Denerau

A friend told us if we went to Denerau we would have to face civilization again - and it is true. From quiet Saweni Bay we have motored about 11 miles this morning ( no wind ) and are the only boat anchored off the Westin Hotel, which is one of several including the Sheraton and Hilton along the frontage here. Still I suppose we improve the view for the holiday makers and add a little colour and interest. We have a good view from the cockpit too - of tourist boats nipping back and forth to the picnic island nearby, others towing paragliders and jetskiers roaring by. Not so many canoes these days!!

This whole area has been developed at an amazing rate and is certainly most impressive. Adjacent to the ferry berth, where one can catch the ferry to Musket Cove etc, is Denerau Marina. We booked a swing mooring there from tomorrow which will be very convenient for fuel, water, diesel, getting some washing done and close to the airport for Denise flying out and Ted flying in next week.

We told in the blog some days back that this whole area of Fiji is much drier than Savusavu. However we have had an enormous amount of unseasonal rain in the last week. Last Monday it rained continually for over 24 hours while we were in Saweni Bay. We got out the scrabble and I was beaten again a few times by Denise!
Yesterday we went into Lautoka by taxi and had a good day finalising some paperwork at immigration, snooping around the town, stocking up on fruit and veg and visiting the supermarket. I found a barbers shop and had a hair cut - the equivalent of $2.25 NZ amazingly cheap.

We saw an interesting local craft sail by us in Saweni Bay. It was a fishing boat, about 18 feet long, single hulled carrying a battered crab claw sail - looked like it was made of old plastic sheet. But it was sailing remarkably well and looked very elegant. So crab claw type sails do still survive in Fiji.

Late this afternoon the rain started again!

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