26 August - The Copra Hut Marina, Savusavu, Fiji

Lori and I are off on a new kind of cruising adventure for us, this time as crew aboard Clay and Gail Hutchinson's lovely Saga 43, Jambalaya, in Fiji.  We arrived in Savusavu on Vanua Levu after an epic 33 hour trip that was delayed by a cracked window on our 737 caused by a bird strike.  Fiji Airways was very kind and professional though, and I will fly again with them anytime.

We found Jambalaya in a slip at the Copra Shed Marina, a very well run operation that includes a couple of restaurants, a bar disguised as a yacht club, a marine hardware store, and even a couple of rooms for rent upstairs.

Savusavu is a protected oasis on Vanua Levu.  There are boats here from the US, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Italy,….  just about everywhere, and they are crewed by real characters.  The fleet congregates in the bar daily as sundown approaches to swap lies and lubricate.  We have been meeting Mark and Blossom Logan off the Beneteau 39, Puanani, there for drinks every night before we head off for dinner.  Punanani and Jambalaya have been cruising together since they left Kaneohe Yacht Club in May. 

This place reminds me of the outpost town on Luke Skywalker's home planet, Tatueen, in the first episode of Star Wars.  Cruisers roaming Fiji's northern cruising grounds gravitate toward this welcoming port to reprovision, make repairs, pick up crew, and socialize.  Walk into the bar, and conversation stops as all heads  turn to inspect the newcomers.  After a moment the patrons return to their drinks and tall tales and the volume returns to normal.  All manner of creature can be found there, boisterous Kiwis laughing loudly at every word spoken, Germans and Italians conversing in their native tongues, and the Americans we are used to seeing.  Listen in on the conversations, and you will hear talk about boat repairs, anchorages, passages, vessels, and local attractions as the cruisers get to know each other.  The whole operation at the Copra Shed Marina is overseen by owner Jeff Taylor, a larger than life character that can be seen roaming the halls by day and holding court in the bar after normal working hours.  Jeff is a big man that reminds me of Jabba the Hut.