Fiji, Vanuatu - Lil and Phil

As we’d not seen any of our children since they all came to New Zealand in January, two excited people were at Nadi International airport on Thursday 21^st September 2018, waiting for Phil and Lilly to come through the gates, sadly, Dolly had to stay in Adelaide and work.

A "must do" when in Fiji - climb a coconut tree

After a quick trip to the Suva markets next morning, we motored down to Nukulau, a small island not far from Suva, where the water was clean and Lil could swim – something very high on a 5yr old’s to-do list!! Second was to “climb a coconut tree and pick a coconut” – also accomplished (with a bit of help from dad). In fact, we ended up with five coconuts aboard that afternoon.

Next day it was off to Dravuni, a small island on the north end of the Great Astrolabe Reef, where Phil and Lilly had their introduction to the more “real” Fiji. Cruise ships now go to Dravuni though, so the villager’s income is supplemented by charging tourists’ exorbitant amounts for coconut drinks, massages and various souvenirs, amongst other things, and we did not need to do sevusevu here. Lilly made friends with two girls from another yacht, Molly and Emily, and after a visit to the school where the local children sang and danced for them, we walked up the nearby hill, found pineapples growing and looked out over the yachts in the bay below while the guys fixed a couple of generators and whippersnippers for the men in the village.

Survivor – the TV show, is filmed on various islands here in the Astrolabes, all the countries have their own island, we visited two of them – only the very welcoming caretakers were there at the time, but we were waved away from a third by an angry film crew (it would not look too good to see SOL in the background – haha).

Yes, that's SOL, way down there

On Buliya Island we had been told there were manta rays, and shortly after sunrise next morning, Phil and Jamie went snorkelling. The reef had beautiful fish and coral and they were just about to return to the boat disappointed when a huge one appeared just in front of them, majestically swimming slowly along the edge of the reef. They followed it for a while before it disappeared as quietly as it had come, into deeper water. An unforgettable experience.

An overnight sail with the wind from the southeast meant perfect conditions for the screecher and although it started out pitch black, the full moon came up shortly after midnight. It was a great sail, Jamie and Phil having fun ‘tweaking’ things and at one stage we were up to 18knots boat speed!!

We spent two nights in Vuda marina, stern tied to the rock wall, walking across a plank on and off the boat. We sneaked next-door, climbed the fence and swam in the pool at the resort, had dinner at the marina restaurant – (very disappointingly over an hour wait for meals) and went to the markets in Lautoka. On returning to SOL I was gobsmacked to see Jeff Cook and his partner, Sally, walking toward us – Derek Anderson had said we were in Fiji somewhere, so as they had all day to fill before flying home to New Zealand, they had hired a car and decided to “have a look in the marina just in case we were around” – and we were!!! Coincidence or karma?? We spent the afternoon catching up on 23 years of news.

Braids - what fun - Nan didn't have to brush my hair every day
but she did put suntan lotion on my scalp else I'd have burnt to bits!!

Monday 1^st October we sailed from Vuda to the very crowded Malolo Island and finding limited anchor room in Musket Cove we moved a lovely anchorage off Mana Island. Here Lilly got her hair braided while Jamie and Phil checked out the prices at the bar. Following the braiding, Loata, the lovely hair braiding lady, invited us to her home for dinner with her family – Lilly had a great time playing with her children, Jamie, Phil, Loata and her husband, Tom, drank numerous bowls of kava.

And it is Goodbye Fiji...

We are on the way to Vanuatu

After Mana Island it was back to Lautoka where we cleared customs on Friday 5th October and set off around lunchtime on the 450nautical mile passage to Vanuatu – a fairly slow start, with little wind we motored for a while then at dusk the wind started to fill in and we sailed along averaging about 5-6knots for the night. About 8pm, the wind was up to 15-20 and we were bouncing around in the chop when out of the darkness appeared a row of buoys – only the end one was lit – we could have so easily run into them!! Luckily apart from a small course change for a fishing boat the rest of the night was uneventful.

We tow the fishing lures all day, and this trip was no different, and, as we have come to expect, we very rarely seem able to yell “Fish On!!” but shortly before we brought them in for the night, we hooked a little tuna. Overnight we manage to collect quite a few flying fish though, who commit suicide landing on the trampoline, the deck or in the cockpit.

Lilly was absolutely super on the trip, it’s not easy for a five-year-old to be confined to the boat for days on end and she did really well – we got out the cards and had numerous games of ‘Strip Jack Naked’, we played board games and Mexican Dominoes, we even had ‘dress like a pirate day’.

