Fulaga Photos Part 2
Bamboozle
Jamie and Lucy Telfer
Wed 25 Sep 2013 04:53
|
019:09.039S 178:32.423W
 Fulaga is just as special below the surface and we
dived and snorkeled virtually every day. Here we are trying to perfect our
synchronised back roll entry...... Lucy is clearly going
early!
 We don't often get our pictures taken underwater but
here is one of Lucy enjoying some of the spectacular diving. As
you can see the water clarity is wonderful and the soft and hard corals in
great condition. There is plenty to see with the steep reef
walls providing interesting topography as well as huge numbers
of reef and pelagic fish, turtles, sea snakes and lots of sharks. We
were even lucky enough to watch a family pod of humpback
whales breaching (jumping out clear of the water) as we started one of our dives
just outside the entrance to the pass.
 Not wanting to damage this pristine and fragile
environment we try to stick to the ethos of leaving only footprints and bubbles
behind and are careful how we dispose of our garbage. Perishable food
scraps we buried or put into the sea outside the pass and burnable stuff goes on
the fire on the beach which is what I am doing in this picture. Bottles,
plastic and cans we take away with us or give to the locals if they have use for
them.
 In the caves up on the hill above the village are
many gruesome reminders of the violent (or should that be savage) past of these
islands and their inhabitants. We were taken up to see some of the
hundreds of skulls and skeletons that litter the
hillside. Apparently many of these are ancestors of the
villagers and others that are the bones of Tongan raiders who used to plague the
island until the end of the 19th century. There is no doubt many of these
people would have been eaten and judging by the damage to the skulls, most of
them had come to a violent end. They don't like talking too much
about their cannibal history especially as they are now all devout Christians
but the young lads who took us on the walk enjoyed joking about
who they planned to eat next!!
 Our friend Tai crushing the kava roots for another big
bowl of "grog"!
 Gathering for a social afternoon kava
session. The kava being crushed by Tai in the previous photo is mixed
with water which produces the muddy mixture you can see in the bowl.
Doesn't it look tasty?
 This may not look like a very exciting photo but the
arrival of this supply ship once every six weeks is a major event bringing food,
news, post and people. It is the only way the islanders can get on and off
the island and travel the 200 miles to Suva. All the older kids
have to go away to school on this ship returning irregularly for the
longer holidays.
The supplies are unloaded into small boats like
this one tied along side to be ferried ashore and then carried on
foot across the island to the villages. Everybody turns out to do
their bit.
 We of course carried our own supplies with us
from Savusavu including a ridiculously large sack of lemons we were given
by a friendly Fijian. Even Lucy couldn't drink enough G&T's
to get through this lot so here I am making lemonade to help keep scurvy at
bay!
 In Fiji it pays to expect the unexpected and when
the local ladies discovered Lucy had worked as a fitness trainer they asked if
she would be able to take an aerobics class as they had never had the chance to
have one before. Many of them are "traditionally built" but were very
enthusiastic and surprisingly quick to pick up the moves. There was a
great deal more laughter than you would find in most fitness
classes.
 A bit of floor work and stretching to finish the
class!
 Bamboozle looking very at home in the deserted
turquoise waters of the lagoon.
|