Log 14 - Tonga to Fiji See Photos of Fiji Here (Set 2) We begin this log by saying that we had a FANTASTIC trip back to the States for the Northern hemisphere winter. Not only did we get to spend a lot of time with our family (yay, CALDER!) and friends, but both of our old employers were kind enough to hire us back as part-time workers. That REALLY helped out as far as our finances went (and it kept our brain cells stimulated). The owner of Litho Craft, Kurt's former employer, was kind enough to allow the Gumbo crew to stay at his Lake Sammamish summer home (thanks, Bill and Sally!). We had a wonderful holiday season and, in early spring, we took a trip to visit the moms in Sacramento on our way back to Fiji. We arrived back at Vuda Point Marina in early March and immediately started putting Gumbo back together again. We had stripped EVERYTHING off the decks so that, if a cyclone appeared, nothing would be blown away or damaged. Putting things back together was a BIG project and was made more difficult by the extremely high temperatures and humidity. It got so hot one day that, while we were attempting to erect the dodger (a kind of boat windshield), we had to give up because the stainless tubing was too hot to touch! After all the stuff was put back on deck, we then had to sand and paint the bottom - another really hot and sweaty job. But, as soon as that was done, we launched Gumbo and tied her up in the marina while we did laundry and provisioning. The marina is a mixed blessing. The staff and facilities are first rate. But there's no breeze (so its hot), there are lots of "mozzies" (S. Pacific lingo for mosquitos) and, because there are no docks, you have to pull your boat in to the wall and climb off the bowsprit everytime you want to go ashore. By early April we figured the threat of cyclones was minimal, so we took off for the Mamanuca island group. We first stopped at Musket Cove on Malolo LaiLai Island. Great spot. Musket cove was founded about 25 years ago and has become a very popular anchorage for yachts because of the mooring buoys that have been installed there and because, once you pay your $1.00 fee to join the yacht club, you are entitled to use the resort facilities (pool, laundry, store, bar, etc.). We spent quite a bit of time there because 1) we really liked it and 2) a bunch of low pressure systems started forming around Fiji that could have easily developed into cyclones (we didn't want to venture too far afield until these threats had disappeared). At the end of April, we travelled back to Vuda Point to meet Nancy's brother Bob and his wife Linal who had flown in to visit us for a couple of weeks. The plan was for them to stay at the resort next to the marina for a couple of days and then for them to get on the boat for some island cruising. Unfortunately, some bad weather blew in just as they arrived and they ended up having to stay in the resort for 4 days before we could sail out. Of course, staying in the resort was not really punishment! Eventually, we pulled out of the marina and once again sailed to Musket Cove. We had a great time there. Kurt and Linal did some great snorkel trips out to the reef and Bob did what he does best: relax by the pool, check his email and buy the crew beers! We took the dinghy to a local village one day where we got to visit the school and shop for native crafts. Kurt and Nancy also celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary with a nice dinner at the resort (thanks, Bob and Linal!). After a few days at Musket Cove, we sailed another 10 miles to the island of Mana. This is another "resort island" as it has a couple of backpacker resorts and one up-scale resort. The anchorage is entered through a rather tricky dogleg pass through the reef but, once inside, it is very protected and beautiful. Bob and Kurt hiked to the top of the hill above the anchorage and we had a nice visit in the local village. After leaving Mana, we sailed for about 15 miles to Navadra Island. This island is incredible! Its a sort of double island with a bay in the middle. We were the only boat there for a couple of nights and it felt like we were a million miles from anywhere. We did some snorkeling there that was about the best we've ever done with an amazing amount of multi-colored live coral and lotsa fish. Linal even saw a shark! After a few days there, it was time to head back to Vuda Point where Bob and Linal would fly out for Sacramento. See Photos Of Fiji Here (set 3) Once the Browning contingent were safely on their way home, the Gumbo crew took off for their long-awaited trip to the Yasawa Group (a set of islands that stretch for about 50 miles just West of the big island of Viti Levu. Our first stop was the Southern most island of Waya. We had originally planned on stopping at the Southern anchorage of Yalobi but, because a strong Southerly was blowing (which gave us a great ride to the island), we elected to go to the North end of the island where we anchored of a village called Naluwaki. The Northern bay was stunning with tall "volcanic plugs" which reminded us