Tell Us About Fiji

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

We can confirm what Jim Cate said, Vic. Kandavu is excellent for snorkelling, no yachties, good village experiences etc.

The Lau Group was a real stand out also. Incredibly beautiful islands, fantastic snorkelling, lobsters and locals. If you can organise it and a low comes thru, you can even ride the westerlies back east.

Hi Jim,
We may try to get down to Kadavu... probably easier than Lau from here.
Vic

[Jim Cate]

Vic, if you do go to Kandavu, I can recommend going to Kavala Bay (east end of north coast) and the village of Solotavui. Good anchorage, great people, a big school... If you do get there, please give them greetings from Jim and Ann and s/v Insatiable. A good time to do this would be while going through the sevu sevu activities.

Hope that you can make it, mate!

Jim

[Steve Pope]

There are 2 or 3 Fiji Guides, By far the best is Michael Calders "A Yachtsmans Fiji" preferably the 2nd version, 1993, It can be hard to find, As you have computer access try Trademe New Zealands version of Ebay, I picked up a very good copy there for a few dollars. Most Sellers will post. Also there is a good New Calledonia guide, I have one but it on loan to a friend who is up there at present. A little bit of Google research will find it for you.

[JPA Cate]

Vic,

Some people resist sevusevu. We did, at first. What it is is their custom for handling travelers (Fijian or foreign). While you are in Lautoka, buy some high grade yangona (sp?) (kava). One large bundle can be subdivided into three or four pieces, but get the raffia string to wrap the smaller bouquets. They will know you've subdivided it. Also buy a few one lb. sacks of rice and a few small bottles of cooking oil. The yangona is for sevusevu, the rest is for gifts. It is hard to stay ahead on the gift-giving. A few sulu lenghts of cotton cloth (that can be hemmed as you're sailing) also make nice farewell gifts. Where you are going there are complicated (mysterious to us) inter-related systems of gift giving, so keep your antennae going. At the sevusevu presentation you will be asked to tell a little about who you are and what you want to do in the village, usually snorkeling and guided hikes are okay, sometimes fishing is tabu, usually due to shortages. If the chief picks up the yanggona you offer, then you're cool to stay. There is also a medical station at Kavala Bay. Any spare medical provisions like bandages and antibiotic ointment are greatly appreciated...

Ann

[AndrewB]

Don't forget you MUST give Fiji 48 hrs advance notice of your arrival: form C2C.

See here: http://www.frca.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/New-C2C-31.pdf‎

[Jolly Roger]

Hi Vic and Sandy.
Glad to hear you arrived safely: It’s really nice in Titusville this time of year.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Vic, if you do go to Kandavu, I can recommend going to Kavala Bay (east end of north coast) and the village of Solotavui. Good anchorage, great people, a big school... If you do get there, please give them greetings from Jim and Ann and s/v Insatiable. A good time to do this would be while going through the sevu sevu activities.

Hope that you can make it, mate!

Jim

Jim and Jimbo,

I have not been able to find Kandavu, unless it is the island south of Suva about lat 19 S. shown in the Fiji Mariners Guide as Kadavu, Astralobe area.
There is also a Kadavu island in the eastern Mamanuca islands area, but it looks small.
Can you clarify the location at all?
Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Hi Vic and Sandy.
Glad to hear you arrived safely: It’s really nice in Titusville this time of year.

Hi Roger,
It's damned hot here too, and yes, we have made it.
Just a bit behind with emails and blog posts, but I did get one done on the trip across from Bora Bora.
Talk soon.
Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

Don't forget you MUST give Fiji 48 hrs advance notice of your arrival: form C2C.

See here: http://www.frca.org.fj/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/New-C2C-31.pdf‎

We found that out after we got here. Just took a short letter explaining we had planned to stop in Tonga, but had to change our plans and come direct. They were fine about it.

Vic

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Jim and Jimbo,

I have not been able to find Kandavu, unless it is the island south of Suva about lat 19 S. shown in the Fiji Mariners Guide as Kadavu, Astralobe area.
There is also a Kadavu island in the eastern Mamanuca islands area, but it looks small.
Can you clarify the location at all?
Vic

Jim and Jimbo,
Ignore this question. We found it.
Vic

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Jim and Jimbo,
Ignore this question. We found it.
Vic

Vic, this sort of thing often happens in Fiji. Has to do with the way certain letter combinations are pronounced in the Fijian language. In this case, the letter "d" is pronounced as "nd", so a spoken "Kandavu" is properly written "Kadavu". But the Brits, knowing that they were right, often chose to spell the names phonetically on their charts, leading us to confusion.

Cheers,

Jim

[Neptune's Gear]

If you wan to go into lautoka, vuda point is cheaper than Denarau, More cruisers as well....