WHITEWATER RAFTING IN FIJI

THE UPPER NAVUA RIVER GORGE

TOBY

Our guide on the rafting trip through the highlands of Viti Levu was Toby. He is 38 and had been negotiating the whitewater rapids of the Upper Navua River gorge for 19 years with the outfitter Rivers Fiji. As he skillfully twirled and bounced the yellow raft along the Navau, through majestic towering lava walls glistening from countless waterfalls and with tendrils of tropical plants stretching from the upper edges along he sang.

His voice was eerily beautiful.

Soft, high, he sang first in Fijian in the dialect of his village before finishing the song in English and describing how he is the ‘best Fiji boy anyone would ever meet.’ It was a love song to a nameless girl the boy hoped to date. (Toby was married with four children).

The song came from nowhere, but later we learned that music and singing are an important part of Fijian culture. Later in our trip we would marvel at the voices and harmonies lifted in song. Anyway, we were pleasantly surprised by Toby's song and it came during a lull in the exhilarating rapids that he graced us with the song. Until then Toby was twirling that big old potato around to get us through the white water, sometimes going in sideways and pinioning that unwieldy craft into a perfect line through the rocks. He didn't get right every time, getting snagged on a rock to which he'd mutter "New Rock!"

XMAS TREE ROCK

We were Toby’s only passengers on this particular day, the rest of the rafts were groups of four passengers and of course the guide. Toby would ask us to paddle sometimes when necessary or to sit on one side of the raft or the other for weight balance, but it was during a lull where the Navua calmed and the sun glinted off the walls and we were paddling slowly when he graced us with his song.

It was breathtakingly beautiful and this oarsman with Rivers Fiji, with his gracious way and sinews of muscle guiding us through the Upper Navua River gorge, considered one of the top 10 whitewater rafting sites in the world, lifted our experience this day far beyond expectations.

We were blessed.

NEW ROCKS 

Rafting along the Upper Navua River had to happen for us once we saw pictures of the gorge, but then we learned of the conservation our traveling down this river brings. The money we spend on the excursion offsets the allure of big money from raping the land of its resources. By harvesting the timber, mining for minerals or even damming the Navau itself, there is much money to be earned, but the land would be damaged forever.

Rivers Fiji and O.A.R.S., a global whitewater rafting outfitter as the parent company, approached the people of the villages along the Navua with this plan to protect the land and to make some money. The people of the villages consider the river as a direct connection to their ancestors.

Now there is still mining and timber harvesting. As we bucked and jostled up the rugged road, we passed a couple of logging trucks and there were tracks of road that led away from the Navua for the trucks.

GOOD FOR MONEY BAD FOR ENVIRONMENT

It takes up to 40 years for prized mahogany to mature and this non-native tree was planted by the Fiji government to make money. As mahogany matures its toxins meant to protect it from insects and other plants kill off anything around it.

Even the leaves of a mahogany tree falling into the water kills off the marine life.

The guide on the bus up to the starting point of our rafting excursion and Toby mentioned this to us several times, and for a while, before we entered the Navua River area mahogany trees were everywhere.

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

The Upper Navua is a shot gorge that runs 10.5 miles. The ancient lava walls soar to as much as 40 meters and during the wet season there are countless waterfalls. Toby pointed out Christmas Rock and the water nears the top during the wet season. September is still the dry season and sometimes the gorge narrowed to just a few meters wide. Toby made sure to get us drenched in several still very dramatic waterfalls.

Rivers Fiji makes trips down the Navua three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We paid O.A.R.S. directly for the trip while still home thereby avoiding 4% surcharge added to nearly every credit card transaction in Fiji. We paid over $500 for the day, and you are expected to tip the hard-working oarsmen, whether or not they sing.

AFRAID OF THE OCEAN

Toby’s courting song was his only tune, but he told us about the 14 provinces of Fiji, scattered throughout the 300+ islands of the nation and that each province had their own way of speaking and before “common” Fijian was created and now taught in schools, along with English, people from different provinces couldn’t understand each other. It is said that in some circumstances children cannot communicate with their grandparents from the village.

Toby also said he has spent his life in the heartlands of Fiji and rarely goes to the coast, and even confessed he’s afraid of the ocean. Rocks and whitewater in a fantastic adrenaline rush down a shot gorge is nothing though.

If you travel to Viti Levu, please help the conservation efforts with Rivers Fiji and make sure you ask for Toby.

Vinaka vaka levu (thank you very much) for reading.

Love Janet and greg

RIVERS FIJI

O.A.R.S.

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

DIVING IN FIJI

BEAUTIFUL WATERS

NUDIBRANCH FIJI

As Open Water certified PADI divers the allure of finally diving in the Pacific Ocean was something we were looking forward to on this trip to Fiji. Up until now all our diving had been in the Caribbean Ocean and with the luxurious Sandals Resorts where diving was a part of the vacation package.