of the Marquesas. Once again, we were the only boat in the bay and, soon after anchoring, we went ashore to do the Sevu Sevu ceremony. This is a ritual that must be done each time you visit a new village. You first have to find the chief and, once you do, you present him with a gift of yagona (kava). He, and his family or buddies then do a bunch of chanting in Fijian and a bunch hand clapping and then you are welcomed to the village and anchorage. Once you've completed the Sevu Sevu, you are free to roam thoughout the village and no one thinks anything of you walking right by the door to their home and looking in. We walked around Naluwaki alot and met and talked to alot of villagers. We also spent time on the reef watching them fish and gather clams and octopus. It was while we were at this anchorage that Kurt almost floated away to Vanuatu. It happened one morning when, on his daily inspection of the solar panels, he noticed that a wooden stick that was used to prop up one panel had fallen overboard and was floating away. He told Nancy, who was down below, that he would hop in the dinghy and go retrieve the stick. It was blowing about 15 knots in the bay and, stupidly, Kurt untied the dinghy before starting the outboard. As he rapidly drifted downwind from Gumbo, he realized that he couldn't get the outboard started. Because, up until this point, the outboard had ALWAYS started with one pull, we never put the oars in the dinghy. So, Kurt yelled to Nancy that he was drifting away. He tried paddling with his hands but its almost impossible to row an inflatable dinghy upwind with oars and he made no progress with just his hands. As they realized that he was either going to be blown up on the rocks near the tip of the bay or blown out of the bay into open water, Nancy decided to weigh anchor on Gumbo and come get him. Nancy had never weighed anchor before (Kurt always handles the anchor and windlass while Nancy handles the helm). So as she worked on getting the anchor up, Kurt kept fussing with the outboard and, just when she had gotten half the anchor chain in, he managed to get the outboard running and motored back to Gumbo. Needless to say, we now put oars in the dinghy (most of the time). We spent about 3 days at Naluwaki and, when the wind shifted so that it started blowing directly into the bay, we motored into steep chop for another 11 miles to the anchorage of SoSo on Naviti Island. SoSo is a beautiful large South-facing bay and it has a beautiful village at the head of the bay. SoSo village is unusual because they've poured cement walkways throughout the village, making it a very clean and tidy place. After doing the Sevu Sevu thing, we were given a tour of the village and its grammar school by the chief's nephew Suli. The school was very nice, neat and clean, but without any of the modern stuff Americans would expect (like electricity, computers, etc.). Since we had arrived on a Saturday, we were invited to attend church the following day. We don't much cotton to religion, but we always enjoy attending South Pacific church services because of the incredible singing. We're sure that they're just singing the normal Christian hymns, but when you hear them sung in Fijian (or Marquesan, or Tahitian), they become quite haunting and intense. Kurt always tries to record a few of the songs on his mini disc recorder. Another bonus when attending church is that you're always invited to a post-church meal with at least one of the families. When we arrived on the beach on Sunday morning, we were immediately greeted by a rather intense man named Bill who looked like Michael Jordan (complete with athletic jersey, bald head, and big muscles). He invited us to after-church lunch and then told us that he would prepare it and then we would all eat it on Gumbo Ya-Ya. This struck us as kind of weird, as we're usually invited to someone's home, but we agreed. We then walked to the chief's house (as he was the one who had invited us to church). He then invited us to post-church lunch and, when we told him that we had already accepted an invitation from Bill, he said "Excuse me, but Bill is kind of crazy in the head and maybe you shouldn't have lunch with him." Because this information kind of agreed with our first impressions of Bill, Kurt wandered back over to Bill's house and told him that, because the chief wanted us to have lunch with HIM, we would regretfully have to decline Bill's invitation. Bill took the news graciously but insisted that he would come out to our boat the next day. After church, we went to the chief's house where they had prepared a large meal. The Fijians eat on a mat on the floor but they insisted that WE eat at a small table that they had prepared for us. It was strange, us eating at the table while the rest of the family sat on the floor along side of us. After lunch, we walked back to the beach where Bill was sitting on our dinghy, waiting to be transported out to our boat. We told him "No, maybe tomorrow". Once again, he seemed to take the news well. The following day, Monday, we got to watch the village