Heading North in the Yasawa Group

How about a moonrise instead of a sunset!

After an overnight in Somosomo Bay, we continued north toward Tavewa and Nanuya Lailai Islands. We were planning to anchor at the Blue Lagoon (sorry, no Brooke Shields here now) and have dinner at Otto and Fanny’s. The reputation of Fanny’s chocolate cake with ice cream was drawing us!

Again it was a motoring adventure as it is nearly impossible to sail inside the outer reefs and miss all of the smaller and unmarked reefs. Yes, that is right! Unmarked! And UNCHARTED! There are many that do not show up on the charts. In fact, every sailor here agrees that the electronic charts are inadequate! While they provide a visual, the reefs are not where they show them! You have to continuously watch the water ahead and look for changes of color and texture. Going slow is also advised. If you just look out across the sea, you would think you could sail forever. But what lies below will take the wind out of your sails and put a hole in the bottom of your boat!

Dennis examining the purple coral and sea life below him.

We traveled up the western side of Yaqueta, passing Devoluai, and Matacawa Levu before entering the passage between Tavewa Island and Matacawa Levu. It was another pass filled with reefs and few marks to guide you. By the way, a marker in the water here is nothing more than a pole or stick, often broken, bent or missing! Dennis and Stuart stood on the bow watching for color changes in the water.

 

On the way we stopped to snorkel near Manta Ray Bay. The coral and sea life was wonderful - the prettiest coral we have seen so far. The pictures can't capture the true colors, but there was a lot of purple coral, blue starfish and many colors of fish. The black and white sea snake, which is extremely poisonous did not get much of my attention. I was out of there! We took the dinghy over to look for the manta rays but it was too rough to see anything. Also we were told that they don't come in until early evening.

We snaked our way in and found an anchorage off the Blue Lagoon Beach on Nanuya Lailai. Some of the best snorkeling in Fiji is here, but it was too cold and windy for us to jump into the water. It is winter here in the Southern Hemisphere - not like a Michigan winter, but not very hot either. Comfortable warm days and cool nights.

See the sea snake nicely camouflaged in the coral and sand!

We had a delightful dinner at Otto and Fanny’s on Tavewa Island. They sent a boat to pick us up and it turned out to be a dinner for four! The other resort guests had left earlier in the day so we had the place to ourselves. Harry and Emily had prepared three entrees: fish, chicken and pork. All were delicious and we devoured them like I had not been feeding the crew! It is always a treat to eat someone else’s cooking. Unfortunately, the dessert was banana cake with a cream sauce. It was wonderful, but we were tasting chocolate cake and ice cream all the way up the island chain. Maybe next time!

A sea urchin? Or is it a Crown of Thorns - both very
serious stingers!  Don't put your feet down!

After an overnight at anchor, we headed back down the same route since we had marked some dangerous spots on the way up. Instead of exploring and picking our way down the east side, we were more interested in getting back to Waya where we could anchor overnight. Sondra and Stuart had a plane to catch on Friday and we wanted to be back to Vuda Point Marina on Thursday.

It was nice to see S/V Circe and S/V Tulasi anchored in Nalauwaki Bay and have a chance to catch up on their explorations. They are heading to Vanuatu the first week of August and we might consider going along with them. S/V Flomaida may be joining them on the passage, too. Most likely we will hang out longer in Fiji since there is so much to see here.

Tonight's palette! Stunning!

Back at Vuda Point, it was time to say “goodbye” to Sondra and Stuart as they fly to Vanuatu for a week in Port Vila before heading back to Annapolis. Originally, we were all going to sail to Vanuatu with the World ARC Fleet, but the generator needed more attention so we stayed behind. Unfortunately, we missed our official "It's been great having you with the World ARC photo." as it was supposed to be taken in Vanuatu! Oh, well. Maybe they will take a "welcome back to the World ARC " photo when we rejoin next spring!

