The land of kindness, resorts and traditions: Fiji
On our way to Fiji. Believe to or not, but the weather is very good! Nice smooth sail.
Kevin has a cool spot on the front. Easy to take with us.
So it’s time to fish! And what a fish we caught!!! A Mahi Mahi, heavier than the girls (they weigh 22 kg)!
We had it on our bad fishing line, but Geoffrey managed to wheel her in!
Impossible for me to lift it up, so Geoffrey can show of his trophy. Louise is a bit intimidated by the length. She won’t play with it this time!
The cleaning took a while! And not only the fish!
16/09/2019
We’ve just passed the Lau islands of Fiji. We’re not allowed to stop here as you have to clear in first… Since it is more than one day sailing to first clear in and sail back against the wind, we’re sad to decide not to come back here afterwards… It’s night and we hear a feisty rumbling along the boat and then on the deck. We quickly take our flashlights to have a look and find pumice stones everywhere!
We knew this undersea volcano had burst out around the middle of august with a lot of pumice stones:
This is a picture of a couple we met later in Fiji. They were so unlucky as to sail straight through the worst part:
This is a picture of a couple we met later in Fiji. They were so unlucky as to sail straight through the worst part:
And we had found pumice stones all over the beaches of Tonga, but we thought they would have been gone by now.
Very afraid of the damage we couldn’t see in the dark, but it looked alright in the morning. The antifouling is gone, but the stones are so light, they didn’t scrape the deck, luckily!
17/09/2019
We arrive at the colonial town: Levuka for clearance. It’s not the most beautiful anchorage but supposed to be easy check in. And it was very fast for immigration and health (yes you get a health officer on board!). I barely had time to clean of one side of pumice stones.
Only the guy from biohazard didn’t feel like passing by anymore (it was "already" 1 o’clock in the afternoon 😏). So as it’s a bit uncomfortable shaking in front of this Unesco protected town, we decide to try and go on land anyway. Between the boat and the immigration building they managed to loose all our paperwork, but … we were allowed to have a stroll around town.
All alone at this unpopular anchorage ...
You can see a richer past, but the whole town is wrecked. People are very very nice though! Following us around, asking where we come from, …
The last cyclone really hit them hard.
18/09/2019
As nice as they are in town, we pushed them to get biosecurity done this morning. Wind was picking up, the anchorage really rolly and the tuna factory dumping its very smelly waste water in the bay didn’t play in their favour!
So we’re quickly off “around the corner” to hide for the next few days.
4 hours and a good nappy later, we arrived at Leleuvia.
A small resort in between Levuka and Suva.
They came up straight away to help us on their only mooring. As we went on land to pay, they told us it’s free! And we could use the kayaks, paddles all for free. And yes, also come for breakfast … for free!
Waw, that’s just amazing, right?! Welcome to Fiji, the extreme friendly country!
A birthday message and a beautiful walk later (40’ around the island ) and we’re ready for happy hour!
…
They are so children friendly too! Dinner was wonderful and not expensive, almost less than buying the food yourself!
19/09/2019
The dive club had all the latest material, so with our dive guide all to ourselves, this was again a wonderful and new experience! We dove along a coral wall. A bit dark to get a good impression by pictures, but it was very beautiful! In the meantime the girls were entertained by the boat driver, what more do you want?!
Never get tired of Nemo's 😎
The great things about guides is that they always show you something new. You can touch this coral and it changes colour! I feel it’s a bit like it gets spooked !
The girls enjoy one last time on this enormous trampoline on the water and it’s ready to move on.
More people arrive for the weekend so it’s our “cue” to go 😌😋
20/09/2019
It’s not that far, just to the north of the island Ovalau. Arrow two in the map below.
Another piece of heaven and amazing snorkeling!!! Geoffrey stayed in the water for 4 hours I think!
A great place for school!
22/09/2019
The wind picked up during the second night and we’re not well protected anymore, so we try to find a spot more North-West of the island Suva.
The sail over there is challenging. You have to follow the channel very accurately and still be on the lookout for uncharted shallows! With 30 knots of wind, the genua gave us 7 knots and more to slalom for 6 hours through the channel !
The weather was so variable, going from thunderstorms …
… to bright burning sunshine in just minutes!
23/09/2019
Fiji is traitorous. A lot bigger than we anticipated. So we stop in another magical bay along our way to Denarau. The landscape on the way there is magnificent and the water a bit calmer so we can do some schoolwork 😉
No possibility to get on land, but we don't mind. The view in the bay is great and the water mega calm 😉
24/09/2019
Our journey continues to Denarau.