We did snorkel in the Pacific when we swam with juvenile Whale Sharks in the Pacific Ocean side of Panama, but diving offers quite a different experience and the warm waters and coral reefs and the biodiversity of the marine life of Fiji contrasted greatly with the deep waters the whale sharks glided through in Panama.

NOT EDGAR

SHARKS, MANTAS AND NUDIBRANCHS

In Fiji we were able to dive in two different locations: on the Coral Coast and later in the Yasawa Islands, a remote archipelago off the main island of Viti Levu.

We did not consider a shark dive, although popular in nearby Pacific Harbor on Viti Levu. While on a shark dive you observe from a “safe” distance as they chum the water with severed tuna heads and lure in Bull Sharks, Hammerheads and other big-ass predators. As I had been mistaken for a severed tuna head in the past, I thought it was wise to skip this opportunity.

Our two-tank dive day with Diveaway Fiji was a pleasant easy experience. They picked us up from our Bedarra Beach Inn resort and drove us back, although we could have lingered at their resort for awhile after diving. For the two of us the diving cost FJ$690, which we had to pay in cash. At $.45 per FJ$ it was roughly $350, or about $87 per dive.

NOT EDGAR

We wore scrape shirts/uv shirts as did the two Australians who dove with us. We dove first at Fanny Hill a very short distance from the resort where there is a series of ridges of coral topped by Gorgonian fans. Although much of the soft coral have not quite recovered from the Winston cyclone a few years back there was much to coral and fish to see, including a massive Green sea turtle who ignored us as we watched him from a short distance.

After our surface interval we dove The Edge, again a short boat trip from shore. The Edge was a majestic tower of coral, breathtaking in its height and length. As it was our second dive, we could not go as deep, but we did get to swim through “tube’s” formed by the coral. It was incredible to see such staggering growth as  the coral towered over us and it was here, we were introduced to the lovely Nudibranch.

NOT EDGAR

SEA SLUGS?

Before the dive we didn’t know about these beautiful creatures, but the other two divers scoured the coral with their flashlights and GoPro cameras to find them. Nudibranchs are sea slugs and before one dismisses them as mundane slugs from the garden, Nudibranch are brilliantly colored in vibrant shades of reds, oranges, blues, purples and yellows. Some are spotted, some striped, some have prominent gills extending from their soft bodies. All of them were unknown to us and even on our second dive when one fellow waved us over and pointed frantically to a Nudibranch that was dark brown with yellow spots we went “huh”, only because we didn’t know what we were looking at. It takes a nuanced eye to espy a Nudie.

Afterwards the divemaster produced an encyclopedia of these beautiful little critters and now we’re HOOKED. Turns out that despite hundreds of Nudibranchs have been found, new ones are still being discovered. Identified and documented and verified a new Nudibranch can be named by the discoverer! This humble diver was holding out for finding “Edgar”! Sadly, this would not be the case. The elusive Edgar remains out there somewhere gliding (slowly) along the coral in Fiji. A valid reason to return to this stunningly beautiful country.

The pictures of various Nudibranch are overwhelmingly incredibly astonishingly lovely.

DIVEAWAY FIJI

CLEANING STATIONS

After a week on the Coral Coast, we took a week-long cruise on the Blue Lagoon’s Fiji Princess. We sailed to the Yasawa Island archipelago and there at the Barefoot Manta Resort we booked a two-tank dive. Located on Drawaqa Island, their resort’s tender picked us up from the Fiji Princess (which was the largest cruise ship we’ve ever been on with a capacity of 64 passengers.). We charged our Barefoot Manta dive to our ship’s account, and it was just FJ$550. This remote resort was rustic and offered tourists the chance to dive and snorkel with Manta Rays. These majestic and massive creatures frequent the waters just offshore and are often found swimming in circular patterns that allow fish to clean their skin and gills in a symbiotic dance.

Sadly, no Rays were found on either of our dives, or any subsequent snorkeling forays, but the coral and fish were still beautiful. We dove first the Pinnacle and saw Moray Eels and very large starfish and lobster. The second dive was called Coral Wonderland and lingering over the array of coral for just a moment revealed fish swirling within the colorful branches, but Edgar remained elusive. We did see something spectacular called “Warm Christmas Tree”. It was a yellow coral outcropping that had several curious-looking “Christmas”-looking bulbs of blues, reds, greens and yellows. Our divemaster showed us how to "play" with the creatures. They are really sea worms who disappear into their holes whenever approached. It was a great way to spend our required “safety stop” to the surface and play with these colorful creatures.

BAREFOOT MANTA RESORT FIJI

Christmas Tree worms

Fiji has proved to be a unique and beautiful experience. I am so happy we’ve traveled such a great distance to be here. Next time Manta Rays will be on the bucket list…. Okay Edgar too!

Don't worry Edgar! I will find you

Thanks for reading!

Love to all!

