August 21 – 28, 2008: South Pacific
Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji (S 16.46.661 E 179.20.067) http://maps.google.com/maps
The night before pulling into Savusavu bay the winds were starting to pick up to the low 20’s so we knew we were pressing our luck keeping the mainsail fully up. We arrived at 0600 in the morning under cloudy skies and were looking forward to our stay in Fiji despite our equipment problems. Little did we know this would only be the start of more breakdowns to come.
"Immediately after entering the water and getting to our depth of around 35-40 feet several small white tip sharks were spotted in a large rock overhang. In these conditions they were docile and I felt it was plenty safe to get in close for pictures. They were all less than 4 feet and seemed calm as they continued swimming in small circles (not around us, I’m pretty sure).
I could not bring all the things I wanted to bring on this trip as I did not have the room. One of those things was an external strobe for my underwater camera. To capture the brilliant colors underwater a strobe is needed. So, some shots have some light colors but overall most of the shots will have the bluish tint to them and that is what we generally see while diving. If the sun is up and there are no clouds the shallower waters will produce some shots with better color.
The area we dove is blanketed with coral and teeming with small fish, cucumbers, stars, etc. We did not see any big fish and the sightseeing alternative is looking closer at the coral. It is amazing how many little odd creatures live on the coral and rocks. Even thought the camera does not pick up the colors we can see them and they are as brilliant as they are exotic."
"While I had my head in the sand and weeds taking pictures all the excitement was happening above me. I saw movement off to the side and up a little and it was the guide trying to get my attention. Swimming directly above us was a humpback whale about 35’ long. Bob was able to see it surface in a partial breech and got the best viewing. This is the first whale I have seen on scuba and it was breathtaking. I noticed how large it was in comparison to us but then again how small it was in comparison to water all around us. This was a very special moment. At the time I was not quick enough with the camera and it could not focus fast enough and I did not get the shots."
During our stay here at this mooring several things on the boat seemed to give up the ghost. It is inevitable that things will break or wear out or just simply stop working and recently we have had our fair share. Back on the boat during dinner the generator ran smoothly for a short period then all of a sudden the RPMs dropped to a sluggish chug. Long story short, we wrenched on it some that night and then quit until the next day. During this period Dave Berke went out on deck and looked up at the stars. C’mon there was literally nothing for him to do below or anything he could add to the problem. While on deck it was eerie. The wind was not blowing, the water was smooth, the boat was still and the only sounds were coming from the retail store on shore that placed speakers on its front porch. Smoke from shore wafted across the water and added to the character of this night. Fires can be seen on shore at anytime and anywhere as it is common to burn piles of leaves, coconut husks, etc. This waterfront does not emit too much light and the stars are still very visible. Once again Dave reported being able to see satellites transit the sky.
With Dave Smith's help I was able to solve the generator problem. A fuel linkage piece with a welded on spring that connected the bolt shaft to an end fitting had separated rendering it inoperable. The amazing thing was that I found someone on shore to weld it and it worked!
The Panda generator is sure keeping us on our toes, another part to order along with the furling gear to meet us in Suva Suva.
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