Will Gibson's South Pacific Journal

Lautoka, Vita Levu, Fiji: Oct. 26

Lautoka, our second port of call on Vita Levu, is located on the island’s northwest coast. (The first port we visited, Suva, was on southeast coast.) The island’s prevailing winds and current are from the southeast, so Lautoka enjoys the leeward side’s benefits of light currents and very little wind. Toss in bright sunshine, a picture-perfect private island and a healthy reef for snorkeling, and we were all anticipating another great beach day.

Things did not look promising as we entered Lautoka’s bustling commercial port at 7:00am. But, by 8:30 am the sun was out and I was boarding the “Spirit of the Pacific,” a 70 foot long schooner headed for Livua Island, a private island owned and operated by the schooner’s owner. I had hoped we might go using the sails, but as there was no wind, we used the engines for the 45-minute ride over.

We got underway around 9:00. The captain introduced our merry crew and laid out the plan for the day. Enroute, a light breakfast of local fruit and pastry would be served. A Kava ceremony would be performed. (I partook and the best thing I can say about it is that it numbed my mouth.). Upon arrival, all of the cabanas to the RIGHT of the pier would be for the use of our group. Lunch would be served at 1:00. And most extraordinarily, there would be Open Bar from the time we set foot on the island until we stepped off. But, should anyone want a drink on the ride over, it would be at their own expense. I’m glad to say that no one needed a drink at 9:00 am!!

Over the course of the 45 minute trip, Livua Island gradually came into view.

The island is straight from central casting. A picture perfect sugary beached coconut-sprinkled dot on an azure sea. I know that sounds schmaltzy, but, happily, it’s also accurate.

We had three hours to kill between arrival and lunch, and we went at it like summer campers! Most of us got our snorkeling gear on and jumped off the pier to explore the healthy reef. Others sea kayaked.

Everyone got exuberantly wet some way, some how. How could you not??

Later, there would be time for poking around the interior of the island. Or walking its circumference.

Or searching for shells (and sometimes finding really nice ones) that we knew we could NOT bring onboard, yet we searched anyhow. It was all very simple, and happy and in the moment. And yeah, I guess that open bar thing didn’t hurt.

I know that my glass of Sauvignon Blanc was good and well-suited for the sumptuous buffet laid out for us at 1:00. Heaping bowls of tossed green salad, coleslaw with pineapple, potato salad, eggplant in garlic sauce – Fijian style, avocado, yams, sweet GREEN bananas (?), and many more sides that I didn’t have, along with a choice of grilled blue marlin, chicken or bratwurst. A trio of the crew entertained. Best of all, there were NO flies.

After lunch, most of us had a quiet, restful time, either in our cabanas or under shade of trees. There were no flies to disturb our languor. It occurred to me that we had become our own tribe, sharing a communal meal and then slipping off to rest close to the earth and each other, breathing in the same sweet restorative air of Polynesia. Or maybe I dreamt it, because I definitely had a nap. Afterwards, I got a few pics of the island’s interior during our dwindling minutes.

The schooner’s bell sounded a bit before 3:00, and we were all aboard by 3:15 for our 45 minute return voyage to the Volendam.

The Volendam departed Lautoka promptly at 4:30, and we began a scenic cruise of the north coast of Vita Levu. It but me in mind of Southern California.

At the island’s northeastern cape, we turned due east towards Savusavu and met again the strong currents and winds of the Koro Sea.

The northernmost outer islands of Vitu Levu fell behind us in a brilliant mélange of mauve and orange. I know that sounds schmaltzy, but happily, it’s also accurate.

Aloha and Mahalo

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Savasavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji: Oct. 27

Preface: The Fijian word BULA literally translates as “life” or “good health.” But it’s also used as “hello” and you hear it used everywhere, all the time. Knowing this lends great insight to the song “Bula Bula.” It’s probably best that the lyrics are in Fijian. “Hello Hello” just doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily and isn’t nearly as much fun to sing! Try it!

Vanua Levu is the northern-most island of any consequence in Fiji, and it’s shaped a bit like a mother platypus with a baby platypus alongside, which is a long way of saying it’s oddly shaped. (Check it out on Google Maps). Where the mother platypus’ left leg joins her trunk, there is a large, protected bay, and within that bay an even more protected cove between Nawi Island and the small town of Savusavu, (pop. 3,500). This is where the Volendam dropped anchor at 8:00 am and our tender process began. I didn’t hurry off, as I was putting the final touches on two posts I wanted to upload to the blog.

I went ashore around noon, searching for a lunch spot with free WiFi to check emails and publish the posts. I found WiFi to be a scarce resource in Savusavu: not a single spot at the port facility offered it.

I managed to hail a tech savvy cab driver, and we were off to Daku Resort Cabins, just 1 km away. The resort was a scattering of rustic cabins, all with sea views and sea breezes,up a gently sloping hill to a “great house” atop where the front desk, bar, restaurant and Wifi were located.

Lunch choices were basic: Fish or Chicken, with salad and fries. As was the WiFi: just one step above dial up. Everything was fine until the lunch arrived. Holy Hell!!! A phalanx of flies descended before I could get even a whiff of the vittles. These were no “eat with one hand and shoo with the other hand” flies. We’re talking total onslaught. I ended up shooing nonstop with both hands which just gave the hellions an opening to land front and center and enjoy more of my lunch than I did. Gross!! If anyone ever asks, this is where my IBS began.

So I moved to the bar and concentrated on drinking. There was plenty of time to do so, because the WiFi connection dropped incessantly. Oh, how I longed to be back at the Lava Hotel in Western Samoa! A few faces I knew from the ship began arriving, and soon, new friendships were being forged. We toasted to all having been christened “bulanaires” by our barmaid.

My posts eventually uploaded!!

We all rushed back to make the last tender at 4:30.

But, turned out we didn’t raise anchor until after sunset. A passenger got barbed by a stingray while out and about during the day. The ship’s doctor felt it prudent to have the passenger returned to shore so a local doctor with more experience could treat it. It was close to 7:00 before the patient and nurse returned to the Volendam.

Shortly thereafter, we waved goodbye to Fiji, and headed southeast to the Kingdom of Tonga, fatherland of Hawaii.

Mahalo and Aloha