Fiji, Part III – School Visits and Cruising Lau, Lomaiviti, and Kadavu

Fiji, Part III – School Visits and Cruising Lau, Lomaiviti, and Kadavu

by | Jan 24, 2023 | Charitable Trips, Fiji

The Lau group is located on the eastern side of Fiji and east of the Koro Sea. With some islands closer to Tonga than to Fiji, the populated islands of the Lau group have a unique mix of Polynesian and Melanesian cultures. 

Vanua Balavu, the chief island, was our first stop on this side of the world. We found shelter from the bad weather in the Bay of Islands, a region characterized by the many green mushroom-like islets that rise from the sea, creating small coves surrounded by calm, turquoise waters.

It was here that the Seahawk team visited a local school in the village of Daliconi. We also participated in our first Sevusevu; a ceremony where the visitors meet the chief and inform him of the intentions of the visit, acknowledge the clans that exist on the island and present an offering of quality Kava root. 

The Sevusevu ritual is mandatory when visiting any of the islands, as one needs to be welcomed in to enter the village. Valu was our representative on the ritual, and after being accepted, we were all allowed to visit the town.

We were shown around the village and the school, meeting the teachers and the children. 

Village life is very simple, but the community’s basic needs are met. The school system in particular is a primary focus, as is the church for the villages’ largely Christian population. The 1st through 8th classes often involve several grades merged together depending on the age of the students attending. And the teachers, provided by the government, usually come from bigger areas, like Viti Levu. Their contracts normally last a year, but some stay on longer depending on personal circumstances including the nature of opportunities elsewhere. 

Daliconi Village School has 3 teachers and 25 children of several ages. This school had no internet and no cell phone service. Periodically, the headmistress, who has a cell phone, pilots a small school boat to a special spot in the lagoon where a cell signal is available. There she can communicate with her superiors and send reports. 

Although this supposes an extra effort, the teachers see the bright side in maintaining a traditional style of teaching, away from modern technology and internet usage.

Daliconi was the first of three schools visited during our journey throughout the Lau group. Village communities in the Lau group have much in common, but there are small differences. The Oneata (Southern Lau) school, for example, recently installed an internet connection, and the school administrator emphasized the importance of designing an e-learning curriculum that prepares the students to compete successfully off the island, while also making the teaching relevant to their daily lives.

Seahawk’s warm welcome by the Lau Group island peoples was a treasure to be cherished. What started out as a somewhat routine mission to help the schools by donating learning materials and sports equipment turned into one of the most heartwarming and uplifting embracements ever. The friendliness and curiosity of the kids throughout all of our visits were salient. One of the most candid moments we had was in Udu village, on Totoya island; After introducing ourselves to the very young children, they all seemed too shy to talk to us, but then Righardt (the dive instructor on board) asked them about rugby and broke the ice in the room; glowing eyes and big smiles, many of them showed an enthusiasm that only grew when they saw the rugby balls gifted to the school. Clearly, there is no doubt as to which sport is the most popular in the country.

The village visits in Lau were a privilege for us, as we experienced Fijian culture and witnessed the lifestyle in such a remote part of the world. Unaccessible for most tourists, some of these islands have maintained a basic way of life. The community is also highly collectivist; a lot of value is put into the vanua (a concept that means family, village, and land); it is the norm to take care of each other, and obligations and rewards are shared between the inhabitants.

Exposure to Fiji island life also invites an opportunity to compare one’s own cultural baseline with others. Life for many Fijians is patriarchal and hierarchical. There is a defined line of power, with the chief of the village being at the very top of the structure and leading all decisions. A lot of respect is also given to the elders, who often share knowledge about the history of the land with the younger generations. Women traditionally maintain the role of caretakers, as in many other parts of the world. This was most apparent during our visit to Gau, where guests and some crew visited the village of Nawaikama to attend one of Fiji’s most traditional features; the Meke.

The Meke is an art show where stories are shared through songs and dancing. Women and men are dressed in traditional clothes to dance and chant songs about their history and culture.

