Farewell Beautiful, Friendly Fiji

Summer in Telluride! As usual, a busy time with mountain activities as well as visits from family and entertainment with friends. To our joy, we twice were able to visit with grandson Henry who turned two on September 29th. The Captain (aka: Poppy) remains a hit with this child. That is such a delight for all of us to see! Here he is trying to mimic Poppy’s rolling of his R’s.

Friday, October 6th – Another body-numbing international flight. The seats keep getting closer and closer fore to aft. On this airplane, the seats were so close that even The Captain, who is not a long-legged person, had trouble finding a place for his knees. This First Mate truly believes airlines running international flights ought to be served with notices of criminal neglect, but somehow they get away with these tortuous conditions, and need we not talk about the food or service! The First Mate keeps hoping The Captain will cave in and opt for Business Class, but for him, it is truly a matter of principle.  He worked in the aviation industry for so many years. He knows the industry and is so disgusted with what the airlines have done and what they have become, he will not give them a penny more than he has to. So, he endures while The First Mate suffers, though she does not do so in silence. He has to endure that, too. Maybe he’ll give in one of these days.

Sunday, October 8th – Fiji time. We arrive at Nadi International Airport and other than hunting down an ATM that works and has cash, we breeze through, hail a taxi and are driven to the Port Denarau Marina.  Avante, in the process of having her topsides washed, looks great. We move in quickly unpacking all the treasures we have brought back to the boat. Look, Avante, here’s a new printer. Look at these waterproof solar lights for the cockpit at night. Best of all, look at all these spare parts. Boy, are we in business!

Speaking of which, the first order of business we have to do is renew our Cruising Permit. To our relief, the marina office says that they can handle that for us, but it will take a few days especially with the national holiday, Fiji Day, on Tuesday. That’s fine and much better than us traipsing back through the streets of Lautoka to the tribal offices as we did last July. When the permit does arrive, we know we will have to personally take it to the Customs Office in Lautoka harbor to be duly stamped and recorded, but that’s relatively painless.

Monday, October 9th – Right up there with the Cruising Permit is getting the Yamaha outboard motor on the dinghy fixed and tuned up. There is a Yamaha dealer nearby, and they come down to the marina to pick up the motor. They might even get it back to us today!

Discovering that all businesses will be closed with tomorrow’s holiday, we decide that we better get into Nadi today to take care of everything we need there. Hiring a taxi for the better part of a day, we are taken to a pharmacy where The First Mate can buy a goodly supply of her seasickness meds, to the local outdoor market for fruits and veggies, to the Italian grocers to order a 3-week supply of meat and fish and, finally, to the new grocery store outside the marina for the rest of our food needs. Tired but satisfied with a day well spent, we haul our purchases down to the boat and unpack.

Our outboard is returned, and they do not want payment until we give it a test run out on the water. That we do on Tuesday. Choosing one of the canals off the marina, we motor down it for a while. About an hour later on our way back in, the motor dies. It will not restart in spite of all The Captain’s stellar tricks. We are offered a tow back to Avante. Oh, the indignity!

Wednesday, October 11th – Again, the motor is taken away.  This and that are tweaked and tuned. Another test ride. It works. Payment for work done is given, and we are left hoping it will keep on working.

 

We are set to sail tomorrow and even have the good fortune of being able to get fuel right here in our berth. The Captain sees that a few of the big, big boats at the end of the pier are getting fueled via a long hose running down the dock.  Can they fill us up, too? Sure! Though Avante can easily fit on the small fueling dock here in the marina, there is no way these big boats can access it, and big they are! There is one gorgeous sailing yacht at about 200 feet in a berth just down from us. Its boom is so large that a crewman can crawl inside it. Honest, we saw it!

 

Thursday, October 12th – 0730 –Engine started, lines let loose, we’re off! It’s about a 2-hour trip to Lautoka Harbor. Cruising Permit in hand, we enter the Customs Office, and to our surprise, there is not a person in sight. Big office, brightly lit, lots of paperwork all over the place and no one anywhere! The door was open. It’s not a holiday. Where is everyone?

