howdy y'all from Bula Land Back to the progress page
Well this is part two of the epic adventures of Jim and Waldo!!!! After a thankfully short time back in Kiwi land (it's too damn cold down there) we're back in the land of Sun and Sailing. Couple of days in Vuda then back out and up to the Yasawas. The first uneventful night was spent anchored off beachcomber Island not too exciting then the next day it was on to visit Monuriki Is. Where the film Castaway was filmed ( you know the one with Tom Hanks and his 'friend' Wilson). On the way to the island we encountered a pod of about 10 Dolphins and these suckers were huge - any of you budding botanists out there might know what they were but they just looked like your regular dolphin but HUUUUGGGGEEEEEEEEE!!! They were with us for about 20 minutes and dad got some footage of them all etc so hopefully there will be a photo attached to this email or you can visit the Website www.cimsys.co.nz/cruise.htm cool huh - heh I had nothing to ! do with the design - and I mean NOTHING!!!!
Well the dolphins were playing porpoising and slapping their tails on the water - and the biggest bugger wedged himself/ or herself (can't be sexist now can we) under the bow and rubbed all the damn anti-foul off the front!!!! Little S#$@t. but it was all good.
Well we got to Monuriki and just did a little circumnavigation to look for spots of inhabitants - none to be found - OF COURSE!! And then it was off to Navadra - a deserted Island to spend the night. On the way dad yelled about seeing another dolphin in front of us - and as you all know Dad's eyesight is not so crash hot at the mo but he kinda underestimated the size of this thingc. As I turned around to see the Whale sounded and left a huge patch of dead water approx. 5 metres across that is about 15 feet for all those imperial babies out there - lets just say - we're all glad it got out of our way cos we didn't see it until it dived down.
Well.......Umm don't know how to finish the sentence but was just trying to start all the paragraphs with Well still going 4 for 4 so far. Anyway .. anchored at Navadra with a few other boats around and went and had a look ashore. Absolutely beautiful sprawling island with steep sand beaches rocky outcrops etc very nice - but not for long - WE found out that New Zealand's Treasure Island was about to start filming on the Island in a few days. Now for the Uninitiated TI is like Survivor but they play for a lot less money and have to 'find' the treasure - and it's less long winded with half the bullshit.
Well the swell picked up in the night so the choice was made to carry on the next day up to the very North end of Waya - to Nalauwaki bay. And this is where Im writing this from - flat calm but with a little wind - Oh well the sun is shining and we're just about to go over to Millenium to have a few beverages can't be all bad huh. Well this is little old Waldo signing off for the time being, let's just see what happens.
15/8/03
Another couple of days have passed and what is there to show for it ended up at Nalauwaki bay and did a bit of socialising with the Millenium crew and walked across to Octopus - visiting again from the Part one of our voyages. That day we visited the village at Nalauwaki and presented Savusavu then as we were walking out there was a small market and at the end of the market was a Fijian woman that looked very familiar - it was none other than Tima, a lady we had met at Soso Village on Naviti way back when Leanne and Steven were on board she recognised us and we did the usual hi how ya doin' thing then she very graciously invited the three of us, me dad and Celeste in for dinner. She also invited Millenium and an evening was made of it.. all the usual Fijian fare but the most surprising of all was the seaweed!!!! In coconut milk and lemon and onion, with a little bit of Tuna for good measure - WAS IT GOOD !! !!! it was mmmm mmmmm good and best of all there was no ill effects the next day. Soo a bloody good evening all round. Then back to the boats and crashing before another day of relaxation.
SO where are we now - we've moved on to the top of Naviti with the next stop being the Blue Lagoon but first it will be over the hill to the other side of the bay to check out a WWII spitfire that sunk off the beach, in snorkelling depth. So that is what tomorrow brings but as for tonight well perhaps an early night?!!? We'll see.
19/08/03
The 'spitfire' hmmm well don't really know what it was a V12 low wing something anyone got any ideas? But it was a little dilapidated but cool anyway and only in a couple of metres of water. Which is great as of that time I was still suffering from a little sinus problem ohh yuk!! Anyway thatfs all sorted as of now and am back to full snorkelling capacity.
We moved from Naviti up to the Blue lagoon - for a little relaxing (opps sorry MORE relaxing) a nice sheltered anchorage and some snorkelling and exploring to be done, went to a small resort on Tavewa (only 6 bures) and talked to Otto who owns the place and picked up some bread.
While we were up there Celeste got some kind of eye irritation and a swollen, bung eye eventuated. The next morning Lest and dad ventured off in the dingy to find a doctor - to no avail until the boat next to us waved dad over and introduced themselves as Louise and Fonz a dutch couple who just happen to be a nurse and doctor with enough drugs on board to cure half the third world countries. Fonz looked at Celeste's eye and was sent on her way with a little bottle of drugs but thankfully instructions in english. Both fonz and Louise have been travelling the world administering to the sick wherever they land and have spent long periods of time in Honduras and Guatemala. Very interesting couple - just have to see if they hang around in Fiji and help out.
So just a small amount of drama this time - and now it is a quick-ish trip back down to Vuda to drop of Lest and restock for Musket Cove and the Vanuatu trip - but first its off to Navadra to check on the Treasure Island thing and see how its all going wonder how many of the celeb's have got voted off by now - well I guess we'll find out tomorrow evening.
21/08/03
Hmmmm let me see - Yesterday was a shitter - raining for most of the day, had a little bit of a respite in the afternoon so decided to anchor in a shitty anchorage - well one that turned out to be bad at least but after that today has been much the opposite. Sunny - not a breath of wind and until recently very warm - but the clouds have come in which leaves three boats in an anchorage where the beach leads to one of Fiji's biggest resorts - Mana Island Resort. Catering mainly to the Asian market (it is owned by Japanese) it's huge and EXPENSIVE!!!! So that's why were out on the boat .. as usual - but there is a little backpackers at the other end of the beach that may need exploring later - well we'll see
It Wednesday 27th and back in Vuda came back via Musket Cove to drop Celeste off at the airport which was accomplished then it has been the last few days chillin out with a trip down to Suva with my friend Annemarie to check it out.. Well what can you say it's a big smelly place that needs a damn good clean!!! But picked up some new flip flops (cos my other ones were nicked out of the dingy sometime on our last travels!!!) and hung out at the University of the South Pacific - not a bad little Uni except that it is all Concrete - not so good!!! But heh what can you expect - and that's about all Waldo wrote - not as exceiting as last email but a small insight into the trials and tribulations of being an intrepid traveller hope this email reaches you all well - and if you can feel free to send me one back or a text message on the old dog and bone
Take care
Catchya later
Waldo aka Aaron