It’s been a long time coming however our time in Fiji was far too busy for blogging; we arrived in Savusavu at the end of June, we spent much of July diving on the spectacular rainbow reef. August was spent mostly exploring the stunning Lau Group. September we were back in the northern division for incredible village visits, diving at the famous Namena reef and then to the western division for a few small projects and then the more visited Yasawas and Mamuca’s for special times with family and our friend Sarah aboard. Despite a lot of sailing, we feel have barely made dent in all the incredible places Fiji has to offer. We made friends for life and had some intimate experiences getting to know Fiji away from the tourist centres. I personally found it gave me a new lease of life for cruising and really enjoyed the many beautiful calm anchorages. The distances between islands means lots of fun day sailing. The weather was fairly wet when we first arrived but got better and better. Our cruising friends here were quite dispersed as such a vast area and many sailors in Fiji are on a long holiday from New Zealand, so it was a little different but we had a lot of fun and social times too.
The Mitchell Family Kava bowl - a lot of Kava was drunk during our time in Fiji
So I’ll start with our arrival and onto diving…… I will get to the rest later, I hope…
We arrived after a flat calm motor across the bay after a bit of weird weather for our last night at sea. This calm meant we were able to clean up Askari and even do laundry on the way in. We were quickly put on a mooring buoy owned by the CopraShed marina – a place that we had spent a few weeks with ReVisionII so were quite excited.
Laundry as we approach Savusavu
The clearing in process was hilarious, all the people were brought to the boat were so funny, we shared coffee and biscuits with all after we passed our covid tests. Andrew had to rescue one of the male customs officials after the other marina boat broke down, the girls gave him such a hard time. Andrew ended up taking them back ashore and one girl lost her shoes. Next is a procession around town to pay the fees…. It sounds like a faff but actually it was a great introduction to the place, everyone enjoyed a laugh and was so friendly.
Customs and Immigration going ashore
We had our first curry lunch for just a few Fijian dollars and it was soo delicious. We met Annie in the meat shop that day when she gave us money (ha ha a long story) and she became a firm friend inviting us to the Waitui marina party on Saturday night.
Annie's gift - a FJ$2 no longer in circulation
First night in Fiji - going Dutch
Our good friends on Tiago, we hadn’t seen for a year were there and there was tears as we were reuinited before a fun night out at the Coprashed. Also, in town was IreneIV and some of the other OysterWorld Rally. We got invited to a lovely posh Fijian meal at Sharon’s lodge with the Oyster gang, there we learned about the wonderful dish Palusami – next day the girls came down and we all cooked onboard IreneIV.
Oyster night at Sharon's
Oyster yachts party with Jay too
Making Palusami
To know more about Palusami we made a video too
Grace and Sento came in to make the party atmosphere even more intense, we enjoyed a wonderful curry night and a super cool fashion show, courtesy of Cherish designs, viewed from the back deck of Seabird. Then it was the famous Waitui Saturday night party – oh wow what a great fun group of guys they are, we danced to Fijian music, drank kava and had to send out for blackmarket beer until the small hours. Ala, Annie, Genevieve, and families you are the best!
Fijian Fashion by the lovely Cherish
Fiji fashion from the aft deck of Seabird
The cave at Sea Lovers
Welcome party at Waitu Marina - now our family
Kava for Boys
Saturday night we hatched a plan with Ala to cook in the hotsprings; Andrew and I had this fascination with it after watching locals the day before. So Monday afternoon, Kate, Helen, Ala and I headed there armed with frozen chickens that had been hacked into 8 portions via the circular saw at IGA. Ala showed us how to prepare the taro root, and made a sauce for the chicken. In my casserole, we cooked it directly in the spring and produced a delicious meal for all that night. It turned out to be the birthday party for Ala’s daughter Molly – sweet sixteen! Another fun night with music around the kava bowl to the small hours. We stocked up at the incredible Sea Lovers and I had some bula dresses made for FJ$15 each.
Hot springs - they have just had a reno to make cooking easier
With Helen, Kate and Ala at hot spring
A feast for Molly - happy long life! (the fijian bday song)
Cake for Molly
Molly's birthday party
Meanwhile in Savusavu town
Bula Dress by Rashmi
Savusavu market - soooo many goodies
Andrew tries fijian tobacco
The fun of Savusavu was curtailed a little as Andrew had been struggling to get over his on passage’flu’ so we didn’t get out of town to explore further, but after a week we headed out to Tavenui, to the wonderful Paradise Resort for a bit of diving and relaxation. This Australian owned dive resort has put in some moorings to protect their reef and makes no charge but of course we use the facilities at the resort, which include a lovely pool, restaurant, bakery and a fantastic house reef. Tiago had set up in residence when we arrived…. They worked, we dived and then caught up. Lovely few days until an accident happened that shook us all, not for blogging about but not to be forgotten.
