Month: June 2019

New Zealand

Into The Unknown

I guess it could be said that we spend a lot of time venturing into the unknown but sometimes it seems a bit more daunting than others. Today we made the trip from Kia Island back through the coral reef highway into the bay at Malau. Unfortunately it was another motor day as the winds just weren’t there for us. Lutz & Gabi put their sail up and sailed a bit but Dazzler requires a bit more wind to move her. It wasn’t a long trip so it really wasn’t a big deal.

Malau was not a scheduled stop in our circumnavigation around Vanua Levu but we were all running low on supplies and Team Dazzler was out of beer. How can we continue our anchor down beer tradition if we don’t have beer? No, this was unacceptable so we all decided to make a little detour here at Malau.

The bay here is fairly large and is not typically a place where you will see yachties anchored. The water is a muddy green color that comes from the rivers that feed into it. On the northern shore of the bay is a large sugar plant. The land there is owned by the processing factory so there is no place to beach or tie up a dinghy so our plan was to head up the Labasa (prounounced La mbasa) River into the city center there.

Of course this doesn’t sound like a big deal until you realize it’s about five miles one way up a river that we have very little information about except what we can find on our charts. There are several spots where tributaries and little fingers go off in various directions and since we have limited fuel on our dinghies we have to be absolutely certain we don’t make a wrong turn. Once again we plan to take both dinghies for safety reasons.

We didn’t waste any time once we secured our anchors. Within a half an hour we were in our dinghies and making our way toward the mouth of the river. All of us were ready to make the trek up the river in hopes of finding the supplies we seek.

Here in the bay where the Labasa River comes out there are also two other rivers or tributaries that open up so Dan spent a great deal of time studying the chart to be sure we chose the right one. It really wasn’t that difficult to locate as there was a very large, yellow, metal marker of some sort. It isn’t like a normal nautical marker. It’s more like something that sank there and has been left there to mark the entrance to the river.

Having found our entrance point we point the dinks into the river and keep moving on. Just after we entered the river Dan was looking at the photos of the chart he had taken to help guide us when I noticed some swirling and a bit of chop in the water. As I was telling him we were headed into really shallow water, we bumped the muddy bottom. Oops! Thank goodness it was just soft mud and not sharp coral. Oh well, things happen. Got to keep moving on.

The ride up the river was absolutely beautiful. The sun was high and the sky was clear and everywhere we looked there were mangroves and lots of palm trees and untouched land. The river is fairly wide. In most spots it was 30-50 meters wide and was flat as glass. This made for a great, fast run. Of course we were continually on lookout for shallow spots. One bump in the mud was enough for the day. Along the way we saw a couple of fishing boats but for the most part we had the river all to ourselves.

Before we knew it we were entering the city of Labasa. The shoreline was dotted with tiny, rectangular homes with tin roofs and walls. There was laundry hanging out to dry and in many areas there were dilapidated boats half sunken in the black mud behind the homes. Along the way the people would come out to see who was coming up the river. They’d wave and called out to us in the Fijian way.

Once we found the city the trick was trying to find a safe place to tie up the dinks while we went to shore. There is a large fish market on the river that was literally crawling with people. Somehow we didn’t feel overly comfortable just tying the dinghies up on strange shore where so many people could see them left unattended so we went back and forth as to where to put the tenders.

We finally decided we’d tie them to a tree on the opposite side of the river, which had far less people walking around. Just about the time we started to tie Sparkle to this tree a rather nicely dressed man in a fishing boat came by and motioned for us to follow him. Not sure why exactly but we did.

He tied his boat up to a very rickety old dock and motioned for us to tie up on his port side. Dan pulled onto the beach and let me out and I followed the man up the shore. I thanked him and began to introduce myself when I realized he looked familiar. It was Mare from Kia Island. He remembered seeing us there. Who would have believed a fisherman from another island would show up to help us? What a wonderful surprise!

After the dinks were secured Mare led us through the fish market and the open-air market to the main road to show us where to find a bank and the store. We all felt much safer leaving our dinghies on that shore because everyone in the market knew Mare and was talking to him as we followed along. You know the old saying, “it’s not what you know it’s who you know.”

Once he was sure we were set Mare went on his way and we on ours. The streets of Labasa are hectic and full of people. It was sensory overload after spending a couple of weeks in remote villages around the island. We did manage to find a small Chinese restaurant where we stopped to grab lunch. We went to the busiest place we could find. After all, if the locals are there and it’s busy, it’s probably pretty good. It was!

Next on the agenda was finding a grocery store where we could pick up some beer and other provisions. We walked back to the very chaotic bus station and found a taxi. As it turns out the store was just a few blocks away but the taxi did make it a bit easier. The grocery store is practically brand new and very nice inside. Of course, as usual, it didn’t have everything we’d like to have found but it had the things we needed and most importantly, it had beer!

