A windy affair

The wind continues to blow at over 20 knots from the east. We have been sailing all night at just under five knots with half a genoa. The horizon in the east is turning orange. The stars, which are flashing sporadically through the clouds, are slowly fading. A new day is beginning. We are just off the Yasawas. The first pass that will take us into the interior of the reef lies directly ahead of us. The timing couldn't be better. The day has begun, and visibility is clear. While we still have the engine running at the first pass, we do without it entirely at the second pass. We sail through without any problems. Nabukeru Bay lies abeam. The water is calm. We have made it and arrived in the Yasawas.

Arrived in the Yasawas.

After the hustle and bustle of Savusavu, we seek solitude. Namaty Bay is our destination. As we reach the leeward side of Tamusua, a 30-knot wind from the northeast blows in our faces. Two sailboats are just taking off and coming towards us. Gaby looks at me and I say to her, “I don't think it's a good idea to sail to Namaty.” That's exactly what she wanted to hear at that moment. So we turn around and decide on Malakati Bay on Nacula Island. Hoping to find better conditions there. Well, not really. But I'm pretty tired by now and just want to hit the sack. The gusts here are quite strong, reaching up to 35 knots. Nevertheless, the anchor holds very well and the movement in the water is bearable as the bridle is tight. I set the anchor alarm and get some sleep. We postpone our sevusevu until tomorrow.

The village of Malakati, Yasawas, Fiji

The village of Malakati is located directly on the white sandy beach. As is customary in Fiji, the people are very friendly and interested. It is Sunday and the children are attending Sunday school at church. The chief is still taking his afternoon nap. We hand over our bouquet of kava to his deputy, who warmly invites us to the island. We take a walk along the beach and strike up conversations with various villagers. 

Beach walk on Nacula Island, Fiji

They live here from fishing and what the land provides. Pineapples, papayas, manioc, and coconuts are the main crops grown here. The surrounding area is ideal for hiking, but we don't want to leave the boat unattended for too long in this wind. So we return and make ourselves comfortable on the Katinka Enjoy.

Nanuya Island, Fiji

Our next destination, the Blue Lagoon, is only eight miles further south. The wind has died down and we sail leisurely to the neighboring island of Nanuya Lailai. The anchor drops into the sand at a depth of 18 meters. Ahead of us is the Nanuya Island Resort. The anchorage is known among sailors as the Blue Lagoon. It gets quite crowded here during the high season. At the end of October, there is plenty of space. 

Blue Lagoon Anchorage, Fiji

The resort makes a very strict distinction between sailors and resort guests. In principle, the resort is friendly towards sailors, but there are significant limitations in terms of choice of accommodation. We don't feel entirely comfortable and prefer to spend a lovo evening at Semi's, the resort's neighbor. The lovo is an earth oven in which various dishes are placed on heated stones, covered with sand, and then cooked for several hours. The dishes are first wrapped in palm and/or banana leaves. There is lamb, chicken, and fish. A pumpkin, which was also in the oven, is filled with rice. A type of spinach and Swiss chard are served as vegetables. Various salads, melon, and pineapple round off the delicious meal. We are a group of ten sailors from all over the world and are having a lot of fun. We brought our own drinks, as Semi does not have a liquor license. It's going to be a long evening, and because it's high tide, we can drive directly over the reef to the boat, which is always an exciting experience here in Fiji. The wind has picked up again to 18 knots, and if we had wings on the dinghy, we would have flown to the Katinka Enjoy.

The Lovo Earth Oven, Fiji

To stretch our legs again, we decide to walk around the island. There is a small village on the windward side of the island. Here you can buy ice cream and there is a tea house. Dan has been living in this village for 70 years and sells ice cream. Banana ice cream, pineapple ice cream, or coconut ice cream, whatever is ripe at the moment. We sit in front of his hut, enjoy our ice cream, and he tells us about his village life. 

Dan the Ice Cream Man, Fiji

The wind is much stronger here, and white caps are forming out at sea. We continue along the beach and reach Lo's Tea House. Here we drink lemon leaf tea and are given a donut. Both are delicious, and so we make our way back. 

Lo's Tea House, Fidschi

We choose the path through the mangroves. At low tide, the area between Nanuya Lailai and Turtle Island is almost dry. The emphasis is on “almost.” The bay has a mushy bottom, similar to mashed potatoes that have become too liquid and squeeze between your toes. Unfortunately, the color looks anything but mashed potatoes. Every now and then, you wade through knee-high water. Brown patches of seaweed completely hide the ground, so you don't know where you're stepping. In addition, the view is blocked by the mangroves, so we don't know if we're even going the right way. Halfway there, we realize that parts of the path we've already covered are now under water. So there's no turning back. It's possible that our skeletons won't be found in the mangroves for years. Our eyes, pecked out by herons who won't pass up such a feast. But I have to disappoint all my friends and the people who read my blog: as you've probably noticed, I'm still alive. It was more a figment of Gaby's imagination, who was once again scared out of her wits or finally wants my life insurance. Who knows? Anyway, we reach the beach and arrive safely back at our dinghy, which we have tied to a root on the beach.

Hiking trail through the mangroves at low tide, Fiji

So we will continue to explore the Yasawas for a while and report back again next week. Until then, fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.