update from FIJI

Update from FIJI July 10, 2005 Definitely past due for an update As far as the NZ trip --- We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in New Zealand, but were only able to check out a small portion of NZ’s north island. We took our first road trip towards the famous surfing spot, Raglan, on the west coast. A town we both could see living in some time. A beautiful bay with excellent long lefts, good windsurfing when the wind comes up, and a small friendly town with a great energy. We spent a few days there surfing and checking out the area. From there, we drove down to the Waitomo Caves where we met our good friends Rick & Corbie for a blackwater rafting trip through the caves. These caves are remarkable for the glow worms which hang from the cave roof and give off a florescent green glow. We kept our boat in Tauranga, and took several short trips to coastal sites, as well as to Auckland to visit with friends who decided to stay and work, making NZ home for a while. In early March Shari had to return back to the states to help out her mom for a couple of months, and Denis took advantage of the time to get some important boat projects done. We plan on going back to NZ next season especially to explore NZ’s south island. Bobulona arrived in the tropical paradise of Fiji after a drama free passage (thank goodness!) on June 2, manned by Denis, Harvey, and Les. Anne and Shari had flown ahead to get a head start on checking out Fiji for the group. They stayed in a low key “backpackers” resort on the south (gold) coast of Viti Levu, called The Beachhouse. A great piece of waterfront property with access to swimming, kayaking and snorkeling right outside their bure. They indulged in water activities, eating fresh coconuts off the trees, lounging in hammocks under the palm trees, and kava ceremonies in the evening. They took a jungle hike up to a waterfall, led by Judah, a local Fijian guru of medicinal plants, who taught us about the great variety of plants and flowers and their traditional uses for healing. As well, they visited the towns of Sigatoka and Nadi, and enjoyed a scenic drive to Suva, where they met up with the guys in Suva Harbor. In Suva, after clearing customs, we stopped into the Royal Suva Yacht Club for a token drink to toast the safe passage. We visited the SuvaMuseum and learned more about Fiji’s history. At the local market we stocked up on fruits & veggies, as well as a supply of kava root to offer the local village chiefs for sevusevu (sevusevu is a gift offering to request permission to visit their island. From Suva, we headed west towards Beqa Lagoon, famous for diving and surfing at Frigates pass. At the surf camp on Yanuca Island, we were treated to a traditional Fijian fire walking ceremony and a great traditional Fijian dinner. After 10 days of primarily cloudy weather, we decided to head west for the sun. We made one stop at Vunatiu Bay, where we explored the beaches and collected young green coconuts for their tasty milk and sweet meat. Our next stop was Musket Cove in the Mamanuka group. A very cruiser friendly resort. We did a variety of snorkeling and diving trips, and were privy to spectacular views of colorful soft coral & new varieties of fish. It Is easy to get the hook stuck in the mud there due the numerous cruisers to meet at the BBQ’s and share stories with. Within a short dinghy ride or about a hour by Bobulona is the world famous surf breaks of Tavarua and Namotu Islands. Unfortunately, the breaks are owned by the resorts and are off limits to people other than guests except for Saturday morning when the groups turn over. We have made it out there twice. The wind kicked up enough for some windsurfing a few days during our stay there. The tricky part was rigging the sails and getting them into the water and attached to the boards with the wind and waves bouncing the boat around. We are now heading around the northern coast of Viti Levu to the island of Nananu-I-Ra. The windsurfing is supposed to be great due to the exposure to the SE tradewinds. We will probably be there for 2-3 weeks or until our arms are stretched to their limits. The diving is reported to be quite excellent in this area. We will send an update after our visit there. Moce for now Denis and Shari