Three days and five hours it took from Fiji to Vanuatu, a slow passage with one engine assisting us for half a day, and at 7pm on Monday 8^th October we were in Port Resolution with our anchor down, our yellow “Q” flag and our Vanuatu flag flying from our starboard spreader – we had arrived.

It is indeed an awesome sight to be out in the bay at anchor and looking up to the cliffs on the right see the glow of the volcano.

Next day we went to the Port Resolution Yacht Club where we organised a ride to Lenekel for Customs clearance and the markets - papaya, bananas, tomatoes, and other fresh veges – not big markets, but perfectly adequate, oh, and beer – Tuskers being the local brew, as well, Phil bought kava roots.

Lil introducing some of the local children to the joy of bubbles

While Lil and I played with some local kids up at the yacht club, Jamie and Phil did the Kava thing with the men in the village that night – no women allowed (thank goodness). Under a Banyan tree, an area is cut out and bench seating made, this area, called a Nakamal, is special for kava preparation and drinking. In Vanuatu it is a little different to Fiji – in Fiji the kava root is crushed then ground into a fine powder before being dissolved in water – not so in Vanuatu – here in Vanuatu the men bite off chunks from the roots, chew it up to a glutinous mass, spit it out onto a leaf, then all these globs are mixed with water then the resultant concoction is placed in another leaf which is then squeezed and the liquid mixed with clean water before it is drunk. Kava is drunk out of a half coconut shell – (to me the half coconut shell is the only part that is ok, the rest sounds disgusting !!)

The main reason we came to Port Resolution was THE VOLCANO.

Peering down into the rumbling, exploding lava storm of Mt Yasur is a sight we won't soon forget. Arriving at the visitors centre we were treated to a local welcome ceremony before getting into 4WD vehicles that took us to within 150m of the crater rim where we walked up the ash track to the edge – here there are no safety rails or barriers. Along the path to the crater rim, there are whiffs of sulphur and loud whooshing, roaring sounds. Suddenly, the ground trembles and the inevitable fountain of fiery magma shoots up with a deafening roar and spreads against the sky, sending huge boulders somersaulting back down into the broiling hole in the earth. We wait five minutes and it all happens again. It is indeed incredible.

A once in a lifetime experience - standing on the edge of Mt Yasur as it erupts

The local government has created levels to alert people. These levels range from 0-5 and notes that - An eruption may occur at any level - Level 0 – Normal, Level 1 - Signs of Volcanic Unrest, Level 2 - Major Unrest, Level 3 - Minor Eruption, Level 4 - Moderate Eruption, Level 5 - Very Large Eruption. The mountain is closed during levels 4 and 5, we were there in level 2.

Due to the volcano, there are areas where the steam oozes out of the rock walls heating the water and we had fun swimming in them, also at the end of the bay is a black sand beach where boiling water bubbles from the sand – hot enough to cook in.

A hot water pool makes for a splendid bathtub

A landing in Dylan's Bay is not complete without a guided tour

out to the Cave of Skulls

Leaving the brilliant island of Tanna we sailed to Erromango, putting down our anchor in Dillon’s (Dylan’s) Bay where we went ashore and were given the tour of the village. This included a visit to the Skull Caves - In ancient times the people of Erromango buried their dead in caves and only a short boat ride away from Dillons Bay at Suvu Beach is the Cave of Skulls, a large cave where Chief Mete and his two wives plus many others were laid to rest. Several years ago, however, an earthquake caused the entrance to be semi-closed but luckily bones were dug out and placed near a smaller entrance. Before entering into it it is necessary to ask for permission from the spirits.

After the caves we walked to the river for a swim – the river is beautiful clear fresh water, which of course, felt a bit chilly to start but great once you got used to it – Lilly and I elected to stay and swim in the rock pools – Phil and Jamie went with a couple of the local lads, climbed up, and up, and up the cliff edge then jumped off into the water below. Exhilarating.

Port Resolution

A dugout canoe - the major means of transport in Vanuatu

Sadly, we were on a mission now, Phil had already called his boss and extended his holiday by a week so it was off to Port Vila where he and Lilly would leave us for their flight back to Australia. Before he left, he and Jamie sorted a few minor repairs – Jamie really enjoyed having him around for the month and it was super to have Lil aboard, we had loads of fun and laughs but all too soon it was time to say goodbye and wave them off as they left for the airport and Australia.

On passage - Fiji to Vanuatu

To Fiji now . . .

June - July 2018

When we made landfall in New Zealand back in December 2017 we entered the port of Nelson, at the top of the South Island, and cleared customs there. Near us in the marina was an American registered boat “Rendezvous”, a Balance 445 catamaran, and we chatted with her owners, Phil and Jean, as people do in marinas, they were American and had bought “Rendezvous” in Hong Kong and sailed for the last couple of years from there down through the Philippines, Indonesia and the East Coast of Australia then to New Zealand. They were also going to the Pacific Islands like us, and, as one does, we both said we may catch up again - never actually thinking we would!!

