August 11, 2013 Sunday
We left Savusauv this morning at 0630 hrs for Viani Bay which is about 56 nm distant. The wind was light out of the SE and the seas less than 3 ft. All navigation in Fiji waters has to be done between 0900-1500 hrs so that one can eyeball the reefs: good sunlight is a plus. Passages that involve entering a narrow pass or threading through reefs have to be negotiated using good Waypoints, Google Earth and eyeballs. In these waters, even the British Admiralty Charts are inaccurate in many places. Even though they indicate that they are compatible with WGS84 (GPS) plotting, this is not true since a look at the Source Data on the chart shows that many of the surveys taken are from 1895-97 by lead line! In the commercial shipping lanes the charts are spot on but small harbors and reef passes are so far out that they can only be used as a reference and reliable waypoints and Google Earth overlaid on them. To this end, there are cruisers who have confirmed and published reliable Waypoints for entering these remote place. Certainly, one of the best websites to be consulted is "Soggy Paws". These "yachties" have an amazing ability to ferret out useful and reliable information
from many that are cruising and publishing their blogs. They are on a circumnavigation and continually research and update their information into "compendiums". There is the "Fiji Compendium", "Tonga Compendium", "Marshall Islands Compendium" etc.,etc. No doubt, they are at the forefront of the cruising world here in the South Pacific.
With all this in mind, we decided to break up the voyage into three separate trips: Fawn Harbor (16-43.5' S; 179-43.8' W) is 36 miles from Savusavu so it makes for a convenient stop over in good light; Dakuniba Pass (16-45.0 S; 179-51.1' E) is 8 nm from Fawn Harbor; Viani Bay (16-45.0' S; 179-53.3' E) 11 nm from Dakuniba Pass. We had reliable Waypoints for these places. The CMAP electronic chart showed us running over the reef upon entering Dakuniba Pass but Google Earth way overlaid on the chart and showed a clear route through the pass. The main electronic charting programs used are: CMAP, Garmin, MaxSea, Navionics. All will have their inaccuracies and have to be backed up with reliable information. Fiji is an incredibly beautiful place but is coral studded everywhere. Several yachts are lost on reefs every year and groundings are legendary.
Fawn Harbor has nothing special to recommend it other than a quiet and safe anchorage. We dropped anchor at 1330 hrs on August 12th and left at 1012 hrs on August 13th.
Dakuniba Pass and anchorage is quite beautiful. It has a few creeks and renown for its Fruit Bats. There is one creek called "Bat River". We had some cruising friends on "Ladybug" that recommended it and stated that there were hundreds of bats hanging from trees in the creek. Phyllis and I rowed over and entered the creek. We paddled up quite a ways but saw no Fruit Bats. Upon exiting the creek we saw several flying overhead but that was it. These Fruit Bats are quite large.
We had the good fortune to meet an English cruising couple on "Kalida" that added to our information and Waypoints for the Southern Lau Group. We are working our way to this remote group of islands. Once one departs from Savusavu heading East, the resources dry up and places become far more isolated. There are only beautiful surroundings to be found in Fawn Harbor, Dakuniba Pass and Viani Bay.
Now we come to Viani Bay which is one of the crown jewels on the Southern Coast of Vanua Levu. We left Dakuniba Bay at 1000 hrs on August 14th and picked up one of Jack Fisher's moorings in Viani Bay at 1415 hrs. Viani Bay is stunningly beautiful and has the clearest water and most beautiful coral I've seen in Fiji. The Fisher family owns quite a bit of land in Viani Bay and its most famous character is Jack Fisher. Jack is legendary in the annals of the South Pacific. He greets each and every boat and offers his services as a dive master, snorkeling or general guide. He has been doing this for over 30 years and knows the reefs as no other. In Viani Bay there are reefs known as "The Cabbage Patch", Rainbow Reef, The White Wall, The Purple Wall, etc. Some of these are for experienced divers only and others snorkeling. Jack is an experienced Captain so takes the largest cruiser's boat available, usually a catamaran, a takes everyone out to the reefs. No one is disappointed in their dive or snorkeling experience. Additionally, Jack brings fresh fruit, vegetables, coconuts and his wonderful personality to the boats every morning. He is one of the most interesting characters I have met: amazing stories without end; a smile that is a joy to behold; honest, trustworthy and reliable; humble and in love with humanity. Backed up by a family that shares all they have with the visiting yachts: Viani Bay is Fisher Paradise.
I went out snorkeling with Jack to "The Cabbage Patch". The coral looks like giant cabbages and then an explosion of soft coral colors come into view with thousands of small reef fish in rainbow hues. Finally, after all the time in Fiji, I see the wondrous reefs that everyone raves about. We have some cruising friends, Sam and Marilyn on "Catharpin Blue", that have just arrived. We'll go out with Jack tomorrow and visit "The Cabbage Patch" again. There is a lot of current on the reefs in this area so an experienced guide is important. Jack stays in the dinghy or on the boat and keeps track of everyone drifting with the current.
Today is Sunday: it is a day of church, relaxation, and christian fellowship amongst Fijians. There is no business or work done on Sundays. The Fijian people are deeply spiritual and religious: It is an important part of their lives. The Methodists and Seventh Day Adventists seem to predominate on this part of the coast. Phyllis, Sam and Marilyn went to the All Nations Church this morning with Jack's family. Jack has given me an explanation of how it came into being but I would have to research it more to fully understand what's behind it. Chuch and related activities continue all day long on Sunday with food being provided by the parishioners. I didn't go so I'm here writing this blog and having a glass of rum. I like to enjoy these activities vicariously.
From Viani Bay we will voyage North to Rabi (16-31.7' S; 179-59.5' W), make a note of the East to West Longitude on the International Date Line. Rabi has been settled by Bannaban people from Ocean Island called Barnaba. Their island was mined for guano by unscrupulous British, Australian and New Zealand corporations, under a colonial administration dedicated to exploitation, until the island was a lunar ladnscape and not fit to live on. Today, there are 300 inhabitants living on the island under a Kiribati administration. If you're bored or interested in history: Google it. We've been given some books from Curly Carswell in Savusavu to deliver to the library in Nuku which is the capital of Rabi. It is amazing that the Fijian Government could allow another nation to purchase land and continue their nationality and customs. The same thing has happened with Kioa (16-40.1' S; 179-54.1 E), which has been bought and settled by inhabitants from Tuvalu: This island is slowly sinking back into the Pacific. To my way of thinking, this demonstrates generosity of spirit, with nationalism set aside, to human suffering and necessity.
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