2011.04. - Fiji, Teil 8

April 2011- Savusavu

Ankerplatz in Savusavu ...

Wir erreichen Savusavu ohne Verspätung und wegen unserem 2-tägigen Aufenthalt in Seoul auch einigermassen erholt und ausgeschlafen. Unser Platz an der Boje bietet einen unwahrscheinlich schönen Ausblick in die Berge, nördlich von Savusavu. Der Blick in die "NatHape" war weniger schön, die Vögel von Vanua Levu genossen unser Schiff und dementsprechend "be- ", resp. "verschiessen" sah es auch aus. Zudem waren alle Seile und die Masten von der hohen Luftfeuchtigkeit und der Wärme grün von Schimmel.

Pulotu, Natheliehans und Seni besuchen uns in Savusavu ...

Leon in seiner Werkstatt ...

Links: Hansthalie, aufgestellt und guter Laune, wie alle Fijianer ...

Wir haben uns sehr gefreut, "HansTahlie" und Pulotu zu sehen. Die Kleine ist mit ihren 15-Monaten ausserordentlich gross und sie scheint wie alle Fijianer das Leben ausserordentlich zu geniessen.

Einige Reparaturen an "NatHape" warteten auf uns. In Hyèrés erhielten wir von Amel die notwendigen Ersatzteile, um den Motor für die Genau reparieren zu können. Schon die Demontage erwies sich als schwierig und um die einzelnen Teile voneinander zu trennen hilft nur die Hydraulikpresse in der Werkstatt von von Leon. Die Montage des reparierten Motors erwies sich als noch schiwieriger als die Demontage. Es war uns nicht mehr möglich, das Rigg zusammenzuschrauben. Ein Telefon mit dem Techniker von Amel brachte die Lösung: Rigg von vorne nach hinten komplett lösen und über die Winch den Hauptmast soweit nach vorne ziehen, bis die Riggteile sich verschrauben lassen. Unglaublich, welche Kraft man aufwenden kann und muss, ohne das Schiff zu beschädigen.

Drei Wochen nach unserer Ankunft war die "NatHape" wieder reisefertig und das war gerade rechtzeitig, denn wir erwarten Pam & Jim, unsere Seglerfreunde aus San Francisco, am 7. April 2011 ...

April 2011 - Ankunft Pam & Jim in Savusavu ...

Ankunft Jim & Pam in Savusavu ...

April 2011 - Reise durch die Yasawa-Inseln und nach Lautoka ...

Zweimal wöchentlich fährt das Schiff von Somosomo nach Lautoka und zurück, damit die Einwohner Ihre Einkäufe erledigen können. Wir bringen einen gefüllten Gas-Container für Tania zum Hafen. Das Schiff selbst scheint uns völlig überladen und wir haben gehört, dass zeitweise um die 100 Passagiere die Fähre benutzen. Wir finden die Fahrt von 40 Seemeilen bis Somosomo, durch viele Riffs und teilweise über das offene Meer in einem überfüllten Schiff, mit nur einem Rettungsring und zwei auf dem Dach liegende Rettungsflosse, nicht ganz ungefährlich ...

Das Schiff von Somosomo fährt zweimal wöchtenlich nach Lautoka ...

Auf diesem Bild fehlt leider "Sonnenschirm"-Drink ...

Seveci und seine Frau Vuni

Tania und ihre drei Kinder Seveci, Laitea, Jocua

Veniana und ihre 3 Kinder

Seveci Familie ...

Lora und ihre beiden Kinder

Mere mit Lora

April 2011 - Reise durch die Yasawa-Inseln und nach Lautoka ...

Limaneitui, zwischen Naviti und Waya gelegen ...

Pam and Jim’s visit aboard Nathape – April 7, 2011 to May 1, 2011

April 7th – We land at Savusavu and receive a warm welcome from Nathalie and HP. They quickly settle us aboard Nathape while we try to adapt to the sweltering heat and high humidity. We talk all afternoon and well into the night catching up on everything and everybody.

April 8th - In spite of the pressing heat, we carry on with projects. Nathalie and Pam walk into town to begin provisioning. Jim installs the new Bluetooth radio with HP. We find time in the afternoon for naps, chess and reading. A riverside dinner is enjoyed at the Surf n Turf Restaurant. It’s so hot we know rain is coming.

April 9th - Today we stock up on kava from the local open air market. We purchased bundles of the Yagona root as well as packages of powdered Yagona, both for making kava. HP and Pam get haircuts by the talented Reggie who is very pleased with the new scissors given her by Nathalie. We relax aboard during the afternoon thunderstorm with rum and cokes and conversation. Day ends with a Fijian BBQ grill dinner at a local café.

April 10th – An easy day - a late brunch in the cockpit and a dingy ride over to the Copra Shed cruisers’ hangout so Jim can converse with the local LED lighting expert, Michael; HP can play chess; Pam can read and Nathalie can visit with the marina manager and son and put her feet up. Spending the first four days on a mooring in Savusavu gives us decompression time and prep time for leaving – a good call.

April 11th – Check-out with officialdom; final provisioning; good-bye’s all around. Dinner at the Copra Shed of Fijian chicken fajitas, delicious, and then conversation in the cockpit.

April 12th – Leave at 6:40 a.m. on a bright, sunny day with no wind and head to Nabouwalu on the southern tip of Vanua Levu Island. Sail at 3 knots for four hours and motor for five hours at 7 knots. Had our first swim in warm Pacific waters since 2006 when we were in Tonga. Great! Heavy rain at night.

April 13th – Leave at 5 a.m. to motorsail across Bligh Waters to Tavewa Island in the Yasawa Group - a 13 hour trip over calm seas with bright blue skies. We anchor “a long way from shore” (Nathalie) and have a good swim and then dinner aboard. Sleep with mosquitos.

