Levuka
16 September 2014 | Ovalau, Fiji
Colin
After a pleasant week in Savusavu we decided to sail across the Bligh Waters to the “mainland” which is the big island of Viti Levu. We were lucky to have a soft easterly wind for the first part of this passage which is almost due south to clear Namena Reef. From there we could crack off to the SW and make for Makogai Pass. There are a lot of big reefs around Fiji and most are unmarked, also our electronic charts had poor resolution in some areas, so it’s best to travel in daylight with good visibility. We did get heaps of useful waypoints from a sailor named Curly, who is a longtime resident of the area. We ended up staying overnight at Makogai island which used to be a leper colony and is now a turtle nursery and giant clam sanctuary.
The next day we sailed down to Levuka on Ovalau island. This town used to be the capital of Fiji and has a long and rich history. In the early 1800’s Levuka was a busy trading center with a very rowdy reputation that lasted until the British took over. The picture shows the site of cession to the British in 1874 and then back to Fijian independence in 1970. There are still many historical buildings in Levuka and it’s fascinating to wander the streets. In fact, the whole town is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The only one in the south pacific. Sadly, the town began to decline when the Fijian capital was moved to Suva. The only thing that saved it was the tuna cannery that still operates today. A fact we were reminded of in the anchorage everytime the wind blew from the south… Nevertheless, we stayed in Levuka for 3 days and really enjoyed our visit there.