We thank them for bringing some essentials for the boat - especially for the dark chocolate. We were having chocolate withdrawal! Friends and new crew usually bring nice surprises. It was great to have friends along for a few weeks. While we have many lovely new friends, we miss our time with those we left behind last fall. I never thought I would be the one to use Facebook to keep up on what is happening back home!

Yasawa Islands, Fiji: Waya

Sondra, our Sun Goddess, read a new book every few days!

Finally it is time to get out and explore the Fijian outer islands. Annapolis friends, Stuart and Sondra, have arrived to spend a couple of weeks with us. Since they have not had the island experiences of native culture, we will head up the Yasawa Island Group to introduce them to another world. We have seen many examples of song, dance, crafts, food and worship as we have travel across the oceans. It is always fun to see what the next place has to share with us.

Overview of the Fijian Islands: over 320 of them!

Our first real exploration of the Fijian islands was a sail up the chain of islands known as the Yasawa Group. These islands are northwest of Vuda Point Marina and it is about 90 miles to the most northern island. The Yasawa islands are inhabited primarily by the native Fijians. However, the most southern of the Yasawa islands now host a number of resorts as well as backpacker hotels.

 

The Fiji islands have more vegetation and less volcanic
rock then some in French Polynesia and they have
more white sandy beaches,, but getting to them is
a challenge with all of the reefs in the way!

Our first stop on our way up the Yasawa Island
Group was at the island called Waya which is the larger island just north of Wayasewa Island. We were not planning to go ashore here as it was just to be an overnight stop on our way to Naviti. Traveling through the reefs is a slow and cautious process, so we knew we could not cover a lot of ground in any one day. The key is to find safe places to anchor in good light before nightfall.


The wind was very light, almost non-existent so sailing was out of the question even if the reefs had not been an issue. They say that sails get raised about one out of every seven days. We are finding this to be true of cruising within the island groups. Obviously, they are always up when there is wind on an ocean passage so that helps keep the average up.



We anchored off this beach for the night, but did not
go ashore on Waya. Came back on our way down, too,
where we met up with S/V Circe and S/V Tulasi

Waya Island is just 60 km northwest of Viti Levu and is the highest island the chain at 579 meters. This is the place for hikers and the adventurous. Of course, when hiking it is important to watch the tide so you don’t get stranded somewhere at high tide. The beach you walked a few hours earlier will be non-existent when you return if you are too late!





There are four native villages on the island. This gives you the opportunity to experience the village visit with the sevusevu ceremony and explore. Although, we have heard that the lower islands get so many visitor that they sort of blow .off the tradition and tell you to just leave your kava gift on the table! This may be the result of too many day trippers on tour boats arriving at the closer islands. We will go to Naviti for our first sevusevu experience.

The terrain and flora are very different from the more
volcanic islands in French Polynesia.

 

A Visit to Naviti, Yasawa, Fiji

How is this for a fashion statement!

Fiji is an archipelago consisting of over 300 islands grouped around two large main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. We have been based on Viti Levu at Vuda Point Marina.

There is a diverse population of Fijian and Indian, who were brought to Fiji as laborers to work in the sugar cane industry in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The native Fijians of Melanesian descent live primarily on the outer islands while the Indian population is on the two larger islands where they are engaged in various forms of commerce.



The village "market."

Upon arrival at a village, there is a proper protocol to follow. And follow it you must! First of all, your attire must conform: no hats or sunglasses, shoulders covered, a sula wrap is worn over your shorts for men and women, shoes are removed before entering a building and no backpacks or bags carried on your shoulders - only by hand. I am not sure why, and it was difficult for me as I have always had some kind of bag on my shoulder from diaper bag to purse, brief case or computer bag.

Tewa was our guide (not sure of how to spell his name!)

