While Tracy was sailing Quid Sea from New Zealand to Fiji, I flew into Nadi, Fiji, and had about 10 days on my own. I departed New Zealand on May 4th by plane, the same day Tracy departed by boat.
Learning about Fiji:
Geography and Nature
- Hundreds of Islands: Fiji has 333 islands, but only about 110 have people living on them.
- Time Travel on Land: The 180-degree meridian (International Date Line) runs right through Taveuni Island, meaning you can stand with one foot in yesterday and one foot in today.
- Soft Coral Capital: Fiji is famous for its vibrant underwater reefs and is called the soft coral capital of the world.
Culture and Traditions
- Three Official Languages: People in Fiji speak English, Fijian, and Fijian Hindi.
- No Hats in Villages: Village custom says that visitors cannot wear hats or sunglasses; only the village chief has that right.
- The National Drink: Kava—made from the ground root of a pepper plant mixed with water—is a traditional ceremonial drink that gives a relaxed feeling.
- Earthy Feasts: Traditional food is cooked in a lovo, which is an underground earth oven lined with hot stones and covered in leaves.
- Flower Meanings: Wearing a flower behind your left ear means you are single, while the right ear means you are taken.
History and Sports
- Cannibal Past: Old colonial records note that Fiji was once feared as the “Cannibal Isles,” a practice that ended in the late 19th century.
- Rugby Obsession: Rugby is the top sport, and Fiji produces more professional players per capita than almost anywhere else, excelling especially in rugby sevens.
My Airbnb recommended a driver who could pick me up from the Nadi Airport. His name was Ron and he also gave me a tour around Nadi.
Nadi pronounced as Nandi, is the third-largest city in Fiji after Suva and Lautoka. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu and had a population of 59,707 at the most recent census, in 2017. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Asians, Indian, Indigenous Fijians, along with a large transient population of foreign tourists. Sugar cane production and tourism is a mainstay of the local economy.
Nadi International Airport is located 5.6 miles from Nadi, and is the largest airport in Fiji. Thus, Nadi is the principal port of entry for air travelers to Fiji, even though it is on the opposite (western) side of the island of Viti Levu from the nation’s capital and largest city, Suva.
Our tour started by visiting the Gardens of the Sleeping Giant. It is nestled at the foot of the Sabeto Range near Nadi and covers a 20-hectare botanical paradise originally curated by Hollywood actor Raymon Burr. Showcasing over a thousand varieties of orchids over the course of year, including native flora, the garden invites you to explore lush jungle walkways, tranquil lily ponds and immersive feature gardens.
Next, we visited the Veiseisei Village, (also known as First Village). It holds a significant place in the country’s history as the site of Fiji’s first recorded landing by its indigenous people. This is the first place where the ancestors of the Fijian people are believed to have arrived from the Polynesian region. Because of this,Veiseisei holds deep cultural importance for the people of Fiji.
Upon arriving I was provided with a sarong to cover my knees as we toured the village. Gina was my guide who walked me through the village. We toured an historic church named “Jone Wesele” which is the Fijian transliteration for John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. It marks the historical roots of when the first Methodist (Wesleyan) missionaries arrived in Fiji around 1835.
Next, we went to a small resort called First Landing located near Vuda Marina where Quid Sea will be arriving soon.
FIRST Landing Resort and Villas have a history of its own. Its first guest arrived here 3500 years ago, and they liked the place so much they stayed — that is according to local legends.
The first iTaukei people arrived on the very beaches of Nailamu before moving to all parts of Fiji. It’s a history that is told to many a guest who arrive from far and wide for a vacation.
Last, we visited the Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu Temple, a magnificent monument in Nadi city. Set on the edge of the Nadi River, the temple is the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
The towering temple’s ornate carvings are depictions of Hindu gods and traditional Dravidian stylings. Sri Siva Subramaniya is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the god of seasonal rains.
After Nadi, I met my friend Barbara at the Marriott Resort in Momi Bay on May 10th. The resort was phenomenal and I appreciated the wonderful amenities and beautiful suites, knowing I would be moving on to the boat in a few days.
Barbara’s husband Erik and son Ethan are on board Quid Sea as part of the crew sailing to Fiji. They flew to New Zealand and spent about 4 days there before starting their sailing adventure. They all arrived in the Vuda Marina May 13th.
After completing the check in and securing the boat, Tracy, Erik and Ethan joined Barbara and me at the resort.
Now the real adventure begins. Tracy and I spent 2 weeks in the Vuda (pronounced Vunda) Marina after we saw our friends off and left the resort. We did not plan to stay that long but we were waiting for a boat part for the Auto Pilot to arrive. While we were here, we enjoyed the marina facilities and did a little exploring around the area.
Tracy would get up early and join several other male cruisers for coffee at the Marina Market. I called it his coffee ‘klatch’. They shared cruising stories and he learned about good places to go while in Fiji.
We also enjoyed the Marina’s restaurant called the Boat Shed. It offered a varied menu and the food was good. The vibe was fun and we enjoyed great conversations with other cruisers. Thursday is Trivia night and on weekends they have live music.
Vuda Marina is not a typical marina. There are no docks and you need to request assistance for all arrivals and departures. On arrival they help guide us into an open spot where we are squeezed in between boats and it helps if you like your neighbor. :-). Our stern lines are attached to mooring balls which are anchored to the bottom of the harbor. The picture below shows the small platform we use to get on and off the boat.
The First Landing Resort (mentioned earlier) was a 10-minute walk from the marina and had a restaurant and bar open to the public. They also had a nice menu and on a couple of nights a week they put on a show with music and dancing.
Another highlight was going with Ron, (our tour guide/driver) for provisioning. He took us to the local market, a couple of grocery stores and a local butcher. We ended up with a variety of goods both local and non-local to keep us well fed for the next 6 weeks.
The 2 weeks became very long because it was very hot and humid in the marina. May is considered the shoulder season with wetter/warmer temperatures before winter. The Marina has a unique circular basin design that protects boats in heavy weather. But it also can block wind making it very hot and uncomfortable. It was bad enough that we rented one of the marina cottages for 3 nights because they had air conditioning.
Another memorable moment is when our friends, Jodi and Magnus arrived on their boat Lulu. We met them for the first time in Bora Bora and then connected again in New Zealand. We were happy we were able to spend a few days with them before we left the marina.
We also made a few new friends in addition to Tracy’s coffee buddies. We went to dinner with George a few times at the Boat Shed. George has a Norseman 447 called Silver Heels and is exactly like our boat and the same age. There was another Norseman 447 in this marina called Sirena, and we met Jennifer and Greg briefly playing trivia in the Boat Shed bar. This is the first time in any of the marinas or anchorages we encountered where there were 3 Norsemans in the same place. It’s nice because it creates an instant connection.
We also reconnected with Andrea and Bent on their boat One Piece. Tracy initially met them in the Marquesas and reconnected in New Zealand. They were in the Vuda marina for a couple of days with us before they headed out. Unfortunately we didn’t capture any photos of our friends. Shame on us.
Our marina stay is about to end and our next update will be about cruising in Fiji!
SV Quid Sea - Sailing with Tracy and Cindy 