We are currently anchored in the large bay just a short hop from Port Denarau marina - no pics of this spot as it is not all that scenic, but there is a nice restaurant ashore at Smugglers Cove Beach resort - good food for a very reasonable price. We are enjoying our last few days of the season before the real work begins tomorrow - prepping Orcinius for cyclone season in Fiji. I am finally catching the blog up on pictures from the past month as we finally have good internet here. So along with our stories, here are some pictures of what we've been up to.
This is the view from Mo's island, Nagalaveu, Ringolds, out towards Orcinius and Charisma. It was a long dingy ride back and forth through lots of coral heads and shallows. But the water was gorgeous.
Coconut Crab on a stick! Is what I caught on our trek across the island with Mo. The crab was crawling down my stick - playing chicken with me. He won!
And John with drinking coconut on a stick! He was knocking down some coconuts after our long hike back from the other side of the island.
John and Bob out for a stroll on Mo's beautiful beach - Nagalalevu.
Mo's living quarters from the outside.
The coconut crab Mo caught - ready for the cooking pot. He eats coconut crab at least 3 times a week. Is it possible to get tired of eating crab???
The cooking pot - able to cook 2-3 large crab at one time.
The inside of Mo's house where we sat and visited for a couple of days.
A couple of his chickens on the back stoop.
A shelter on the beach.
After Nagalalevu, we sailed across the top of Fiji (north of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu) and into the Northern Yasawa group. And here we are anchored back in the Blue Lagoon - having made a full circumnavigation of Fiji this season.
While in Blue Lagoon, Ann, John and I took a hike to the other side of the island (Nanuya Lailai) to Lo's tea shop.
The views along the hike were beautiful.
It is definitely the dry season, and the area has not received much rain for many months. But still very beautiful.
Coming down the hill on the other side of the island - we are almost there! And the wind is howling!
Arriving at Lo's tea shop.
A view from the beach.
And inside - cold refreshments and chocolate cake!
And a great way to end our day - cocktails and dinner with Ann and Bob at Nanuya Island Resort.
We also met up with a bunch more cruising buddies (Buena Vista, Mer Solei, The Rose, and Charisma) while in Blue Lagoon and had a fun evening with everyone aboard Orcinius!
Next - onto Waya Island where Bob took a gorgeous picture of Orcinius anchored in the bay.
Nothing like spending the afternoon in our floaties throwing back a cold one!
Bob capturing the moment with a panorama view.
As we did the Waya dance back and forth between the Nalawaki Bay and Octopus Resort, we got 3 nice dives in - one of them being off the back step of Orcinius. Here is Bob - first one in the water.
Ann taking the plunge next. Then me, then John - but no one around to take pictures of us.
The other 2 dives were done from the dingy. It's lots of work getting all the equipment ready, hauling it into the dingy, getting everyone suited up and in the water, do the dive, get everyone back out, everything and everyone back onto Orcinius for a wash down, and pack everything away again after it's all been set out to dry. It definitely eats up the better part of a day!
Aboard Orcinius after a dive with all the gear drying on the tramps - and a float plane in the background landing at Octopus resort to pick up some tourists. We really like Octopus resort - very friendly and great food.
Dinner ashore at Octopus with The Rose - John and Pat, and Charisma - Bob and Ann.
What's this picture you might ask? Well that would be John pulling himself out of the water one evening after miss-judging the back step as he was getting out of the dingy (after having dropped off Bob and Ann at their boat late one evening). I was laughing so hard I couldn't keep the camera straight! And then he ended up doing it again a week later - but this time he missed the transfer from the stern into the dingy (another late night KER-PLOP!).
A beautiful view of the sunset from Octopus Resort.
I must also give credit to Ann and Bob for their contribution to some of these great pics.
All for now!
Lisa