As Captain Steve remembers from this particular day:

“When arriving at the village as a mixed group of crew and guests, we were very subtly but firmly segregated into two groups. The guest group, mainly female, plus the female crew members were ushered on a tour of the village while I and the other male crew were taken directly to the village hall where the elders of the village had gathered for the usual Kava ceremony. Even there when we arrived, as the captain I was separated from the other crew members and placed to sit with the senior members of the village… this was clearly a natural process for them, but stood out to us.”

Although we had a rough idea of what this event would be like thanks to Valu, what we experienced was unexpected.

When we arrived at the village hall where the Meke would be hosted there was a crowd waiting. It seemed like the whole village had descended to greet us; the elders on one side, some older adults drinking Kava, and very young kids, women, and teenagers sitting on the opposite side. All were expectant for the show that was about to begin.

As guests, we sat facing the town locals, and one by one we introduced ourselves. We drank Kava, attended the sevusevu, and politely listened to some prayers. And then we watched the dancing and the singing, amazed by the room’s music and the joyfulness. Men, women, and teenagers all danced to their well-rehearsed function. Everyone sang. We all ended up dancing together and sharing a fun, memorable moment.

There are not so many places in the world where the whole town gathers to deliver the amazing warm welcome the Seahawk group received. Here in Fiji, though, events like this are an occasion for everyone in the village to share time together, and at the same time to proudly introduce outsiders to their culture and traditions. We should all wish there were more places like Nawaikama.

Seahawk’s voyage around Fiji was an educational experience for everyone on board. We saw the good and the bad, the sad and the uplifting, and all in all, the reality of a nation characterized by a multicultural population navigating through modern-day challenges. The effects of overfishing and climate change on the environment and society, and the delicate balance between maintaining a traditional lifestyle while preparing the youth to navigate a world where technology and digital skills are necessary, were all on display

Although rainy, the last days of our voyage in Fiji were marked by good sailing, good hiking, and visits to some of the best dive spots in the region. The underwater surroundings seemed healthier than those experienced during some of our earlier stops; a reason to stay hopeful and keep fighting to protect the country’s unique marine life and coral reefs.

We arrived back at our home base in Viti Levu at the beginning of September, with a whole new perspective on the country. Seven weeks of circumnavigating the region were now complete. And so ends Seahawk’s first South Pacific journey. An adventure of a lifetime that had Seahawk crew, owners, and guests experiencing the wonders of places like French Polynesia, Fiji, and beyond. The end of the beginning. Many more adventures await on this side of the world.

With owners and guests departed, Seahawk headed directly to Auckland for a well-deserved shipyard period, a 10-year refit, in order to be ready and back in action by June 2023. Although the itinerary for next year is still to be decided, a big menu beckons. There are so many great South Pacific opportunities, and candidate archipelago places to visit. What’s next? Can’t wait to find out. 

For now, we’ll keep reflecting on the Seahawk mission around the world, the lessons learned, and the adventures waiting ahead.

Fiji, Part II – Lau and the Seascape Initiative Project

Fiji, Part II – Lau and the Seascape Initiative Project

by | Jan 24, 2023 | Fiji, Scientific Trips

While our exploration of Fiji during the first part of the trip delivered much to celebrate, not all is well in paradise. In particular, underwater exploration of Fiji revealed much stress on the coral and fish life there; a bittersweet realization given the many goodnesses characteristic of the country. Arriving within the Lau Group, Fiji’s least visited hidden jewel to the east, we hoped to find a natural world largely untouched.

It is now August, about half way through our Fijian itinerary. Here, in Vanua Balavu, Seahawk and her crew stood ready to support a new scientific mission, again organized by our partners at YachtAid Global. This is where the sponsored scientist, Kristian Miles, working with the NGO Conservation International (CI), joined us to survey the remote islet of Duff Reef, a recently declared turtle sanctuary.

