Dennis and I would like to wish all our friends and family a very Merry Christmas.. As some of you know, Dennis is in Minneapolis for Christmas so if you see him give him a big hug and kiss for me. Christmas without snow is different but it is very pretty here in NZ.
Becky’s trip to Fiji blog posts will be posted soon. Thanks for reading our blog.
2014 was a wonderful year with all the visits from family and friends. Happiness and health to you all in 2015!
November 24, 2014
Posting by Barb:
We arrived in New Zealand, Marsden Cove at 6:00 am this morning. We have cleared customs and bio security left our boat this morning with a full garbage bag of our goodies. They even took the frozen Chili that I made and the spaghetti sauce that Dennis made. Cooked and frozen but still a hazard? Oh well, we caught a Yellowfin and we now have some nice tuna steaks in our freezer.
We had a great easy passage. All is well on board. We will be doing some road trips in NZ with Becky before her return to Minneapolis on the 11th of December.
We will soon update the blog with stories of our trip to Fulaga, the most beautiful place in Fiji.
November 14, 2014
18 07.256 S 178 25.262 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:18%2007.256S%20178%2025.262E
Posting by Barb:
Dennis, Becky and I spent almost a month in Fulaga, Fiji and it is without a doubt the prettiest island in Fiji. So we have a few stories to tell about this magical place but it will have to wait until we arrive in New Zealand. However I did post the Fulaga pictures in our photo album.
We have been in Suva provisioning, socializing and weather monitoring for a week. It looks like the weather window for a sail to New Zealand has arrived so we are leaving in a couple of hours. We did manage to fix our SSB problem and give it a trial test run so we will be posting our locations when we can. We anticipate that it will be a 10 – 12 day sail but so far the weather window is predicting very light winds so it may take us a little longer than that. No worries!
Although we loved Fiji we are excited to be going back to New Zealand!!!
October 3 – October 6, 2014
17 06.689 S 179 05.587 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:17%2006.689S%20179%2005.587E
Posting by Barb:
The boutique marine reserve island of Namena has been observed as one of the last breeding grounds for turtles and protected red-footed boobies. It is a host for colorful soft and hard coral reefs and abundant fish life. We were really looking forward to some fantastic snorkeling. We have not been able to find the variety and vibrant coral that we saw in the Tuamoto Islands, French Polynesia. And it was fantastic but unfortunately our underwater camera was not working so I had no pictures to capture the moment. The highlight for me was a pair of Octopus holding hands, well tentacles, and moving along the bottom floor trying to get away from us. Dennis was hoping to do a dive here but unfortunately he started experiencing pain and discomfort in his ear so he thought it best not to dive.
We managed to go ashore and take a few pictures of the baby red footed boobies. The shoreline trees were peppered with their nest. The Boobies were actually quite tame and did not mind being photographed at all.
It was a couple of days of quiet, tranquility, relaxation and some Happy Hour moments with Lilian and Mike, a Canadian couple on SV Meikyo.
September 29 – October 2, 2014
17 26.315 S 178 57.192 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:17%2026.315S%20178%2057.192E
Posting by Barb:
After spending a little over a week in Vuda Point Marina we started to make our way to Savusavu where Becky, Dennis’ daughter, would be arriving after a long flight from Minneapolis. Savusavu seemed to provide a better tack for sailing to Fulaga, a must see for us before leaving Fiji. We decided to make a stop in Makogai and Namena on the way to Savusavu. I will say that Makogai is a fairly deep anchorage, i.e. 80 feet of water and not great holding.
Makogai is a beautiful little island that is rich in history. It was a successful leprosarium from 1911 to 1969 with 4,185 patients landing and 2,300 returned to full health. It closed after Dapsone, a sulpha drug, was discovered as a cure for leprosy and patients were finally effectively treated and released. 
