July 22 and 23, 2013
After two busy weeks in Savusavu it felt great to be heading out cruising once again. Our plan was to head east, back in the direction of Viani Bay. This time, though, we planned to stop a few miles short of Viani in a bay called Dakuniba.
Dakuniba wasn’t in our original plan, but we heard it has a lot of fruit bats. In our opinion, there’s no such thing as too many fruit bats! After Dakuniba we’d go on past Viani Bay to the islands of Rabi and Kioa before heading over to an anchorage at the eastern tip of Taveuni.
We headed out under cloudy skies, gusty winds, and lumpy seas, hoping conditions would get more pleasant after we rounded the corner and headed east. They didn’t really, but we had the current with us and it helped move us along at 7 to 8 knots. Still, when we passed Fawn Harbor with only an hour to go, we decided to give ourselves a break and duck in there. The skies were turning grayer, the conditions not abating, and it seemed like a good idea to stop for the night. We could then continue on to Dakuniba the next morning.
It was low tide, and with the choppy seas breaking on the now-exposed reef, the entrance looked a lot less benign than last time! We were very glad to have our track in from our previous visit! Once we got anchored we could still hear the wind, but conditions in here were wonderfully calm. There are few things in life better than gliding into a calm harbor after a rough day at sea.
The next morning was sunny but surprisingly breezy, and we could hear the constant rumble of waves crashing on the reef. We decided to motor out and just go take a look at the pass. We didn’t like what we saw: waves crashing on the reef with fairly big swells coming in through the pass. We decided to go re-anchor and try again tomorrow.
We weren’t worried, nor did we feel stuck here. We knew the conditions would be better tomorrow; so today would be about relaxing and reading. Fawn harbor is the type of bay with a lot of mangroves and dark water, pretty to look at but not inviting for swimming.
For dinner we had teriyaki steak, green beans, and our latest discovery: budi. They’re thick green starchy bananas that can be cut up and boiled just like potatoes. After they’re cooked, they’re delicious sauteed with a some butter and served as a side dish. They taste a bit like sweet potatoes and were a favorite of ours in Fiji.
Our Polynesian meal just fit with the scene of lush mountains, the rumble of surf hitting the reef, and the feel of light warm breeze under a sunset sky. After dinner, we had rum drinks in the cockpit. The warm breeze picked up a bit, the classic feeling of a tropical night coming on.
The full moon rose, giving the night sky a purplish color and creating a bluish light inside the boat. Every now and then I’d get up and look out at this magical night. I could see the white crest of waves as they crashed against the reef in the distance and smell that Fiji smell of water and damp earth. Nights like this are too beautiful for sleeping. –Cyndi