At the shore, we were greeted by a young man, Tewa, who immediately corrected our attire as I was wearing a visor and sunglasses. I am very sensitive to the sunlight and always have my eyes shaded so I did not even realize I still had them on. Opps! The first thing you MUST do when you arrive is to visit the village chief. In this case, it is an elderly woman.

Breadfruit after boiling for 20 minutes and
peeling the tough outer skin. Next you cut it
into pieces like French fries and cook it in
hot oil. Result: Island version of Frites!

We presented our gift of kava, paid our token "entry fee" to support their community, and received her blessing to visit the village freely. Although, we were always escorted by Tewa. Right after the sevusevu ceremony in the chief's home, we were invited to visit their market. I am thinking that I can buy some fresh fruits and vegetables and maybe some bread. Wrong! It was several ladies sitting on the ground with some handmade jewelry and fans for sale. I was able to purchase a breadfruit which was hanging from the tree.

Dennis offering some assistance in the camp.

There is a camp on the island where young people from around the world come to work on village projects. We visited the camp site and saw several project in the works. The biggest undertaking was the construction of a new communal village toilet and shower facility. It is going to be a great addition to the village. Dennis watched the natives working with an electric saw with no eye protection and a make-shift electrical hook up to a generator. I could just see his "products liability lawyer" mind working on the dangers of the situation, but he did not intervene.

There was a very serene feeling in the cemetery under
the palm trees. The graves were interesting.

We quietly visited the cemetery at the edge of the village. The grave markers are interesting. The larger graves were where chieftains had been laid to rest. The chief position is handed down from generation to generation within the same family. We understood the woman was the current chief as her husband had died. The next in line is her son. Since most people in the village are related, there does not seem to be a conflict over the leadership. It is understood.

Not a great photo due to dim light, but a look at the
native costume for the performance.

We were invited to return to the village at 7:30 pm for a village performance. Of course, this is a way they collect money from the yachties, but we did not mind. It was totally different from all of the performances we have seen to date. The older villagers sang and danced for us while the children watched through the open windows. They all had a good laugh when we were all pulled up to dance with them. Keeping a sula in place while dancing their way is a challenge! I think we were the entertainment for the children!

Kini explaining the island culture in her home. They sit
on the floor or ground and have little furniture. I have
difficulty sitting on the ground so I was offered a chair.

We visited the home of one of the a teacher who shared their culture and needs with us. We sat in her home with only a kerosene lantern for light. She gave me her Facebook address so we could be in contact; that is when I ask, "How do you access the Internet here?" As we left, her husband smiled and pointed to the generator sitting just inside the front door! Their high school son must use the Internet!

Our gift of papaya and bananas were delicious!

The Fijians living in the outer islands have a very simple lifestyle. They live off the land and the sea. We were offered lobsters for sale and given a large bag of  pawpaw (papaya) and a large bunch of bananas. The men go to the plantation - their gardens somewhere outside of the village - during the day and return around 4 pm with fresh items for their families. We were told they have everything they need for food as it grows there or they catch it from the sea. We also saw people gathering seaweed. Apparently, right after a bit of rough seas, there is a part of the seaweed they harvest.

This little guy has a club foot. It is unlikely
that any medical help will be available.
There is great need in these villages for
medical ad dental care as we know it.

There is no municipal source of electricity. In fact, they use gasoline generators when they need electricity; otherwise, they use lanterns and their senses. We were escorted through a village at night by a young man with no torch (flashlight). He didn't need light as he knows every step of the way. I needed my torch to keep from stepping in holes or tripping on roots! I gave him my flashlight when we left. I wonder how - and if - he will use it.


The sun was setting in the west as the moon rose in the east.
 

We can see a lot of need in these islands: powdered milk for the children, eye glasses, clothing for the children, school supplies. When we come back next year, we plan to bring what we can. If you have old eyeglasses lying around, consider getting to me when we are home in December. Probably someone here can benefit from them even if the prescription is not perfect. It may be better than nothing. We would also accept any light-weight school supplies (we will be flying with several stops and can't deal with too much weight or excess baggage).

