The passage across from Tonga was downwind sailing with strong winds, a good angle for catarmans, very uncomfortable for monohulls! Consequently there were some unhappy crew who were very glad to enter the calmer waters of Fiji, once we had cleared the main entrance passage. We then had to navigate through a reef to arrive at our first anchorage on Vanua Balavu for the night. The Sail East Fiji Guide had all the waypoints for us to do this with radio assistance from fellow rally members. Fiji waters are mostly uncharted and it is important for a person (Ann) to stand on the coachroof to keep a look out for reefs and isolated bommies.
Customs clearance is certainly a different experience. There is there very formal process with customs and quarantine officials with many forms to fill in, passports to be checked and sailing permits to be issued. This process took two days to complete (30 + boats) with officials either arriving at your boat by dingy or on day two because of heavy showers the officials were hosted on one of the larger catamarans, Winds of Change, and we went to them in many varied craft. Yes that is a pink flamingo.
Daliconi, the village we anchored off hosted our first Fijian Feast with a Sevusevu ceremony, a speech from the Pastor, singing and cultural dances by the children and young women. A special covered shelter was erected with colourful fabrics strung around the outsides and bush foliage and flowers entwined around the structural supports. Lots of palm fronds and sprouting coconuts complete the scene. This was our first experience of the Kava ceremony and we both were surprised at the peppery taste, having been told it can taste like dishwater.
Our next destination, a hour to the north is The Bay of Islands, a group of limestone islets and islands with dense green foliage somehow growing out of the volcanic and limestone rock. At the waters edge they are undercut by the constant flow of the tide and caves have been formed over many thousands of years. Some of these we were able to swim into through holes at sea level. They have high cathedral ceilings, the home of either small bats or swallows.
While in the Bay of Islands Cran celebrated a very significant birthday (65) along with Russ a fellow sailor from Vivacious. Russ’s wife Jane baked a beautiful chocolate mud cake (GF) with lashings of chocolate ganache. Happy Birthday Cran, a very special place to enjoy your birthday.
A few days later we sailed around the top of Vanua Balavu to Mbavatu Harbour, a deep anchorage with high cliffs. The walk to the village at the top of the plateau involved a steep staircase - a challenge when one has been sitting on a boat for a few weeks! As well the coconut plantation mostly wiped out by Cyclone Winston, cattle and sheep are farmed here. We visited The Sometime Store in the village to sign the visitors book and the woman from the village guided us on a walk to a cliff top lookout which provided us with beautiful vistas over the Bay of Islands where we had anchored a few days before.
Today, Sunday July 2 we are anchored off the island of Susui at the southern end of Vanua Balavu.
We are enjoying a coffee and writing this blog then we will be getting the boat ready for a sail south overnight to Falangu. Quite a remote part of Fiji with small villages, the most prominent buildings being the church and school. This area was badly damaged by Cyclone Winston and families are living in damaged buildings with tarps on the roof and walls.
The village put on a feast for us on Friday night. Then Sevusevu ceremony here was a little more serious and formal, with the men of the village sitting in a separate area to drink the Kava. We were all invited to share in the Kava, as honoured guests. The feast included many interesting local treats including land crabs, raw fish in coconut milk, baked whole fish, small lime green fish roe in coconut milk, bread fruit, cassava, taro and a small roast pig. A fire was built on the beach and the women were cooking large Pacific Oysters then shelling them and placing them in a bowl of fresh local lime juice - delicious. There were platters of fresh pawpaw and banana and coconuts for drinking. A different cultural experience with special dances performed by the children and much singing and dancing. This village is not visited very often and the feast was the first one that had been celebrated with a sailing group, we feel very privileged.
Yesterday after a trip around the bay we visited the village to purchase bananas and pawpaw and some fresh limes. While there Girt from Winds of Change arrived at the school with two soccer balls for the children. He organised them into two teams and acted as goalie, lots of laughs and surprising ball skills from all involved.
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