Leg 193, Rotuma, Fiji via Wallis and Futunu to Vava’u, Tonga
DAY03_03.PLN (7.8 KB)
Long flight with plenty autopilot brakes. So many islands in the South Pacific, far more airports around than I thought there were. And many many more uninhabited islands. I now see how you can stay lost in a shipwreck despite all our technology, too many places to look.
03-02 Rotuma NFNR 304nm next 3:17 PM
03-02 Point Vele NLWF 5:11 PM Trees in the way
03-02 Alo NLAO 6:19 PM
03-02 Alo NLAL 6:31 PM
03-02 Kaibu Island NFKB 6:41 PM
03-02 Labasa NFNL 7:20 PM
Bad performance down to 5fps restart
03-02 Labasa NFNL 7:27 PM
03-02 Savusavu NFNS 7:36 PM
03-02 Koro Island NFNO 7:49 PM
03-02 Levuka Airfield NFNB 8:08 PM Trees at end of runway
03-02 Nausori Intl NFNA Suva Capital 8:20 PM
03-02 Taunovo Airstrip NFSU 8:37 PM
03-02 Vatukoula NFNV 8:57 PM
03-02 Yasawa Island NFSW 9:19 PM
03-02 Mana Island NFMA 9:42 PM half the runway missing
03-02 Malolo Lailai Island NFFO 9:52 PM
03-02 Nadi Intl NFFN 9:59 PM
03-02 Vatulele NFVL 242nm next 10:18 PM 35 knot tailwind GS 228
03-02 Ono-i-Lau NFOL 204nm next 11:37 PM
03-03 Fua’amotu Intl NFTF 12:43 AM
03-03 Ha’apai-Lifuka NFTL Mutiny on the Bounty 1:20 AM Virtual vision landing
03-03 Vava’u NFTV 1:49 AM Virtual vision landing, narrowly nasty cross wind
Flight time 10:25 20 stops
Departure from Rotuma
Futuna Island with Alofie Island in the distance part of Wallis and Futuna
Arriving at Point Vele Airport on Futuna Island
One of those dream islands
Flying on to Alo, Fiji
Lots of islands scattered along the way
Landing on an unnamed Island (on Google and Bing anyway) Eastern Division Fiji
Alo Airport NLAO unknown island
Mago Island
Alo Aiport NLAL in the middle of Mago Island
Kaibu Island, intermittent lightning along the way
Kabu Island Airport, probably belongs to Vatuvara Private Islands Resort
Taveunni Island, located across the 180th meredian
That big tear is exactly at 180 degrees East and West, height data is incorrect on the NA side
Clouds rush in to hide the errors
Labasa Airport on Vanua Levu island, beneath the low hanging clouds
Savusavu Airport on Vanua Levu
Big island, popular destination
Lonovi Island
Landing at Levuka Airfield
Nausori International Airport, Naselai, Nasilai, Fiji
Suva, the capital of the South Pacific island nation of Fiji
Views of Suva from Colo-I-Suva Forest Park
Sacred Heart Cathedral and Thurston Garden Clock Tower in Suva
A peak in Fuji Museum
Flying over Queens road leading to Nabukavesi
Taunovo Airstrip
Koroyanitu National Park
Vatukoala approach
Yasawa Island
Where you can go for a swim in the Sawa-i-Lau caves
Tavua island in the middle of a group of islands
Malolo island
Malolo Lailai Island
Touchdown at Malolo Lailai Island Airport
Vatulele island
It’s a long island
With a rough coast line
On the way to Oni-i-Lau with a 35 knot tailwind, 228 knots ground speed
Oni-i-Lau
The airport
That was the last of Fiji for me, heading to Tonga next
The weather is getting worse, showers all around
It’s starting to get late as well
Tongatapu
Fua’amotu International Airport
Nuku’alofa Royal Palace, Free Church and Ha’amonga 'a Maui Trilitho, huge structure made of 3 coral limestone slabs, said to have been built by the demigod Maui
Mapu’s Vaea Blowholes, the 3 Headed Coconut and Anahula Cave on Tongatapu
Tonga is still getting more islands
Starting to get dark on the way to Ha’apai-Lifuka
https://i.imgur.com/eIC1Ayx.png
https://i.imgur.com/uCsGdOc.png
https://i.imgur.com/mAY3vNB.png
https://i.imgur.com/KuNlkv7.png
Eerie sunset, just a sliver of sun on the horizon
https://i.imgur.com/8nX03Xg.png
So dark now, with bright flashes now and then
https://i.imgur.com/iCFqwV7.png
Ha’apai-Lifuka Airport, after using the 3D view screen to land
https://i.imgur.com/ytmCy3J.png
Here is where mutiny on the Bounty occurred in 1789 & Captain Bligh was set adrift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0oqEjxOUww
One more island, Vava’u, only visible in ‘flash photography’
https://i.imgur.com/3JHppfc.png
Vava’u Airport, so dark
https://i.imgur.com/MVBumSa.png
At least this will be waiting for me in the morning
https://i.imgur.com/gucpNa3.png