 

From around a corner, a cheerful voice welcomes us. It is an Indo-Fijian Customs Official. We tell her what we are in need of, and she tells us that she is the only one in the office today. She normally has nothing to do with these Tribal permits and can’t even read what is written on the documents since they are in Fijian. Dismayed we are, but she quickly adds that she will phone someone to see what can be done. So, we sit and wait, but this gal is intelligent and capable. She finds someone on the phone who is equally so, and between them, she is able to find the forms that need to be filled out, stamp where documents need to be stamped and have The Captain sign where he is to sign. Done! With effusive thanks, we leave. That took less than an hour. Not bad for Fiji!

 

 

Where to now? How about Navadra? As has been mentioned, it is a favorite spot. We arrive in the late afternoon, and that evening, removed from the bright lights and the bustle and noise of the marina, we enjoy a peaceful, solitary sunset.

 

 

 

 

Friday, October 13th – We pack a picnic lunch and once again climb to the top of the island to take in the view.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, October 14th – A year ago when we and Berlin visited Yalobi Village on Waya Island, we went there on purpose to see an elder gentleman we had met 5 years ago when we first came to Fiji. A very polite, hospitable man he was with a gentle English accent to his speech. Of note to us was that he was the first and only islander who ever asked us for reading material — books, magazines, anything. Returning with Berlin, we had books and magazines to give him. While there, we took several photos of him and his grandchildren with Berlin. We had wanted to return there with Berlin this year but were unable to do so because conditions were never suitable for anchoring in the bay off his village. Today, the winds are in our favor. We anchor below Yalobi but do not, or rather cannot, head ashore as planned.  The outboard just will not start!

 

 

 

Frustrated, The Captain, who is not feeling 100% both from a physical (the body) and mental (the outboard motor) point of view, spends part of the afternoon relaxing.

 

 

The remainder of the afternoon is spent tinkering on the motor.  Despite the Yamaha dealer having worked on it twice, it very quickly had reverted to its old cranky ways. Formerly, it would start up the first time. Run anemically for a while and then cut out. Restarting it was a matter of hard-assed coaxing and luck. Now it was worse.  It would not even start the first time.  The Captain is vexed beyond words, and his work environment is not helping his mood at all. Bobbing around spasmodically on the waves, if he were to drop anything, a screw, a nut, it would be gone for good, sinking down, down, down into the deep, dark blue.

Thus, on our last 3 weeks of cruising Fiji, we are stuck with a dinghy that leaks and a motor that fails. The First Mate has no immediate thoughts on the motor. It’s kind of a neutral to her in the like/dislike category, but of the dinghy, she has plenty of thoughts and all of the dislike kind. From the day of its purchase and even before they purchased it, she has despised the thing. It’s ugly, uncomfortable and cheaply made. She knows the dinghy that she next wants. In fact, she has been lobbying for this new dinghy even before the leaks developed, but her hints and pleas went nowhere.

The Captain actually accuses her of having practiced Voodoo on this miserable contraption. (MOI?) Honestly, she did not. SHE DID NOT, but if the idea had crossed her mind, guess what? It might have been tried. Let’s see. A model of the dinghy carved out of a bar of soup. A few extra sharp pins. It might have worked. Fortunately, the beastly thing is creating its own demise. Patience, she tells herself. He’ll come around in time, and just in case he should, she started communicating with the new dinghy company months ago.

This new, lusted-for dinghy is designed by a former cruising Kiwi couple who sought to build a tender that addressed many of the issues that people hate about dinghies. The First Mate has heard nothing but raves about this new dinghy. The company appears to have caught the cruising public’s eye, for these OC Tenders, as they are called, are showing up all over. The First Mate enthusiastically has been dragging The Captain over to talk to any OC Tender owner she sees. All enthuse about their merits. They can’t be wrong. She just knows it. The Captain retorts that no one who has just paid the exorbitant amount being asked for this dinghy was going to admit that it was a bad decision. Finally, (praise be!) in frustration, exasperation, anything to shut her up, he tells her to go ahead and order the “blasted thing”. That she does. A down payment is made via good ole PayPal. It will be ready for delivery this February right before we set sail for French Polynesia. Alleluia! And she just knows he will be pleased. She was right about the Baby Q, wasn’t she?

In the meantime, we do not go anywhere without a bailer. He steers. She bails. Quite the team! In addition, there’s also a quick verification that the oars are attached, for when the motor will not start, we row! And to think that we just actually paid to have that motor fixed!

