8-2019 The Waiting Game in Fiji

Hi from Clare,        8-2019 The Waiting Game in Fiji           28th August 2019

WAITING

When we last wrote we were restocking the boat to sail to Vanuatu, but at the same time considering staying in Fiji and applying for an extension on our Visa. The weather has been windy and at times the waves between Fiji and Vanuatu have been as high as five metres.  Not exactly fun, but we now have a two month extension, we will wait for the right weather window.

HOW FORTUNATE

It is very good to be in Musket Cove with access to the Yacht Club facilities, the resorts, restaurants, swimming pools and long shady walks. We are also enjoying the company of many cruising friends from the 30-50 boats anchored here.

Walks around the resort

Our anchorage in Musket Cove

A WONDERFUL GIFT

Jennifer on the power yacht ‘Starlet” was celebrating her sixtieth birthday. Her husband Mark organised a wonderful party for her by inviting about thirty cruisers to their unit for cocktails and then on to the Sailors Bar for a fully catered BBQ. They didn’t know thirty cruisers so they invited the ones they did know and said bring some friends. We got an invite as a friend of a friend.  Everyone mixed well, Mark and Jennifer making us very welcome. Some of the cruisers brought along their musical instruments and supplied the dance music and a sing along including Happy Birthday. A great night was had by all.

Birthday girls Jennifer and Mark

The gang at Jennifer's Party

Cruising Musicians 

AN UNEXPECTED GIFT

The following evening a few of the cruisers had another BBQ at the Sailors Bar and Pele on ‘Loupan’ won a meat raffle. This necessitated a further BBQ the next night, Pele supplied the meat and we supplied the rest. The outdoor Sailors Bar is a terrific facility with wind protection, tables and chairs, relaxing lounges, electric BBQ and a sink with hot water for washing up. The bar is there if needed, the BBQ is clean and well maintained and cost $2 per use. It is certainly a firm favourite of the cruising community, offering a very pleasant setting for an inexpensive get together on land.

THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE

Sometimes we took Eye Candy out to nearby snorkelling spots and enjoyed exploring the coral reefs. It is great to see such healthy coral and many varieties of tropical fish. The fish are not at all timid which I think shows that they haven’t been harassed by too many snorkelers. We stay in the water enjoying the show for as long as we can before turning wrinkly. Then we lie on the deck to warm up under a brilliant blue sky listening to the waves softly lapping against the boat. It is a very peaceful way to spend the day and it is always a little sad when the time comes to lift the anchor and return to civilisation.

Beautiful Healthy Coral

AS TIME GOES BY

It was Andrew’s birthday and so we celebrated with lunch at Dick’s Bistro and Bar at the Musket Cove Resort. We then spent a very pleasant afternoon at the pool swimming and  relaxing on the lounges in the sun.  Maybe we are showing our age going out for lunch instead of dinner. Yes perhaps we are, but by evening I am a bit weary and Andrew likes to be on the boat to participate in the Radio Nets.  Musket Cove is a very popular spot and throughout our cruising years we haven’t found any place more welcoming.   Lifetime membership to the Musket Cove Yacht Club costs $10 which gives access to the island, the facilities and the resorts. Why wouldn’t you join?

Happy Birthday Andrew

CARD SHARKS

We spent a very enjoyable afternoon on Acapella learning a new card game called “Oh Shit” It is a good social game to play as you can talk and laugh and have a bit of fun. The winner is the person with the lowest value of cards at the end of the game. Of course you can be doing quite well with mostly low numbers and then you pick up a high number that you may or may not get a chance to throw out. That’s where the “Oh Shit” comes in. We had a fun time and I was lucky enough to win the day, so no “Oh Shit” for me.

Jacob, Ellen, Martin, Andrew, Hanny  "Oh Shit"

So we left Musket Cove and sailed the thirteen miles back to the main island of Fiji and settled into Saweni Bay just north of Vuda Point Marina where we left the boat last summer. The protection is good from all winds except northerlies. However there is a bay about a mile way that is perfect protection from a northerly wind, so we have it covered. The bus to Lautoka comes passed the bay each morning so we have good access to the town for provisioning.  I have spent a few days in town buying some cotton dresses which are very comfortable in the hot weather. I have bought a few other things but like all shopping it takes time to find what you want. So I think I have had enough retail therapy for the moment.

On Sunday we walked the six kilometres into Vuda Marina. It had rained the day before and so the dust on the dirt road was settled. A lot of the distance is along the rail line that takes the sugar cane to the factory for processing. The trains don’t run on Sundays so we were quite safe. It was a pleasant walk on flat ground and we rewarded ourselves with lunch at the marina restaurant. It was a beautiful day and good to get some exercise.

AND MORE FUN

There are about a dozen boats here in Saweni Bay and late yesterday afternoon we gathered for a pot luck dinner on the beach. We met a lot of new people and quite a few who come up on our Radio Net. It is always interesting meeting people we have been speaking to for some time on the radio. Sometimes they look exactly as we imagine and other times absolutely nothing like we imagined. It’s just another colourful thread in the rich tapestry of life!

