Sailing South Pacific : Fiji

It was a stroke of luck that, during one rainy evening in Vancouver, I was online and came across a website called "Find a Crew" where skippers look for people to help them sail and vice versa. I signed up and searched some of the many profiles listed. In my own profile, I had put the countries that interested me, (Fiji, Micronesia and Melanesia) and my experience in sailing (just a few times on the jib and spinnaker sails in a local race and a few times on a Laser).

I did this as the possibility of getting a leave of absence from my work was becoming a reality. The cards fell at the right time and in the right place when I received an e-mail back from this young Frenchman named Cedric, who was one quarter way into a 2 years sailing trip from California to the Mediterranean via the Pacific and Indian oceans. He sent me an e-mail then we later spoke on the phone and it was a go. I had sub-let my apartment and I was off to Fiji to join him on his 36 foot Jenneau sailboat called "Thira". A dream come true really.

I arrived in Nadi via Auckland, spent my first night in a hotel then took a 4 hour bus ride to the capital Suva on the south eastern side of Viti Levu. The hills are green, the ocean turquoise blue and the wind is hot and humid. "Bula" is the local equivalent of aloha and everyone says it to you. I was to meet my new mates and my new home at the Royal Suva Yacht Club. Cedric came up on the dinghy and brought me to Thira where I then met Peter, from Amsterdam (who has been on the boat since Mexico). I had a good feeling with the guys straight away. It took me a few days to get acquainted with the boat and all the do's and don'ts from Cedric the skipper. The following week was about getting to know each other as we prepared the boat for the next five months. This included some minor repairs, buying lots of food, wine, supplies... In the evenings, we watched Fiji play in the world cup of Rugby League at O'Rieley's pub. (I wondered how many Irish pubs there are in the far flung corners of the globe). We also ate lots of great curry at the many Indo- Fijian restaurants in town.

When it was time to leave, we sailed to Beqa island, just south west of Suva. It was indeed a reality as the engine was shut off and the warm wind filled the main sail and we were silently cruising along in the South Pacific. Along the way, one of the two fishing rods in the back trolling suddenly had a long whirling sound. Cedric reeled in a large mahi mahi (aka dorado) that I was careful not to lose as I stuck the gaffe into his side and hoisted him onto the back of the boat. We had enough fish for 3 days... first night as sushi, then a ceviche, then in a curry sauce. Space is limited on a boat and it took me a while to get adjusted to the small cooking space, the sleeping cabins and the 'head' (toilet for landlubbers). Being a sailing instructor, Cedric will be good at teaching me how to sail, especially when we leave the Fijian islands and into the vast open water heading north.

We ended up in a small bay on the lee side of the Beqa island. Following the custom of offering some kava roots to the village chief, we were then invited to come and go as we pleased. We were asked to come to Sunday mass. Lots of harmonious singing in the Polynesian islander sort of way. We were then invited for lunch of fish in coconut milk along with the staples of the South Pacific; taro and cassava.

We spent a week there. The stereotypical image of a tropical paradise. Being Fiji, there are quite a few resorts on some of the islands. This one had two. We would anchor off some of them, go for a swim in their pools, perhaps a beer or two, fill up our scuba tanks before taking the dinghy back to the boat. We brought some of the village men on the boat with us and went out to the reef for a few one day excursions of snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing. I hadn't scuba dived for over 5 years, but all was good as Peter is a dive instructor who had just spent the last four years doing that in Mexico. After a couple of dives I got my rhythm back. It was amazing to snorkel behind the local boys and watch them as they free dive 10 to 12 meters and spear fish all sorts of reef fish. I saw several white tip reef sharks, some turtles and once, returning to Thira with the dinghy, a dozen dolphins swam around us. Nice!

Captain Cedric and Fijian villagers

The night before leaving, they made a "lobo" for us (cooked meal with stones in the ground, covered by leaves and soil) followed by an evening of kava drinking accompanied by lots of singing with guitars and ukeleles. As the kava is passed around from the large wooden bowl in a coconut cup, they ask you if you want "low tide" or "high tide"? i.e. half or full cup... you are expected to down it in a quick gulp as there is only one or two cups going around for the twenty or so people gathered in the dim light of an oil lamp.

We sailed overnight (lightning a flashin') to the Mamanuca group and stopped off at Musket Cove, a yacht marina. There is quite a bit involved when coming into a bay or a marina, particularly in a place like Fiji that is full of reefs around the islands. The GPS is monitored constantly but not to be trusted 100% therefore one of us has to be at the bow visually looking for the tell tale signs of lighter blue for less depth and dark patches for coral reefs. Wearing polarized sunglasses helps. Once arrived amongst catamarans and ketches, we signed up at the marina as is done, then later bbq-ed some more fish that Cedric caught spear fishing. At the bar, we met some other yachties, some of whom Cedric and Peter had met previously in Tahiti or Tonga. All types of people, with a range of boats as well. Most are Kiwis or Ozzies. Lots of sailing talk along with lots of drinking. Everyone is going south from here. Not us, we will be going north, cyclones permitting... One can spend months just in Fiji as there are 350+ islands.

traditional patterns  on Fijian tapa cloth

Peter and I are now in Lautoka, Fiji's second largest city (feels more like a town) on the west side of Viti Levu, the main island. Cedric wanted to spend some romantic time with his girlfriend, Gloria, who joined us on the boat for two weeks. He will join us soon. It feels good to be off the boat as four people on board really is a bit too tight. In the meantime, there are Bollywood movies to watch, a couple of local bars to catch some music and play pool with the locals whilst drinking Fiji Bitter.