Exploring Waya

0800 position 17-16S 177-07E. At anchor in Nalauwaki Bay, Waya Island, Fiji

It is pretty clear now that we are right on the edge of Viti Levu's lee in a south easterly wind. As the prevailing wind shifted from south to south east in the mid morning yesterday the strong trade winds died completely here off Waya and we had calm conditions for the rest of the day. We must have slipped into Viti Levu's lee as the wind shifted.

The entire crew went ashore in two shifts to explore the island. Rob was in the first shift, and as he was heading back to the boat a native insisted on his making sevu sevu, the offering of kava for the privilege of visiting his village. Fortunately I had picked up a couple of bundles of kava for that purpose earlier in the trip. Rob came back to the boat, got a bundle of kava, and took it ashore to the guy who was waiting on the beach. I went ashore to hike after the heat of the day had past and with guidance from the first shift hiked across the island to the nicest tourist facility we have seen in the Yasawas so far, the Octopus Resort. A boat load of new guests was just arriving as I got there and the staff ashore was gathered and singing to welcome the new arrivals.

I walked back over the island and through the village fronting our anchorage. What struck me most about the village was the presence of garbage everywhere around its perimeter. White plastic garbage bags, most broken open and full of typical household waste like empty cans, plastic bottles, and paper products, had been tossed into the bushes on the outskirts of the village. It boggles the mind that they would choose to decorate their village that way. I continued through the village to hike up to the dam that was reported to be in the hills behind it. I followed the plastic water supply pipe up the hill to a dozen large water storage tanks above the village. The quarter mile long pipe was sitting on the surface and was held in position on the slope by haole koa trees. That pipe must break fairly often. The pipe feeding the tanks snaked back into the hills to the dam which must have been miles away. I followed it for about half a mile back into the island's interior before giving up and turning around. The pipe looked so fragile that I was afraid to get near it for fear that a gentle touch would break it. I didn't want to be blamed for damaging the village's water supply. I walked back through the village to the dingy and was followed by the same guy that pestered Rob for sevu sevu. He wanted money from me for walking through his village. I told him that my captain had paid him earlier.

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