April 14th – Stay anchored in the “world famous” Blue Lagoon in front of Nanuya Island Resort. Very hot and very calm. Jim and I float ashore to visit the resort, using “noodles”, and then eat noodles for lunch aboard. Dinner ashore promptly at 6:15 p.m. at the Nanuya Resort enjoying the typical Fijian friendly, relaxed hospitality.

April 15th – Relax at anchor today. A rainy morning, so we just go swimming in the rain. Later we snorkel in Blue Lagoon (so-so) and play Baja Rummy with Nathalie while HP has computer time. Use “good rum” tonight with pineapple mango juice – mmm, mmm good.

April 16th – Hike up and through the tall grass, past taro plots and yam gardens, to the other side of island. We sit and chat with villagers, take photos, and meet Lo of Lo’s Tea House. She said we must go see the limestone caves at Sawa I Lau Island. If we don’t do that, we don’t see Fiji! OK. We’ll go!

April 17th – Motor north to Sawa I Lau Island and make sevusevu with the village “chief”, who turns out to be Lo’s ex-husband, giving him the first of the kava bundles. Enjoy company of village people and get lots of photos. Attend Palm Sunday service in little village Methodist church. Jim and HP later bring kava ashore to share and visit with villagers some more. Full moon tonight. Very beautiful scene with island hills, palm tree lined beaches and moonlit bay.

April 18th – Jim & Pam’s 47th wedding anniversary. What a romantic place to spend our day. At 9:30 a.m., we swim with a guide in underground limestone caves and then examine arts and crafts offered by village women. Print photos for villagers; make “kerikeri” to trade photos for fresh fruit. Nathalie prepares a pork roast dinner complete with excellent champagne for the toast. Good food. Good friends. Good memories.

April 19th - Motorsail to village of Somosomo on Naviti Island to visit Fijian friends. First, we walk through the large village to make sevusevu with the acting chief. We had hoped to meet the old woman chief, but she was on the “mainland”, the largest island in Fiji, Viti Levu. Then we go to Taina’s house and meet the Sevici clan. There’s lots of happy talk, balloons for the kids, photo sessions, and lemon leaf tea with coconut biscuits.

April 20th – Morning tea in Taina’s house as guests of Laru; we, the guests, eat first while everyone patiently waits. Sevici is there with his wife, daughters a son and grandchildren. HP does a 360 photo. Visit Kindergarten classroom and bring gifts and take more photos. Jim returns to Nathape with a TV and a VCR to try to repair. A good swim and a lobster/pasta dinner round out the day.

April 21st – A rainy night and morning. Instead of traveling, we stay put for a quiet day of reading, computer use, swimming, talking, attempting to repair TV/VCR (couldn’t), and a long session of Baja Rummy which lasted until 10 p.m.

April 22nd – Anchor is up at 9 a.m. and we motor south to see Jay at Captain Cook Cruise’s Barefoot Island Resort to bring the caretaker kava as promised last year when he made a special fishing lure for HP. Received fresh fruit and coconuts. Motored through an especially beautiful island passage to the Octopus Resort.

April 23rd – Snorkeling is great at the reefs right in front of the resort. Anchorage is a bit rolly but we manage more Baja Rummy and then enjoy dinner and poolside show, a mekemeke, at the resort.

April 24th – Easter Sunday – a mimosa toast and breakfast underway. With first real wind, we sail almost 6 hours to Mana Island which has a huge, reef protected bay and three resorts. Have a good swim then a roast pork and breadfruit dinner – our first taste of breadfruit which is quite good.

April 25th – We are the first hikers this season, to follow the overgrown foot path through head-high grass to top of hill for grand view of island group. It’s like walking through a sauna and entering an oven. We go up quickly and come down even more quickly then head to a backpacker’s resort for a cold Shandy (beer and Sprite, a new drink for us and a new favorite). Motor carefully through coral reefs, past Castaway Island, to Musket Cove Island Resort on Malolo Lailai Island.

April 26th – Laundry day. Poolside reading, Baja Rummy and swimming.

April 27th – Feed Fiji crackers to very friendly reef fish near the off-shore sand bar. Hang out poolside reading and playing cards. Lunch is HP’s favorite kokoda (fish “cooked” in lime juice) and dinner at the resort. Very heavy rain and strong thunder and lightning all night.

April 28th – Rainy morning; a two pots of coffee morning. At 11:30 a.m., motor into the wind to Lautoka to check into the Mamanuca Island group. Enjoy a kokoda dinner at the town hotel, HP’s all-time favorite and now ours.

April 29th - Sail downwind to Vuda Point Marina in light rain. Use rental car to tour Lautoka, Nadi and Port of Denarau where we enjoy an Indian curry dinner.

April 30th – Put propane tank on local boat to be delivered to Taina in Somosomo, which gives us a chance to see local port and its activities. Kododa for breakfast then back to the rental car to hunt for a refrigerator for Nathape. Back at marina, it’s time for laundry and more Baja Rummy and rum punch. Score: 2-2-2. Game to be continued somewhere, sometime.

May 1st – Last Fiji cracker breakfast with fresh fruit and freshly brewed coffee by Jim. Pack up. Load photos to share all around. Lunch at Barefoot Resort at Vuda Point and then an afternoon of poolside relaxing. We’re at Nadi Airport by 6 p.m. for farewells and thank-you’s and plans for future cruising together. Our Fijian visit with Nathalie and Hanspeter was terrific. Thanks so much you two. We love you. P&J

Waya-Island ...

Blue Lagoon, Nanuya-Island

Einer der schönsten Strände der Welt befindet sich in Sawa-i-lau, einer nördlichen Insel in den Yasawas

47. Hochzeitstag von Pam & Jim. Wir gratulieren ...