Little Lolly's Small Adventures: Dravuni Island

One of the lovely lido restaurant waitresses - a cheerful face on a
gloomy day

On 16th December we anchored off Dravuni Island - it was warm, overcast and pretty miserable. Tendering was challenging with waves coming around the island from both directions. Crew shore leave was cancelled in view of the unfavourable conditions but guests were free to go ashore. I could have gone to the island but decided not to go. Instead I sought the comfort of a nice blanket and snoozed the day away.

Yesterday afternoon Paul and I met up with Christina (from the shops) for tea and cake, polishing off the joint birthday cake which has been kept in the fridge until we could meet up to finally eat it. It was delicious. Paul and Christina had to get back to work but I had to dash down to one of the function rooms to see officials from New Zealand Immigration. The officials have been travelling with us from Fiji and saw people during the crossing, avoiding too much delay when we arrived in Auckland. Fortunately there wasn't a queue to see immigration and I was able to have my passport and entry card examined almost straight away.

Dravuni Island to Auckland

Last night Paul organised a game of Werewolf but unfortunately, too late, he realised that it was on a 'Gala' night. Many staff tend to host tables or have to make a visual 'presence' during formal nights. So, we had a small turnout of people for the werewolf game but it was still an enjoyable evening.

Tomorrow we arrive in Auckland - a chance to put our feet on terra firma again.

Paradise!

Dravuni Island is not very far from Fiji's island of Vitu Levu so the Maasdam did a slow sail overnight and dropped anchor. I was woken up by the anchors hurling mechanically through the ports towards the water. It seems to rattle through the whole ship - or at least forward part of the ship!

The tenders were lowered and guests wishing to visit the island could do so. Towards midday Paul got permission to go ashore for a bit, which was nice. Soon we were aboard the tender and flying across the water to Dravuni's floating pier. The sound of music permeated the atmosphere,locals had set up stalls which sold arts and crafts as well as other souvenirs. Some islanders advertised boat rides, paddleboard hire as well as snorkelling gear.

A crab came out to visit us

Paul and I headed along the beach towards a big rock sticking out of the water, found a shady spot and hung our clothes up in between the branches of a tree. We were soon in the warm water, snorkelling around the reef. We managed to catch sight of a blue coloured starfish trying to look inconspicuous in between a rock, a spiny urchin and Paul even saw a Moray eel. There were a variety of fish including small neon-coloured blue fish, and yellow fish with mouths that narrowed towards the lips as if they were pouting. Sweet.

After an hour or so in the water we sat drying out on the sand, partly in the shade of a tree. We had had enough sun so was time to head back to the ship. On our way back there was a half clam shell lying on the beach, pushed up by the tide. It was a good weight and size so Paul picked it up and took it back to the ship with him which he washed and dried before finding a place to display it on one of the cabin shelves. It looks rather nice but we hope that it won't break the glass shelf on which it stands - it is rather heavy.

You can't please everyone. This was a beautiful off-the-beaten-track island with plenty of time for pure relaxation in paradise but we overhead a few disparaging comments about the fact that there were no shops, no restaurants and no jet-skis! Eh??!!!

There was a little get-together on one of the aft decks with some staff soon after the anchor was lifted. Paul and I didn't stay too long because we are very tired - too much sun and heat. We are a bit sunburnt from where our backs were exposed whilst snorkelling. I should have perhaps swam in a t-shirt. We have used some aloe vera gel for the time being, which is cooling and soothing. Tomorrow I'll smother the sunburnt area with coconut oil.

Time for bed!