Loving Fiji!

S/V Trilliium docked at Vuda Point Marina, Fiji

Dinner at the First Landing Resort next door.

So far in our 12,000 nm journey, we have found that Fiji is our favorite place! The people, weather and culture are great. There are so many different islands to visit with each group having its own distinct culture. Even though we have spent a lot of time in Vuda Point Marina dealing with the generator, we have come to call it "home."

The beach near the pool and restaurant at Musket Cove.

We are regulars at the Boat Shed Bar and Restaurant as well as the First Landing Resort next door. Their pool is available for us to use, too. We have spent so much time at the resort that they call us by our first names. I have enjoyed the manicure and pedicure and am planning to get a massage before we leave again.

Here at the marina the gals in the office seemed genuinely happy to see us when we came back in from a week long trip to other islands. It is nice to be missed and welcomed back! They greet us with "Welcome Home!." And I can see it will be our home on and off for the 10 weeks or so that we will be in Fiji.

You can walk the beach for miles - at low tide!

It has become quieter as the rest of the fleet has moved on except for the nine boats heading to New Zealand in November. We are all cruising here and will leave in early August to go to Vanuatu and then on to New Caledonia before gathering as World ARC New Zealand at the end of October. Until then, we will be exploring these three countries.

Sondra and Stuart at Rendezvous Dinner. Stuart has
 crewed with us in two Caribbean 1500 Rallies.

Our friends, Stuart and Sondra, from Annapolis joined us for a two week visit. Unfortunately for them, the first week was in the marina dealing with the generator. Fortunately, Sondra loves reading and sun bathing so she just went to the pool for the day. They had a few days at Musket Cove with us before returning to Vuda Point.

The World ARC Rendezvous and farewell dinner for those of us dropping out for the year was held at Musket Cove Marina and Resort. We are now members of the Musket Cove Yacht Club. It is a lovely resort with a nice marina, pool, restaurant and 800 acres to explore. The World ARC has been stopping here for the past eight years.

"Bula, Bula" is the Fijian greeting meaning
"welcome" or "hello." The word for
thank you is "Vinaka."

Paul explaining the marks we will see on the trail.

Paul and Suzanna had a number of events and surprises planned for the fleet. There was one of their famous morning runs where the trail is marked with various symbols to tell you what to do and where to go - or not! Paul intentionally misleads people who think they can win the race! We were just walkers so it was fun to watch people retrace their steps after finding out they were on the wrong track. The message is: don't trust the guy in the bright yellow shirt!

The terrain is varied on the 800 acres of the Musket Cove
Resort. There are cottages tucked into different settings.

There are miles of beach and lagoons to explore and the great tidal change each day makes for an interesting beach area. Many of the boats were on mooring balls outside of the marina, but we were on the wall in a Med mooring slip - as in, stern to the wall. Since the docks were floating, the tide did not make it difficult to get on and off the boat as in some places.

A view of Musket Cove Resort from the hilltop.

It was a bittersweet celebration. Since we were in a free cruising period, the only "prizes" given were to those of us ending our 2014-15 Rally. We received our plaques. There were a lot of hugs at the dinner and on the dock as the fleet left a day early due to weather issues in Vanuatu. Some deep bonds have been made and strong friendships are in place, so it was difficult to say "until we meet again" as we may never see these special people again. There was some lip-biting and glassy eyes fighting tears - that's how special these new friends have become in the short six months together.That is the part of the cruising life that is hard. Although, you just never know where or when someone will sail back into your life! We do hope to visit some in Norway, Germany and Switzerland. And, of course, have extended invitations to come to Michigan and experience the Great Lakes!

Here are some photos of friends we will miss, but the happy times will always remain with us!



My good buddy, Merc! Where is Bob? That's Dave!







