In our last update, we told you about taking it slow and easy in Fiji. Well, we’re still in Fiji and we’re still taking it slow and easy but at least we’ve slipped the mooring line and ventured out to discover more places. We’re now touring a neighboring Fijian island group, the Yasawas. The movies Castaway and The Blue Lagoon were filmed around several islands here. There is no internet, no cell phones and certainly nothing more than floating means of transportation but it sure is rich in seascape. Our first island, Navadra, perhaps embodies the most picturesque tropical island setting we’ve encountered in all our travels. It felt like we had jumped into a postcard when we sailed into view: towering palms leaning out over deserted beaches, brown coconuts and white weathered shells dimpling the deep sand beaches, dense green shrubbery hugging coarse rock outcroppings which rose as the backdrop, the gentle clash of stunted waves lapping and toppling over at the water’s edge, and a stillness that allowed us to hear wind rustling through the treetops. The snorkeling at Navadra displayed stunning coral color and quantity; so much so that we snorkeled every day we spent there. On our first night, we enjoyed a bonfire ashore while we grilled delectables and drank heartily (what else is new?) with six other yachts: Meridian, Airstream, Don Pedro, Argonaut, Tin Soldier and Wind Dancer.

Our next island hop was a tiny little island, Kuata, whose charm lay in her villagers. They greeted us in the anchorage, inviting us to shore. On shore, we made our way through papaya groves to a dozen or more thatched huts. Locals’ laundry swayed in the wind. The pristine white of their laundry always draws comments from us boaters, “How do they get things so white?” The village offers accommodation in many of the huts, and women sell handmade jewelry under a rock overhang adjacent to the beach. A communal eating hut offers meals to guests and visitors. Papa Jack is the villager in charge of tending to newcomers. When Papa Jack wasn’t checking on us, he napped in a hammock with a book over his face. The young girls on Meridian took jewelry weaving lessons while their mom, Nancy, and I played Scrabble. Jim and John, from Meridian, soaked in the atmosphere, walking the beach or talking with Jack and other local men. I got massaged under an open hut next to the water. The experience more closely resembled a rub down with coconut oil but for $20 US for an hour, I didn’t complain. Our most active undertaking entailed hiking to the top of the island via an overgrown path. At the top of the climb, we came to an opening in the vegetation, giving us a peek at BPD anchored in the small bay below.

Our most exhilarating Yasawa adventure so far happened at Drawaqa. We snorkeled the shoreline and bought fresh lobster from local fishermen but that’s not the exhilarating part. Just before high tide we dinghied to the nearby pass, as the tidal change occurs, passes become quite turbulent with chop and a ripping current. So, why were we there? We were hunting the giant Pacific Manta Rays and found them. We swam with them as they fed on teeny, tiny plankton and fish. It was mind-blowing. Such sea creatures can have 18½ feet wing spans, and weigh up to 2,300 pounds. Jim or I drove the dinghy until the dark purplish-gray back of a manta ray was spotted through the water, then we would position the dinghy up current of the ray and drop off the swimmer. That person then drifted with the current to where the rays were feeding, snorkeling above and beside them as they fed. They have large flat flaps extending from the front of their heads. They use these flaps to corral food into their giant maws. One large eye is located just at the base of the flap where it joins the torso. The eyes must be over a foot apart, quite strange looking as you can imagine. I was able to swim with the largest ray, over ten feet across, for fifteen minutes before he gracefully faded out of view and into the distance. Earlier, the same ray appeared to be swimming off, but turned and came back heading directly for me and my then swimming companion, 9-year-old Maddie. I tucked Maddie behind me and we watched as his wing tip nearly touched us. I can’t find words to describe the adrenaline surge. In excitement and awe, the experience rates near swimming with whales in Tonga and petting sting rays in Moorea.

We’re currently anchored at Blue Lagoon which got its name from the movie, of course. At low tide you can walk around the island in ninety minutes. It has all the tropical markers and even a sleepy little resort which welcomes cruisers for meals, drinks and massage. This time it was Jim’s turn to indulge in a massage. The weather has been a little unsettled recently but the anchorage remains flat calm so we’ve called it home the last four nights. Late morning today, we headed off to a smaller, quainter place, Naviti. We anchored in front of a village and performed the ceremonial sevusevu with the chief. This means we presented him with kava. This is a traditional means of welcoming us to the village. The root is made of the Piper methysticum shrub. Although we haven’t tasted it ourselves, it is said to have a muddy, punjent taste which when drunk makes your lips numb, your limbs heavy and your speech slow and quiet. After the sevusevu we toured the village and handed out lollies (candy) and toys to the kids. They loved watching Jim juggle and their eyes went wide with the introduction of a frisbee. Throughout the next week, we’ll continue island hopping our way to Musket Cove on Malolo Lailai. Our friend Kathy is flying in for a visit. She’s picked a great venue. We plan to provide her with an entertaining vacation and slow her down to Fiji Time.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 10:21 am and is filed under Yellow Brick Road. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.