7th November, 2013

After a 24 hour sail from Taveruni Island we arrived in Fuluga the southern most island of the Lau Group.  We had heard it was beautiful but it was more than that, we could have spent ages there had we had the time.  The lagoon inside the reef is as blue as can be with coral outcrops everywhere but quite deep in many areas and lovely coral under the water with amazing fish.

Akuila came over to the yacht in his fishing boat and we said we needed to go to the village of Muna-i-Cake to present our Sevusevu to the chief and ask permission to stay.  He met us in the village the following morning and we did sevusevu with Simon the acting chief. Jonathan bought a sulu to wear for the sevusevus when he was in in Taveruni. Whilst we were waiting to go into the church some of the boys came up and stroked Jonathan's arm they could not believe how hairy he was!!   It was all so friendly and everybody was saying 'Bula Bula' as we replied saying the same thing as well.  We were invited to attend church on Sunday which we did and were invited for lunch with Simon.  They dug up some land crabs and mixed them with coconut and onion and put them back in their shell, just for Jonathan and David, I declined as I have a mild allergy to crabs and didn't want to risk it. We also had fish some sort of greenery and taro, the latter is a root which is a little clawy on the mouth.  The food was good, we ate sitting cross legged on the pandanas mats and ate with our hands.  The family did not eat but watched us and then ate after, we tried to persuade them to eat with us but they would not, we did not eat it all as the food supply is scarce and meagre.  I baked a load of cookies to give to the children and felt like the pied piper as they followed me around the village and gathered around the well to help themselves.  The church 'bells' were three dug out logs which were drummed first slowly then faster as the service start time became nearer.  On Sundays nobody works, there are four services a day in the church.  In the afternoon we went out to the other end of the lagoon to snorkel and swim.  Amazing fish, turtles and coral, we explored the sand beaches and had a brilliant time with good weather.

Akuila came out to the boat with us at the end of the day to fetch some more Kava root for Simon as they did not have much on the island.  His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the sofa below and asked if he could sit on it, they don't have chairs in the village I'm not sure he had seen one for real before. More photos to follow after these below:-