We learned that not only were the lepers segregated to the island of Makogai but they were then further segregated to separate villages for Fijians, Indians and other Pacific Islanders and then segregated again to separate dorms for the women and for the men. We also learned that sex among the patients was not allowed and it was an offense that resulted in prison incarceration. After completing the required ‘quicky’ sevusevu we toured the island and explored many of the ruins. I was expecting to have a gloomy feeling as I thought about the people that were sent here with no hope in the future of being re-united with their families and the imminent life of pain, disfigurement and loneliness. I was however surprised by the extent of the infrastructure based on the
ruins that were left and we realized that people here were well taken care of and the town included schools, hospitals, churches and even a movie theatre. Catholic nuns from France also lived in Makogai and they looked after the people physically, emotionally and spiritually. In one of the ruins Dennis found a little bronze lock still attached to a door and he managed to pry it loose and take it back to the boat. It will be a fixture in a future home.
In 2011, Makogai officially became a Mariculture Centre. As per information I obtained from the Fiji website:
“One of the main projects that the team of fisheries officers based here work on, is culturing giant clams (Tridacna). Once in abundance on Fiji’s reefs, many species have been overharvested and current levels are low. The adductor muscle is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac in China, which coupled with the harvesting of clams for food, shells and the aquarium trade – it is unsurprising that they have found themselves on the IUCN’s vulnerable list. In the 1980s an Australian-funded project began culturing them at Makogai – and thousands have since been transplanted to various parts of Fiji”
It was interesting to walk through the primitive tanks were the baby clams and turtles were being nurtured to maturity. I also saw many turtles and large clams during a snorkel swim close to the boat.
During our stay , a ‘Dive Specific’ cruise ship with about 20 people stopped in for a day and this gave the little village on the other side of the island an opportunity to provide the tourists with entertainment. They organized a Meke and we were invited to attend. It was an evening of Kava drinking, children doing traditional dancing dressed in colorful costumes to acoustic, rhythmic music sung by their parents. Once the children were finished with their show then the music continued and the locals took turns dancing with us. It was our first Meka in Fiji and we never expected that in Makogai. In appreciation, the tourists donated about $400 for the school.
We did a 10 km walk to the village on the other side of the island. We stopped on the way and had some fun with the camera taking pictures of bugs, frogs and any other wildlife we came across. At the village we visited the school. It was well maintained and had a very nice library with a large supply of children’s books all in English. I was intrigued by the notice on the bulletin board which outlined the Do’s and Don’ts. I included the picture and it is worthwhile to enlarge it and read the “Do’s, Don’ts, Should, Report and Watch Out” postings to get an appreciation of the expectations of the kids and teachers.
On our return hike we met a woman sitting on the path with a machete in her hand looking a little lost and forlorn. Dennis of course sat next to her and asked if everything was ok. She started to cry and explained that she had to hide from her husband so that he would not beat her and that she would go home in a little while after he calmed down. She indicated that she had family on the other side of the island but we got the feeling that she considered this as part of life, it was her problem to deal with and her family would expect her to deal with it. We sat with her for a while and then had to leave as it was only an hour from sunset and we still had a 10k hike back. We gave her a box of tea bags and a box of cookies that I had in my pack for return gifts when people gave us free fruit, etc. It was a little something that made her smile, if only for a minute. It left me sad and powerless to help.
The visit to the school and the encounter with the local lady gave us a new awareness of the Fijian culture, the good and the bad.
Dennis reported to Ella via telephone that the single sideband radio aboard Landfall is ailing. That prevents him from posting to this blog except on a WiFi connection, which is a rare beast in Fiji. So there will be no postings for some time, and we’re not to worry.
The report is that Becky successfully joined the boat in Fiji and is doing well. The boat is in Fiji now. They’ll try to get the radio squared away while still in Fiji.
— Bill M.
September 15 – 18, 2014
17 04.923 S 177 16.752 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:17%2004.923S%20177%2016.752E
Posting by Barb:
Our return from the Yasawas back to Vuda Point Marina included a stop in Somosomo. It was just an overnight stop but long enough to do some snorkeling. Surprisingly enough, the choral here was vibrant and alive. Denny did a night snorkel and he spotted a few baby 
crayfish and some interesting corals that closed like a fern leaf when he shone the light on them. 