By the end of the afternoon, The Captain has the outboard running and roars around the bay testing it.  There is still time to go ashore to see our friend, Tui. He is delighted to see us and invites us to sit and talk on his porch. He is full of questions about where we have been since we were last here and where we are next going. He is happy to hear that Berlin is doing well and mentions that his granddaughter Pauline is now in school in Lautoka on the mainland, which is where children who want an education beyond 8th grade must go. Our photos are a surprise, and one can tell how special they are to him by the almost reverent way he handles them. On our previous visit, wood had been stacked all over his porch for a project. He wants to show us his work and leads us through to the back of the house. Two very well-constructed small rooms have been added on. One is for the toilet, and the other is for a shower. Water lines had not yet been connected, and we were not sure how that was going to be done, but when able, Tui and his beautiful new rooms will be ready.

Sunday, October 15th – In the morning, we stow the dinghy, raise the anchor (the normal drill), and we motor out on our way north through the Yasawa Islands. Our first stop is Vaga Bay where we spend a relaxing day.

Wednesday, October 18th – By now we have reached Blue Lagoon, another favorite spot whose shallow waters reflect in all shades of blue. Looking up into the hills above and around Nanuya Island Resort, we can see that a fire has ravaged the area. Through that area runs the trail that we followed a year ago to get to the other side of the island for a visit to Lo’s Teahouse. What has happened? We head ashore to ask at the clubhouse. It was a fire accidentally started by an 11-year old boy who was clearing some brush. With the winds that blow around here in sudden gusts, it is not hard to imagine how such a fire could get out of control. The child, unfortunately, was so scared of punishment that he ran away and hid for 2 days. We ask if it is still possible to hike up there and are told that it is fine. Go ahead. We do.

 

 

Reaching the top of the rise above the resort, we look NW across the waters of Blue Lagoon. How beautifully blue the waters are and how menacingly laced with reefs!

 

 

 

 

Turning inland, we survey the path of the fire.  The normal southeast winds pushed it across the island toward the resort. Somehow, the resort was untouched. Where did this fire start? The Captain is determined to try to find the answer to that.

 

 

 

Like attempting to understand the path of a lightening bolt, what a fire burns and doesn’t burn is most often beyond comprehension. Everything up here is tinder-dry, yet broad swatches have been spared or just merely singed.

This area through the center of the  island is mostly uninhabited, though garden plots for the dietary stable cassava and other such plants abound. There is one small home that we remember near the top just before descending to the village on the other side. Was it damaged, destroyed or did it survive unscathed?

 

 

There it is! The fire swept through below their hilltop aerie, and the strikingly beautiful yellow hibiscus blossoms are a testament to Nature’s resilience.

 

 

 

 

Continuing down toward the little group of homes where Lo’s Teahouse is located off the beach, we are pleased to see that there is no fire damage there. However, it does look like that fire may have started from a small clearing near a home higher up from the grouping. Thankfully, the winds blew up and away from the little enclave. Look at the dry vegetation, the thatched roofs and the wooden buildings. How quickly a fire would spread there!

Thursday, October 19th – Sawa-I-Lau is an anchorage we have not returned to since we were first in Fiji 5 years ago. Beautiful as the anchorage is, it is a place where, except for our timely action, Avante could have sunk. It’s quite a story. (Refer to 2011:  “Nothing Good Ever Happens at Night”) Fact is:  we did not sink, but it was a scary 90 minutes of concerted effort by The Captain and The First Mate that saved us.

 

Sawa-I-Lau is the last really good anchorage on the northern end of these Yasawa Islands. It is a wide open, beautiful anchorage with a large, centrally located coral reef which must be maneuvered around upon entry. It is the shoreline with its ravaged rocks that is the most interesting. Images of mad trolls, marauding elephants and grotesque monsters parade through The First Mate’s imagination when she remembers the place. We decide that we would like a final look on this our farewell tour of Fiji.

 

Re-reading that earlier blog, The First Mate discovers that some things never seem to change. The outboard motor, even though a different one, is again causing us conniptions, and the wind at anchor is still blowing.  Thankfully, it is not howling at over 25 knots like it was when we were last here.