boat depart for Lautoka. The boat, a 36-foot motorsailer, makes the trip every week on Thursday, delivering people and produce to Lautoka (40 miles away), and returning on Saturday with supplies and people heading back to the village. This week they were making a Monday run because it was the end of a school break and a bunch of students who were attending secondary school in Lautoka had to be back in class on Tuesday. It was quite the scene on the beach that morning as just about everyone in the village was sitting around with their bags of yams (which they sell at the Lautoka market), empty fuel drums, suitcases and packages. As we watched, first about 15 people climbed on board. Then they started loading the produce and packages - TONS of it. Then, when it looked like the boat was totally overloaded and in danger of sinking, another 25 or 30 people climbed on board. You have to understand: none of these people had life jackets, there was no compass, gps, charts or any sort of navigation system on board, and they were about to travel through intensely reef-strewn waters for 40 miles of upwind sailing! And WE though WE were adventurous. The villagers assured us that no boat or passengers had ever been lost. At the last minute, just as the boat was leaving Bill showed up and started yelling all kinds of orders (in rapid Fijian) to everybody. They all laughed at him and sort of ignored him but he must have pissed someone off because, as he attempted to board the boat, he was thrown off and one of the men onboard climbed off and punched Bill in the face. Lots of yelling ensued and both combatants were restrained. Then, just as the boat weighed anchor, Bill climbed back onboard and sailed off with the rest of the crowd. Weird! We were just glad that Bill would be gone for a couple of days. We attempted to leave SoSo for the norhtern bay on Naviti, called Somo Somo, the next day but the wind and swells were just too uncomfortable so we turned back and re-anchored. We spent another couple of quiet days in the anchorage, visiting with local kids and watching the village activities. Then, after more days of strong easterlies, we decided to sail south, around the bottom of the island and then north up the protected leeward side of the island. This strategy worked fine and we were able to get to the northern bay called Somo Somo. We anchored off of Somo Somo village and, when we went to shore to do the Sevu Sevu, we were greeted by a young lady named Sera who informed us that the chief was her sister but that she was currently in Lautoka. So she took us to her father's house to do the Sevu Sevu. After the ceremonial handing over of the kava, Sera asked us if we'd like to look at some handicrafts she and her aunt had made. They spread out lots of shell and coral jewelry and weavings and when we asked the prices, we were shocked at how cheap everything was. So we bought a bunch of stuff and took their pictures. Sera invited us for breakfast the following morning and, because we wanted to visit the local highschool, she volunteered (actually insisted) on guiding us there. So, the following morning, after having a nice breakfast of rotis (Fijian tortillas) and fruit, Sera took us on the trail to Yasawa High School. Once again, Nancy was roped into participating in a hot uphill hike as the trail led up a cut in the ridge separating Somo Somo village from another part of the island. The trail was beautiful and afforded stunning views of the outlying reefs and of the large school situated on an isolated beach. Once at the school, we talked to the principal and a teacher and learned quite a bit about the Fijian school system. After returning to the village we were asked to attend dinner but had to decline as Nancy was plum tuckered out!! The next day, we invited Sera, her son Toki, her aunt Meri and Meri's son out to Gumbo for lunch. We served them quesedillas (made with the last of the tortillas Bob and Linal had brought us), baked beans and lemonade. We're not sure what they thought of the quesedillas, but the LOVED the beans. We sat and talked for awhile and took photos, promising to bring them copies the following day - Sunday. Once again we were invited to church, and to lunch at Sera's house after church. We had promised to record the church choir, who had won the inter-village singing competition so, after the service, the choir gathered for Kurt to record them. Then, because the rumor had gotten out that there was a floating Fotomat service in the harbor, we were requested to take numerous family portraits. As we walked through the village, families would hurry out of their homes (some dressed in matching outfits) for us to photograph them. We then went to Sera's place where we had a wonderful lunch with her extended family (mostly women because the men were all having lunch with THEIR parents). During lunch we proposed to host a "movie night" that evening at Sera's. So, after dinner, we showed up with our laptop and a DVD copy of "Finding Nemo". To our amazement, 45 people crammed into the small room to gather around our