Sailing on SOL: Kabara, Matuku then Suva….

We had read that the island of Kabara (pronounced Kambara) was where they did the woodworking and handicrafts from the wood of the Vesi tree. Vesi is one of the most popular and famous trees in Fiji. This is the tree that is the source of all the wonderful carvings of Fiji, like the tanoa or kava bowls, the turtles and fish. This hardwood tree grows up to 40 to 50 feet high and has great spreading branches. It was formerly a sacred tree of Fiji. On the island of Kabara, vesi trees grow in abundance. These are the source of these carvings that has made Kabara well-known around the world. So, we wanted to make a stop in Kabara for sure, being right into things made from wood!!

A visit from the village men, who enjoyed our hospitality while

the children swam and paddle boarded

Surprisingly, Kabara is not surrounded by a reef, and the lovely long white sandy beach would be exposed in most wind directions, but luckily, we had next to no wind on our arrival there so we anchored just off the beach and headed in for sevusevu. This would be the poorest village we have been to, houses with dirt floors, some with only three sides and although we asked about woodwork and tanoa (kava bowls) they were reluctant to sell us anything – they send all they make to Suva for sale there, being paid about $20-$30 a bowl – we would have happily given them $100 but they didn’t seem to know how to maximise their worth so were not interested in selling to us.

We took a walk up the hill overlooking the village and when we got back to the boat we gathered all the extra food and clothes we had and took this back to them. It would appear not many cruisers stop here and next afternoon we had what seemed to be the entire village aboard SOL, adults and children having a super time on the paddleboards, using the masks and snorkels and fishing – it was such a treat for us and them.

From Kabara we set off on an overnight sail to Matuku, 75 nautical miles away. We were expecting a good sail, but sadly the wind didn’t turn out as forecast so it was a motorsail to begin with, one engine and the jib only until the wind filled in and we were able to douse the engine and we sailed all night with just the jib, going along pleasantly at 4-5 knots boat speed. As morning broke it was up with the screecher for a couple of hours then back to no wind and we motored the last 5 hours through the reef into the lovely secluded and protected Matuku Harbour.

Village children, Matuku, all dressed in their Sunday best for church

We spent four days in delightful Matuku, doing sevusevu at Lomati village. The local people so welcoming and friendly, taking us into their houses and their lives, giving us tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers- one evening we even had a visit on SOL from Jesse bringing us some fresh caught fish (Jamie had given him some lures and wire trace, so this was his ‘thank you’). I spent a morning catching up with laundry, then Jesse took us up Korovava (four peaks), a high mountain behind the village – not a walk in the park – it required ropes to climb at some places!! On the way down, he nimbly scaled a coconut tree, threw down a dozen coconuts and a coconut frond, then proceeded to open a couple for us to drink the delicious water inside while he wove a basket to carry the rest back for us to take to the boat. And, all this with only 1½ legs (one leg shorter than the other with a very deformed foot).

From the top of Korovava, SOL just a speck in the bay

After church, Sunday morning, the chief invited us to lunch at his house, a feast to which all the houses in the village had contributed a dish. We, the visitors eat first, then the men, and lastly the women and children. There is no waste, no picky eating, no “I don’t like/want this” and the manners of the children are impeccable. Such a joy to see.