Thursday, July 27, 2017

Musket Cove, Mololo Islands, Fiji, April 20 - Present 2017

   We had a beautiful day and perfect conditions to depart the Yasawas and return to Musket Cove in the Mamanuca Islands.  This is a favorite yachtie hangout.  With Island resorts offering cruisers amenities not normally available including golf, tennis, sky diving, kite flying, surfing and some very good food it is easy to understand why. 

 

This is still one of Kaija's favorite snorkeling spots out at Sunflower reef where you are likely to see sharks, turtles, rays coral snakes...it's ALL Good.

 

    It is also a place to meet old friends.  Such was the case for us when we reunited with Patricia and Allen (Sailing Cat Nauti Nauti), Maria and Maurice (Sv Cattiva)

   We met Maria and Maurice in Isle Des Saints and Patricia and Allen in Trinidad, both in 2010 during our last season in the Eastern Caribbean.  How good to see them and share fond memories and get reacquainted.

    We made a quick trip back to Denarau to facilitate Kaija making her provisioning sojourn to Suva.  There is a Cost U Less….say no more!  And they deliver.  Here in Kaija’s words.

“Had an exciting day yesterday.  For all those who need to do a major provisioning here in Fiji, a trip to Cost U Less in Suva is worth the travel.  So I have done this trip a couple of ways.  Yesterday it was the 6:50 am bus out of Nadi bus station. It was the Sunset Suva Express.

This is a four hour trip with movie.  Very comfortable and relaxing.  Arrive in Suva about 11 am and then a short taxi ride to the store ($7 FJ). All things wonderful are here!

There is a McDonalds next door, if you need a bit of something, there is also a New World in the same complex.

So then you shop and the best of all is they will deliver all your goods ($300 FJ or more) to you in either Vuda or Denarau.  Shopping must be done by Tues for Delivery Thurs.  Then back to the bus station and fresh market for any last minute shopping.

This all took about two hours.  I thought I would be catching a 3:30 bus, but as I was finished earlier, there was) a 2:15 pm express bus to Latoka that stops at Nadi (Express does not mean Express).

So off I went and was back on the boat by 7pm.  The total cost was $15 FJ each way.

The first time I did this was with friends. We stayed overnight at the South Pacific Hostel which was near the museum and very inexpensive, clean and enjoyable.  So if you are looking for adventure and a way to spend a stress free day, this is the way to shop.  Hardest part was putting it all away.

With the Admiral safe returned from her overland adventure we set off again for Musket Cove.

While Kaija has enjoyed discovering the many of the splendid hiking trails on the island, Gary has found a couple of excellent tennis partners. 

 

Jodi and Svitlana have been playing since they were Juniors in the native New Zealand and Germany.  They are both incredibly fit and very fine ball strikers and with a total combined age less then Gary’s, despite his best efforts to will away the years and morf his game into something resembling the passion of McEnroe, the pace of Nadal and the grace of Federer (which alas a wassa notta gonna aa happen… and given their skillsets there is little chance of him truly keeping it up.

  With an amazing display of power and accuracy these two excellent players take bi-weekly pity on this old man and graciously place their rocket shots within reach and make sport of it.  By the end of the 90 minute workout,  I am happy to say, everyone is sweating equally.  It is great fun, wonderful exercise and a real treat for Gary each Monday and Thursday morning.

We are now in a holding pattern as we await a weather window for our Fiji Departure.  We have really enjoyed this place.

Look for our next adventure chronicle from the lovely French islands of New Caledonia.