Levuka Tonight

October 31, 2013 in Levuka, Fiji

This is the view from our boat this evening…

Levuka, Fiji (Click to enlarge.)
Levuka, Fiji (Click to enlarge.)

Yes, there’s a smell from the tuna cannery. Yes, there’s noise from the nearby generator. Yes, the anchorage is a bit rolly. Yes, the water could be cleaner, but it’s still a neat town. This is the old capital of Fiji and the history is readily apparent during a walk down the street or even in the view from the boat. -Rich

Evening in Levuka (Ovalau, Fiji)

October 31, 2013

Here, a few photos of our first (and final) evening in Levuka. Sitting in the cockpit watching dusk turned to dark while the city lights came on was probably our our favorite moment of our time here. (You can click to enlarge and scroll through photos below.) -Cyndi

An Afternoon in Levuka, Ovalau (Fiji)

October 31, 2013

Our first clue that this place might be less than idyllic happened after we anchored and turned off the engine. Instead of the expected quiet, we heard the drone of a loud generator coming from shore. Since we were going below to have a snack and cool off, this didn’t bother us.

Our trip ashore was then delayed by a drenching rain shower. We didn’t mind it–it’s always nice to get a rinse for a salty boat, but by the time it let up it was about 2:30 pm. From my guidebook it seemed there’d only be a couple of places still open for lunch, but at least we could still have lunch ashore. We tied our dinghy to a small boat dock at the wharf, making sure to check with the customs office that this was OK before heading off.

It was in town that we really started to feel some letdown. The sidewalk was rubbly, not maintained, and the street a bit too narrow considering all the cars going by. Flooded potholes littered the crowded sidewalk, making walking here a challenge. We tried crossing the street to walk along the waterfront, but it turned out to be drier under the overhangs of shops along the sidewalk.

The historic aspects of the town were interesting, but this place seemed to be in the decrepit stage of the aging process. There’s a point where cloudy and misty becomes dreary and gritty, and in this weather, Levuka had crossed over into the latter. Below, a few photos of Levuka (you can click to enlarge and scroll).

We made our way to the Whale’s Tale, the eatery that was supposed to be open but it was closed. My next lunch choice, the Sea View, was not a restaurant so much as a counter with three unappealing-looking food choices that had been sitting out way too long. Well, at least there was ice cream and, unable to understand what flavor the burnt-orange colored ice cream was, we opted for vanilla. We took our cones and walked on through the wet, muddy sidewalks past many (permanently) shut-down store fronts. This place was getting less appealing by the minute.

We stopped at the historic Royal Hotel which looked aged but intriguing. I was mostly anxious to see the pool I’d read about. We should have just followed the arrows even though a sign stated grounds were for guests only. Wanting to be honest and upfront, we went to the reception desk. We found a lady who was so low-energy it was hard to communicate with her. We asked about the pool and she said we could see it for $2. Well, I had wanted to see the pool so we reluctantly agreed.

The pool was pretty but not special—I’m not sure why my guidebook had made note of it. The lawn furniture was old and dirty and reminded me of my parents’ old stuff. This was not a place we’d ever stay, and it was hardly as welcoming as the guidebook said. We took pictures and wandered around to get our $2 worth; then left. I wondered if the writer who was so enamored of this place had recently discovered Vicodin. Below, a few photos of the pools and hotel.

We continued on to the end of the town where the famous steps were. We walked up them and while they didn’t lead to any special views, it was a very pretty walk.

We went to see the old Methodist church, then headed back into town. I managed to get a look into an Asian restaurant I’d been interested in, closed until dinner but the door was open. It seemed to follow the theme of this town: old, run-down, and desperately in need of the refurbishment that could transform it from “ick” into a charmingly historic place. (The final possibility, a pizza place, was closed for the afternoon.)

We decided to see the rest of town, walking down past the tuna cannery through throngs of students, just out of school, and factory workers who’d just gotten off work for the day. We headed down to the Cession Monument guided by a couple of school kids who’d befriended us and had taken it upon themselves to show us the way. They were really sweet kids, and I was so happy to hear them talking about being on Facebook. This place might have been old, but it seemed the schools were modern enough that they embraced technology. (Below, a photo of Legacy from shore and the Cession Monument.)

Personally, we believe everyone has a right to internet access and all that it brings; so we don’t feel that “the culture is being destroyed” worry that other cruisers have. Rich likes to joke that it wasn’t so many generations ago that my family was probably swinging from trees. Well, it was more than a few generations ago but whatever. My ancestors my have swung from tree limbs, but now I like the internet even if my own tree-jumping culture has been destroyed (although admittedly I do feel I missed out on having a tail). Seriously though, I’m Scottish and the sound of bagpipes echoes in my soul. But I find I can surf the internet while playing my bagpipe music while annoying my Hungarian-Polish husband all at the same time. My mighty bagpipe-playing ancestors probably made his gypsy-fiddle-campfire ancestors pee their pants in terror, which would explain his dislike of bagpipe music (after all, what’s not to like?). So there!

