Pictures!!

Dramatic Fiji sunset. No more words needed I'd say.


















On the reef look-out with hunting party ready at a moment's notice.... Or are they just getting over the Kava day-after?

We had an succesful day of speer fish hunting, snorkling, scuba diving and swimming on the villages' reef outside Beqa island.

After having presented the sevu sevu gift -kava roots- to the chief of the village, we effortlessly joined in with village life.










The advance hunting party.













Part of the catch of the day.


















I found a more traditional and less useful way of wearing the headband of the chief of the fisherman clan. A double Winsor, effortlessly tied for the first time in many a year... Some things you will never forget..

http://www.nytimes-se.com and Fiji

Even though I am on Fiji time and hardly in touch with day to day life, fashion, politics and daily news breaking international disasters.. once in a while I get to read some real news.. http://www.nytimes-se.com. Try it for once. By the way I also recommend www.alternet.org, for a more independent and realistic view of the world ;)

Back to Fiji time.. We spent the last week as guests of a Beqa island -pronounced Benga- village. Where the emphatic Fiji welcome word 'Bula', is bellowed from the stomach with shoulder slaps and big smiles, followed by comparably friendly hospitality. We were presented with fish, fruit and vegetable; shared in sailing, spear fish hunting, scuba diving and snorkeling of the village-owned reef and were invited to a traditional Lomo feast (pronounced Lobo) which is prepared underground on smoldering coals and hot stones. We left one morning with big smiles and shoulderslapping after a long night of traditional kava drinking (mildly numbing feeling after a cup or two when prepared with light touch.....) and continuous singing of age old Fiji songs accompanied by guitar and ukalele.

What we learnt... listen to a villagers' advice on local natural phenomena. Thus.. especially when told that the tide is coming up, do not continue your exploration along a small beach with very steep rocky cliff blocking off the escape route. And again.. for those that do not learn quickly.. or those that are kava'd, leave when advised to do so with the dingy before the tide comes down, especially when you have a few hundred meters of sharp reef to cross with the dingy in tow.

Bula.

In the mean time I was, am and will be... here for a while

Boring Sufa delay - Happy Pueblo Sacbe delay

Another 5th last day in Suva!! First we spent 2 weeks on maintenance and shopping. Then we waited for the new crew member, then for a girlfriend of Cedric, and now Cedric is ill and we have postponed our departure another few days. All very necessary but highly frustrating as the fine city of Sufa is still a city with it usual trappings. I want to sail, anker in tropical locations and meet the real Fijians, not the city adapts who are more western then I am. Well, having got that of my chest, jeje, there is a delay in another part of the world that has given me immense pleasure.

Sustainable eco-village www.pueblosacbe.com close to Playa del Carmen has had its ups and downs on the way to legalising its existence and progress to being able to title my land. But the last hurdles are now clearly defined as the latest delay is caused by the requirements to the village infrastructure caused by some unequivocal decisions by local government on what should and what may not be in the village. Haleluja.

Publish Post

Peter in de Pacific (with admiring female..)

As you do... taking in the sun, enjoying the hot spring water on the weary adventurers' bones..
Obviously making a lasting impression with graying hair, serene facial expression, implied inner strength and limber limbs..

Final preparations for the next leg of the journey

We are finally getting to the end of almost 3 weeks of planning, preparation, maintenance, repairs and shortly.. shopping. This is going to be a major exercise with food and drink enough for 3 people for 5 months. Andre is the new crew member who has joined us from Canada for the next journey into the lesser known and un-explored North-West Pacific. Tomorrow I should not forget to get a yellow fever inocullation as well as some malaria tablets.. both necessary for PNG and Solomons. Cedric's Columbian friend Gloria really enjoyed the sailing last month and has decided to join us for another 3 weeks of sailing around the Fiji islands. That should give us just enough time to start out for the equator, situated another 20 degrees north from Fiji, before the hurricane season really gets going down here. And of course for some major diving (as we are now in the proud possession of two dive tanks!!), snorkeling, swimming, beach combing and hiking

We have met some really friendly kiwi's, sailing around Fiji in a 1930 wooden ketch (two masts) for the winter months every year. Some late night sessions in the local bars as well as a nice evening under the tarp and well protected by the torrential rains are good diversions from the day to day grind of looking for the right equipment suppliers and craftsman. Most yachties are friendly most of the time, even though they seemed to talk mostly, and in this order.. about their own boat, your boat, the weather, the weather, the weather, their journey and ask a little about yours if there is time left... Some are great characters though, and I have a lot of respect for all the individuals, as much as the families, who manage for years to brave the elements, loneliness and/or each other, local hazards and the constant wear and tear of the ocean on the ship, equipment, senses and ones sense of humor.