August 19 – 21, 2013
One of our tasks in Savusavu was making the decision of where to go next. We’d already narrowed down the choice by deciding to stay on the east side of Fiji this season, leaving the west for another time (right now actually, as I write this almost two years later). But we still had several options to choose from.
Over the past weeks, we’d been hearing about the Lau group of islands. Visiting these islands used to require a special permit that cost a fair amount of money, putting them out of reach for the average cruiser. Fiji finally decided to change that and include the Lau islands in the general permit all cruisers are required to have. This was the first full season the Lau was open to everyone, and most of the cruising fleet was very anxious to get there. It was rumored to be pretty special.
There are actually two groups of Lau islands, one to the south of Fiji’s main islands, and one to the east. By now, much of the fleet had visited one or both groups, and both were getting rave reviews. While “the Lau” includes several scattered islands in both areas, most cruisers who go visit only the main island of the group: Fulaga (in the south group) and Vanua Balavu (in the east group). Of the two islands, Fulaga is the more popular.
We’d gone back and forth on whether to visit either Lau group this season. Both areas require going against the prevailing trade winds and a night or two at sea. Both areas require a lot of provisioning as you have to bring your own food, liquor, fuel, etc. Neither area is well charted, and everyone was pretty much using the same limited waypoint information that was being passed around. This was new territory, and it would require some pioneering spirit to go.
Our friends on Bright Angel had gone to Fulaga a few days earlier. On our radio net they reported that it’s absolutely worth the effort and we should get down there asap! With that, we decided to go and try to visit both groups. We’d head to Fulaga first, then head north to Vanua Balavu (where an area called Bay of Islands is located).
We had a weather window coming up, which meant the winds were going to die to about nothing and we could motor the 190 or so miles down there (if we waited for agreeable sailing winds; we’d never get there). We spent our last days in Savusavu provisioning. This was a challenge in that we didn’t have a freezer, but we found if we turned down the fridge temperature low enough, the stuff on the bottom would stay frozen. This was important in that we’d be out a few weeks.
Below is a roundup of miscellaneous pictures of Savusavu. This had been our third stay here, and we planned to return again after visiting “the Lau.” –Cyndi