There's a bit more traffic now. The view is more blurry as there are fires everywhere. We learn later that it's on purpose to get rid of weed in the sugar cane fields.
While shopping for some presents for the family, Louise found a friend.
Ah hills and beaches, just what we like!
We really could get used to this 😏 However our wallet won't 😂
In the mornings we like to go on long walks in the far too hot sun (so we only did that once!). But a very beautiful tour, it was!
First towards the airfield, along the staff's quarters. It has a very colonial feel to it!
And finally, we thought it would be nice to continue all around the island back. Oh my, way to hot and a lot further than anticipated!
We tried to find a shortcut.
And received another beautiful view.
And yess, the other side!!!
And we're back in the resort. Time to put our feet in the water for some relief 😅
29/09/2019
Time to leave Musket Cove. We head back to Denarau for one night and do the clear out, before leaving for Vanuatu.
Just a small picture to show how these amazing mangrove plants enjoy salt water!
Goodbye to a New Zealand boat that left La Rochelle at the same time as us. We met in Las Palmas, San Blas, Panama, Moorea and Fiji. The world is small!
And as we see the last glimpse of Musket Cove, we know for sure, we'll be back!
In Port Denarau, we got a place this time. And not such a bad one!!!
Superyachts all around us. We feel very small!!! But everyone's so friendly and interested in our travels, that we kind of feel in the right sport too 😌😳
After a good night out watching a very fun rugby match between Wales and Australia over a delicious meal in the Rhum-ba, we head for Vanuatu. This is the first time we're buddy sailing with our two Australian friends form Brisbane. Very nice to share and tune weather plans and navigation schedules!
It's a 4 hour way out of the reef and I quickly try to finish a blog, before the internet connection is lost. The girls enjoy a movie.
And Anna looses a tooth!!! She's so happy as she's dying to get a visit form the tooth fairy! A.k.a. Mom and dad during our watch out at sea! 😂
Last glimpse over Musket Cove along a beautiful and smooth way out! That's completely different from the way into Fiji!
Flat seas and no wind, that's our cue to go for a deep sea swim. One of our favourite kinds and very refreshing!
We manage to tuck in behind … just in a spot where the gusts seem less intense. In the process of setting anchor I almost got blown off the deck!
Fiji is traitorous. A lot bigger than we anticipated. So we stop in another magical bay along our way to Denarau. The landscape on the way there is magnificent and the water a bit calmer so we can do some schoolwork 😉
Our journey continues to Denarau.
Louise decides to work on her "blog" 😍
We quickly enter the harbour of Denarau to get fuel, groceries and dinner. It's seems quite nice, but we're eager to swim again!
While shopping for some presents for the family, Louise found a friend.
It's funny. We went for dinner in a delicious Indian restaurant. The girls loved it!
The waitress starts chatting and tells us you immediately see the difference between longtime travellers and the normal tourists. She finds "us" more tanned, relaxed and eager to have a chat. The other tourists: white, stressed and all about themselves 😂
25/09/2019
We hurry to Musket cove. The only offshore island we intend on visiting a bit longer in Fiji (just no time to do more 😱).
No place left at a mooring, but just one more berth in the marina. Aren't we lucky!?
View from our berth. Must be the best view ever while in a harbour!
The girls just love being able to get off when they want and already made new friends.
The tidal difference is quite big, which makes the view extra fabulous. Difference between low and high tide:
The marina is part of a fantastic resort. This is the beautiful "colonial" lobby.
The first car ever driven on the island. There are no cars anymore today, only buggy's.
In the afternoons we lazily enjoy the swimming pool:
Just next to the beach:
In the mornings we like to go on long walks in the far too hot sun (so we only did that once!). But a very beautiful tour, it was!
First towards the airfield, along the staff's quarters. It has a very colonial feel to it!
Second the vegetable and fruit garden that provides the resort. We used it as a school lesson where the girls had to identify some plants. The garden keeper was very keen on helping them 😍
And our nights our very well filled with apero's and barbeque's!
Louise took a picture of her parents: obligation to put it on the blog 😃
Time to leave Musket Cove. We head back to Denarau for one night and do the clear out, before leaving for Vanuatu.
Just a small picture to show how these amazing mangrove plants enjoy salt water!
It's a 4 hour way out of the reef and I quickly try to finish a blog, before the internet connection is lost. The girls enjoy a movie.
Off course it wouldn't be a trip of LouiseAnna just nicely smooth and calm. We'll eat some salt trying to get to Vanuatu. But what is it worth it. Again!
See you soon for more!
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