anchor problems

Coordinates:17 53.9 s 176 53.6 w
Bearing:284 T
Wind Direction: SE
Wind Strength:18 to 25
Sea state: fairly short steep seas

Crew health:fine

When we arrived in Vava u it was the weekend and customs are not keen to turn out so we anchored for two day in Port Maurelle. All was fine until we came to leave only to find our anchor chain caught very soundly round some thing on the bottom . It was deep and beyond a depth that I could dive to. This is the first time it has happened in 26 years sailing Katipo so I i have been lucky in the past. It took an hour motoring this way and that and in circles trying to break it free and struggling with the manual anchor winch ( must buy an electric one for the next trip!)
We had an enjoyable time in Neiafu and decided that instead of rushing around a few of the great anchorages on the outer islands , some of which we saw last time in 1994, we would relax and stay on our mooring and explore more thoroughly on land nearby. We made a trip to the botanical gardens which was most interesting, socialised with some of the other yachties and had a few meals ashore, as well as fill in all the paper work for arrival in Fiji which has to be emailed ahead .
Today is another clear day , blue sea and sky wih a steady wind . last night the wind built to over 30 knots which we did not expect but since it was a following wind we reefed down some and kept going ok.
So next we have to thread through the Lau group of islands on our way to Savusavu

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