With our provisions in hand we had the taxi take us back to the wharf area. Gabi and I got out at the open-air market to look for some vegetables while the guys took the other provisions to the dinghies and waited on us. The open-air market is huge with lots of vegetables and fruits and there’s even a section with nothing but spices, mostly Indian. Of course there are lots of Indians here in Fiji. For those who don’t know, there are two main groups of people in Fiji. There’s the Fijians and the Indo-Fijians. So, yes, there is a lot of Indian influence here.

Just a very small area of this huge, open-air market.

With our fresh booty in hand we headed back to the dinghies where we found the guys lounging in the sun testing a few of the freshly purchased brews. They told us they wanted to make sure it was all good before we took it back to the boats.

Now that we had a good lunch and picked up some much needed items it was time to head back down the river. We had another beautiful ride down the Labasa River. This time there were more people on the river and everyone waved and smiled as we passed by.

We made it back to the boats and that evening we enjoyed dinner aboard SV SuAn. We had a lovely dinner of fresh Snapper that we purchased from the fishermen on Kia Island. The sunset was perfect. The food was incredibly tasty. And, the company couldn’t be beat.

As Dan would say, “We headed into the unknown and cheated death once again.”

Until next time,

Jilly & Dan

New Zealand

Making A Difference

This morning we traveled through miles and miles of coral reefs to one of the most amazing islands we’ve seen in Fiji. Kia Island is a beautiful little island about 15 miles from the main island of Vanua Levu. It’s a motor trip as there was barely a breath of wind when we left the anchorage. It’s another one of those mornings where it’s hard to tell where earth ends and heaven begins. The closer we got to the island and the later in the day it became those beautiful Pacific tradewinds began to blow and provide a wonderful breeze. Of course by this time we were nearly at our anchorage so we just continued to motor.

The plan was to anchor on the northwestern tip of the island, which is a bit remote and there is no immediate village so no need to jump off the boat and run to shore for sevusevu. A great reef surrounds the island but it is close to a mile and a half away so there is plenty of room for fetch to pick up when the wind blows here. About an hour after we had our anchors down the wind picked up to close to 15 knots and the fetch began to kick up as well. Before long we were rocking and rolling pretty good and the problem was that we were being blown into the shore, which is surrounded by a large coral reef. No, this was not a good thing so we called Lutz & Gabi on the radio and discussed the possibility of moving around the corner where we’d be more protected. Of course by now time was of the essence as it was 1600 hours and the sun was low in the sky. No one wants to anchor at night in a place like this so we jumped up and started moving.

SV SuAn led the charge as we rounded the corner. There is a small village on the shore and they moved in to take a closer look. They told us there was lots of coral and we were still getting some wrap around fetch and wind so we moved a little further south to the village of Ligau to see what we could find there. This anchorage still has a whole lot of coral near the shore but we could see expanses of beautiful sandy bottom in about 10 meters of water. Yes, it was scattered with some rocks here and there but it appeared to be the better anchorage so we called Lutz & Gabi and suggested we take this spot for the night. They agreed and headed our way.

It didn’t take long to find a good spot and before we knew it we were anchored down, having a beer and enjoying watching all the villagers as they came to the shore to see what was going on and who was anchoring in their waters. We all decided to spend the evening on our own boats and head to shore in the morning for sevusevu.

As we were sitting on the back of Dazzler enjoying our sundowners several fishing boats came by to check us out. Everyone was friendly as they waved and greeted us with their warm smiles and a boisterous “Bula!”. The first boat that came by had a gentleman in it who was rather nicely dressed in a colorful blue, bula shirt. For those non-Fijians out there you would probably refer to it as a Hawaiian shirt. This man introduced himself to us and welcomed us to the island. His name is Mare (I may not be spelling it right but it’s pronounced Ma ray). He was very sweet and we told him that we planned to come ashore in the morning and hoped that would be fine. He said it would and went on his way.
The next morning Lutz & Gabi picked us up and we headed to shore to do our sevusevu and hopefully get a chance to explore the island. I say hopefully because the fact is that here you need permission to explore these villages. While we’ve yet to be denied it, you can’t just expect it either.

As we neared the shore we saw a few young children playing on a fishing boat that was anchored near the beach. They were directing us where to go. Soon a man on shore began waving his hands and motioning for us to come through a particular path in the reef. It wasn’t long before we all had to abandon the dinghy and walk through the water to the shore. Once the dinghy was anchored safely we approached the beach and the man who helped us navigate our way through the coral.

Dan with Ben

The man’s name is Vuki and he is tall and has a very pretty smile with kind eyes. He is a bit soft spoken but was very willing to answer all of my questions as we walked down the beach. He led us to the home of the chief’s brother, Ben. It was there that we presented our sevusevu as well as some gifts of Frisbees, beach balls, drink mixes and nail polish for the girls. Ben speaks very good English and was extremely welcoming to us. His home is a bit different from many of the island homes we’ve seen in our travels. It actually has some furniture. No, there was not a lot of it, just a few items to make it a bit more comfortable. Even at that we observe tradition and sit on the floor for the sevusevu.