 

We spend two days here going ashore to give a nice supply of work books to the local school, exploring the bay as much as we feel confident in doing with our fussy motor, and snorkeling on a nearby reef that surprised us by being one of the top few we have seen in the Yasawas.

 

 

Here, too, we note that a wild fire had swept through the higher reaches of two nearby islands. At night, we see flames from a distant fire that had obviously gotten out of control. So, many areas seem to have been swept with these wildfires that we speculate that perhaps they have been purposely set to clear brush, but with absolutely no fire containment equipment or even hoses to put out small village fires, one wonders. From Avante, we can see several small village fires that have been set in what can only be described as gusting, high winds. On the right side of the photo, the darker brown area shows where a wild fire had recently been. It is all a mystery to us.

Saturday, October 21st – We have gone as far north in the Yasawa Islands as we intend to go. It is time now to retrace our steps south. We return to Blue Lagoon for a few days. On our first night at anchor, we watch in fascination as another wild fire, whose fire-lit cloud looks like something out of a nightmare, burns unchecked on the high reaches of an island across from our anchorage. Yes, the winds have been gusty and quite strong, but why all these fires? We must ask next time we’re on shore. What do we learn? None of these fires are intentionally set to clear the hillsides. All are accidental and spring up from small village fires to burn trash or from garden plots to burn away dead growth for the next planting. The poor persons who accidentally cause these wild fires are dealt with seriously by the government, and stiff fines are given. Heavy winds and even heavier fines, one would think more benign conditions might be waited for to burn a little trash, but given the number of wild fires we have seen in just the last week, that appears not to be the case. Why would anyone want to take the risk? We ask, and a shrug of the shoulders is our response. Who knows?

 

Wednesday, October 25th – There is a mountain which we have been wanting to climb. It’s located on the north end of Waya Island above the village of Naluwaki. Since its access is across private tribal land, one must ask permission and hire a guide from the village. We set sail south for Naluwaki Bay.

 

 

Shortly after dropping anchor, a young village lad paddles up to Avante. We say hello to him. He’s a friendly, smiling 11-year old whose name is Bally. Giving him a couple of lollies, as candy is called throughout the Pacific Islands, we figured that, curiosity satisfied, he would head on back, but no, he stays. Shortly, thereafter, 2 more lads arrive. Introductions are made, lollies given, we head below to clean up luncheon dishes.

 

 

Turning around, a smiling Bally is standing there in the cockpit shortly to be followed by his friends. We tell them that we are preparing to go ashore to do the welcome ceremony of Sevusevu and to find a guide to climb the mountain.

 

 

 

They are all willingness, smiles and as much help as they can figure out to give. Eleven years old is truly a great age.

 

 

 

 

 

Dinghy launched. Bally asserts his right of first arrival and climbs right in the dinghy for the trip ashore. The smile on his face is pure radiance! His two buddies follow as speedily as they can, though The Captain does go in circles to allow them to keep up with us. Working our way through the rocky shoreline, we pull the dinghy up on the beach.

 

Two women and a man are sitting in the shade as we walk up the beach. They smile and encourage us to join them. We tell them who we are, that we would like to be taken to the chief to perform Sevusevu and that we would like permission and a guide to climb the mountain. An old man walks up who turns out to be the chief. Invited to sit down on the sand, we hand over the bundle of dried twigs and root from which Kava is made and a very perfunctory Sevusevu ceremony is chanted leaving us feeling somewhat disenchanted.

A note on Sevusevu: It is an ancient ceremony of welcome and acceptance offered upon entering the village or domain of another tribe. A bundle of dried twigs from a pepper plant is presented. These twigs are later pounded into a powder and mixed with water to make the drink called Kava. The ceremony itself involves a chant of some length interspersed with rhythmic clapping. We have done Sevusevu many times in native villages across Fiji, and though it is expected, sometimes even demanded in the more remote villages, the range with which this ceremony is given the respect it deserves varies from village to village. Sadly, most of our experiences have been marginal. Of the 10 or so Sevusevu we have done, we can recall only two where the ceremony was done in a traditional fashion. In these, a woven mat was spread for all to sit upon, and elders of the tribe were asked to attend. The mood was serious and sincere, and in respect of custom, we removed our sunglasses and hats.  Afterwards, the kava bundle was graciously accepted and then put aside so that we could all sit and converse for a while.  We were welcomed to the village and to the area. In both cases, though we did not expect it, a simple refreshment of tea and crackers was served. We felt like these people were honoring the tradition of their ceremony and in return honoring us for wishing to follow their tradition. In the greater majority of our experiences, however, the ceremony devolved into little more than taking the kava bundle and running off with it. Done. Welcome. Now be gone! By the way, an acceptable bundle of these tried twigs is $20.00 (USD) in the outdoor markets. By native village standards, this would be considered a luxury, and the seeming lack of respect given the ceremony and our giving of the gift has made us and many cruisers wary. As a result, we have heard many cruisers say that they refuse to do the ceremony anymore, and that is a shame. Done with the reference it deserves, it is a lovely ceremony of welcome and friendship between all those present.

