Currency
Fijian dollar (FJD) 1.50 = AUD 1.00
The
health officer arrived at the clearance dock to clear Sadiqi into
Fiji. The first piece of paper issued was an invoice for Fiji$254.50
or US$123, then the Certificate of Pratique. She asked if I knew what
the boat name “Sadiqi” meant. She is Moslem and said that it
means “Friend” or “Simple” in Arabic. The next official was
from Bio Security, and what a load of BS that was, charged Fiji$89.70
or US$42. The customs officer sauntered down at around 1645 hours and
asked me, amongst other questions, for all ports visited since
leaving Australia in 2010. I was charged 2 hours overtime at
Fiji$42.80 or US$20. Total charges, including Copra Shed marina
facility charges, was close to US$200. The Fijian clearance is cheap
compared to that of boats, less then 25 metres in length, arriving in
Australia, where Quarantine charges a minimum of AU$480.00 or US$350.
That's an awful lot of beer money.
By
the time I finished with officialdom it was getting dark. The Copra
Shed security guard led me to a large mooring buoy, which I declined.
From experience I knew Sadiqi would bump against the large mooring
all night. I asked if there was a place to anchor. The security guard
dismissed me saying “outside” - not at all helpful or friendly!
With apparently no alternative mooring buoys available I went to find
a place to anchor. I managed to find a spot in a depth of 12 metres
amongst the moorings.
Early
next morning I moved onto a Waitui Marina mooring buoy, when it
became available. Jolene at Waitui Marina was cheerful, very
friendly and helpful. Thanks to Jolene I found my weary sense of
humour again. The facilities at the marina can be regarded as having
character. I'd have no hesitation on recommending Waitui Marina to
cruisers.
http://waituimarinafiji.com |
| Waitui marina |
 |
| Sadiqi in Savusavu |
Savusavu
is an interesting bustling little town.
Some
of the other cruisers in Savusavu:
“Fair
Winds” with Sherman and Judy from USA and Austalia
“Second
Wind” with Art and Nancy from Seattle USA
“Muneera”
with Nick, Andrea, Ella, Millie and James from Australian
“Wairua”
with Andy and Megan heading to New Zealand
“Kairos”
with Menno from Holland.
“State
or Mind” with Rod and Brenda from Australia and New Zealand
“Navire”
with David and Janet from New Zealand
“Boxing
Kangaroo” with Brett and Lynn from Belgium.
“Amelie
IV” with Mark and family from Canada.
The
South Pacific Convergence Zone SPCZ dominated the weather in Fiji.
Many of the the cruisers in Savusavu were waiting for an opportunity
to cruise the islands or
head to their
next destination. Around the middle of October the Fiji weather
bureau announced a tropical depression several hundred miles north
east of Fiji. The official Cyclone season starts at the beginning of
November.
The news of the tropical depression
caused some angst amongst cruisers.
One evening, with rain
beating heavily on the old corrugated iron roof of the Waitui marina
club house, Nancy from “Second Wind” gave cruisers a solo violin
concert. Nancy is a concert violinist and teacher from Seattle.
 |
| Savusavu Calm weather |
Yachts began to leave
Savusavu on Monday October 19. For the first time in two weeks the
strong south easterly winds abated. Sadiqi was not able to leave the
mooring in Savusavu as the skipper had torn a muscle in his back and
was almost immobile. A stewing in the hot springs baths at the
medical clinic near by gave the skipper much relief.
 |
| Nakama creek Savusavu |
22-10-15
Thursday
I
made ready to depart Savusavu – stocking up with food, water and
beer.
Fiji
is a challenging cruising area. The islands cover a vast area of the
South Pacific, unfortunately it also has a veritable minefield of
coral reefs. This is not an area for complacency. Departing and
arriving between the hours of 0900 and 1500, with good visibility,
is smart navigation. Also, the C-Map charts that I use are not
accurate. There are very few reference points to identify chart
errors. Navigation marks shown on the charts have been lost over the
years due to cyclones etc.
2225
Sadiqi dropped the mooring at Savusavu and headed to Makongai island,
aprox 50 miles south.
Engine:
1729.4 hours.
The
winds were around 4 knots easterly in the lee of Vanua Levu Sadiqi
motor sailed out of Savusavu bay. The winds steadily increased to 10
knots. The engine had a rest until 0500 hours when the winds dropped
to 4 knots easterly in the lee, west of, Koro island. The seas were
sloppy.
23-10-15
Friday
0920
Sadiqi entered the pass to Makongai island. This was when I noticed
that the C-map charts were roughly 0.08 nautical miles out to the
north.
1010
I dropped anchor at Makodgroga island.
Engine
1734.4 hours.
I
went for a snorkel to check the anchor. I was amazed with the
beautiful coral closer to shore of the island. The anchorage at
Makodroga island was not suitable – it was roly and Roxy the anchor
dragged almost 100 metres over the sand covered rock.
1600
I moved to the main sheltered anchorage of Makongai island less than
a mile away.
24-10-15
Saturday
0600
departed Makongai island
Engine:
1736.0 hours
It
was nice sailing in 10 to 12 knots ESE once clear of the Makongai
fringing reef. Just after Levuka, Fiji's former capital, on Ovalau
island the wind dropped to 5 to 8 knots easterly. I started the
motor again to get through the slop. It was a trying days sail with
wind shifting and easing near the rain showers that past over.
