After returning from Europe we had a few more days at Nawi marina, whilst we got ourselves fully organised for the next leg of our trip. This included quite a large reprovision, as I had let our supplies dwindle quite significantly over the last couple of months, anticipating that Fiji would be a good place to stock up. Indeed, Savusavu was great in this respect & I managed to find most things, including I might add, some reasonably priced New Zealand wine! Phew! There was also a very large indoor fruit & vegetable market where it seemed almost everything cost $3 Fijian ie $2 AUD! What a pleasing contrast to French Polynesia.
We headed out fully laden to an anchorage close by, just off the Jacques Cousteau resort in fact, where we intended to wait for favourable winds to get us eastward (ie against the prevailing winds), to the Northern Lau group. The Lau islands are much less travelled than most of Fiji and lack any real tourist infrastructure. The upside of course, is that you can enjoy some spectacular scenery, snorkel on pristine coral reefs and find some peaceful locations to escape & chill!
The wind did turn to the SW just 2 days later & although it all looked good on paper the first few hours were spent bashing into a short swell with rain pouring down. Fortunately the weather moderated a bit, although the 110nm was certainly boisterous with 30kt+ winds & plenty of green water over the windward hull! Bit of a new experience for us & not exactly as the weather forecast predicted. Nevertheless, by the time we reached the passage to enter the lagoon around Vanua Balavu, the sea state had settled & the sun was shining allowing an easy passage down to Daliconi, the main village on the western side of the island.
When cruising around the outer islands of Fiji, it is important to follow the local customs to avoid causing any offence. Once anchored, before any swim, snorkel or anything else, you go to the local village to offer sevusevu to the village chief. This involves introducing yourselves, stating your length of stay in local waters & offering a bundle of kava, (sourced in the market of Savusavu). Essentially you pledge allegiance to the village & ask permission to travel on their land & through the surrounding waters – in return you are temporarily invited to be a member of the village community. At Daliconi the chief wasn’t there, so the ceremony was conducted by a couple of the village elders – 5 minutes or so of a Fijian chant & lots of clapping. After that we had a brief wander through the village which was kept meticulously tidy with lush vegetation and a few small areas of fruitful crops for the villagers.
It was still relatively early in the day, so we headed north to a protected area within the stunning Bay of Islands. What a spot! This is a marine reserve with multiple small islands & limestone karsts, hidden anchorages & stunning high cliffs, the tops of which were clad with dense vegetation. It was a little reminiscent of some of the areas we cruised in Thailand many years ago. We found the perfect place to drop an anchor & enjoy the surroundings.
There were a number of other boats that arrived simultaneously, catching the same weather window, so we were able to enjoy some social gatherings including a ‘dinghy float’, (in which dinghies are rafted together & literally float around), in a hidden lagoon at sunset. Good to catch up with others to discuss their own experiences & cruising plans.
The following day we took a hike to a viewpoint overlooking the Bay of Island anchorages. After a few 100 metres of a steep path, we had not anticipated that we would find lush meadows replete with cows, horses & sheep! What an extraordinary contrast to the jungle-clad hills that we had visualised! It was really pleasant to enjoy such an unexpected stroll through the countryside, slowly ascending to a spectacular lookout. Quite awe-inspiring in fact, with views over the multiple small islands, hidden anchorages, deep azure sea & views to the reef surrounding the lagoon in the distance.
We moved to a snug little anchorage before the wind changed direction & tied ourselves with aft lines to the rocks to hold us steady in the compact bay. It was tranquil & stunning to be backed up to high limestone cliffs which offered great protection from the wind. We could enjoy the sounds of wildlife – most notably the local barking pigeons which made a noise literally like a dog barking & occasionally a monkey’s ‘hoo hoo’. Not such welcome guests were the ‘noseeums’ that, by definition, we didn’t see in the evening, but felt their residual presence for several evenings to come in the form of agonisingly itchy bites. We had to be much more cautious with our insect deterrents there onwards.
We are presently anchored around the north side of Vanua Balavu, in another gorgeous place. We’re able to snorkel from the boat, explore the limestone caves in our dinghy, paddle-board the maze of small bays & inlets and generally enjoy these beautiful surroundings. We will leave in the next day or so & head back west to the larger islands, but are very grateful to have enjoyed this spectacular part of the world.