Once we are all seated Dan presents our gift of Kava as well as the other items we’ve brought along to entertain the children. For the first time since we’ve been doing this we experience a more traditional sevusevu ceremony. While we don’t partake in the actual making and drinking of the Kava, Ben does do the blessing we’ve heard about. It was nice to see and experience the event even if we didn’t understand it because it was all said in Fijian.

Next it was on to the school. Ben, Vuki and a few young children accompany all of us to the school, which is just a short walk from Ben’s home. Fortunately it is almost lunchtime so we won’t be interrupting their day. At least that’s what we thought as we headed across the field toward the two buildings that encompass the school.

When we near the buildings we see the kids all staring out the windows looking at the four strangers who have entered their village. There’s an actual vibration in the air as they start to move around like electrons bouncing off of each other in a microwave. You can see and feel the excitement in these curious young children.

As we get closer a wonderful man named Epeli greets us. He tells us the English version of his name is Abel. Epeli is the acting head schoolteacher and is very kind to us. He welcomes us and before long, the students seem to pour out of the rooms and envelop us like a cloud on a mountaintop. Each child is smiling and looking at us with a sort of wonderment in their eyes. Many of them extend their hands and ask our names and where we are from. There are so many that it feels like a great reception line in which we are the honored guests. Honestly it can feel a bit odd at first but once you embrace the gentleness of these intriguing and kind souls it becomes something so special it’s hard to explain.

These children want so much to know you and know all about you. They are thirsting for knowledge of the simplest kind. First they wanted to know our names and they used them over and over. They asked about where we were from, how we got there, what countries we have visited and so many other things. Many asked me to see photos of America, New Zealand and Tonga in my phone. They are so curious about the outside world that in one respect you want to show them every single thing you can but in another you are afraid of tainting their world with the ideas of foreign lands and things they may never see or experience.

Ben sat on the porch in one corner of the school and handed out the Frisbees, beach balls and other items we brought along. As Epeli showed us around the school we soon found two young ladies in one of the classrooms painting their nails with the polish we brought. They seemed delighted with the treat. Epeli told us normally he would not allow them to do this at school but our arrival brought with it a special occasion. We sort of felt a bit bad for disrupting their day as we had but he assured us it was good for the children.

The children seemed to gravitate to each of us for different reasons. The boys stuck tightly to Lutz and Dan while the girls followed Gabi and I around. We each seemed to have our own entourage of sorts as they grabbed us by the hand and led us around the schoolyard. Two exceptionally wonderful and outgoing young ladies made themselves my official ambassadors and showed me all around the school and its grounds. Something I found very special was their excitement and desire to show me their brand new library. It’s only been there for a few months and is unmistakably new with fresh paint and freshly stained floors. What was sad for me is the fact that there are lots of shelves but so few books. It is very obvious these children are thirsting for knowledge and reading. This is something Dan and I both felt and something that had a profound effect on us.

After an hour or so at the school we all decided we had created far too much ruckus and must move on. This is, after all, was a school day and while our visit may be a good disruption, it is a disruption that could go too long so we decided to say our goodbyes. This became an event all of its own. In fact, it took so long to say goodbye that I began to feel like I was back in the South again. You know us southerners are very longwinded when it comes to goodbyes. We typically start saying goodby about an hour before we plan to actually leave a place. It starts in the living room, then we make our way to the front porch and after more chatting we end up in the driveway.

Eventually we are sitting in our cars and finally, after an hour or so we leave. Well, this was very much like that only it took place between the school and the athletics field as the children continued to follow us, shake our hands and say, “Moce”.

We eventually were able to kept moving as we left the children at the edge of the athletics field. They continued to wave to us until we were out of sight. Vuki walked with us through the village showing us the church, his home and the brand new vorlo (meeting house) that was almost finished. In fact there was a man inside working on some of the finishing work as we passed by. Soon however, we were back at the shore and it was time for our visit to end. We thanked Vuki for the wonderful tour before pulling the dinghy out of the shallows and boarding it.

We all went back to our boats to pick up some snacks and our snorkel gear. About an hour later Lutz and Gabi came by and we all took off again for a circumnavigation of the island. This time we took two dinghies in order to be safe. After all, if one breaks down we still have a way to get to safety.

We headed around the south end of the island first. The water was very clear but a bit choppy. As we rounded the northern tip of the island near where we had briefly anchored the prior day we pulled up to a beach to have a picnic. It was a very secluded little cove with clear, blue water and a coral sand beach. We found a log to sit on and Gabi spread a small towel on the ground where we placed our mismatched snacks of fruit, crackers, cheese and vegetables. Here we spent the next hour or so just chatting about of village experience, boat life and all of the adventures we’ve been so blessed to enjoy.

Until next time,

Jilly & Dan

P.S. This village visit encouraged Dan and I to put together a book drive for the children of these small villages. Soon we will provide you, our followers, with an address in the United States where you can send reading books for children in grades 1-8. We will gather the books and ship them to New Zealand. Next year when we return to Fiji we will distribute them throughout some of these small villages. Please keep checking back for more information.

READ ALL ABOUT OUR BOOK FUNDRAISER…Click Here!