Peaceful Saweni Bay  Fiji

SO WHAT’S NEXT

Waiting, waiting for the right weather, but this is a pretty good place to be in the meantime.

Love Candy xx

7-2019 Heading South to Musket Cove

Hi from Clare,           7-2019 Heading South to Musket Cove                11^th August 2019

BEAUTIFUL BLUE LAGOON

We came back into the Blue Lagoon on 24^th July to catch up with some friends. There is always a good number of cruising boats in Blue Lagoon because it has good protection from the wind and the flat sea guarantees a good night’s sleep. Many of the other anchorages along the Yasawa chain are open to swell and we get a bit sick of rolling.

We knew the cruising folk on about five other boats and so we had a very social time. We all attended a traditional Lovo dinner cooked by a local Fijian family. We had fish, chicken and vegetables cooked in a pit for several hours, very tasty and tender. The only problem was there were about a dozen kids at the dinner and only two chickens served. By the time the adults got to the table there was only a plate of chicken bones left. Thankfully the kids weren’t fussed about the fish otherwise the adults would have starved :) A good night was had by all.

Digging for dinner

Lets eat

We did a bit more snorkelling here and found some giant clams which have been relocated to live on the reef. After learning all about the development of the giant clam, when visiting the island of Makogai, it was good to see some giant clams settled in their natural environment.

Giant Clam

A smaller Giant Clam

GO GIRL

After leaving Blue Lagoon we visited the village of Somo Somo. We wanted to met the ninety seven year old female chief. A female chief is pretty unusual as the position is handed down through the male side of the family. However this chief’s father only had one daughter and so she got the job. This 97 year old female chief only produced one daughter as well. Unfortunately the daughter is deceased and so when the 97 year old female chief dies the position will be handed over to the male cousin (her father’s brother’s son). The chief speaks very little English but she performed the Sevusevu ceremony, with her grandson translating for us. I asked permission to have my photo taken with the chief and as soon as I sat next to her, I felt her arm come around me. She had a very caring manner and was most approachable. Her eyes were clear and engaging, we think she will be around for a while yet. The grandson likened her to Queen Elizabeth.

A grand old lady

HAPPY FACES

We went to the village kindergarten and the kids took our hands and led us into their classroom. They sang us the ABC song and seemed surprised that we could sing it too. They individually introduced themselves in English saying their name, sex, their village, mother and father’s name. All important safety information when visiting the city. Their last song, also in English, was naming parts of the body. Pretty good considering English is their second language which they learn at school level. Some of them were touching their ears instead of their nose, and then touching their knees instead of their toes, but it was all very endearing and sung with great gusto.

Andrew being led away

A performance just for us

So the village of Somo Somo was the sixth and last Fijian village we will visit. It has been quite an experience. Compared to our world, their living conditions are very basic. But they seem happy and their sense of community is strong. A totally different life, but who is to say whether it is better or worse than ours? It certainly is food for thought.

A CHANGE OF PLANS

We were heading back to Musket Cove as it is the only other anchorage in the Yasawa chain where we can expect calm conditions and peaceful nights. On the way, we anchored at the island Navadra with four other boats and rolled all night due to the swell. The following morning we intended going south to Musket Cove but we had 20 knots on the noise. This would make for a very uncomfortable trip bashing into it for 4-5 hours. So as there was no rush, we sailed north for fifteen miles to Waya Island and waited for the wind to drop. The good news is that we caught two good fish. A wahoo and a small tuna, so we were set for any delay.

Our Wahoo

Andrew filleting the Tuna

Here we anchored with the motor vessel “Senses” which is some 250 ft and owned by one of the partners of Google. If you want to hire it for your friends, it will cost you 350,000 USD a week. Wow! They had an array of toys out the back, but the one we loved to watch was the foiling self propelled surf board – what fun.

Senses

GOOD FRIENDS

We eventually made it back to Musket cove and caught up with our good friends Ellen and Martin on Acapella. We were invited aboard to have one of their newly created cocktails called “Acapella on the Rocks”. This cocktail came into being after Martin and Ellen hit a reef earlier this year in the Lau goup of islands on the east side of Fiji. They were stuck on the reef on a fifty degree angle for 12 hours until high tide lifted them off. Fortunately there was no water ingress, but their rudder was badly damaged. The cocktail “Acapella on the Rocks” is to celebrate, that although scary, it could have been a lot worse. We spent a few days together sharing morning coffee and a BBQ at the sailors bar. Good fun people, we always enjoy their company.

Martin, Clare and Ellen with our “ Acapella on the Rocks”

We sailed across to the main island of Vita Levu, Fiji to provision for our trip to Vanuatu later this month. We have taken on fuel, propane gas and a new starter battery for the engine. We have made two trips to the supermarket and restocked the boat. To all reports Vanuatu is a lot more remote than Fiji and it is best to bring everything you need.

SO WHAT’S NEXT

We are considering getting an extension on our Visa to stay in Fiji and wait for a good weather window to sail to Vanuatu. This won’t delay our plans by much, but it will take the pressure away from working to a set date. So we will keep you posted.

Love Candy xx