Vanua Levu

A Little Luxury, A Visit from Friends, Fabulous Diving

Savusavu Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji. The Catana 47, Hudson, at anchor behind us.

Fiji’s 330 islands are spread out around the Koro Sea over an area the size of Alaska¹. Its youthful population² of 933,000 inhabits one-third of those islands. We arrived in Fiji on the island of Vanua Levu, the second-largest island. It is home to Savusavu, a global yachting center and the first port of entry for sailors arriving from points east.

Fiji’s 330 islands would fit into the land area of Alaska. We arrived in Savusavu Bay on the island of Vanua Levu from Tonga to the east. The “anti-meridian” defines the international date line and lies at 180 degrees longitude east and west. The “far side of the world.”

Our arrival in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, marked the start of our four months in Fiji. We’ll sail Fiji’s islands until mid-October before we make the run to New Zealand.

We spent our first few nights at Nawi Island Marina, possibly the most luxurious marina we’ve ever been in. It gave us a chance to wash the boat and get some much-needed rest.

We anchored off the Jean-Michel Cousteau dive resort. It’s a well-run dive operation. I made several dives with them around the bay, and Pam got in a snorkel dive with them.

Friends Richard and Judi from Baton Rouge made a game-time decision to fly in and spend a few days with us sailing around Savusavu Bay. Richard and I met back in the 80s when we were slip neighbors in Prieto Marina, Mandeville, LA—Richard with his Pearson Triton and me with my Catalina 22. It was my first boat. I bought it from one of my college professors with my first commission checks. Richard and I have been sailing together ever since. He’s planning to return to Fiji in October and join our crew for the passage to New Zealand.

We often tell people who come to visit that we can pick the place or the time but not both. This was a good example of that. It took three flight segments, but they made it out to Labasa airport on Vanua Levu. We picked them up in our rented pickup truck.

After their visit, we sailed east on a light upwind to Viani Bay, a day away. The Dive Academy is located there. It’s a small operation guiding dives on Fiji’s famous Rainbow Reef and the Great White Wall. These are dives I have always wanted to experience.

Viani Bay also reunited us with our buddy boat Chaos, with whom we crossed the Pacific last year. We last saw them a year ago in Mo’orea in French Polynesia. It was great to be back together again. They’ve also been bitten by the scuba bug, and we all dove Rainbow Reef together.

So far, we’d rank Fiji as the friendliest place yet. They faces tough competition for the top spot from Tonga and the Cook Islands!

Highlights

Nawi Island Marina: one of the nicest marinas we’ve ever visited. State-of-the-art floating docks, friendly, attentive staff, two restaurants, pool with a swim up bar, laundry service, groceries, spa, famous indoor/outdoor showers, boat supplies. Amazing place. Definitely an option for cyclone season as well.

Grace Road Kitchen: Farm-to-table restaurant on the Main Street in Savusavu. One of several cafes owned by the Grace Road Church, a controversial South Korean cult.

Deli6: “Where Teekhi Masala Meets Bula.” Outstanding Indian food and great specials. Tables looking out over the harbor.

Sea Lovers: Wine and gourmet food store with lots of goodies. We shopped here several times. On the main drag in Savusavu.

Jean-Michel Cousteau Dive Resort: Yes that Cousteau. Well run resort with well organized dive trips. You can’t eat at the resort (usually) but you can often have a drink at the bar. We anchored off the resort and enjoyed several dive/snorkel excursions with them.

Kokomana Chocolate Plantation: Great tour and excellent chocolate. Richard, the owner, worked for the Australian government in agricultural outreach. I find it interesting hearing what it takes to start and run a business in these islands.

Dive Academy: Wonderful small dive resort operator. 4 dive guests per boat with a guide and captain. Big lawn for gathering for sundowners. Very good Fijian BBQ with advance reservations. We dove with several resort guests who earned their open water certifications here.

Rainbow Reef: An iconic dive site and home of The Great White Wall.

Fees for Visiting Yachts

• Health Inspection: $173FJD

• Bio-security: $200 FJD + $163FJD (after hours)

• Customs & Immigration: $90FJD + $92FJD (after hours)

• Kava bundles: $20FJD per bundle. You’ll need these for Sevusevu in the out islands

A Few Photos

Clearing in. Counterclockwise, Immigration, Customs, Bio-security. Bio-security seized our frozen chicken. They also “bonded” our NZ beef because it wasn’t labeled adequately. Meaning it could stay in our freezer but we couldn’t eat it.

Nawi Island Marina’s swim-up bar.

Nawi Island Marina is new. Many satellite images still show it as dry land under construction. Source: Noforeignland.com

Reunion dinner at Nawi Marina with many friends we’ve met over the past few months as we’ve been sailing west. Clockwise: Willow (Hudson), Steele (Artemis), Jimmy (Strumis), Pam, Dale, Juenesse, Hazel (Hudson). Steele, an Aussie, bought his boat sight-unseen here in Fiji a few days ago.

