There are times in one’s voyage around the world when everyone says “Hey, this place is good!”  Savusavu is very pretty, but there have been more spectacular locations en route.  It is not rich and plush, but it has most of the necessities of life.  It does not have a great marina, good yacht facilities, great amenities, beaches etc., but it pulses with life and good humour.  You can feel it as you arrive at the Copra Shed and as you walk down the main street just beyond it.  People smile and wish you “Bula!” (Welcome”) they are helpful in the shops, they carry bags and jerry cans for you and whether it is rain or shine, they are happy to see you.  Yes, rally unanimously agrees “this place is good!”

The Copra Shed is a unique institution.  In one corner, the other side of the platform to which the yachts are moored, is the yacht club bar – it could not be closer.  In the opposite corner, the Captain’s Café provides some sumptuous meals from breakfast to dinner-time.  In between there are some shops and the marina office, and upstairs is the club office and a couple of bedrooms.  Whilst the occupants are all different organisations, they all cooperate and are pulled together by Dolly, who administers the marina with energy, efficiency and a smile on her face (she also doubles as waitress support in the café, run by her husband, Robin).

Here the rally have been royally entertained by the Savusavu Yacht Club who have co-ordinated a great programme of parties, tours and a fun-day racing in Optimists and Lasers.  We all got wet and raised some funds for the club to teach local children to sail.  The party after that was so good, we invited the Long Beach Boys to come back a second night and get us all rocking around the yacht platform once more.

The rally nearly all came together for a couple of days.  Mercury Rising and Bionic arrived here after stopping for repairs.  Poor Jaime and Carmen came here non-stop from Bora Bora (near Tahiti) after having a new cylinder head fitted to their engine.  We are just 2 yachts short of full complement in Fiji, now, although some yachts have cast off to go and explore the Fijian islands en route to Musket Cove.  Moonshiner has just sent news that she will be back with the rally in a couple of days, having also had engine repairs done in Tonga.  We have not seen them for a couple of months.  Bringing up the rear is Scot Free; Deb and her fiancé David have now set off from Niue for Tonga, and should be with us before we all depart from Fijian shores.  We have not seen them since Galapagos!

< Prev		Next >