We were keen to dive the Naigoro Pass while we were at South Astrolabe Reef, but we’d come to a frustratingly dead-end trying to find a local dive operator on Kadavu Island who could give us the low-down. No-one was answering our calls, and we weren’t sure if we had to get permission from the local village. So armed with what little information we had, we decided to go and find the dive resorts in person. We passed Mai Dive Resort on the eastern side of Ono Island but there was nowhere safe to anchor Toucan. We kept going towards Waisalima Bay on the big island of Kadavu, where we’d heard there was a resort and dive shop. Continue reading “My Island Home – Waisalima Bay, Kadavu, Fiji”
Given the current electoral shenanigans in the USA, it seems fitting to use a book written by Hillary Rodham Clinton, possibly about to become the first female President of the United States, as the title for this blog. In her 1996 book she argued that it takes an extended community of relatives, friends and mentors to raise healthy, happy children. She must have been thinking of Fiji because these youngsters from the village of Naqara (pronounced Nangara) seem to be the living embodiment of her theory. 
About 80NM south of the main island of Viti Levu is one of the largest barrier reefs in the world – the Great Astrolabe Reef, named after the French explorer’s ship that nearly came a cropper there in 1827. North Astrolabe is uninhabited, whereas South Astrolabe encircles numerous small islands and the much larger Kadavu Island. The whole area is relatively unspoilt and a renowned diving location, so of course it was on our ‘must do’ list while in Fiji. 
Are we crazy? Maybe. Certifiably crazy? Possibly. Why else would we willingly and knowingly jump in the water with dozens of bull sharks renowned for their voracious appetites and ‘bite first, ask questions later’ attitude? Because it’s the world famous Shark Dive run by Beqa Adventure Divers. And as you’ve probably guessed by now, we’re not averse to a little adventure here and there. 
No, we’re not back in Queensland folks – this is the OTHER famous Coral Coast, on the southern side of the main island, Viti Levu. Like the rest of the island, the south coast is ringed by fringing reef so getting to any of the anchorages here involves reef entries through the passes. The other challenge of getting south-east is the wind, which usually blows consistently and strongly from, you guessed it, the south-east. So the only option to get where we want to go is pick a time when the wind is light so we’re not bashing into short, sharp seas. The downside is that means….dah, dah – motoring….the skipper’s dirty word. But the lure of being able to do the famous shark dive at Beqa was enough to keep the grumbles to an occasional murmur (well, that’s all I heard with my headphones on anyway). 
They call it the Nirvana of surfing – the world-famous ‘Cloudbreak’, apparently one of the 10 most challenging left-hand surf breaks in the world, and which on its’ biggest days can undo the best of the best. We’d heard about it (it’s impossible not to, there’s even a ‘Cloudbreak’ store in Denarau selling all manner of souvenirs and the inevitable T-shirts bragging of survival), we’d got within coo-ee of it when we went out to Namotu Island, but being well past any chance of mixing it with the surfer dudes we weren’t expecting to get up close and personal with the mighty break itself.