August/September 2022
Oh Rotuma

Keith and Cheryl and Karen at Vuda had told us stories of Rotuma, a Fijian island over 300 miles north, with terrific beaches and resourceful folks. We decided we needed an adventure so provisioned with extra everything as they only get a supply / Ferry boat once a month out there. And then we ended up sitting at Yasawa I-ra for almost two weeks due to very high winds gusting 30-35.

It took about 50 hours of sailing as we had great 25 knot winds (:but huge swells). It is so much bigger and taller than I had imagined! Heads up there are a couple small and one large island not even on the chart so approach during daylight.

We came around the West side of the island through a pass that Navionics showed as narrow and very shallow but turned out to be very very deep and wide. It reminded me of Tuamotus with steep volcanic cliffs straight into the sea. Make Bay looked so inviting we put down anchor and slept. By afternoon it was low tide and we realised it was good we hadn't gone in any closer as the shallows came out within 100 yards of Tabu Soro. In fact it was so shallow there was no way into shore even with the dinghy except once the tide came up.
We waited until the next day and wound thru a tricky little channel running along some really sweet little houses above lots of black lava rocks. Plan was to hook up with the Albert family but we had no idea where to find them on this large an island. Prophetically John said well we will just have to hitch hike.

We had a text message from Keith saying that he heard from Rotuma a boat had arrived and assumed it was us. Turned out we had anchored at the only cell tower on the island and had just a bit of Digicel service as it was close to the airport and Government Station.

It is so very shallow and we were hesitant so once we saw a little house with a pier and a Hobie anchored off we stopped to ask directions. A great couple, John and Hareta Bennett, assured us it was navigable and told us they knew Ratu Albert and gave us directions to the school where he worked in this exact bay and village of Matusa. The school day was nearly done so we walked around the area until Master Albert, as the kids call him, was done for the day and walked us home.

What an amazing family of ten with both parents so patient and tons of other children showing up to play volleyball in their front yard until too dark to play any longer. We immediately felt at home and made plans to return for an official Rotuman welcome ceremony. Meanwhile we had to get back to Tabu Soro before the tide went out even further. Thank goodness for the torch (flashlight).

Meanwhile next morning BioSecurity and Police/Immigrations phoned Ratu and Salote asking about our visit and protocols about arrivals. Salote is very good at communicating with common sense and gave them enough information to calm them down. All John and I saw was a police boat loaded with folks coming into Maka Bay directly to us at speed. They asked permission to board and seemed very friendly but official. In the swell and wind, loading everyone up to our deck was quite tricky for everyone involved. Turns out we should have reported in at the wharf on the NW side of the bay even though the Government Station was in this bay and no cell service on that side of the island. All was well once they confirmed after review of our documents from 2019 we had already checked into Fiji and had no prohibited items aboard. Relief!

We spent a wonderful week getting to know the children and family, as much as tides allowed. The Rotuman welcome ceremony was very moving. After dinner they gave us the place of honour on a handmade mat and silk cover. One of the girls put wreaths symbolising the seven districts of Rotuma on us and the littlest one annointed our heads with oil drops to show thankfulness for a safe trip across the waters and sprayed with fragrance. Ratu was explaining and narrating the ceremony while Salote videoed the entire thing. Very emotional evening all around.

Next day Salote walked us up to the Government Station to allow BioSecurity to scan in our documents to complete our check-in. It seems that some point a yacht brought in the Samoan fruit fly which has turned into an infestation with no natural enemies like bats to control it. They want to check the boat before we leave over at the wharf. Apparently we don't have to check back in at Viti Levu. Lote introduced us every one we met along the way and took us to the Post Office which is also the food market, bank and school supply store. The monthly supply ship had been delayed but was to arrive mid-weeks so the shelves were pretty empty.

They are nearly complete on a new hospital up on the hill across from the old clinic. There is cable pulled for internet to stumps at various spots by the high school and the school Ratu's teaches; but has not been terminated to any locations yet as a single person is on-site and has that job for about 3,000 population. It was weird that chickens roamed free with no fear but we couldn't find eggs until the supply ship arrived.

Saturday they invited us to church and we spent a fun day meeting people, sang songs in Rotuman and English, then borrowed Elizabeth's truck to go around the island with stops along at special beaches, pools, French built churches from the 1800's, and to see pineapples growing like air-plants on volcanic rock net to the ocean. It is a lush verdant peaceful land and Salote said if you throw out a bit of vegetable scrap it will grow.

The second week we moved over to the wharf where the water is more protected and over gorgeous white sand in ten meters. The yearly Government Services ship had arrived the same day so we anchored a bit away from the wharf. Teams of government and bank employees went out daily to each village to sign up for any needed services and bank debit cards set-up and home health walkers and devices delivered.

Hitch hiking works really well here. We needed to contact BioSecurity to check out and clear that we had no fruits that could carry the fruit fly back to the main island so got the dinghy into the beach and picked up a ride on the yellow school bus that was shuttling around the Government Ship folks. We rode with a guy from Mistry of Education that was headed to the high school who talked a bit about the lack of internet and computers putting these students at a disadvantage. Here is an article that was in the local newspaper the following week about donating a touch screen computer-- one to the high school and primary schools.
Ministry of Education link https://fijisun.com>2022/09>page

On our way back from BioSecurity we hiked a ways enjoying the cool overcast afternoon with the feel of rain and so many unusual bird sounds. Myzomela is a striking red headed bird endemic with a small habitat of only Rotuma was what I was hoping to see but heard some crazy bird calls. About the time it started to rain we were picked up by a work flatbed with about a dozen guys who had just finished a mission project clearing with huge chain saws around a home for an older couple.

We had an easy sail back 300 miles to Manta Pass then into Vuda to deal with more visa paperwork. Once we had internet again I found out my daughter had been worried when we didn't check in and had called our beacon provider to be sure they had her updated contact phone. They contacted the Coast Guard who contacted Fiji Navy and within 10 hours they had responded with pictures of our passports and the boarding in Rotuma by police to be sure we really were her parents. Now I'm not sure if the Police came out because of us not checking in correctly or because of the search....

Tabu Soro is certainly getting well known in Fiji.