Fijian Adventure
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Sun 22 Aug 2010 19:29
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Sunday 22 August 0735 Local Saturday 21 August 1935
UTC
16:45.06S 179:53.29E
After our visit to Nagigi (Nangingi -
g is pronounced "ng" ) village during the week we invited the family to visit us
on the yacht in Savusavu the following day. The extended family, who
actually were our third set of visitors that day, all 13 of them and three
generations arrived in Savusavu off the 1230 bus and with everyone decked
out in smart clean clothes we picked them up at the copra shed in our
dingy. There was huge excitement among the family with much laughing and
hilarity and enthusistic waving to any and all who could see them heading
off across the anchorage to Rhiann Marie. One woman, who was very elegantly
dressed was in her mid seventies and was great fun. The excitement level
was at fever pitch when all were aboard and Trish gave the "girls" a tour and I
gave the "boys" a tour. Great hilarity was caused by one of the men
picking up the hand held VHF while standing at the wheel and saying "Roger
Roger" - the whole cockpit was in uproar! None had ever been on a yacht
before.
Cold drinks were served all round and then Trish
laid out a whole spread for lunch and she did us proud. The family were
delighted and we had a really pleasant day. On the way back to the dingy dock
the old woman kept shouting back to Trish - who had already been presented with
another two necklaces by the women - "we love you, we miss you, vinaka,
vinaka!". I am sure the family had a memorable day and we were thrilled
too.
That evening we had another appointment we had been
trying to make for several days. There is a ferry which runs from Suva in Fiji
to Savusavu where we were anchored and she is called - "Suilven"! We heard her
mentioned on the VHF when we were approaching Fiji and wondered if it could be
the Suilven that was built in Scotland for the Stornoway - Ullapool
run on the west coast of Scotland. Sure enough it was. We were filled with
excitement to see her, having so many memories of sailing on the Suilven when we
were younger.
On Thursday she would be in in the morning and then
again in the evening, so at 0600 I got up and called her on the VHF and
explained that we would like to visit that evening, when she docked, and
the reason why. The radio operator said that would be fine with the Captain and
we should call at 1830 that evening which we did. When presented to the Captain
on the bridge we explained that we spoke to the Radio Operator in the morning
and that he said it would be OK to visit. "Yes, I know" said the Captain "that
was me!" He was facinated to hear about the ferry's origin in Scotland and had
some questions for us about her which we were able to answer. She was now over
40 years old and in Fiji she only went for major maintenance every five years
and it showed. While the captain was also the radio operator the First Mate was
the one loading the car deck! I somehow think these arrangements and lack of
demarkation found in the ferry crews in Scotland would not go down too well...
Our visit was finished by being invited to have dinner with the Captain which we
were honoured to do. It was some kind of chicken curry - it seems while they
have changed many things in the forty years since she was in Stornoway the menu
has been retained.............
Watching them depart the dock was an impressive
sight. An aluminium skiff with outboard headed out to the seaward mooring bouy
and untied the line which was hauled back in over the deck. The skiff followed
the ferry with the stern loading ramp still down at water level. The skiff was
then driven onto the stern ramp while under way and the ramp was raised all the
way with three men at the top of the ramp - I kid you not - balancing the
boat precariously until it was somehow fixed in place from there. I think the
MCA and HSE would have something to say about that Indiana Jones like stunt!
On Friday morning however we had to go. Although I
have still not found any encouragement from any quarters for my planned visit
round the North of Vanua Levu, we set off Eastwards. Yes Eastwards - back the
way we came and 40 miles up wind. We were hard on the wind all day - well 5
hours actually - and eventually got into a bay called Viani Bay which was almost
back on the 180th meridian, which we should cross again on this sojourn. The
problem that I have is that for some reason the electronic charts show no detail
for the area and can only zoom into a 12 mile range - not much good for picking
out depths, rocks and bommies. Also I have no detailed chart for this area
though I have now managed to get one for the North
Coast.
Once in Viani bay we settled in for the night and
in the morning we were visted by Jack Fisher. Jack is of mixed Samoan, American,
English and Fijian decent and his family have lived in Viani bay for several
generations. If they ever make a "Pirates of the Pacific" movie I'm sure
there will be a character based on Jack. Jack kept us entertained with all
his stories and told us of his many marriages and the years he spent
travelling around Fiji on fishing boats and motor cycles. He is a real
character, a likeable rogue I am sure! These characteristics would qualify him
perfectly to be a banker today - except for the fact he is likeable! We went
snorkelling with Jack, who among his many "careers" was a diver for many years.
He took us to a great spot, however very unusually I did not get a fish. We were
also shadowed by a big shark this time and this scared Trish back into the
dingy. This is very inconsiderate of her because when she
is snorkelling with me my chances are 50/50 however when she climbs out of
the water she puts me at far more risk ...........
In all seriousness the stories of shark attacks and
incidents with sharks have got more frequent as we have travelled east. Jack
lost five fishermen friends to sharks and one nephew, he told us. I guess I
need to be more careful on my spearfishing trips now.
On Sunday morning we headed off from Viani
bay up onto the North of the island but first had to pick our way for 3
hours through the reefs without charts to get to more open water on the
east of Fiji. When I told Jack where we were going he said, with a sharp intake
of breath "I was up there for three years fishing and I wouldn't go back - what
do you want to go there for?"
Well we are heading up there in search of
a bit of adventure and to get off the beaten track. I better not screw
it up though, because the roar of "I told you so's" will be deafening. I will
let you know how we get on - but I am sure it will be an adventurous
trip.
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