But back to the subject at hand: Levuka. Overall, we were disappointed in this place. It was unique and historic, but I had to ponder what made it so different from our beloved American Samoa. My theory was that American Samoa had an “umbrella” of money from America which kept it from going too far down a path of disrepair. Sadly Levuka had no such umbrella and was just too run down to have the charm it could and should have had. My hope was that someday, someway, this place would attract the creative base and money that could give it the sort of overhaul that has benefited so many places in the US and Mexico. This place could be special, but it wasn’t there yet.

Later, looking at Levuka from our boat, we had mixed feelings. Yes, we were disappointed in it, but this place still had something. We did decide to head on the next morning, feeling done with this, especially when the anchorage got a little rolly. Yet while I can’t say we liked it, we didn’t really dislike it, either. I hoped Levuka could attract the loving benefactors it so much needed. Tomorrow, we’d be moving on. –Cyndi

A Trip to Levuka on Ovalau Island (Fiji)

October 31, 2013

The morning in Makogai greeted us with more rain and lightening. We still planned to leave but decided to wait until the weather abated. Rich had a quick radio chat with a couple of the boats who were departing for New Zealand. Did this make us feel anxious to go? No, we were in no hurry and still had places to visit yet in Fiji.

Later in the morning the conditions let up and we took that opportunity to head to Ovalau, about 16 miles away. We went out the west pass of Makogai and didn’t get rained on, but as I looked behind us the clouds were already building over the island again. It felt as though a door was closing behind us, Makogai having given us a break in the rain just long enough to wave us off to the next island. While we’d found answers to our questions about Makogai, there was still an aura of mystery to this beautiful place.

Our next destination was the island of Ovalau, specifically Fiji’s old capital city: Levuka. While Suva is now the capital city (with all the big city action), Levuka still has some government presence and foreign yachts can actually check into the country here, although not many people do.

While Levuka has an interesting history, it also has some drawbacks. The island is volcanic and lacks beaches, the anchorage isn’t that well protected, there’s a tuna cannery right there which creates unpleasant noises and smells, the water isn’t clean (nor appealing) enough for swimming, and the area has more than its share of cloudy days. Many cruisers decide to give this place a pass. We, on the other hand, were still intrigued. Below a map showing our less-than-approximate route to Ovalau (as always, do not use this map for navigation).


It took us about 4 hours to get to Levuka, and with washboard seas, wind just ahead of the beam, and some big swells, it was a less-than-pleasant trip. On approach, Ovalau was really interesting looking, mountainous and green with some pointy rock spires. Below, a few photos of Ovalau and first views of Levuka as we approached.

It was a relief to go in through the reef pass into the calm water off Levuka. What we saw was a striking-looking place: a small coastal city lay nestled at the base of dramatic green mountains rising up sharply behind it. We could see the old wooden buildings (false-fronted like the American old-west style) and the clock tower. Not surprisingly it was cloudy and gray—this was definitely a rainy kind of place.

Anchored off the old city of Levuka, Fiji
A view of the clock tower ashore.

At this point I was pretty excited about Levuka as it reminded me a lot of American Samoa, a place I love (in fact I promptly dubbed this the American Samoa of Fiji). I was anxious to go ashore and try the eateries, and I was even thinking we could be here a week or two. Unfortunately this feeling would change by the end of the day, but that will be the subject of the next post. –Cyndi

Clammin’ Up

October 30, 2013 in Makogai, Fiji

We haven’t posted much lately because we haven’t had internet access but speaking of clams, they raise giant ones here in this village on Makogai. After the baby clams get big enough to survive, they are released into the wild all around Fiji to help repopulate the species. There are a bunch of huge ones right at the end of the village jetty and all along the beach in about 10 feet of water.

Next, we’re headed to Levuka, the former capitol of Fiji, then to Suva. -Rich

Update: October 31, 2013 (Happy Halloween!)

We’re in Levuka – just arrived after an easy four hour trip. Have internet. Will Post.

Huge.  About four feet across.
Huge. About four feet across.
Cyndi, stunned at the size of the clams (the clams are ones not wearing the green and black dive suit!).
“I think this is a little bigger than the recipe called for!”
giant-clams-4
Cyndi, stunned at the size of the clams (the clams are ones not wearing the green and black dive suit!).
giant-clams-3
“Maybe if I sneak up on them?”

giant-clams-2