We are back in Vuda point Marina to check out of Fiji and to celebrate Zack's 9th birthday. There has been a lot of wind and the seas are up so we needed to find something to do on land. The choices were pretty limited so we decided on the Big Bula Water park at Denarau Marina. It is a blowup water park but some of the slides looked good. I sent an email and was assured it was age appropriate for a nine year old. It was a great choice, totally age appropriate. We took a taxi down to the park from Vuda Point just for ease of operations. When we were filling out the paperwork and signing the releases the clerk realized it was Zack's birthday and gave all three kids a 40% discount, which made the price very reasonable. The park wasn't huge but definitely a fair amount of rides with a section for just under 5's. The park was not crowded at all and it felt like we were having our own private party. Zack, Finnley, and Natalie spent the morning checking out the slides and there were 2 that were quite high, a few smaller but fast slides Nothing like a water slide on a hot day. There were plenty of shaded picnic tables and the adults got comfortable because we were going to be there all day. There was a blow up pool next to us with blow up basketball hoops and blowup see-saws. It looked a little young for our gang but they jumped in to cool off. There are attendants at all the rides and the attendant at the pool was a young Fijian guy maybe 20 or so years old. We were calling him "rugby guy" because he was built like an athlete. He spent hours playing with the kids. He would play basketball, tackle, tickle and dive at the kids. Once he took a little breather on the outside of the pool and came back into the pool in a running shallow dive. The kids were crazy for this guy, he was truly amazing with them. He was non-stop fun. We were getting tired just watching. Needless to say the kids spent hours in the pool playing with rugby guy. It was getting late so I gave the kids a fair warning that if they wanted to try any other rides they had only a short time to do it. They were convinced to get out of the pool so they could do all the other fun stuff. They all did the blowup climbing wall. It was about 15 meters high. To climb it they put you into a climbing harness and off you went. It was a coconut tree and the object was to touch the coconuts at the top of the tree. They all made it. The fun part was repelling down the once you had tagged the coconuts. The attendant would hold you, but let you drop a bit as you swung out. Gotta love these guys for being so into playing with the kids. After the climbing tree it was time for virtual surfing. Think mechanical bull but surf style. There was a blowup wave for background effect, but what it really needed was a hose spraying water in your face to make the ride realistic. All the kids were into it though and it was fun to watch how serious they all were trying to stay on the board. The ride got tougher the longer you were on it. They all got some good rides in. We had some chocolate cupcakes, but Zack did not want us to sing to him in the park. A few more water slides and it was unfortunately time to go. Zack said it was an epic party!!

We headed back to Vuda Point and MacPelican came over for dinner and birthday cake. All in all a great day. I had made a pinata for Zack's birthday but we decided to wait for the next day when LaFiesta would be in Vuda so that Natalie could join in the fun. It was sort of an excuse because my pinata was not quite ready. I had made it the day before because I could not find a pinata in all of Lautoka. For Zack's eighth birthday we also had to make a pinata, because it is not a good party unless there is a pinata. Last year though Nathalie from Sueno helped me. This year I struck out on my own. I had a simple design, just a blown up balloon, how difficult could that be? Not too difficult but what a mess. I didn't have a lot of time so I had decided to skip that whole dry in between layers step. I am pretty sure that is why it didn't dry in time. I left it out to dry all day tied to one of the jib sheet halyards. When we returned from the water park it was gone. The balloon had popped, but fortunately I found the pinata on the deck behind the kayak. Next dilemma, how am I supposed to close it off and make a rope to tie it up in a tree? I could not come up with anything that I thought would hold for my somewhat flimsy pinata. So, I put in some lollies and sealed it off with some paper, glue and tape. I took it into the boatyard and had Zack find a stick. I then pitched the pinata to the kids and they hit it baseball style till it broke. Surprisingly my pinata stood up to three rounds of whacking. The candy got a little sandy but what's a little boat yard dirt anyway.

We are now out of the marina and on our way to Vanuatu. We left with MacPelican and there are a few other kid boats heading that way soon, so it should be a good time. So, Vinaka Vaka Levu to Fiji or thank you very much Fiji we have had a great time sailing here, catching up with old friends and meeting lots of new friends.