None of us were brave enough to go with him but based on his excitement I may consider going the next time. We contemplated going on a long hike to do a snorkel of a WWII airplane that went down close by but we were running out of time. Instead we pulled anchor and headed to our last stop, Navadra, one of our favorite anchors.
In Navadra we there were 6 boats already there so anchoring was a challenge. A super yacht was not so happy that we dropped anchor near their stern and waved at us but Denny elected to ignore them. Sailing vessel Huck and Double Diamond were 2 of the boats there so it would be Happy Hours with them. We all gathered on the large Catamaran Double Diamond for Happies and Nappies (drinks and appetizers). For our last night together on the boat we were rewarded with a fantastic sunset. I never get tired of the vibrant, warm colours.
Once at Vuda Point Pete and Mel opted to spend their last night at a nearby resort, ‘First Landing’, and invited us to join them for dinner there. We had one of the best steaks Fiji has to offer with a fine bottle of wine. Thanks Pete and Mel for the great dinner and great company and see you on board next year when we circumnavigate New Zealand and maybe this time we will catch some fish !!
September 13 – 14, 2014
16 42.143 S 177 34.316 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:16%2042.143S%20177%2034.316E
Posting by Barb:
We left Blue Lagoon and made it all the way to the Northern Yasawas to Yasawairara. This was a new sailing destinations for us as well. The anchorage was the prettiest we have encountered in Fiji so far with miles of white sand and turquoise, crystal clear blue water. Within minutes of anchoring Pete and Mel were already talking to a local, John that rowed to our boat , and they arranged for some Papayas to be delivered in the morning and with any luck a fish for the evening meal.
T
his would be Pete and Mel’s first experience with the traditional Fijian Sevu Sevu. 
I think Pete was a little anxious about it. The Sevu Sevu here was a little more elaborate than the last one as the ageing chief did say quite a few words in Fijian and did some claps in between and then we were welcomed. The kids swarmed us and all wanted to get their pictures taken with us and then help put the dinghy back in the water. They were genuinely beautiful, welcoming, friendly people without the constant requests to buy their ‘dollar store’ trinkets.
Once we were back on the boat, John showed up with a nice size $20 Trevally which we cooked for supper. The first fresh fish meal we have had on this trip despite tour attempt to fish using NZ fancy, colorful lures given to us by Pete and trolled behind our boat during every passage.
We spent a day exploring the island and taking lots of pictures and talking to the locals who were gathering food for the Sunday feast. We arranged to buy some papayas from one local and when we picked it up it was given to us in a basket woven from fresh Pandanu leaves. The basket held 6 Papayas (6 more than I ever wanted, not my favorite fruit) and some Cassava so I could make Cassava fries. We had a social night BBQ on our boat with our new friends on SV Alaeris with Alex and Iris. They had decided to go cruising after they survived the 9/11 attack while they were living in New York. The experience changed their outlook on life and they traded their complicated, busy lives for the simple cruising life. Part of the blue water sailing experience is meeting fascinating, wonderful people; lives that will probably never touch again!
Our second anchorage was in the large bay, a half an hour motor but far enough away so we could play on land or water without disrespecting the quiet Sunday Fijian tradition. At this anchorage we were invited to share a beach fire with a foursome on a Catamaran. Our first beach fire in Fiji! 
As we were dousing the fires and getting ready to leave we joked about the possibility of losing a dinghy as the tide had gone up. It wasn’t very funny when we looked at the shoreline and a dinghy was missing, OURS! The captain lost our dinghy. Luckily it had only drifted further down the beach but it was a sobering moment.
September 6 – 12, 2014
Posting by Barb:
Allison left on Friday September 5th and Pete and Mel arrived on Saturday September 6th. Pete and Mel are our good friends from NZ. We wondered whether we would still be good friends after sharing the 37 feet of space we call home. And yes we are still good friends and we had a great time. 
Pete’s sailing background was a great help and he took over some of my responsibilities but unfortunately Denny had to remain being the Captain and all the work that goes with that. Mel stuck an ‘avoid seasickness’ patch behind her ear and she was good to go, miracle little drug!! She cooked up some great meals in our little galley, not something she may have ever imagined doing!! For a short visit in Fiji the only sailing option that has some daily stops is the Yasawa islands so we ended up going to a few of the same spots that we did with Mike and Allison.
