Sunday, August 19, 2012

Havannah Harbor

We're making baby steps around the islands of Vanuatu.  Check out below pictures of village life complete with dugout canoes at Havannah Harbor, Efate Island, Vanuatu.  Our charming tour guide was five year old Tanya!

Pictures of Havannah Harbor, Efate Island, Vanuatu






Hello Vanuatu! (August 13, 2012)

After a slight delay in taking off from Fiji due to a windlass problem which was easily fixed, we departed Fiji on Thursday, August 9 and arrived in Port Vila, Efate Island, Vanuatu on Monday, August 13.  We had a delightful four day passage with gentle trade winds and calm seas - we could even do jumping jacks on the bow!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Goodbye Fiji (August 6, 2012)

So many islands, so little time!  We're sad to leave all of our wonderful friends from New Zealand, Laos and Japan but wish them all a wonderful time in Fiji!  We're off to Vanuatu today.  Vanuatu or Bust!

Last Day in Fiji


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji (July 2012)


After our tour of Suva, we took the Patterson Brothers bus/ferry to Levuka on Ovalau Island.  The town of Levuka was Fiji’s capital until the shift to Suva in 1882.  Founded as a whaling settlement in 1830, Levuka became the main center for European traders in Fiji, and a British consul was appointed in 1857.  The cotton boom of the 1860’s brought new settlers, and Levuka quickly grew into a boisterous town.  Escaped convicts and debtors fleeing creditors in Australia swelled the throng, until it was said that a ship could find the reef passage into Levuka by following the empty gin bottles floating out on the tide.  The honest traders felt the need for a stable government, so in 1871 Levuka became the capital of Cakobau’s Kingdom of Fiji.  Eventually, in 1874, the Deed of Cession, handing over Fiji to Britain, was signed here.  Today, Levuka is host to the Pafco cannery, a number of small stores and a couple of restaurants.  It is an extremely friendly place where we were welcomed warmly by the mixture of indigenous Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Chinese Fijians, part European Fijians along with a few expats who inhabit this sleepy town.

We stayed at the Royal Hotel, Fiji’s oldest hotel, dating back to the 1860s and it’s got character to back it up.  Definitely worth the stay in this charming hotel with wood floors covered with oriental rugs, rattan sofas, potted plants, historic photos, and even a billiard table.  We loved the charming guest cottage with hardwood floors overlooking a tropical garden and pool.

While in Levuka, we attended the Ovalua/Rewa rugby match.  We had promise the Rewa rugby players who we met on the ferry that we would cheer for their team.  They had a great game but lost to Ovalau. All the players played with a lot of heart and passion while the townspeople cheered and sang Fijian songs.

Ovalau Island Pictures



Ovalau Island Pictures





Ovalau Island Pictures





Ovalau Island Pictures





Ovalau Island Pictures





Ovalau Island Pictures





Ovalau Island Pictures





Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji (July 2012)


While our jib sail was being re-stitched and we were waiting for our sail glides to arrive, we decided to get off Lardo for a week.    So we treated ourselves to a bus trip to Suva where we stayed at the South Seas Hotel. 

According to Master Poni, the young school teacher from Mbutha Bay, you ain’t seen Fiji until you’ve seen Suva.  Suva is home to half of the country’s urban population and as the largest city in the South Pacific, it’s an important regional center.  Swimming in the urban milieu is the influence of every island and background, a vibrant Indo-Fijian community, university students from around the Pacific, Asian sailors on shore leave, and a growing expat community of Aussies, Kiwis and yes Americans too.

We saw many sights, including the Presidential Palace, Fiji Museum, Thurston Gardens, University of the South Pacific and the downtown shopping mall.   Aside from the normal sightseeing attractions, we took time out to play tennis, go to the movies, shop at the mall and even go to McDonalds.

After Suva, we continued on via bus/ferry to Ovalau.

Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Pictures




Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Pictures





Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji Pictures





Trip to Viti Levu/Cruising with Japanese Friends (July 17 to July 22, 2012)


Makogai  (pronounced Makongai)

We sailed a fifty mile passage from Savusavu to Makogai with 20 to 25 knots of wind.  Left early around six a.m. and arrived about three in the afternoon.  We caught a lovely Mahi Mahi that was nearly as big as MaryLee!

From 1911 to 1969, Makogai was a leper colony staffed by Catholic nuns.  As you can see from the pictures, many of the old buildings still stand.  Over the years, about 4500 leper patients were sheltered here, including many from various other Pacific Island groups.  Included in the pictures are the remnants of the movie theater, hospital, prison and the burial grounds.  After the closure in 1969, the island was off limits as it was under quarantine for ten years.

Today, Makogai is owned by the Department of Agriculture, which ran an experimental sheep farm where they cross-breeded sheep from Britain and the Caribbean.  As you might have guessed, this wasn’t a very successful venture, so they gave up.  Fortunately, the Department of Agriculture put this island to better use and is now raising clams and turtles in order to save these dying endangered species.  So far this program has been successful.

While walking around the island, we spotted the collared lory - a chunky and extremely active little parrot; green, dark blue and brilliant red.

Naigani (pronounced Naingani)

We caught up with our Japanese cruiser friends Tsuneo and Kazuko (S/Y Dolce) on Naigani.  Naigani is a lush tropical island near Makogai and Ovalau.  It’s a very small island with pristine beaches and the clearest water that we have seen in all of Fiji.  We spent a lovely evening watching the nearby villagers fish in kayaks other small boats.

Nanana and Nananu-I-Ra Islands

We anchored off of Nanana and Nananu-I-Ra Islands.  Tranquil Nananu-I-Ra Island, next to Nanana Island, was originally owned by Procter & Gamble heiress Louise Harper of Southern California who bought it for a mere US$200,000 in 1968.  There’s now a few resorts nestled among these islands with plenty of white sandy beaches and no roads.

On arrival to the anchorage, it was a bit hairy for Tsuneo and Kazuko as their steering cable snapped just as they were anchoring.  As they lost their steering, he had to immediately drop his anchor.  Fortunately for Tsuneo, he had a spare cable and was able to make the repair the following day.

That night after making the cable repair, we were treated to a fantastic sashimi dinner by chef Tsuneo with the fresh Wahoo (Ono) and Mahi Mahi that we had each caught along the way.  I think the pictures show what a fantastic meal that we shared with Tsuneo and Kazuko!

Vatia Wharf

The next stop enroute from Nanana to Vuda Point Marina was Vatia Wharf.  We arrived late in the afternoon at Vatia Wharf and left early the next morning.  Not much to say about this anchorage other than it was a nice sandy bottom with depths of about 20 to 30 feet – easy!  That evening as we were sitting at anchor, we watched many fires on the hillsides; we figured that the plantation owners were burning the sugar cane fields.

Vuda Point Marina

The next day, it was an easy passage from Vatia Wharf to Vuda Point Marina.  We passed the sugar cane city of Lautoka along the way.  Overall the entire inside passage around the north side of Viti Levu was well marked and we were able to avoid the reefs with the help of Curly’s way points and our navionics.