Bula Lega! Bula! all!

Upon arrival I was greeted with signs, cheering, and many hugs from Interlude!  Sounds good but not true... After my early arrival in Fiji, a quick run through customs where my pasipote was cleared and a stop at the cash machine I grabbed a taxi and headed to Denarau Marina where I was greeted by a security guard who helped me through the locked gate and onto the dock where I found Interlude, knocked and was greeted by with her captains who were awake but before coffee.  So, it was coffee then mokotas at 6:00 am on Friday morning.
 
Interlude was put into the wai 2 days before my arrival so the early part of the trip was volivoli for maleka kakana and an early shakedown -- fixing those last minute leaks and things that happened after an 18 month cruising season and 6 months "in the graveyard" which is a hole out of the water providing protection for hurricane season. 

Fiji lies just south of the equator and just west of the International Dateline.  The Fiji group is made up of 333 islands and I was fortunate enough to spend time on three and see many of the Yasawa Group of islands while cruising.  Musket Cove on Malolo Lailai was our first anchorage.  The motor sail over was nice, the water is warm and clear, and the anchorage was uasive.  A trek around the island was in order where we greeted by a lialia pack of wild kolis.  That will get your heart racing!  They charged at us 3 times and were greeted by Cheryl's growl & sticks along with Karen's swinging purse before finally going away.  After the trek Lega had engine trouble and had to be repaired.  Gunk was in the line resulting in the need to clean fuel filters and carburetor.  Repairs resulted in an additional night at Musket Cove, not all bad as we had the opportunity to snorkel the cacau off of Cloud Break, a world famous surf wave and the site for this years world championships.  

Trouble is fixed and we are off to play with the fishies

Trouble's engine was good to go so we cruised to an anchorage on the island of Naviti near Manta Ray Pass.  We were not disappointed.  Interlude was the only yacht in this totoka anchorage.  Winds and a strong surface current made our first afternoon in Manta Ray Pass dreder and Mantas were scarce.  At 7:00am the next morning with uasivi draki we were makutu to head back to the pass and were not disappointed as there were 3 mantas headed right to us with their mouths wide open.  We stayed for rua awas.  Wow! 

After a few games and lunch we were to vakarau-taka to cabe for a trek on the beach and a snorkel along the shoreline.

Vakaloloma draki was predicted so we headed back a day early to ensure Interlude's captains, and guest all arrived safely in Vuda Marina.  Uca came in early on Friday so many games were played.  The final tally was Cheryl & Karen (vitu) to Deb's (ono).  Congrats!

Vata vakarau itaus.   Moce!  Loloma Deb

 Limited translation, you will need to figure out the rest of the words in the local language of Fiji!
>> Awa - hour
>> Bula - hello
>> Cabe - go ashore
>> Cacau - coral reef
>> Draki - weather
>> Dreder - difficult
>> Kakana - food
>> Kolis - dogs
>> Lialia - mad
>> Lima - five
>> Makutu - eager
>> Maleka - delicious
>> Mokota - hug
>> Ono - six
>> Pasipote - passport
>> Rua - two
>> Totoka - beautiful
>> Uasivi - excellent
>> Uca - rain
>> Vakaloloma - poor
>> Vakarau-taka - get ready
>> Vitu - seven
>> Volivoli - shopping
>> Wai - water