Crossing to Vanua Levu

Patience is the ability to wait calmly and under control, even when it is difficult or takes time. At least that's what the dictionary says. To help us achieve this patience, we have been passing the time. Both engines have now had their 500-hour service and the generator has also been serviced. We have another barbecue at our barbecue area and a brunch with eggs and bacon on Sunday.

Sunday brunch is being prepared. Vatia Bay Fiji

We meet Ricky, who has a fishing boat in the bay and takes us to his house without further ado. He invites us for dinner on Sunday. After spending the whole day on the beach, Ricky picks us up at the agreed time. Fiji time, of course, so give or take an hour. He didn't want to leave the dinghy alone on the beach, so we just put it on his truck. At the top of the mountain, on a plateau, his father has built a house, which he has extended and renovated. From up here you have a fantastic view over the bay. We bring a bouquet of kava as a gift. We are introduced to the family and the kava ceremony is prepared. The family is originally from India, but is the third generation to live in Fiji. Ricky was born here and is a true Fijian. The ground kava root is squeezed out in a cloth that is held in the water. The drink is then poured from a kava bowl into half a coconut shell and handed over with a “Bulla!”. The recipient returns the “Bulla!”. The bowl is then drunk and returned with a “Vinaka”. 

Kava drink, Fiji

The dinner that follows is, as you would expect, very spicy. We have fish and chicken curry. Served with roti and rice. We eat with our hands. There is no cutlery. Roti, a dough flatbread, takes the spiciness out of the curry, whereas rice does not have this effect. I therefore preferred roti to rice. Especially as the curry is easier to eat with your fingers with the dough flatbread. A unique experience for which we are very grateful to the family. The dinghy also survived the ride on the truck without any problems and brought us back to the boat safely. 

Dinner really hot. Fiji

The dinghy on the truck, Fiji

Then on Wednesday the hoped-for weather window. Hardly any wind and if there was, it was from the south-east. If we didn't know any better. Of course, “hardly” became “moderate to strong” and ‘southeast’ became “east”. Nevertheless, we make it to the Volivoli Resort anchorage on Wednesday. We go ashore and try out the beach bar. The beer here is drunk from plastic cups. But we don't let that stop us from quenching our thirst. 

Volivoli, Fiji

he narrow Nasonisoni Pass is planned for the next day. According to the tide table, high tide is at 9:27 am. So we can sleep in. The trip through the pass is easy, even though there is a nasty wave at the exit of the Nasonisoni. The reef edge on the port side stretches far out into the sea and blocks the direct route to Savusavu. So we have to fight the wind and waves for quite a while to the south-east. Not exactly the best discipline for a catamaran. But then the time has come. A 40° angle of incidence is enough for our Katinka-Enjoy. After a good hour we can now set a direct course for Suvasuva and the wind does us a favor and continues to come from the southeast. The wind angle is now 60° and the wind continues to increase. Five knots at the start became almost eight knots in 18 knots of wind. 

Sea mark on Fiji

Sunrise in Fiji

However, it starts to drizzle on the way. There's always something. The day started out very cloudy and the slopes around Savusavu are gray. The headland, which faces south-west and lies directly in front of us, is partially invisible. After passing the offshore reef, we enter the wind cover of the island and it suddenly becomes calmer. Every now and then a gust comes in. I call the Waitui marina on the radio. Two marineros help us with the buoy and are super friendly. Yes, yes, I know, the Nawi Island Marina is the best and most beautiful in the whole of Fiji, if not the most beautiful in the whole world. But I'm tired of paying double the price for a half-empty marina just because I use the whole box, while a mono only uses three quarters of it. That's why I boycott such marinas and prefer the simplicity of a Waitui marina. After all, we are traveling the world and the flair, which is admittedly rough and rugged, brings back memories of the old days of globetrotting at sea. I prefer a cabin where a shower and toilet are the only luxuries to a marina with a pool bar and rain shower. At least once in a while. Also, Waitui is more authentic when you look at the small town of Savusavu, which has more of a gold rush town feel and is very different from the promenades around the world, such as Ocean Drive in Miami. However, to each his own. So that we can have our say, we'll take a look at the Nawi Island Marina. Until then, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.