But, we did, in Tonga. As we were moored not far from them in Neaifu, we stopped to say hello as we were passing out to anchor back in Hunga Lagoon for a couple more days – Neaifu harbour was so well protected there was very little breeze and we needed to get out of the heat and humidity for a while. Hellos exchanged, they asked our plans for the next week or so – we had been looking at the weather and felt that either Tuesday or Friday would be a good window to set off for Fiji – they had the same weather window in mind so we made plans to meet up with them again Monday 25^th June to recheck the weather and maybe sail in convoy to Fiji.

Monday we were back in Neaifu, last load of washing done, last fresh fruit and veges bought, weather checked – tomorrow we were off to Fiji.

Customs cleared by midday, Tuesday 26^th June, and along with “Rendezvous” and another catamaran, “Distant Sun” (Rob and Nicola) we were on our way.

Simply gorgeous view behind us en route to Fiji

A cold local beverage and glass of red after arrival

The wind was almost behind us, on our port quarter, so after we cleared the harbour we raised the mainsail, pulled out the genoa and were off – expecting a two and half to three-day sail – we were flying along, at one point the speed log showed a great 16 knots boat speed!! We made the passage in just a speck over two days, arriving in Savusavu, Fiji just after lunch on Thursday and were tied up to the rather ramshackle looking marina awaiting customs – luckily for us we made such good time as Friday was a public holiday and so clearing-in charges were considerably more Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Formalities over we showered, washed the salt off SOL and waited for Phil and Jean, who arrived and were moored by 9pm.

Savusavu is not much, just a main street, with many, many shops, a market, and numerous eating places. Most of which were closed on the Friday holiday but we did manage to find a bar that served us drinks and a very passable fish and chips (at only $6 Fijian each). 

Mahi Mahi !!!

There is a chap in Savusavu, Curly, who runs the sailors net here greeting all who care to listen with a cheery “Goooood morning, Sa-a-a-a-avu-savu” then proceeds to give all sorts of helpful information about the town and surrounds. He also holds seminars and sells fishing lures ’guaranteed’ to catch mahi-mahi – and, yes, Jamie and Phil went out and in a couple of hours had caught three of good size so even after sharing them three ways, we had fish dinners ready for the next ten days.

We caught the local bus (driven at breakneck speed with radio blaring) to the town of Labasa – a three-hour journey each way, one day - not that there was a lot to see there, but certainly a bus trip not to be missed. The bus was crowded on its return journey to Savusavu, it being 4pm and so it was full of school children - it was delightful to see the bus stop at each village along the way, children disembark to the welcoming calls from younger siblings waiting for them.

We visited the Savusavu markets for tremendous fresh fruit and veges and organised to buy our bundles of kava (yaqona – pronounced yangoona) from a local gent who had a shed full of the strange looking roots, necessary for sevusevu on the outer islands.

Sevusevu is a ceremony performed when you first arrive at a new village, it involves finding the Turanga-ni-koru (headman) who will take you to the chief. The Turanga-ni-koru talks to the chief for you, hands over the kava and any other gifts you have brought to the village then after the chief has accepted your gift of kava he welcomes you to the village, the surrounding land and waters. It is an essential part of going to each new village and also entails women to wear skirts covering their knees (or a sulu) and have their shoulders covered. No sunglasses or hats worn and backpacks can be carried anyhow except on the back!!

We had a great time with Phil and Jean then left to go in opposite directions – them to Suva and back to USA for two months and us to explore more islands.

At The Planters Club, an old colonial club, Savusavu, with Phil and Jean (Rendezvous)

Fawn Harbour then Viani Bay then heading out to Rabi Island to Catherine Bay and beautiful Albert Cove where we had been told was really good snorkelling, spending a few days there with Midnight Sun (John and Wendy) before we left for Taveuni then on to Matagi Island for a couple of nights preparing for an early morning start to make the long day sail to Vanua Balavu (leaving midnight in the pitch black but with a good 20knot breeze) as we must make the entrance to the reef by 2pm – in daylight so you could see the reef and coral bommies between there and the anchorage spot two hours motoring time away. We arrived at 2.09pm!! And were anchored happily by 3.45.

Another magical sunset to add to the memories

We had reached the Lau Group, and ahead of us were a multitude of magical islands to explore.

Young girl seen on the bus to Labasa (pronounced Lam-bassa)

School Bus Fiji style

Cathedral, Catherine Bay, Rabi Island - used now for youth group conventions

Simply idyllic...