1700
Beer o clock. Winds were 12 knots ESE – very nice sailing toward
the south west.
25-10-15
Sunday
During
the night it was a pleasant drift downwind at between 2 to 3 knots
SOG under mainsail. Around 0400 hours the AIS alarm sounded. I
steered clear of the ship travelling at 17 knots headed for Suva. I
made several course changes to sail to the island group of Beqa. I
knew Nick, Andrea and family on Muneera were heading to Beqa.
1120
Arrived at Malumu bay, Bequ.
Engine:
1739.5 hours
I
anchored alongside Muneera. There were no other yachts in the
beautiful, sheltered bay of Malumu.
 |
| Muneera in Malumu bay, Beqa |
26-10-15
Monday
1030
Sadiqi departed Malumu Bay, Beqa
Nick,
Andrea and the zoo onboard
Muneera headed for a small island nearby for the four kids could do
the Gilligan's island
thing and wreak havoc.
Sadiqi
had a very leisurely sail westwards under mainsail only to Yanuca
island.
1305
Arrived in a beautiful bay in the not so sheltered bay on the west
side if the island. I managed to find a relatively clear spot in the
coral to drop the anchor. Several hours later Muneera dropped anchor
near by.
 |
| Yanuca island |
Yanuca
(pronounced Yanutha) island is a very pretty island. There were two
small backpacker type hotels, one of them had been abandoned for
several years.
I
spent a good deal of time with the zoo on Muneera. Nick, Andrea, Ella
and Millie sailed from Seychelles nearly 6 years ago. Nick's brother
Chris, with family Jude, and Darcy flew to Fiji from Australia to
visit. James, Chris and Jude's oldest, had flown to Tahiti for sail
with his cousins and experience sailing the open ocean. I called it a
zoo as I was not familiar with all the interaction between the four
teenagers and the four adults. The repartee and shenanigans were very
amusing to watch and be a part of. Andrea and Jude worked wonders in
the galley on Muneera to feed us all.
 |
| Muneera zoo - Nick, James, Jude, Andrea, Millie, Ella, Chris and Darcy |
We
walked to the village on the east side of the island to visit the
chief – hoping to do a traditional Fijian Sevusevu ceremony. This
is where Kava (Yagona) root is drank seated with the chief of the
village. The Chief was busy making Pandanus mats when we found him.
He accepted the Kava, muttered some words in Fijian, then said we
were free to walk around the village. This was not quite what we
expected. We had tried to follow the Fijian traditions.
 |
| Yanuca chief |
On
the walk back to the boats Andrea, wanted to visit the school. The
school catered for up to year 8. The older students went to school
across the lagoon on Mbengga island. The younger students sang for
us. Andrea enrolled Millie, James and Darcy for school the next day.
Ella and Millie have been home schooled on board Muneera since
leaving Australia in 2009. This was a unique opportunity for the the
kids to experience school in a different country. The local kids wear
uniform and shoes were optional.
28-10-15
Wednesday
1615
Sadiqi and Muneera departed Yanuca for a 60 mile overnight sail to
Mololo island.
It
was a pleasant downwind sail westwards at 2 to 3 knots under an
almost full moon.
29-10-15
Thursday
1130
I picked up a mooring at Musket Cove, Mololo island.
Engine
1743.5 hours
Fiji
is a beautiful cruising ground - all be it with a lot of treacherous
coral reefs. It's not an area to be complacent in. Musket Cove resort
is a very yacht friendly resort. Paying $5 for life membership
entitles one to use most of the resort facilities.
 |
| Musket Cove Yacht Club Bar |
Early
Sunday morning, November 1, resort guests and cruisers gathered at
“Dicks Place” to watch New Zealand beat Australia in the world
cup rugby. Probably a little too much time was spent either on
Muneera, tied to the dock, or in the Musket Cove Yacht Club bar near
by. Between socialising with the zoo on Muneera and enjoying Musket
Cove a good deal of time was spent analysing the weather for the next
leg of the adventure.
November
arrived – the official start to the southern Pacific cyclone
season. I aimed for a weather window around November 9. The
Tasman sea is up there with: north west USA, the Gulf Stream off
south eastern USA, northern Colombia, east coast South Africa as
areas that can get a little uncomfortable at times. I use several
tools – OpenCPN with grib plugin and Android tablet for passage
planning. There's also a weather routing plugin that I have had a
look at - way too complicated. These are great tools where there is
good internet access. Maybe I focused a little too much on November 9
as that was the day I decided to leave.
Prior to leaving Musket
Cove I scrubbed the bottom of Sadiqi, filled with water and fuel and
prepared for another lengthy voyage. I sent off all the requisite
forms to necessary authorities for advance notice of arrival. Sunday
evening, November 8, I visited the Musket Cove Yacht Club bar to say
goodbye to the friends I had made there.
Early Monday November 9
I headed for Vuda marina to clear out of Fiji. This was relatively
painless – filling out a 6 page form of people and boat
particulars.
Sadiqi departed Vuda
Marina at 1145.
Engine: 1746.4 hours
The winds close to Viti
Levu – the largest of Fijis' islands were onshore 10 to 12 knots
westerly. These were local conditions. Once I clear the fringing reef
the winds should come from south south east.