Meeting up with Tiago after work at Paradise Resort
I loooooove cost corals - seeing them under the boat just amazing
Critters galore on Rainbow reef
Paradise Pool Time
In Fiji we use many tools to navigate but mostly eyes
Paradise has some of the best staff, a lovely house reef and great facilities ever but wow it does rain there…. We heard that Viani bay had a dive centre that would suit our diving style, so we headed over there, I think we could just live here. A totally protected bay, an amazing dive academy, a super friendly village, some nice walks but most importantly Rainbow Reef. Fiji is called the soft coral capital of the world and Rainbow Reef shows off all colours of soft corals in a fanfare of dive sites all within minutes from Viani Bay. Dive Academy put a lot back into the community and only take small groups – maximum 4 divers in there Fijian panga boats, they know the reef here soooo well they always got the timing right for us. We were also spoilt to be allowed to have long bottom times, never less than 60 minutes, even on our night dive on the Great White Wall. We loved it here so much we opted to get our advanced padi certification out of the way- even with 1000 dives sometimes you need a ticket. It was actually fun and didn’t impact our amazing diving; we did about 20 dives on Rainbow reef. My Instagram page has the dive logs, here’s a few highlights. Purple Corner, White Wall, Cabbage Patch, The Zoo, Rainbows End……
Beautiful Viani Bay
Nesi and Bal bring delicious Fijian food at Dive Academy
Dive skills for Helene & Andreas at 40m on the Great white wall
Often and fire next to the kava bowl when Johnny is home
Looking for critters
Laurens's Birthday at Paradise - Bliss & Major Tom too
Emergency cake made by Nesi for Laurens
One of the caves on Great White Wall
Purple Corner I think
Lovely pink anemone fish
In an amazing turn of events our good friends Paul and Lizzie from Sydney had come out to Fiji with their boat AmaranthII. We first met them in the Canaries in 2005 and have been firm friends since we moved to Australia, spending many weekends together after we moved to the West. So when Amaranth pulled into Viani bay there was big squealing and a celebrations. It was so wonderful to spend some time catching up with them. We drank champs, went paddle boarding and hiking, Lizzie taught me yoga and I watched her paint. I photographed her being an artist, shared underwater secrets. We took a panga together across the straight to shop in Somosomo – just amazing memories. We know a lot of people living this life, but I seriously miss long term close girlfriends, this time was super special and I probably only realise that now.
Askari and Amaranth II - a special day
Lizzie and I have drunk many a champ on this deck but not in Fiji
Hiking with Paul, Lizzie and Laurens - searching for orange doves....
Askari and AmaranthII were anchored off Nesi’s island. We got to know Nesi and David and their family, we fed scraps to their pig, shared goodies with Charlene and her son Jovan. We always had papaya left on the back of Askari.
Introducing Lizzie to panga transport
Off to the shops - 30 min panga ride for fuel, beer and food
Market day in Somosomo, Taveuni
Lizzie teaching Charlene and Jovan perspective
At dive academy local meals were on offer, and sometimes cooked in the lovo oven with kava parties too. Always served with Jonny’s sea salt and a few wines shared with the lovely Marina – such a special place away from it all but with a home from home. We did a few independent dives in the area, however we quickly learned that local knowledge is everything on the rainbow reef as the current’s are crazy, we did however find a great spot with lots of sharks and also did couple of spots inside the main reef that were interesting.
Cabbage Patch - wowser
Great White wall - just amazing 60m of white soft corals
Everyone was a bit obsessed with this little dude
Kava time at Dive Academy
We started looking for weather to sail east to get to the Lau Group after another week. We saw a break coming so finally stowed the dive compressor and went off to Matei on Tavenui to provision. Waipti who we had been diving with had the same idea, we shared a couple of lovely days with Helene & Andreas and the wonderful Madden family that run the Tramonto restaurant. They couldn’t do enough for us, teaching us to make kava bowls, introducing us to famous rugby players, dancing and inviting us to grandpa’s birthday. Thank you Moses, Agnes, Peter and Beverly. We bought pork literally off the back of a lorry and sourced bread from the bakers with the help from Beverly who had her man drive us there late in the evening and demanded bread – yes of course for you Beverly!!
Coconuts with Agnes and Moses
Helene and I grating coconut at tramonto
With Rugby legend Semi Radradra
The bread was actually for the Mitchell family at Qamea. Bill and Kate from Seneto were anchored in their bay, we asked if they needed anything, they said bread so we brought 20 loaves – was that enough?? Tome Mitchell welcomed us to his family bay, this is freehold land but we still did the right thing. That night the Mitchell girls cooked up a feast. We drank kava around the family bowl and shared a few beers a wonderful meal and lots of great conversation. Thank you Tome, Mellah, Matilda and the rest of the family. The Mitchell family love yachts visiting and keep a wonderful guest book – be sure to call in if you are passing Namata. The snorkelling and hikes in the bay are also great.
Tome leads the kava serving at namata
The incredibly hospitality Mitchell family
It’s always hard to say goodbye but we hope to come back to Qamea for diving but for now we get up early at set a course for the northern Lau Group to experience remote Fiji, scenic anchorages and cupcake islands galore.
