Fiji Independence Day
12 October 2019

We arrived in time for Fiji Independence Day and a Lolo celebration at the resort here. Not much going on in town as the capital is in Suva where they have parades and speeches by their president. We joined the afternoon feast here at Vuda just in time to see a helicopter towing the Fijian flag along the coast. Children had some firecrackers and sticks but it seemed pretty laid back compared to US July 4th celebrations.

Our inverter accidentally got returned to the States so thanks to Peter at Svendensons' we are awaiting its re-arrival. Meanwhile John is busy recalibrating our solar and battery controllers trying to improve our charge holding ability. We cannot even hook to shore power 220 without the inverter so my canvas and shade projects must wait. Drying out and doing laundry has made the boat smell better but we are now fighting tiny little ants aboard.

We have not yet gone into Nadi or Lautoka due to the holiday and weekends but did find fresh vegetables and eggs at the Saturday Vuda Market at the next resort. We have gotten to know our immediate neighbors intimately due to the close proximity. Many boats, including our Danish friends, are watching for a weather window to check out for New Zealand. Daily there is action in the coral as the marina skiff unties boats from the center ball and pulls them to the middle in order to transit out of the circle. The staff here are so very friendly and make a huge effort to know you by name. Each day I am learning and using new Fijian words. There is a large construction project here for the new Vuda mega-yacht marina and resort with booms across the reef to prevent contamination. It is not something that could happen in the bay area. Their construction dumpsters run slowly by the security shack whenever the tide is low enough for them to work. There is also a small scale railway track nearby for the sugar cane transport and we can hear the horn and bells for that when it is quiet. The Boat Shed restaurant has music on Friday and Sundays so we plan on eating out tonight.

Many thanks to our friends who visited Carlos at Maya Paleque this Friday and sent us pictures of their amazing Margaritas!!