Anyone who reads this blog will notice that three names frequently pop up: Vuda Marina, Denerau Marina, and Musket Cove. This is because they are the three points of the Cruisers’ Triangle (a name I made up). I call this the Cruisers’ Triangle because those who cruise the west side of Fiji generally make their season’s home base on one of the three corners (Vuda Marina, Musket Cove, or Denarau Marina) and travel frequently between the them.
Cruising isn’t just about the art of sailing and reading charts, it’s also about the art of waiting. The trade winds that are the hallmark of the tropics can create conditions that are uncomfortable and unsafe for being out and about on the water. These are known as “enhanced trades.” What cruisers generally look for is a period of light trades for going island hopping, then return to their hub for any extended period of those dreaded enhanced trades.
A good hub has a marina with slips or secure moorings reasonably close to shore. It will also have a good restaurant, a comfortable bar for hanging out, a cafe for coffee and breakfast, laundry facilities, showers and restrooms, yacht services, a market, and access to transportation to the bigger markets in the cities. The three places mentioned have all of the above (although transportation to a big city from Musket Cove will require taking a ferry).
As I mentioned on an earlier page, the resort on Nanuya Lailai island, the location of the Blue Lagoon, was also gearing up to become a hub by putting in moorings, an ATM and a market. They won’t be able to provide access to a big city (unless you want to take the sea plane), and I don’t know about things such as laundry service. When we were here in 2016 we actually saw a collection of mooring materials ready to be installed, but as of 2018 it seems they aren’t there. We don’t know what happened to this plan, but if they aren’t in by now they probably never will be.