Hawksbill turtle at “The Grotto,” Savusavu Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji

Willow (Hudson) and our dive master, Thomas (JMC), check out a sea cucumber. Thomas carried a slate and was always writing notes to us so we wouldn’t miss anything.

Willow is a pro at bubble rings. A fun way to wait out a safety stop.

Meeting Richard and Judi at Labasa airport.

Sailing together again after many years, Savusavu Bay. Richard and I were slip neighbors in the mid-80s when I lived in New Orleans. We’ve sailed together ever since. More and more, we use lightweight hoodies to spare our aging skin from the sun.

Ana makes chocolate onsite from the cacao grown at the KokoMana chocolate plantation. Pam is happy to purchase the day’s full production.

An actual meat market in Savusavu. A chance to restock the freezer and replace what Fijian bio-security seized.

Savusavu has a large Saturday produce market.

Pam surrendered our “bonded” NZ beef by taking it to the biosecurity office. Bonded meant it could stay in our freezer, but we couldn’t consume it until we left Fiji. They would check to be sure it was uneaten. We needed the freezer space, so we sacrificed several pounds of prime NZ ribeyes. Had we created a label that said “From New Zealand” and stuck it on the package before we were inspected, it would have been fine.

Roam and friends at anchor in Viani Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji.

Pam heads out for snorkeling with the crew from the Dive Academy in Viani Bay.

Matthew at the bar at the Dive Academy invented the “Pam Special” mocktail for us.

Fijian BBQ at the Dive Academy resort, Viani Bay, Vanua Levu, Fiji.

Dendronephthya soft coral, a characteristic and iconic inhabitant of Fiji's Rainbow Reef.

Fiji’s Rainbow Reef lives up to its reputation: Acropora table corals.

Entering the famous “Great White Wall” on Fiji’s Rainbow Reef near Viani Bay, Vanua Levu.

We haven’t encountered as many sharks in Fiji as we did in French Polynesia. We found the white tips snoozing on the bottom.

Cruisers and divers from around the world gather for sundowners on the Dive Academy lawn, Viani Bay, Vanua Levu.

Excerpts from the Ship’s Log

Cousteau

Mon Jun 30 2025 02:30 UTC, 16 47.078s 179 18.273e, Log: 8208

All is well. We are presently anchored in front of the Jean-Michel Cousteau dive resort in Savusavu, Fiji. We escaped the harbor suction of Nawi Island Marina, where we have been recuperating for the past week. Resting, fixing things, cleaning, and enjoying this wonderful Fijian culture. Excited for some diving with the Cousteau!

Nawi Island

Thursday, Jul 3 2025 22:30 UTC, 16 46.457s 179 20.114e, Log: 8212.

All is well. We are back in Nawi Island Marina. It was a short motor from the Jean-Michel Cousteau dive resort anchorage back to Savusavu and the marina. Mist and light rain.

I bonked the port exhaust discharge while backing into our slip. Something else to fix and another part to import.

Nawi Island Marina may be one of the nicest and most well-run marinas we’ve ever stayed in. Right up there with Paradise Village in Mexico.

We will be here for a few days while we host our sailing friends Richard and Judi from Baton Rouge.

JMC

Mon Jul 07 2025 00:30 UTC, 16 48.557s 179 15.386e

All is well. We are again anchored off the Jean-Michel Cousteau dive resort after a brisk daysail around Savusavu Bay. 20 knots on the beam.

Our good friends Richard and Judi from Louisiana are visiting. Richard and I met when we were slip neighbors in Prieto Marina, Mandeville, LA in the mid-80s. I was with my Catalina 22 and Richard was with his Pearson Triton. We’ve been friends ever since. We’ve crossed the (formerly) Gulf of Mexico together more times than I can count.

This is his first time in the South Pacific. It’s nice having them aboard!

Viani Bay

Thu Jul 10 2025 03:00 UTC, 16 48.046s 179 49.999e, Log: 8283

All is well. We are presently anchored in Viani Bay, Venua Levi, Fiji. We enjoyed a brisk 50 nm upwind sail from Savusavu under main and Solent in 18-20 knot winds with 3’ short wind waves. Full daggers. I can’t remember the last time we were hard on the wind with the boards down. But we need to go east, and we have to take what the trade winds give us.

We are here to dive Rainbow Reef and the famous “Great White Wall” starting tomorrow!

1. Fiji’s Economic Exclusion Zone is roughly 1.3M square km. Alaska’s land area is about 1.5M square km. Close enough.

2. The average Fijian is 28 years old. Contrast that with the average American at 40 years old.