Leaving the port of Suva last night at 11pm, we figured we had a short distance to sail to our next stop at Dravuni Island. This tiny spot of paradise is located in the Kadavu Island group, which is south of the large island of Viti Levu. It also happens to be part of the Great Astrolabe Reef, where experienced divers come from all over the world to do scuba and snorkel excursions. Volcanic in nature, this island is a mere two miles from tip to tip. And surrounded by white sandy beaches with swaying palms.
The village there consists of around 300 people, most of whom work in Suva, the capital city. The majority of the local vendors are the ladies, who stay here to tend the family. There is a primary school for the little ones, and we have been told that the older kids go to Suva for higher education. Our first visit here was about 5 years ago. Back then, we found a few tables of sarongs and t-shirts, as well as island trinkets. We would discover that things have changed since then.
The ship dropped anchor about 7am, and the tenderboats were off and running. Ticket numbers were called immediately, but it became apparent that although guests had gotten the tickets, they either went to breakfast, or back to bed. The cruise director called at least 10 ticket numbers in a row, then eventually announced more, since the folks were not coming. And since the last boat back to the ship was at 4:30pm, there was no rush to go over. We headed over around 10:30am under mostly sunny skies. Despite the nice breeze, it was obvious that it was going to be a warm one, compared to our stop in Suva yesterday. Bet there will be some pretty bad sunburns at the end of the day.
Like we said, there were four times more tables of treasures, and way more massage areas set up. That seems to be a big thing here, although we did not see anyone getting one. So we headed for the hike that took one of us up to the peak. Along the way, were cages of domestic white pigs. At least they were in the shade, but really bothered by a million flies. Near the halfway mark uphill, we noticed there had recently been a fire. Whether it was deliberate or not, who knows? When the going got rocky and steeper, one of us decided it best to stay back under the shade of trees. Guessing it would take at least a half hour to make the summit, the adventurous one of us just had to do it. Several other folks did it as well, even some in their swimsuits, flip-flops, or even barefoot….insane.
Resting against a tree turned out to be fun as the friendliest people stopped and chatted. Some even joined me, and told their husbands to go ahead. Like me, pictures would make us happy. When my adventurer returned, he was covered with ash from the burned brush, mostly because he continued to another peak where most people did not go. Good thing we have Spray and Wash. Going downhill was tricky, but with a little help, I made it back unscathed.
Back in the village, we searched for the special t-shirts we purchased on our first visit. New styles were sold, and nothing caught our eye. Except for one sarong that had the entire map of the Fiji Islands on it. Eight US dollars was a good deal, even if the name Dravuni was not on it. Guess it is just too small to count as one of the 333 islands.
We made our way through the village houses to the opposite end of the narrow island. Few people went this way, because it led us into the deeper mangrove forest. That is where we located the old cemetery and the raised graves made with volcanic rock. On top of each grave, was a strip of cloth and empty plates, cups, and silverware. There must be some meaning to this. Most of the graves had no markers, while some were dated as recent as 2000. Following the trail further, we came out to a secluded beach where some passengers were sunning and snorkeling. Back at the tender pier, some locals were giving a $10 boat ride around the island. We remembered they tended to speed around the end of this island, and that happened today. At least four people were further out in the water, when the boat almost ran them over. Freaked them out so much, they got out of the water, and left.
It would have been nice to go for a swim, but we did recall that the sands were peculiar here. You tended to sink to your knees, making getting out hard. With a compromised knee, well, that was not worth taking a chance of further injury. Even too much walking on the beach was much more vigorous, so we limited that to a minimum. We did not pack sand back in our shoes, but we sure did pick up some nasty sticky burrs walking back to the village. Took a while to get rid of them.
Thank goodness the ship set up a drink stand on the beach. Even though we had brought plenty of water, it was not enough. The ice cold water and lemonade was great. Also, some local fellows were selling cans of beer for $5, and plenty of people were happy as clams with that. The restrooms left a lot to be desired, but there was always the water, if get the drift. Talking to some of the guests on the way back to the ship, they reported the fish sightings were hit and miss.
Back onboard, we cooled down with several sodas, then went to lunch in the Lido. It was more crowded than usual, since both the dining room and Pinnacle were closed. The salads we have custom-made there are really good, especially when you add a few slices of pizza. Since there were too many hands in the cookies, we had the fruit in our room for dessert. So much of the fresh fruit and berries have disappeared, so we hope the delivery they got yesterday will bring it all back.
Sail away was accomplished right from our veranda, since the scenic sailing was on the port side today. Other than a few flying fish and three birds, the view was of the several islands and islets with remote resorts on them. The colors of the water revealed where some of the shallow reefs were. They even stationed a small motor boat where one of the dangerous reefs was.
This evening we were invited to celebrate Denise's birthday in the Pinnacle Grill. The four of us met at 7:30pm, and we were escorted to the back room at a special table. We all had a wonderful conversation about how we had spent the day. Howie had stayed in the village, and actually joined the head of the village and a few locals in a pow-wow. He learned a lot about island life, while Denise climbed almost to the summit, a lot further than one of us. What a way to spend your birthday. Our meals were excellent, and Denise was even presented with a chocolate mousse cake with Happy Birthday on it. Oh boy…double desserts….and more walking will be needed tomorrow.
It was nearing 10pm when we left the restaurant, so we did not go to the show which featured singer Stephen Clark with music from around the world.
One more Fijian port of Lautoka will end our visit to this part of the Pacific Ocean.
Bill & Mary Ann