Though the ceremony was speedily completed with the chief and the bundle of kava quickly exiting, those remaining were very welcoming. We sat and talked for a bit and then were asked if we would like to see their school. Why, yes! Our friendly young urchins will lead us there. We meet the teacher, from whom we learn that the school is only for kindergarteners. After kindergarten, the children are sent off to the main Waya Island village of Yalobi (Tui’s village) where they are boarded. That school goes until the 8th grade after which those who pass the exams and can financially manage it are sent to the city of Lautoka for high school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We learn that this is not just a one-year kindergarten, for the children can start as early as the age of three. Thus, for some, kindergarten can run for 2 to 3 years. It’s only half a day, and the children love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking through the village, those who are out and about all call bula, bula to us. We stop and talk to several along the way. A guide for tomorrow’s hike is arranged. While our young village escorts cavort along the way back, a traditional village thatch house is noted. Though many have opted for wooden or concrete block structures, the number of traditional structures still being built attests to their continued functionality.

Thursday, October 26th – Eager to hike the mountain before the morning sun heats up, we have arranged to meet our guide on the beach at 7:30. We arrive on the beach ready to go, but before setting off, The First Mate checks her brand new camera. Did she remember to put the batteries back in? Is the memory card back in place after downloading to the computer? Yes, yes, but the camera will not open up! Nothing. No click. No sound of life. She knows she charged the battery. What is wrong? She is distraught, and The Captain knows there is no climbing of any mountain until we figure this out. Explaining the situation and apologizing, we return to Avante. Battery is checked. It’s charged. What’s the problem? We know not, though we do know that a damp, salt-saturated environment is no friend to the complex innards of these modern day electronic, computer-chipped cameras. Back it will go to Best Buy where the Geek Squad guarantee she always purchases with her cameras will hopefully secure her a new one. By the time, we work this out and she has regained some composure, it is too late and too hot to make the hike. We decide to pull anchor. We really don’t want to stay another day to climb the mountain, and we don’t want to sit here looking at that mountain we wanted to climb. What a disappointing day!

Winds are supposed to be fairly light, which should make our favorite anchorage, Navadra, a pleasant stop for a few days. Heading out, the winds at 10 to 15 knots from NE provide a nice downwind sail toward Navadra. By the time we arrive at Navadra, the wind has backed to the north, and the anchorage offers no protection. We end up anchored off a lee shore with our stern to the reef-rimmed island behind us. Two things make the anchorage marginally acceptable: one is that from past experience, we know the bottom has excellent holding. The second is the we are facing into the surf and thus more comfortably hobby-horsing up and down into the waves rather than violently rocking back and forth with them. Should we stay? Winds are forecast to calm down. We’ll stay. We note that s/v Julia with our German friend, Claus, is also at anchor. His dinghy is ashore right now, but visiting with him offers us additional incentive to stay.

Friday, October 27th – What a miserable night! Not all cruising around quiet, isolated Pacific islands is the stuff of dreams, and last night proved the point. With a slight wind shift, though no decrease in velocity, we ended up rocking and rolling side to side in the waves. Though over time, we have learned to sleep through the rocking and pitching, the constant motion puts stress on the body. The First Mate wakes up stiff and feeling every one of her almost 70 years! With hopes still pinned on the forecast for light winds, we launch the dinghy to once more climb to the top of the mountain. Stopping by Claus’ boat, we invite him and his guests to join us for sundowners on Avante this afternoon. “Perfect!” they say. It’s a pleasant hike to the top, and this time up there, we take more time to explore, crossing over to the next ridge for a closer view across to the Mamanuka Islands.

