Another lesson in humility

Even with some persuasion, Bärbel could not be persuaded to stay in Fiji. Our guests left again on Friday and landed safely in Germany. We continue our journey and leave Denarau a day later for Lautoka. We want to go to the north side of Viti Levu. Our destination is Savusavu on the island of Vanua Levu. But once again the wind is not as forecast and so our first leg only reaches Lautoka. The small island off Lautoka, Bekana, offers sufficient shelter in these weather conditions. We anchor in six meters of mud and find a good hold. Destiny is moored here. Annett and Nico are always very welcome guests on the Katinka Enjoy and we look forward to seeing them again before they head west and leave Fiji.

On the way to the north of the island of Viti Levu, Fiji

The next day, it takes us over an hour to weigh anchor. It feels like I'm pulling 100 bags out of the water alongside and pouring them over the totally muddy chain. What a mess. But that's the way it is when anchoring. You can't put the hook in the water everywhere on fine white sand. To avoid completely muddying up the anchor locker, we pull the chain up meter by meter and wash the mud overboard again. After an hour, it's done. My back hurts, but we are back on course and want to meet up with SV Tuvalu in Vatia in the afternoon. Here, too, we are lying in six meters of mud. So we know what's in store for us tomorrow.

Direction Vatia, Fiji

The next morning we continue to Volivoli. Here we want to wait for a weather window to sail over to Vanua Levu. But things turn out differently than planned. The strong wind sets in earlier than predicted and is blowing much more from the east than the southeast. Numerous reefs make it necessary to constantly change course up here and so the wind blows on our noses at up to 28 knots. A short, not very high wave makes the sea foam. The sky is pale blue. It is hazy. The slopes are bare, the only thing growing here seems to be blades of grass. This is what I imagine Patagonia to be like, albeit 20°C colder. Although the wind factor means that the 25°C outside temperature doesn't exactly make me feel cozy either. I've been wearing a jacket at the helm for a long time. Under my shorts, up to my knees, goose bumps spread. My nose is running and I wonder what I'm actually doing. At three knots, 25 knots of wind from the east, almost the direction we have to go. It's slake time, actually good conditions. From now on the water is running in again. But the wind is simply too strong for us to want to keep going for another 20 miles. Apart from the fact that this kind of action is really hard on the equipment. We turn around, set sail and arrive back at our starting point, Vatia Bay, after five hours. Another lesson in humility learned. According to the current weather forecast, it will stay like this for the next week. The bay is jwd, “way out in the middle of nowhere”. Vice comes by with his boat and begs for kava. I give him a bouquet and he promises to come back the next day and take us to the village. Nantunuku is on the King's Highway. The King's Highway is the highway that leads across the north of the island to Suva. From here you can take a cab or bus to Ba, the town with the nearest shopping facilities. Of course he doesn't come. Instead, I explore the surrounding area with Gottfried from Tuvalu. We land on a small sandy beach and find a perfect barbecue spot. We meet a local family who invite us onto their mat. They tell us that it's half an hour's walk to the King's Highway and that there's a small store there where we can buy the essentials. We decide to go on a short hike tomorrow. But first we'll try out the barbecue area we've explored in the late afternoon.

Campfire romance in Vatia Bay, Fiji

Packed with everything you need for a barbecue, we land back on familiar shores in the afternoon. With the machete and axe unpacked, we start by making wood. A fire is quickly lit and the embers are ready to grill the ribs we have brought with us. Of course, our skull, which I have filled with Bounty rum this time, is a must. We experience a gigantic sunset, as we often do in Fiji, before breaking down our tents and heading back to the boat. Unfortunately, we are too late as we simply didn't want to let the beautiful evening come to an end. This now takes its toll, as the water has receded a long way. We have to carry the dinghy almost half the way. It's a good thing that the Tuvalu has wheels under its dinghy. We have to paddle the other half, as the water level is not sufficient for the outboard motor. It only gets significantly deeper 200 meters before our berth. Nevertheless, it was a great way to experience the romance of a campfire once again.

Adventures in Fiji

The next day we make our way to the main road. Two things are alien to Fijians. One is a sense of time and the other is a sense of distance. The half-hour hike would have turned into a 1.5-hour hike if we hadn't squeezed into a totally overcrowded car. The friendly family stopped and asked what we were doing here. When we told the head of the family that we wanted to go to the store on the main road, he just shook his head and gave us a lift. The store was very special, but we even get beans from their own garden. The store owner then said: “If you wait half an hour, a bus will come and take you back.” We waited half an hour and sure enough, the bus came to take the schoolchildren back home. 

Shopping center in Fiji

We ride along and are of course the attraction for the children. None of the children say goodbye without a high-five before they get off. It's our turn at the very end and we leave the bus almost at the front of the house, or rather in front of our dinghy. I'm not exaggerating when I describe the bus ride as an adventure. A vehicle weighing several tons on a dirt road is simply unimaginable for a European.

Bus travel in Fiji - simply exciting

The next day, Vice comes and picks us up to take us to the village and then into town to go shopping. It's Fiji time. I stay on board and do my long overdue engine maintenance. Gaby and the others speed off towards the mainland in the 40 hp wooden boat. Vice returns five hours later. Gaby has of course done a lot of shopping and brought me some quality 15W40 oil in three Coke bottles. 

Waiting for the water cab, Fiji

You wouldn't believe it, but the world is a bad place. In Denarau I bought two four-liter canisters of oil. When I open the first canister, the aluminum seal is missing. In the window of the canister I see that instead of four liters there are only three liters left. Well, keep your eyes open when buying oil. Anyway, I need at least eight liters for maintenance, better ten liters. So Gottfried got another six liters from the barrel and packed them in plastic bottles. In the meantime, I have finished the first engine and Gaby helps me to bleed the diesel line. Now the port engine is running like clockwork again. 

Sunset in Vatia Bay, Fiji

Tomorrow it's time for the starboard engine. After all, we're in Fiji and it's Fiji time. I wish you always fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.