August 4, 2013
We woke up at dawn to a light rain and the small fishing canoes still around us. A pod of dolphin came by and hung out for awhile, actually feeding near the canoes. The whole scene had a dreamlike feel to it. It was a shame to break the spell with the noise of our engine, but we needed to get an early start back to Savusavu before the wind picked up.
We ended up having a terrific trip back to Savusavu, motor-sailing with 17 knots of wind on a broad reach, while a strong current that pushed us along.
It’s an interesting feeling returning to Savusavu after being away for awhile. It’s such a social hub, and you wonder who’s arrived, who’s left, and who has yet to make it out. Unfortunately the challenges of Fiji overwhelm some people, so much that they don’t leave Savusavu until the end of the season. (This inspired us to do our Fiji information pages so this wouldn’t happen to our friends behind us).
As for returning, there are people we hope to see, and people we hope not to see. Of course there are friends we’ve yet to meet, but invariably there are troubled campers we’ve yet to meet, too. Sometimes it feels a bit like high school.
We opted to get a slip at the marina, which made it easier to quickly get to Savusavu Wok for our favorite dumplings. We hadn’t had these for a couple of weeks and were starting to suffer from withdrawal. Later we met friends at the bar for a sunset drink before we all headed out for dinner. We love getting out for some cruising, but we love coming back to our “hub” just as much. –Cyndi