Returning to the beach, we are shocked to see that both wind and surf have increased in strength. The anchorage is no longer tenable. We launch the dinghy into the surf with oars at the ready to steady her while The Captain, hopefully, starts the motor or, if not, we will both row furiously to keep us from crashing back on shore. Drenched with cascading water, we are blessed with a motor that miraculously starts. We head out to Claus to tell him our thoughts, but he is already thinking along the same line. We’re out of here. Saying goodbye with hopes to meet up in Opua, NZ, we head back to our boat, quickly stow the dinghy, start the engine, raise anchor and, with care, motor out between the two reefs that guard the entrance to the bay.

Where to now? With the wind coming from the north, there few acceptable anchorages available in the Mamanuka Islands. We could go back north to Waya Island, but it really is south that we want to head. The Captain decides that Musket Cove is where we are going, and reluctantly, The First Mate agrees. It’s not that she doesn’t like Musket Cove. A night or two there is fine, but we’re now looking at as much as 5 days there before we need to return to the marina for final passage preparations for New Zealand. A total of five days in that often crowded anchorage off two busy tourist resorts does not interest her, but there seems to be no other choice.

By her various references to other possible anchorages, The Captain begins to pick up on the idea that his First Mate is not happy about heading to Musket Cove several days early. We sail past a number of islands on our way south.  Surely there must be a place to stop.  We are almost to Musket Cove before we find one. The southern side of Qalito Island, though not listed as an anchor spot, sure looks like it could be today. It’s not much of a bay. It really is just off a sweep of island, but the island is high enough to block most of the wind. A look at the area on Google Earth shows no nasty coral uprisings. We motor slowly through the area. Depth stays a consistent 65 to 70 feet showing a flat bottom. This will work. Deciding how far off the reef The Captain wants to be, we position ourselves and drop anchor. The First Mate is delighted. Thank you! Thank you! That night we enjoy dinner on deck with minimal wind and no rocking. We’re back to Pacific island dream cruising!

We spend 2 delightful, quiet days here. The First Mate is finishing this blog and working on her French lessons pending their return to French Polynesia next year. She is determined to “parler français” at a level closer to what she was capable of after 7 years of studying the language in school – if her brain will permit. The Captain is working at updating and transferring some of his boat files to the computer and has started communication with Commander’s Weather to find a benign weather window coming up for our passage to New Zealand. It looks like next weekend will be the earliest departure date.

Sunday, October 29th –  The First Mate had plans for today.  We are going snorkeling on a nearby reef that we heard about and maybe have lunch at the nearby resort.  But the weather is overcast with occasional light misty rain. And, the wind has shifted! It is now blowing us toward the reef-lined shore. Worse, its quiet gentleness of the last day is now forecast to be 16+ knots by this evening.  We delay until the afternoon, but the weather does not improve.  The Captain searches for an alternate anchorage. None that he is satisfied with are found. Musket Cove is the best option. “We’ll anchor out,” he says. “Okay,” she says. Under gray skies and a threat of rain, off they go.

1530 – Anchored with a secure tug into the mud below, we are set here in Musket Cove until we have to return to the marina on Wednesday for final departure preparations. We have completed our farewell circuit of the Mamanuka and Yasawa Islands on this our third and possibly last trip to Fiji onboard Avante. We first journeyed here 5 years ago with great apprehension. Fiji is a huge grouping of islands all of which are ringed with reefs inside reefs. Unexpected pinpoints of hard-rock uprisings lurk out there just waiting to dent a hull. The problem is not so much these reefs and underwater spires of rock. The problem is that all navigation charts are poorly done and locations of obstacles are often not much more than suggestions. Somewhere out there, there is or may be an obstruction at perhaps 50 feet but it could maybe be 5 feet. You might want to keep scanning the area. Some areas are not even charted at all! We came nevertheless. Others had done it before us. We could, too, and we did. With vigilant care, we cruised these waters even though The Captain did suggest renaming Fiji a four-letter word: REEF. And, we returned. Not once, but twice. We love the people as well as the land and water. Often we are asked what is our favorite island. Fiji is many islands covering a vast territory. For its variety, its people and its many isolated, beautiful anchorages, Fiji just might be at the top of our list!