Tracy and Tim with their teenagers Brian and Lucy from
Philadelphia on Folie au Duex



We so enjoyed time with Sandra and Tom, the honeymooning
couple from Switzerland on Sweet Pearl.

Dennis with Mimi, Gro and Erhling from Norway on Saphir

Vittorio and Silvano from Italy (not sure where they found
these two ladies!) on Fiesta Lente

Wolf and Sebastian, our German friends
from CHICK-aLU

Tommy on Alpharatz



  

Pat and Stuart (UK) on Brizio with Imogene and Mimi



Fiji: A View from the Marina!

Trillium at the wall

After a four day sail by ourselves from Tonga to Fiji, we are in Vuda Marina at Vunda Pointe. I was told in the Fijian language, the "n" is silent so it is called Vuda Point. (Later I learned that they leave it out of the English spelling, but the locals put the "n" in the word when they speak.) It is a nice little marina with a good working yard. That is just what we need as the water maker needs help! It seems we have blown a seal on the high pressure pump so we can't make water. Many of the boats are having water maker trouble so we are not alone. It is just the normal wear and tear when you are sailing everyday.

The staff here is the friendliest we have ever met! Nikki and Maaria in the office should have the "Employees of the Year" Award. There can be 10 people lined up and asking for 10 different things and they manage it all with a smile and wonderful attitude.


Looking out from the marina basin

This marina has a couple of restaurants and offer special events: Monday night movies, Tuesday night half-price pizza, Thirsty Thursday Half Price Drinks, and  Sunday Night live music on the lawn. Also, The First Landing Resort is next door where we use the swimming pool. They also offer fine dining under the stars with great music every evening!

And! There is a spa! Merc and I have a girls' day planned to have a manicure and pedicure and lunch! I can see being here for repairs will not be painful! At least not until we have to pay the repair bill!


Protecting the wind generator during haulout

We are hauling out to clean the bottom, change the zincs and clean the barnacles off the propeller. The amount of stuff that grows on the hull even when you are moving is amazing! This is just normal maintenance. We may not be mowing the lawn and cleaning the house, but we have similar boat jobs!





It was a very tight fit with only a few inches of clearance!

The haulout process was hair-raising! The TravelLift was smaller than the ones we have used in the past. They couldn't lift the boat high enough without crunching the wind generator to have much clearance under the keel. There was only about two inches between the concrete and the keel. Now we will be living on the hard for a few days while we complete the work ourselves. In the meantime, the mechanics are working on the water maker

Dennis up the mast for a rigging check!

There is always a certain amount of "on the hard camaraderie" when fleet boats are working on projects. It makes for good (and sometimes frustrating) Happy Hour conversations!

Our Germany friends Wolf and Sebastian
 from S/Y CHICK-aLU savoring our
engine room! Maybe a little envy???

The plus of being here is that there are about 10 other World ARC boats here for repairs. The many miles traveled have taken a toll on generators, water makers, rigging, sails, etc. When you think about it, we have all put about five years worth of normal sailing but in more severe elements than if we were just sailing at home! And most of the boats had crossed the Atlantic before starting the World ARC.

Crusty and tough little barnacles on the zinc plate!

It is amazing to see what grows on the bottom of the boat and the propeller! Crusty little barnacles that are hard to dislodge seem to be on with super glue! We scraped and cleaned the propeller and the zincs that did not need to be changed. Fortunately, the great bottom paint put  on before we left the BVI worked beautifully. We had the cleanest bottom around!.

Propeller before cleaning.



The results of many hours of scraping and polishing!

We will head over to Musket Cove for the World ARC Rendezvous and to say "until we meet again" to the boats that are keeping to the World ARC 16-month schedule. We are dropping out for a year - along with eight other World ARC boats to travel to New Zealand for their summer (Michigan's winter) and then back to Fiji or Tonga in April or May 2015 to join World ARC 2015. Then we will continue on to the finish line in St. Lucia sometime in April 2016!