We’re down to the last few days of our trip – I don’t know that I’ll have another opportunity to upload photos until we’re back in Tucson, unless it happens Friday or Saturday. Our flight out of Fiji leaves Saturday night August 20 and we arrive home in Tucson also Saturday August 20 in the evening.

We haven’t seen much of Fiji, but we’re enjoying what we’ve seen. The sun came out on Thursday and we motor-sailed south and west down the coast of Viti Levu, which is the more southern of the two main Fijian islands. We were following the Coral Coast, which seems very unspoiled, dotted with beautiful resorts. The first night out of Suva we anchored in the bay next to the Fijian Resort. Mike stayed there in 1975 en route to Australia back in the days when jets couldn’t cross the Pacific in one hop.  The Fijian was originally developed by Henry Jackson of Tucson (X9 Ranch) and a couple of other partners – I believe it was one of the earliest high-end Fijian resorts. It is a huge development and was very busy with lots of vacationing families, all sorts of water sports, organized expeditions, shops, restaurants, and even a games arcade for the kids. We went out to dinner at one of the restaurants and had a spectacular meal – their version of a salad bar was a gourmet appetizer bar that was most impressive (and delicious).

The next day we sailed further around the coast to our destination – Musket Cove. This is a great place to hang out on a yacht, with lots of choices of things to do. It is a small freehold island which is being developed with a couple of resort hotels, a marina, grocery store, a few shops, and a yacht club. Mike and I joined the yacht club – $6.00 for the two of us for a lifetime membership. The only membership requirement is that you must have arrived on a yacht from a foreign port!. Also there are timeshare units and some homesites being developed with attractive Polynesian-styled residences. From here we can sail, swim (hotel pool or ocean), snorkel, dive, kayak, hike, jog, play tennis, windsurf, water ski, etc. etc.

Here we caught up with our Tucson friends, Steve and Linda Dashew, who are also the designers of our sailboat. They are in Fiji on the inaugural voyage of their newest design, the 83′ aluminum hulled powerboat Wind Horse. They were flying the Arizona Wildcats flag from their boat in honor of Jason Gardiner’s jersy being retired! So Mike wore his Arizona Wildcats t-shirt in the spirit of things.

Also here is another couple we met in New Zealand, Cheryl and Jim Schmidt, on their 75′ sailboat (also a Dashew design) christened Wakaroa, which means “long canoe” in Maori. Jim owns an airfield in New Zealand and has a collection of antique airplanes.  He took Mike and me flying in his vintage (circa 1928) de Havilland Gypsy Moth biplane last March when we were in New Zealand.

Having friends here has given us the opportunity to take turns socializing on each other’s boats, bar-b-que ashore potluck style, trade books and DVDs, etc. Two days ago the Dashews went out sailing with us on Raven, and we spent several hours circumnavigating Malolo Island with Steve having a great time fine-tuning the boat. Yesterday we all went out for several hours on Wind Horse, trolling for fish.  Not a lot of luck but we did catch a yellowfin tuna and a walou, which we promptly ate for dinner. Yesterday as well Rod and the Schmidt’s son went spearfishing and caught a few smaller fish and a big lobster which also went on the bar-b-que for dinner last night.

We had a few goes at water-skiing. Mike, the Florida boy, was on his feet right away – it took me awhile (two days) but I finally got to my feet once or twice.  Didn’t last long and my arms and shoulders are really feeling it!