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S/V Hoku Pa'a
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...click on the small photos for larger versions...
BJ getting spiffed up during our day in the big city of Lobasa. At $3 each, many locals get weekly haircuts. |
Lobasa is the largest town on Vanua Levu, and is predominantly Indo-Fijian. Walking downtown is a bit like being in Bombay (so we hear). Grog is the common name for kava. |
Many of you heard about Barb's chipped tooth. Here we are putting in a temporary patch until she gets to the dentist in Lobasa. (It's the rear molar, tongue-side, back corner) |
Besides Sugar, Ginger is a key ingredient in these cookies. Spices are abundant and cheap in the Fijian markets. |
R&C's South Seas Fishing Lures hard at work: this Rainbow Runner was very tasty! |
Here's one we didn't want on our fishing line. We were surprised one afternoon to spot two Orcas breaching and later crossing astern of Freya. |
We spent several fun days in Viani Bay, where Jack (on left) took us out diving and snorkelling. That's Steve from Key of D on the right. |
Strong currents in Somosomo strait nourish beautiful soft corals of many colours. |
We get many photos of very skinny fish, when they turn edge-on to the camera. This Longfin Bannerfish cooperated with the photographer. |
This shy oddball swims away as you approach, but if it feels too threatened, it dives head-first into the sand and completely buries itself. |
Diving the White Wall, we rounded a corner and were lucky to spot this beautiful turtle. |
There's many varieties of puffer fish, which inflate themselves with water to twice-normal size when feeling threatened. |
Its colour lacks some red tones, but the Moustache Triggerfish has an extraordinary mix of spots, lines, diamonds, and of course a black moustache. |
This Giant Moray was about a metre long, but most of it was tucked under the ledge. |
There's also many kinds of boxfish, but they all have a very rectangular body. |
Weird air-snorting creatures. |
Thanks to Key of D we enjoyed a refreshing fresh-water shower after diving. What luxury! |
Our shore-based fun included a hike led by Sophie to a school and village. Her stamina outlasted ours on the uphill hike over a hill to a neighboring bay. |
The teacher at Ucunivatu school holds an impromptu quiz, with questions like "Name another Commonwealth country." How about Canada?! |
OK, who let the dogs out? |
Our hike's destination lay at the foot of Nasau Bay, where a group was running a Christian overseas students camp. |
Check out the size of the claws on these freshwater prawns! The bowl holds deep-fried casava (yumm!), which is the same plant tapioca comes from. |
We hopped a local bus on Taveuni Is. to take us to the waterfalls at Bouma, and saw lovely gardens along the way. |
Getting to the falls required very daring Indiana Jones creek-crossing. |
Ginger (both edible and not) grows very well here; these red flowers are one type. |
Yes, Virginia, papayas really do grow on trees. The locals call them pawpaws and if you don't pick the yellow ripe ones soon enough, the fruit bats'll get them. |
Barb frolicks in the falls. The cool water felt great after our hot hike. |
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S/V Hoku Pa'a 1000 DeCosta Pl. Victoria, BC Canada V9A 6Y3 |
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