Nananu-I-Ra - Port Denarau
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Nananu-I-Ra - Buliya
My dad is visiting for three weeks in Fiji and is already introduced to the Fiji hospitality on the way to Blue Bie: Max, the manager of MacDonalds resort organizes his taxi ride, the driver explains the views and local customs and Max’ staff boat brings him safely to Nananu-I-Ra and Blue Bie.
Nananu-I-Ra
After spending a few days with cruising friends in Nananu-I-Ra and sleeping out the jet lag, we’re setting sail to circumnavigate Viti Levu. We’re sailing hard on the wind for two days, stopping just for the night before arriving in Makogai. There we explore the former lepers’ colony and snorkel on the beautiful coral head, which has captured my attention already so often. It makes me very happy to share this little natural wonder with my dad.
Makogai lepers cemetry
A short passage brings us to Levuka, the former capital of Fiji and an UNESCO World Heritage site. I start the day with checking in with the authorities – a week late and the wrong port… While friendly, the officials don’t want me to get away too easily and I have to provide a written explanation and apology to get away without a fine. But they are very helpful and I am known in the little town within minutes. For once I don’t like it, because my dad is not officially on the ship’s roster and I have to drop him off in the neighboring bay before meeting him in town again…
Buliya
We don’t linger under these circumstances and sail to Buliya in the remote Kadavu group. It is another of these beautiful broad reaches and we thoroughly enjoy the sailing. Anchoring away from the village for the first two nights, we have plenty of time for father-son discussions and to celebrate my birthday. So great that good friends remember my birthday and planned long in advance for my dad to bring me birthday presents half-way around the world!
Birthday celebration
Re-anchoring in front of the village, we are presenting Sevu Sevu, the traditional welcome present of dried Kava root, to the chief. Bill, one of the family leaders, and his son takes us under his wings and leads us to Vurolevu, where we’d like to snorkel with manta rays.
Bill and his son
While we miss them on the first day, we can snorkel with these huge vegetarians on the second day. It’s incredible how elegantly these beautiful animals glide through the water without any fast movement.
Manta ray
We’re spending the evenings in the community hall with the 40 men of the village watching Rugby World games. While there are some TVs (and electricity) in private homes, this is the only one TV with satellite tuner and World Cup coverage.
Manta ray close-up
We join them for an ecumenical Sunday service on Father’s Day and Bill’s family clan for a Sunday feast with local delicacies island style: eating by hand, sitting on the floor. In the afternoon, the 15 kinder garden kids of the village come to Blue Bie to look at this alien ship and jump on the trampoline. The elder kids are away in boarding school on the next island – not because they are rich, but because the island is too small to have its own school.
Fathers day in Buliya
It’s these village experiences, which makes cruising so unique. One has to take his time to spend a few days in an anchorage to get acquainted with the local families. But once the ice is broken, the hospitality knows no bounds. I have learned to stay rather in fewer places for a longer time than moving every second day. But we keep moving the next few days nevertheless; shopping and staying overnight in Vanosu, snorkeling and having dinner in Drue and spending another night in Yanuca in the Beqa lagoon, before arriving in Robinson Crusoe (Likuri) Island after an exhilarating downwind sleigh ride.
Buliya kindergarden on board
Kadavu - Bequa
But we keep moving the next few days nevertheless; shopping and staying overnight in Vanosu, snorkeling and having dinner in Drue and spending another night in Yanuca in the Beqa lagoon, before arriving in Robinson Crusoe (Likuri) Island after an exhilarating downwind sleigh ride.
Pa enjoying kava
Robinson Crusoe (Likuri) Island
Robinson Crusoe Island is a tropical paradise out of a travel brochure and well deserves its name: sandy beaches, a nice resort with great food, daily snorkel excursions, coconut demonstrations, hermit crab races and fantastic fire dance shows provide a fantastic setting.
Robinson Crusoe Island
Cruisers are welcome to attend all activities and we spend happy days and evenings in company of my friends on Monkey Feet.
Fire dancing
A last sail past the famous Cloudbreak surf break, where Blue Bie surfs a tiny bit on a long ocean swell, brings us to Port Denarau. We’re spending the last two days organizing a dinghy and kite repair, getting souvenirs and having dinner with my good friend Wayne. It feels as if they have met before – they have already heard a lot of each other!
Cloudbreak
Port Denarau
So great that my dad is fit and healthy to come and visit me every year!
Exuma
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