Taveuni - Nananu-I-Ra

As beautiful as Taveuni and as yummie Audrey’s Iced Coffees and cakes are, there is so much more to see and do in Fiji, that I’m heading off to new and known shores. Rabi with its Polynesians population is calling. They have relocated from Kiribati after their island has become nearly uninhabitable after extensive phosphor mining. A few other boats are anchoring with me in Catherine’s Bay to sit out a northerly storm. Entrepreneurial locals are seizing the opportunity to organize a fundraising dance for the damaged church. They empty the kindergarten and a few women danced supported by singers and drummers and a lot of ado from their families and friends.

I’m slowly making my way towards Nananu-I-Ra, which is the best kitesurf spot in Fiji. I’m returning to Nasasobu to spend a few more days with the local family and trade goodies – tinned goods from New Zealand against fresh fruit and vegetables, which are growing so plentiful here that they don’t know what to do with it. It’s certainly a form of paradise here!

I’m starting to lose count, how often I’ve been to Savu Savu this year. It’s an ideal hub in Eastern Fiji with good provisioning and a happy cruising crowd. My journey takes me then through Namena to Makogai, which has some of the best snorkeling I’ve ever seen: A coral head juts up nearly to the surface and teems with different corals, giant clams and fishes. The biggest family of clown fishes I’ve seen is making this coral head their home and I’m hard pressed to find Nemo.

Arriving in Nananu-I-Ra, I’m spending quite some time fixing my kites – I haven’t used them in a year and they’re getting old. Having once had the latest gadgets, I’m now having the oldest equipment on the beach… But I’m managing to always have the right kite ready when the wind is blowing. After a week I’m getting back into the kitesurfing groove and am starting to progress to new moves. The wind disappears for a week giving me time to look after Blue Bie, explore the tiny island of Nananu-I-Ra and hang out with other cruisers. Normally, I’m the one who is leaving an anchorage relatively soon – here the other cruisers are passing by and I’m the fixture.

The wind is coming back finally and I’m spending two great weeks kitesurfing. There’s plenty of company; other kiters are lodging on the island and Petr on Endless, Peter and Christina on Nymph and Paolo on Super Mario are coming, too, and we’re kitesurfing together. It could have gone on for longer, but my dad is arriving and we’re planning to sail around Viti Levu to visit some remote island groups.