Rent a Crowd

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Year Two
Date: 11/9/2009 18:00
Weather: Very Windy
Location: Blue Lagoon (16 56.652' S, 177 21.991' E)
Author: Katherine with some (but not much) help from Matthew

Our family (Peter, Karen, Katherine and Matthew Davis) met Peter and Kylie through sailing in NS14's, I'm 14 and Matthew is 12. About 2 months or so ago Dad decided that we'd go and join Pete and Kylie on Jura during the September school holidays, and although it seemed like the time would never come all of a sudden we were on the plane to Fiji. We arrived on Jura about 4 days ago, the day we flew in. After we caught a cab that actually had SEAT BELTS in it, we spent the night in the marina because it was late and there was no wind.

Jura in Vuda Point Marina

The Davis Family

The next day we set off out of the swimming pool that the Fijians called the marina, and as soon as we stopped motoring and pulled the sails up we discovered that there was no wind. At all. Nothing. I got bored after about 10 minutes and jumped over the side. I'd only managed to make one lap around the boat in the 60m deep water when the call went up that Matthew was going to the toilet. I evacuated the water fast. Good work Matthew. Especially since we weren't going anywhere. At all. Backwards, maybe.

Very little breeze

We eventually gave up and ended up motoring about 10nm of our 28nm journey to Navadra, which was gorgeous, particularly in the sunset and early morning. The coral wasn't great though but the fish were gorgeous. Much to the amusement of Pete and Kylie watching from Jura I attempted to open a coconut. After half an hour of throwing it against rocks and jumping on it, I gave up. Matthew and Mum got sea sick that night due to the massive swell that was rolling into the bay. And someone stole Matthew's bathers during the night. We suspect it was a certain Mr Wind.

The next day bought a gale with it, and we bashed our way into the wind to Naviti. It was a solid 20-25 knots, gusting around 30. It was pretty wild, and as we motored into the bay we saw that the locals had a massive fire burning out of control along the foreshore. By dark they had it under control, though. There was a coral reef in the middle of the bay that we swam over to, and the coral was awesome (and alive, not like at Navadra) but the visibility was shocking. This was the night that Pete introduced us to Mexican Train Dominoes. Dad still hasn't won a game, and has decided that it is the worst game in history. Matthew chose the movie. "Don't mess with the Zohan"... the adults didn't appreciate it.

By the next day the wind had picked up again and Pete gave us 3 choices: stay where we were, go around the corner to the next bay, or make a dash to Blue Lagoon through the 30 knot gale that was whipping the water into white horses. Option 3, of course, say Mum and Dad. We were making a solid 8 knots to windward under just a jib, and getting saturated. When we arrived in Blue Lagoon, after discovering that it was over run by cruise ships, we went to shore to have lunch. Pete then stayed on the beach to rest his coldy/fluy thingy that he had collected somewhere as Kylie, Mum, Dad, Matthew and I went for a hike over the island to find the famous cake shop. Apparently the Fijians have never heard of making a track going from A to B in a straight line via the easiest route, eg: on the flat. It was at least 35 degrees C as we hiked up the hugest mountain in the world. Ok, so maybe it was a hill. Probably less than 50m high. But it was huge! We appeared out the other side of the island in a tiny place where we couldn't tell the village from the supposed resort that was there. We wandered along the beach until we stumbled across the cake shop. We walked into the dark shed, found the cat sitting on the table, ordered and got some huge slabs of packet cake that was quite tasty. The cat cleaned up the table afterwards, and we got on our way.

Blue Lagoon

Pete chose the movie. It was probably even worse than Matthew's... Mum and Kylie both fell asleep.

Today was the most relaxing day I've ever experienced. We lounged around the boat for the first part of the day until Mum and Dad got the kayak out and disappeared around the corner, never to be seen again. Well, they came back eventually but they took their time, going against the head wind. Because Mum and Dad didn't trust Matthew and I to go kayaking by ourselves, I had to go with Mum and then Matthew with Dad.

Katherine and Karen kayaking

Lunch was scones with jam and cream. The Davis' headed into shore for some light snorkeling, but Mum and Dad got cold and had to go roast themselves on the beach. So much for hardy Tasmanian's. Matthew stayed in the water the whole time and got sand through his pants, so he had to go for a nudie swim when we got back to the boat. Well, a nudie swim in his pants (say 'pants' in a British accent).

Katherine and Matthew

Another game of dominoes finished off the day. 2 more days to go...

Dolphins showing off

Sunset at Octopus, last night of the Davis' stay

Jura at Octopus