Tuesday 11 August 2015

Fiji bound


Vavau, Tonga to Fiji


                                 The local Immigration Company Vehicle

Our time in Vavau was spent trying to keep warm as the temperature had dropped and crazy as it may seem, after coming from Panama, Tahiti and the like, Vavau was cold to us at 15 degrees.
The cruising there is great with many sheltered Anchorages around the various Islands and plenty of depth close in, but the cost of Food etc was not cheap. We found the township in Vavau to be pretty rundown and its obvious there is not a lot of money around.
Sourcing provisions is a challenge here as the supermarkets don’t have a lot of stock and you have to pay close attention to the use by dates on a lot of stuff.
Unfortunately we were too early in the season to see any Whales that come in close to the inner waters to breed. It’s a tourist attraction that many people come to see and there are a lot of charter groups based here for that reason.


                           Inside one of the many caves
                          hanging out with 'Cathy and Sandy'


                           Beautiful Anchorages everywhere

After loading up the Chart plotter with 90 uncharted reefs, we charted our course through various waypoints setting a course to avoid them for our leg to Fiji.


                          Fish for Dinner enroute to Fiji !

We had a good sail over from Tonga, sea conditions were a vast improvement from the Niue to Tonga leg and we had 10-15 knots South easterlies all the way.
We got inside the reef system at the bottom west side  of Vitu Levu just before dark where we anchored for the night before going into Vuda Point the next morning.

We had the Health official come on board and spray the boat for Insects and then proceeded into the Marina there and tied up to the day Jetty for Immigration, where we were greeted by some friendly locals singing their welcome song. It was a great welcome and made us feel at home straight away.


                                 Immigration Dock at Vuda Point

Whilst we have been here in Fiji, so far we have had visits from our youngest daughter Tori and our oldest Fallan, who joined us along with her husband and our 3 year old Grandson. It was fantastic to catch up with them after not seeing them for 18 months.



                                Happy Hour with Tori at the Island Bar in Musket Cove


                                 Fooling around in boats


                        Cloud 9 for lunch


                                Just stunning


                                  Sunset at 'Dicks Place'


                                  Tori leaves today...  :(


                                   Zanders arrive  :)


                                 My Mini-Me!!


                                         Refusing to grow up-haha


                                         Loves his Coconuts


Having Kaiden on board  has meant to having lack of sleep for shelly and I. He wakes at 4 in the morning and is in our Bed for cuddles and then he wants breakfast staright away. He’s a machine, hes either running around at 100 mph or eating and for a three year old, boy can he put it away!
But we wouldn't want it any other way :)




                                    Boys 'just hanging out'


                                  Day tripping at Castaway Island Resort







We’ve booked a buoy out at Musket Cove and are enjoying the time in the sun here and the use of the facilities at both Musket Cove and Plantation Resorts.
We have done some local cruising with the family up to the Yasawas and back and around the Manamanucas  where you have to navigate visually as there are reefs everywhere and the charting is not good around Fiji, buts it been great so far.

We went out to Cloud 9 Pizza Restaraunt for the day and Kaiden blew everybody away out there by jumping off the Top Floor Hand rail into the sea. He just loves the water, not bad for three years old! 

Not sure what the plan is next, but one thing for sure is we are hanging out here for a bit and spending some time enjoying the friendly Fijian lifestyle, although all the Fiji Gold I’m drinking is starting to show around the waistline now! 





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