Sadly, many of our dives, including those conducted with Kristian, showed the coral reefs were struggling. Many colonies were bleached or suffering from other stressors such as cyanobacteria blooms and destruction by cyclones. And other marine life, especially larger pelagic fish species, were suspiciously lacking, 

All signs point to what is now a common problem around the world; overfishing, bad agricultural practices, and climate change. Over the course of our trip, we learned about Fiji’s struggles with overfishing, unsustainable fishing practices (catching of undersized, juvenile fish), and a growing population that increasingly turns to the sea for subsistence. Recent cyclones to hit the islands have also been problematic, some causing serious damage across coral reefs and devastation on land.

We wanted to know more about Fiji’s underwater world, the challenges faced and the organizations and individuals working towards solving them.

Behind the recently protected Duff Reef was the Lau Seascape Initiative; a plan launched in 2019 to protect Lau’s marine and terrestrial life from the current challenges while preparing the region’s communities to develop sustainably. It was launched by regional leaders with Conservation International and partners, with the support of the Fijian government. 

Duff reef is a community-based marine managed area and is now a no-take zone where sea turtles can find refuge as they visit the site to breed.

The mission was going to be highly constructive. Kris gave the crew and owners a presentation explaining the Duff Reef environment and the many species found there. The introduction was fortuitous because it facilitated both owners and crew playing a role in surveying the area for key species of marine life. Much to take in and learn to be able to properly identify the different turtles species and other resident fish like groupers, jacks, and barracuda targeted for the survey. It was an intensive course that had some of the team members studying the fish identification book all night prior to next day’s planned dive.

Unfortunately, due to rough weather conditions that included 40-knot winds and heavy rains, Duff Reef’s expedition had to be canceled; located in a very exposed area (the islet is a small sandbank in the ocean) and surrounded by coral reefs, the risk of dragging anchor in such a delicate environment was too high. Seahawk got there and had to turn around straight away, back to the sheltered waters of the Bay of Islands.

On the bright side, Kristian and the Seahawk team were able to deploy a remote underwater temperature monitoring system in the northwestern pass of Vanua Balavu, to collect data on the inputs of ocean temperature. This unit is part of a greater effort by the University of the South Pacific to understand the impacts of climate change. The device will record temperatures over short intervals for up to a year. The annual retrieval/replacement of these devices will aid in the collection of data on ocean sea temperature changes. A similar system has already been installed in the southern Lau Group reef system.

During the days Kris  was with us he was able to conduct several surveys of marine life in the various Vanua Balavu passes Seahawk visited. These surveys are about determining the density of populations of benthopelagic and pelagic animals along with turtles & sharks within scientifically important areas of the Lau group.

The dive sites we explored were some of the best of the trip. The reefs were healthy, like busy cities, filled with fish, and diving alongside the reef wall we encountered big schools of barracuda and other pelagic fish. A thriving environment that benefits from the remote nature of the region. 

Still, cyanobacteria blooms were also present there. As Valu and Kris showed us how to identify the red algae covering the reef, it was difficult to unsee it. Another sign of how nutrient runoffs from agriculture are having an impact everywhere.

It is hoped that the Lau Seascape Initiative accomplishes its conservation goals and that the dependent communities in the area enjoy a sustainable future. There is much damage done, but also a lot to be saved within the pristine waters of the Lau islands.

The weeks that followed in Lau were marked by an immersion into the Fijian culture and a deeper understanding of the way of life and traditions of Fiji, as Seahawk made her way south of the group and visited some of the country’s most remote corners.

References used on this blog:

Sheldon Chanel, Shailendra Singh (2021, February 3rd). Fishing in Fiji Under Strain [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://earthjournalism.net/stories/fishing-in-fiji-under-strain#:~:text=According%20to%20a%202009%20University,fishing%20practices%2C%22%20says%20Dr.

Andrew Freedman (2020, December 17th). Fierce Cyclone Yasa strikes Fiji as one of the country’s most powerful storms [Washington Post]. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/12/17/cyclone-yasa-hits-fiji/

Fiji, Part I – Cruising Yasawa, Vanua Levu, and Rabi

Fiji, Part I – Cruising Yasawa, Vanua Levu, and Rabi

by | Jan 24, 2023 | Fiji, Fun Trips

10 days after departing from Tahiti, Seahawk finally arrived in Viti Levu, Fiji’s biggest island and Seahawk’s base for the first 5 weeks in the country.