laptop. Many of these people had never seen a movie before. We're not sure if they ever figured out what was going on, plot-wise, but they appeared to enjoy it immensely. After the movie was over, we handed out the portraits we had taken and CD copies of the choir performance. The recipients were amazed. The next day it was time to leave and, after sad farewells to Sera and her family, we departed Somo Somo for the next stop: The Blue Lagoon at Nanuya Sewa Island. This anchorage is a well-protected bay situated in between 3 or 4 islands. One of the islands is a privately-owned resort called Turtle Island. Rooms there cost $2000/night with a 6 night minimum! They, of course, do NOT welcome yachties. There is also a section of the anchorage that has been leased by the Blue Lagoon Cruise ships and that, too, is off limits to yachts. We anchored in a small cut in the reef just off of a relatively new resort. It was one of the calmest anchorages we had been in recently - well-protected from all wind directions. We treated ourselves to a dinner at the resort the day we arrived and it was quite good and not too expensive. The next day, we hiked across the island to the windward side where there were about 4 "backpacker" resorts - inexpensive resorts with limited facilities but very popular with young travellers. We then hiked around the island on the beach to get back to the anchorage. We stayed at this anchorage for 3 days until Kurt got the itch to move on (Nancy could have stayed here for 3 weeks!). See Photos Of Fiji Here (set 4) We then sailed up the west side of Nanuya Island to the anchorage at Sawa-I-Lau. This is a large bay formed in the middle of another four islands, the most interesting of which is a tall limestone formed geological marvel. There are deep caves in the island where cruise ships bring tourists to hike and swim in. Local legend has it that one of the caves goes all the way from Sawa (this island) to the Lau islands (150 miles away!), hence the name. It was at the village in this anchorage that Kurt once again volunteered to give a talk on American drumming. This is always worth doing because South Pacific children are incredibly enthusiastic and most have heard American music but have never seen a drumset before. After explaining where we were from and giving a brief history of American style drumming, Kurt would sit down and play a simple rock beat. The kids went WILD! Cheering and screaming as if the Beatles were back together. Kurt always finishes up by inviting one or more of the students up to try to play the drums. This is always a big hit. This time the students thanked us by singing us 3 Fijian songs (the last of which Kurt accompanied on drums) and giving us a big bunch of coconuts. The following day, on a hike along the reef, we met one of the teachers - a 21 year-old lady who had just started teaching. She explained that most of the teachers come from the mainland (the big island of Viti Levu) and sign 3 year contracts to teach at one of the outer island schools. The teachers live in private houses on campus and return to the mainland during breaks in the school year. And travelling to and from the mainland can be quite an ordeal as we explained earlier. After a few days at Sawa-I-Lau, we realized that we were running out of food! As we planned on spending another couple of weeks sailing over the top of Viti Levu, on the way to Savu Savu, we decided to head back to Vuda Point Marina so that we could top off our fuel tank, do some laundry and take a quick run into Lautoka to reprovision. So, we sailed from Sawa-I-Lau first back to SoSo, where we anchored for one night (and was visited by our friend Suli, who paddled out to our boat in a home-built corrugated tin skiff). Then we sailed the next day back to Naluwaki on Waya Island. This time, while anchored at this north facing bay, we hiked over the hill to another backpacker resort called Octopus Resort. We had a nice inexpensive lunch and got to talk to some of the staff (most of whom live in the native village back at the anchorage). While at this anchorage we encountered the first of the boats that had sailed from New Zealand to Fiji this month. Two Spanish boats that we had first met in Hiva Oa, in the Marquesas, sailed in. And just like in the Marquesas, one of them drug anchor in the middle of the night (it seems this particular boat drags anchor quite a bit). Great people, however, who speak good English and are planning to sail the same route we will be travelling, so we should be seeing quite alot of them. After spending two days at Naluwaki, we got a good weather window and got up early to head back to Vuda. It was a 30 mile motor, upwind, but uneventful. We arrived at the marina where Nancy jumped off the boat, headed for the showers and then the internet. And this is where we will end this edition of the Gumbo log. We plan on leaving the marina in a couple of days and working our way over the top of Viti Levu to the next big island to the north, Vanua Levu where we will spend time visiting Savu Savu, Yadau Island and Taveuni Island.