Photos

Sunset in Albert Cove, Rabi Island
The admiral with rubber duckie
Callisto in Albert Cove, Rabi Island
Albert Cove, Rabi Island
The falls at the national park in Taveuni. 90 minute walk each way to this delightful spot. Nice, cool swimmming here.
Early morning line squalls, Albert Cove, Rabi island
Rickety, locally made bridge on the way to the falls
Unusual rock formations on coastal walk, Taveuni
Fijian girls in school uniform, Taveuni
Josette on coastal walk to the falls in Taveuni
Evening from restaurant in Taveuni
Rainbow in Taveuni, Fiji
Fawn Harbor during a rain shower
Ruby and Josette in Fawn Harbor at the site of a natural hot spring. Very hot water about 105F, a 40 minute muddy trek to get there.
Having lunch in Taveuni, Fiji
Albert Cove, Rabi, Fiji
A long hike in Rabi. We took a jungle trail over a hill in Albert Cove to another part of the island which took about 45 minutes through all manner of mud and undergrowth. We thought we would take the coastal route back which took almost 3 hours over beach, rocks and coral. Fortunately the tide was out or we would have been stranded
Traditional hut(Burre) Albert Cove, Rabi, Fiji
Photo from my underwater camera a gift from James. Quality of the photos will improve. Reef in Vianni Bay, Fiji
Fijian boy, Fawn Harbor

Palmlea Farms Resort, Labasa, Vanua Levu, Fiji

We are now anchored off an eco resort called Palmlea Farms on the north coast of Vanua Levu near a town called Labasa. We are inside the Great Sea Reef so all is calm with gentle afternoon breezes. Today is out 33rd wedding anniversary and we will celebrate with a nice dinner at the resort and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot from our secret stash. We went into Labasa yesterday for a little look around and some shopping. Almost the entire town is Indo-Fijian and consequently you could buy almost anything. Also have to change the oil in the genset and repair one of the fridge pumps which is not working well but that may have to wait until tomorrow.
I'll try to post some photos tonight

Rabi Island, Fiji

Albert Cove, Rabi Island, Fiji.
We left Taveuni island yesterday and are now anchored
upin a tiny cove in the north of Rabi island. It's
very quiethere with just one boat to share this
wonderful place with. It truly looks like a picture
postcard. No cell phone no internet and no
infrastructure at all. This island is inhabited
by Polynesian people from Kiribati who were brought
here by the Brits in colonial times and we will go
ashore todayto meet some of them and take a walk
along the beach and do some snorkelling. Taveuni
Island was also most enjoyable. Lots of boats
there and old friends and a few bars and restaurants
in some resorts dotted about. We celebrated the 25th
wedding anniversary of Steve and Helen on Dignity
and also did an excellent road trip to a waterfall
on the eastern side of the island. We took
a chicken bus to the Bouma National Park and did the
Lavena Coastal Walk to the Tavoro waterfalls. The walk
was an hour and half along the beaches and villages
in the area and across a rickety locally built bridge
and up to the falls. A cool, freshwater swim and then
the trek back and a kidney bruising ride back to the
boat in a taxi with no shocks. We have some excellent
photos but no way to post them until we get to Labasa
in the north part of Vanua Levu. Perhaps next week.

Taveuni Island, Fiji

We left Vianni Bay yesterday and sailed up the Somosomo straits to the northern tip of Taveuni Island. We picked our way through the reef and are now anchored up outside the small town of Matei. Our friends Steve and Helen from " Dignity" are here and we have this beautiful place to ourselves. We went ashore yesterday and had some dinner in one of the local hostelries which was a pleasant change. There are a few high end resorts here so the area is very verdant and manicured. We will do a bus trip to the local scenic places notably a waterfall and a Catholic mission in we can find the chicken bus to take us there. It's a holiday today in Fiji, for some reason they are celebrating the Queen's birthday and everything is closed.
Grocery shopping will have to wait untill tomorrow as well. Today will be spent diving on the reef and repairing my 10 horse outboard which has decided to quit running.

Viani Bay, Fiji

We are now in a delightful little bay called Viani Bay
in the southeast corner of Vanua Levu, the second largest
island in the Fiji group. The are about eight other boats
here but some may leave tomorrow. We left the Jaques
Cousteau resort on Tuesday and did a day sail into Fawn
Harbor on the south side of Vanua Levu and in through a
small gap in the reef into a very sheltered spot where we
spent two nights. We went ashore there and met with some
of the 60 or so people who live in the area. They are all
members of an extended family called Pickering. We took a
long and muddy walk up a stream to a natural hot
spring which was very enjoyable. For some reason the walk
back seemed much further than going. Another excellent day
sail here today and tomorrow it's exploring the reef with
the underwater camera. Photos to follow.

jaques cousteau resort, savusavu bay, fiji

Spent the last 2 days at the jaques cousteau resort. did some snorkelling and played with underwater camera James gave me for Christmas. I will need more practice. Weather has been delightful. Off tomorrow for Fawn Harbour to meet with the natives and do the Kava thing.

fijian fire eater

sunset in savusavu

Savusavu, Fiji

We have been lazing about in Savusavu for the past week and the weather has mostly improved. We took a road trip around the island of Vanua Levu on Thursday and saw a great deal of the island. We had lunch in a beautiful eco resort in the north called Palmlea on the The Great Sea Reef and will probably visit again by boat next week.
We will most likely leave here tomorrow to circumnavigate Vanua Levu and visit some dive spots and anchorages and then on to the Yasawa group of islands

Palmlea Resort took some finding but was worth it in the end
Hindu temple near Labasa
The cobra rock inside the temple. The rock has been steadily rising for the past hundred years
School kids, Labasa. Hard to know how they keep their white uniforms clean
Downtown Savusavu, Watch out Paris
Catamaran on the reef in Suva. He made the mistake of attempting to enter at night while fatigued
Spice market Suva
Kava shop, Suva
Island of Vanua Levu
Suva Market
Flower market, Suva
Fish market, Suva

Locals in Suva Market