Senses" owned by Google complete with chopper is 60 m  long

Superyacht Sportsfisher  "Lanakai  "  is 39 m long

Ashanti, above & below is having her bow sprit removed for varnishing, she's 34 m long

Musket Cove Regatta  is a highlight for most sailors regardless of whether you are a full on racer or just a cruiser.

 It’s the premier event on Fiji’s sailing calendar. Actually to be honest it’s probably the only thing on Fiji’s sailing calendar. With non stop events day and night the place turns into party central.

The regatta is sponsored by various businesses from  Fiji, Australia and New Zealand which gives the event a bit of an international flair, so to speak. When it comes down to the participants well, that’s truly international. You won’t find any of the big boys who follow all the high end racing circuits  here, it’s pretty much just our kinda people, cruising boats.

As GWTW hung up her racing shoes many moons ago we, along with 13 other friends were invited to be part of the crew on Rewa. Rewa as you’d know from reading previous posts belongs to our American friend Dave. She is a 64ft ketch and weighs in at around 50 ton. So once she gets moving it takes a long while to slow her down, something that paid off during one of the lighter air races.

There were jam sessions on GWTW

Followed by a performance in the island bar during Happy Hour

As I mentioned earlier, during race week there were all sorts of events happening. Breakfast, lunches and dinners were provided by the sponsors most days.

Happy hour at the island bar was a big hit each evening and activities such as hobbie cat racing, coconut husking, island fun run, or walk if that was more your style,  it drew a big crowd as did the golf challenge. 

There were also lots of fun things  to keep the cruising kids occupied as well. But the main event was the yacht racing.

There were three races, the first being to Beachcomber Island,a two hour downwind race from the start line.

 It was ear marked with a pirate theme so water cannons, water balloons, pistols, deck wash hoses and anything that involved the wet stuff  was fair game in close quarters from the start line to the finish line.

 Once at the island a buffet lunch was served followed by the prize giving, then it was a casual sail back to Musket Cove and get ready for the evening activates.

Water toys at the ready

Dave with daughter Tessa

What a cute couple

The girls of Rewa : Tessa, Judy, Laurie, Heike, Me & Vandy

From Left: Eric, Heike, Liam, Dave  Me & Vandy

The crew of Impi having fun

Race two was a 20 mile triangle course. The weather was extremely sporty and even had Rewa on her ear. Those of us with previous racing experience took it in our stride, however we all felt for Dave’s sister who had just flown in from the States. She had never been on board a yacht before and now she was resembling a pigeon in a loft that had uninvited guests sizing her up as a meal. There were a few close calls during the race when a couple of boats came within spitting distance. Not a good thing in such boisterous conditions.

A bit too close for comfort

A smidge overpowered to say the least

Heike ready on the mizzen sail

Liam takes the helm

The final race was around the island and the fleet left in extremely light airs. Rewa got a good start and her 50 ton momentum paid off well as we ghosted past the lighter weight boats and just kept on rolling.


That was until the forces of nature intervened and we eventually slowed to a full stop. We had every sail up that we could but without a good breeze she was hard to get going again.

So the bar staff, Dave's daughter Tess and hubby Nick were relieved from deck duties and put to work in the galley making Bloody Mary's for everyone. Man were they tasty.

We rolled this boat even with his spinnaker was up

Post race drinkies

Sadly Rewa did not win any race prizes but had there been trophy’s for the best onboard music,  in house adult beverages, jokes and humor or nibbles then we would have  definitely cleaned up.

The race week concluded with an amazing sunset followed by another huge and tasty buffet. 




Fireworks lit up the sky and late night dancing went till you could dance no more. 

Sensational sunset

The Rewa  2019 Musket Cove Regatta crew

The whole thing from go to woe had been a real hoot and the most fun regatta we’d partaken in in years.

Would we recommend it, you bet we would.

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