W
e started them off with the rolliest anchorage, the famous octopus Resort. Mel survived that although I think that may have made her a little nervous. From there it was to the Manta Ray resort to swim with the Mantas. Luckily it was full moon couple of days again so that usually improves the chances of seeing the majestic fish. We moaned at having to do the dawn snorkel again and but it was worth it to swim with the Mantas again. It is still a thrill for me to be in the water with these huge fish (Denny was running the dinghy for the drift dive) but I get just as much pleasure to see the reaction of our friends who have never experienced such and adventure.
From there it was northward to a protected bay. The wind was blowing hard on the nose (Mel now knows what that means) so it was nice to duck into the bay. There were 2 resorts there; White Sandy Beach and Korovou Eco tour resort (both resorts looking a little tired and neither had any toilet paper in the public washrooms; supply ship must have been delayed) . Aside from the usual Happy Hour at the resort bar we took a hike to Honeymoon Beach. Who could resist a walk on a beach with a name promising love and romance? 
What we encountered there were hundreds of Hermit crabs all nestled and cozy together. Maybe that’s what they mean by Honeymoon beach. As I am fascinated by this little critter, and have tons of pictures to prove it, I did a little research on this. And it is possible that they were gathering for a shell swap. They basically get together and queue up to swap their shell homes for bigger homes. Of course not all end up ‘moving up’ and some become homeless and bury themselves in the sand until they find a home.
The next stop was naturally Blue Lagoon with another ‘on the nose’ passage. The wind 
was howling when we arrived but the anchorage was quite calm. We did finally meet up with our good friends Steve and Nona on SV Corvidae and had them over for dinner on our boat. We managed to cook a meal to please the Pescatarian, meat lovers, spicy lovers and the non-spicy food lovers with our, slowly becoming famous, Mexican dinner. And of course there was Happy Hours at the resort.
Posting by Barb:
After Mike left I had a week with just Allison. It was kind of nice to have her all to myself. So we rented a car and just did some road trips. Our first stop was a visit to the big city, Suva. It was quite the contrast from cruising the Yasawas. We walked for miles, meandering our way around heavily trafficked sidewalks and made a few stops. The museum was interesting and my favorite exhibit was the double hulled canoe which was used hundred plus years ago to cross oceans with nothing more than one sail, huge oars and a little enclosed deck for inclement weather. We stopped at Albert 
Park and it was sad to see how run down and dilapidated it had become with fountains devoid of water and overgrown with vegetation. Our highlight of our trip to Suva was the dining experiences. We had a meal at Daikoku, where the chef cooked a dinner in front of us using his acrobatic, culinary skills. We ate at Ashiyana where I experienced the best, authentic Indian cuisine that I have ever had. That is the best Butter Chicken I have ever had. Suva made Allison a little anxious as for the most part it was overcrowded and dirty so we headed back to our quiet little boat after one night.
We spent an afternoon visiting the Sabeto hot springs and mud pools. Once we arrived there we quickly put on our swim suits and covered ourselves with thick mud. We 
had to wait for the mud to dry before we could wash off. The cleansing process involved dunking ourselves in 3 different pools all heated by a hot spring. The mud is supposed to cleanse and rejuvenate the skin. I am not sure if it did that but we had a lot of fun. We finished the mud bath experience with a $7 traditional Fijian lunch. 
This included a whole fish, eyes and all, cooked in coconut milk. The vegetables were green Taro leaves and a few pieces of cassava ; all to be eaten with our fingers as cutlery was not provided. So it was eaten in true Fijian fashion. Probably not the best culinary experience but it was definitely a ‘must do’ when in Fiji.
Our last road trip was a visit to Sri Siva Subramaniya, the largest Hindu temple in the Southern hemisphere. We took the guided tour and got a small introduction to Hinduism, the worship of a number of personal gods. It was interesting even if the tour was a little rushed.
I loved and cherished every minute of my time with Allison and it was a tearful good bye. Next visit will hopefully be Christmas in New Zealand with Allison and Dylan!!