September 2008: South Pacific

Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji pt 1 (S 18.07.297 E 178.25.405) http://maps.google.com/maps

The water is so shallow approaching the docks that we probably were touching it in places. We managed to squeeze in a spot between boats and got a side tie. As is always the case, all docks and all marinas and all cleats and all water and all power are just different enough to make it a new experience every time. This is a very small marina and the quality of the floating docks conveys that they don’t put much money into keeping them up. We were tied to a floating concrete dock yet when we turned the corner we stepped onto another floating concrete dock. When that ended we then stepped onto a really floating dock; individual floating cubes held together to make a floating walkway.

Once on the land the building and the grounds greatly improved. This yacht club has a very long history and is vibrant in the local community. The setting is quite peaceful with a bar, pool tables, lounge area, laundry, showers, fuel, etc. A guard gate keeps it safe and the staff is friendly and the place is clean. This will be home for a few days. In its day this was probably a nice waterfront property and I wonder how the Suva Prison was able to set up shop right across the street, or is it the other way around. And from its appearance of what we can see above the solid wall is that it looks to be a hundred years old, and scary.

Captain Cook briefly passed thru the Fiji islands. Briefly, meaning the fear of cannibalism was so strong that they may have stepped on land and then quickly left and never came back. I’m not sure of the connection as to why the remaining piece of the Bounty’s rudder found its way to this museum.

The fish market was small considering the size of this city and that the produce market is the largest in the South Pacific. Much of the fish is caught spearfishing with band guns and the boats are tied up directly behind the stands. Along the walls you can see dive gear and wetsuits hanging to dry.

The downtown area is fast and loud, dangerous and dirty. The traffic directions are reverse of what it is in the states and you must be on your toes to look the correct way before stepping off the curb. This particular downtown area is congested.

The parts arrived without any holdup. I was also able to find a mechanic named Peter who had done a similar repair just so there would not be any surprises. Peter knew the Harbor Master where I kept my boat in Emeryville, small world. By the end of the afternoon the repairs had been made and Present Moment was good as new.

The walls of some yacht clubs are decorated with memorabilia specific to that club and this one did not disappoint. There were letters of approval from the British government allowing the use of the word Royal in Royal Suva Yacht Club and well as many letters of correspondence for this. Artifacts and pictures from the old days I find interesting.

Checking out was somewhat of a hassle. I had to take a cab to the main port and waste about half a day getting permission clear the port so we could move on which we did on the morning of September 4th. Time to do some diving in Beqa