After our visit to Beqa Lagoon, we motored and sailed west along
the south coast of Fiji’s large island, Viti Levu. We stopped for a night in Somosomo Bay. Once we
made it past the large waves crashing onto the reef on both sides of the
entrance to the bay, the anchorage was good-holding and calm.
The next day we sailed to Likuri Island, also known as
Robinson Crusoe Island, where there is a small resort. The wind started out
light, but by the time we needed to manoeuvre between the reefs to enter the bay,
it had picked up considerably.
The resort was nice and, one evening, we were able to see
the famous Fijian Fire Dancers. The owners have changed and the new owner is
not as yacht-friendly as the previous owner. However, the staff was very nice and the guests
were keen to talk with us. One couple, from Germany, even kayaked out to visit
us on board the boat!
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| Drinks at Robinson Crusoe Resort |
After a few days of resort drinks, we hoisted anchor and
sailed toward the World Surfing Championships off Tavarua Island. There was no surfing the day we arrived at Tavarua, but we
motored right up to where the competition is held! The famous wave, Cloudbreak,
was gorgeous, even though it was too small that day for the professionals.
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| Judges platform and media centre at Cloudbreak |
We continued on to nearby Musket Cove, the one place in Fiji
we have been before. It was almost 5 years ago we were here for Jodene and
Clint’s wedding. The place has not changed too much, except the cool water
playground wasn’t here last time!
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| Water play thing at Plantation Island Resort (Musket Cove) |
The swell did not cooperate and the World Surf Competition
was on hold for most of the days we were waiting in Musket Cove. We motored
across the big lagoon to Vuda Point Marina on the big island to see our
friends, Chuck and Lauri on Free Spirit. They had just arrived after spending
the South Pacific cyclone season sailing north of the Equator in the Marshall
Islands. It was great to see them after so many months.
After a few days visiting Free Spirit, we returned to Musket
Cove and the nearby surf competition. It had resumed and Malcolm jumped on a
resort boat to go right out to the wave and watch the finals.
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| Out of the pipe |
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| Defending World Champion (Semi Finals) |
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| Final Day at the Fiji Pro 2016 |
The next day we motored back to the big island and tied up
on a dock at Denerau Marina. We went to the warehouse of the aid agency, Sea
Mercy, and took on boxes of books and school supplies for five communities in
the outer islands that were devastated by cyclone Winston. We provisioned the
boat and enjoyed a very nice steak dinner on the dock at Cardo’s before heading
east around the north side of Viti Levu.