Port Denarau, located on the west side of the island and near the city of Nadi, is an oasis filled with resorts, shops, and restaurants for the tourists that visit, as well as the start line for those wishing to cruise further into some of the 300 islands that belong to Fiji.

It was here where Seahawk started her 7-week voyage around the archipelago. An expedition that showed us the many contrasts of a country that manages to hold on to its traditions and culture, while communities on the different islands of the vast archipelago take pride in their unique history and land.

To help navigate our journey we were joined by Valu Tamanivalu, an experienced local guide who has worked on yachts for many years. Valu started his career in the 80s as a dive instructor and has great knowledge of the best diving spots across the country. This made him the perfect fit for Seahawk. Valu was also our guide and mentor throughout our discovery of Fijian culture. His years of experience traveling the country, getting to know many of the villages and cultural idiosyncrasies made him the perfect liaison. Coming from Kadavu island, Valu is also the chief of his village, Nacamoto; our neighbor island village welcomes were to say the least very regal.

The first ten days of our trip were characterized by a relaxed cruising around the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands, where guests on Seahawk enjoyed sightseeing, hiking and even tasting Kava for the first time. Kava is a traditional drink in Fiji made by using the crushed root of the Kava plant.

The drink is often shared during a kava ceremony; participants sit in a circle around the kava bowl (Tanoa) as the ceremony leader prepares the beverage and serves it one by one. Drinking Kava is not only a social ritual to bond with the community. Kava also gives the drinkers a mild sedative feeling, one that makes their mouths go numb and their thoughts slow down. Our first Kava ceremony was conducted by Valu on the boat, as he taught us all about this tradition and the meaning it has for Fijians.

As we made our way through the central and southwest side of the archipelago, we encountered beautiful natural wonders, such as the Sawa-I-Lau caves in East Yasawa, or the white sandy beach on Monuriki island (A.K.A Castaway Island), where we attended a traditional dancing ceremony. Caught up in the moment, some of the guests acted out the famous Tom Hanks scene where his character, Chuck Noland, is trying to stab fish with a spear.

Moving north within the Fiji archipelago, we switched gear into action mode. Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second biggest island, offered stunning natural beauty with spectacular vistas, exotic flora, and even medicinal mud hot springs. It was in Savusavu, one of the larger towns on the island, where we met Sharon, an American expatriate who owns a guest house and also conducts personalized tours around the area. A knowledgeable naturalist guide, she taught us about the local flora and its medicinal properties, and also took us on a journey to find waterfalls and hot springs tucked away in the forest.

Sharon moved to Fiji some 20 years ago and raised her two sons there. They have grown up in the male-dominated environment that Fiji has, but with an extremely talented (and strong-willed) mother who has succeeded in developing a business and meshed into the community. Quite an achievement.

As Seahawk kept sailing east, the natural beauty of the islands was once again fully revealed. The island of Taveuni, notorious for being home to Fiji’s most spectacular waterfalls, was stunning. The owners and crew enjoyed a full day of exploration, trekking through the lush rainforest on the island, and eventually enjoying a delicious swim in the pristine lagoons located at the bottom of Taveuni falls.

Our last stop before venturing further east was in Rabi island, located north of Taveuni, where Seahawk’s owners switched roles and lead the crew on a discovery dive as part of their Divemaster training. With its amazing topography and abundant fish life, the dive site turned out to be a nice surprise. Hence, an impromptu additional day’s stay was added to the agenda. 

Rabi was a good opportunity for everyone to brush up on their diving skills, as we spent the days that followed focused on diving and exploring some of Fiji’s most magnificent dive sites within the Lau group of islands.

The next leg of the trip was to be focused on a new science mission, this time supporting scientists working to survey remote areas of the country for marine life while also installing a monitoring system to obtain data on sea temperature. The data collected from the monitor equipment ultimately feeds into computer models designed to help better understand ocean fluctuations and climate change.

Click here to keep reading about our expedition in the Lau islands and the Lau Seascape Initiative.