Sandpile Island
25 September 2010 | Mamanuca Islands, Fiji
Alison
It's late afternoon and we've just returned from a delightful snorkel on a reef surrounding a small sandpile of an island north of Malolo Island in the Mamanucas. This was our best snorkel yet, rich with color and variety, lots of new fish, and warm, clear water.
We "discovered" this little island a few days ago on our way north to Monoriki Island, where the movie "Castaway" with Tom Hanks was filmed. We saw the pristine pile of white sand, devoid of people, trees, or any evidence of mankind at all, made a detour, and claimed it for ourselves. But just as we rounded the corner to the little anchorage we noticed a small boat from one of the many, many, MANY tourist resorts in the area that had beat us to the punch, with a few snorkelers splashing about in the clear water. We swam ashore and roamed around, squinting without sunglasses in the brilliant white light of the sandy blob, trying to pose for man-on-the-moon pictures and still keep our eyes open, despite the pain. A bit of snorkeling and then we were back aboard, showering on the deck as the other boat packed up and left. Not 10 minutes later, another arrived, deposited a couple on the isle, set up a big striped umbrella and a little table for two, and left them to a private lunch ashore. We decided it was time to go, not sure whether it was a marriage proposal or an anniversary or just a little getaway, but surely we were not a necessary component to their moment.
And now, a few days later we have returned to "our" island for another go at the little reef. We had the place all to ourselves for about a minute, and then, sure enough, the resort fleet arrived, offloading 3 groups of people, 5 umbrellas and various piles of beach paraphernalia. We confined ourselves to the reef, which was beautiful, unspoiled and undamaged. Mark and Pam are getting quite comfy in the water, and as with all dives, we all love to excitedly share the things we saw and look them up in the fish book. Our new Lumix camera is also proving to be a great asset and Allan has taken some wonderful underwater photos.
So far our time with Mark and Pam has included a few nights in Musket Cove, and a few nights anchored in front of the posh Likuliku Resort on the north end of Malolo. Musket Cove is a crowded anchorage with moorings, restaurants, resorts, a small marina, fuel, and all sorts of other amenities, although we didn't partake of any of them except the trash bins and the well-stocked store. We used Musket Cove more for a staging area, a jumping-off point to local snorkeling spots, including a gorgeous day anchored near the outer reef between Tavarua and Nomotu Islands, both surfing resorts.
Our two nights off the Likuliku Resort were peaceful. Pam and I took the dinghy to another little uninhabited island, offloaded our beach chairs, books, masks and snorkels, and some snacks and had a nice few hours to ourselves, searching for shells and relaxing. Meanwhile, Allan gave his brother Mark his first dive lesson, ultimately getting him into the water in scuba gear and down to 50 feet for awhile. Mark took to it as easily as his fish-like brother and will no doubt have no trouble getting scuba certified. Pam is next, Allan hopes to find a good spot to work with her tomorrow.
This morning we resumed our attempt to see Monoriki Island which we circumnavigated, taking loads of photos and trying to decide which scene in "Castaway" was filmed where. The island is rugged and uninhabited, although tour boats make daily treks and let people off to clamber around. We were not able to stop because it was too deep for us to anchor, but we thoroughly enjoyed the view.
Tonight we're headed once again to Musket Cove for one more day on the fringing reef by the surf islands, and then back to Vuda Point Monday to do a little shopping in Lautoka before Mark and Pam leave Tuesday evening.