July 31 – August 3, 2013
The hot, still, cloudless weather had an upside: it was great for stargazing at night when the moon wasn’t up. In Matei, we’d lay on our backs in the cockpit and look up into the night sky, the stars bright and clear because there was so little light from Taveuni Island. The Milky Way stretched across the starry sky, and it was easy to pick out the constellations Libra, Sagittarius, Virgo, and especially Scorpio, which dominates the night sky at this time of year. Of course there was the ever-present Southern Cross, which never sets.
We also had quite a shooting star display during our three nights here. Sometimes they streaked across the sky, and sometimes they just dropped straight down as if falling to Earth. The most impressive one had a long tail and seemed to shoot sparks (and no, we weren’t smoking anything funny).
By now, we’d decided that this is our favorite place in Fiji so far (not that we’d seen much at this point). Albert’s Cove was the most beautiful, and Viani was very special with its summer camp atmosphere and great diving. But this was our favorite. It’s not an all-weather anchorage, but when conditions are right, the clear blue water, the little islets, the abundance of sea life, and beautiful Taveuni island make it a paradise.
Below, a roundup gallery of Matei (click to enlarge and scroll). –Cyndi
