15/7/24 – 19/7/24

We finally got our Cruising Permit after giving up waiting for the promised email and going to the Immigration Office and asking for it. Now we can begin to explore Fiji.

Our exploration started fairly low key. We left the marina at about 2pm and motored about 4nm along the coast to anchor off the Jean Cousteau Resort. We had a peaceful night at anchor ready for an early start the next day.

Anchor was raised at 7am for the 40nm trip to Paradise Bay on the south west corner of Taveuni Island. We had 10 knot NE winds so ended up motor sailing most of the day. We arrived late in the afternoon to a very exposed bay but decided to stay anyway as the forecast was for the wind to drop overnight.

The wind did as predicted and after a bit of a bouncy night were were able to move in closer, pick up a mooring buoy and go ashore to meet the very friendly staff of the Paradise Resort and spend a lazy day swimming in the pool and having drinks on the lawn.

The next day we went on a tour with the resort. It seemed like the best way to see something of Taveuni Island. A relatively early start was needed to fit it all in – a visit to the “cathedral”, the local town (Somosomo – one of three such named towns that we would encounter on the trip), a toilet stop at the airport, and a spot to celebrate crossing the international date line.

Then on to the main event, Tavoro Falls at Boumo.

We enjoyed a great walk in the Bouma National Heritage Park. A few people opted to stay at the first and largest of the falls, we stayed with the main group and took a longer walk to the second fall. Nigel and Sue stayed at the second falls to take photos while Jonathan and Claire missed the second falls to continue to the third set of falls which were, perhaps, the prettiest. We all met up again at the first set for a well earned and refreshing swim.

The final stop was yet another set of falls where there was a natural water slide for the children in the group – Nigel & Jonathan.

Paradise Resort is primarily a dive resort. They offered dive courses and fast boats trips to the Rainbow Reef across the Somosomo Straight. There was a ‘house reef’ immediately in front of the resort so we thought we would try it out. Nothing spectacular, but it was relatively clear and it was good to be back in the water.