© 2022 Gregory Dunaj

CHRISTMAS TREE WORMS

INTRODUCTION TO FIJI

BEDARRA BEACH INN, CORAL COAST

Located on the southern coast of Viti Levu is the Coral Coast, about a 15-minute taxi ride from Sigatoka, and about an hour’s drive from the airport in Nadi. Along a stretch of a quiet road that branches off the main southern route to the resort town of Pacific Harbor and, further, the capital of Fiji, Suva, we found the Bedarra Beach Inn. We stay

We put it back

ed there for the first week of our trip to Fiji.

Neat, clean and quiet the Bedarra was a wonderful introduction to Fiji. The staff were all Fijian and were friendly and engaging, greeting us by name each time with broad smiles and a ‘Bula’ and for the first couple of days at the Bedarra there weren’t a lot of other guests. It was a very sharp contrast to the Outrigger down the road which was huge in comparison and a tumult of noisome kids. (lol) At our first hour, with Matteo the bartender sliding our drinks towards us on the amoeba-shaped wooden altar, we were the only ones there. At the Bedarra either Matteo or Billy the other bartender announce the happy hour by pounding on a wooden log out by the pool and shouting “Happy Hour”!

The next day we met some Australians (oops, he was a Kiwi), while snorkeling in the tide pools that form when the tide recedes. We had dinner with them in the outdoor Ocean Terrace Restaurant just steps away from the main building and overlooking the modest pool, but mostly we were by ourselves, and they left after two days.

Bedarra Beach Inn

Our room at the Bedarra was large and airy on the ground floor with a little balcony with a table and chairs. The modest coral-strewn beach was just across the quiet road and there were chaise lounges and tables on the grass above the beach and in between palm trees and from there we could watch the waves crashing on the distant coral reefs that protect the island and watch beautiful sunsets The grounds were immaculate and constantly tended to by several gardeners.

The water teems with life. On our first walk along the beach in a noble attempt to stay up long enough to adjust to the time change, we saw a large clam in the shallow water. It was the about a foot long. Picking it up it sputtered into life and spit water at us! Placing in the ocean again we watched it propel itself away to safety. 

The coral tide pools looked unforgiving at first glance but revealed their beauty as we donned the mask and snorkel and reef shoes the Bedarra gave us and explored. Cobalt blue starfish were everywhere and in water less than two feet deep brightly colored fish darted around the clumps of coral just beneath the surface. We saw sea anemones and cucumbers as well, all within a few yards from the water’s edge.

At FJ$208.00 per night, which at the current rate of USD$.45 per, the Bedarra Beach Inn was a great price. The quality of the food at the Bedarra’s Ocean Terrace Restaurant was exceptional and there were different food specials each night, for instance, one night they had fresh Mahi Mahi at just FJ$27! When the fish in the fish and chips is Wahoo, and you can either have it battered or grilled, you know there’s something special about the place. They also had nightly dessert specials, but it was hard to argue with the massive slices of apple pie!

One complaint though about the Bedarra. We thought we had paid in full for our week when we booked it in February, but it turned out it was just a deposit and there were two days more to be paid for when we settled our bill at the end of our stay, and anytime you use a credit card they assess a 3% surcharge on the amount. We didn’t have enough cash at the end, so we had to pay a bit more than expected.

Speaking of tips. They aren’t expected though greatly appreciated. There is a “Christmas Fund” tip box at the front desk where you can make a deposit if inclined. We tried to tip Billy, the other bartender at the Bedarra, and he walked over to the tip box and slipped the money in where it would be eventually distributed through the staff.

BEDARRA BEACH INN, FIJI

We are so very fortunate to be here in Fiji! Thank you for letting us share some of our experiences.

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

FRIENDLY FIJI

BULA BULA

Cannibal fun and games

Fiji’s “cannibal” phase is thankfully over. That was when tribal warfare led to the practice of devouring the vanquished enemy to prevent his power transferring to his offspring!

Today the people of Fiji have transferred that angst to happiness and are incredibly friendly. Everywhere we go we are greeted with broad smiles and hearty “Bula’s”, the word for ‘hello’ in the common Fijian dialect.  There are 14 different provinces in Fiji, and each has their own words for things, but Bula is enough to know.

The friendliness is infectious, although it was unnerving at first. Having very large men approach you with great broad wide smiles, eyes twinkling making eye contact with you, clasping their hands and directing a booming BULA in your direction, with many of them wearing sulus…or skirts… is not something you encounter often on Main Street in Collegeville. But we have come to love the cheery way of Fiji. From men to women to children Bula is heard often first, and then the query “where are you from?” The people of Fiji are genuinely interested and happy you are here in their land.

Billy at Bedarra Beach Inn

The other day we took a taxi into nearby Sigatoka to shop for Bula shirts (Aloha in Hawaii…lol) and we couldn’t walk a few steps without having to return a smile and a Bula. Even touts outside appliance shops trying to corral others into their store would stop to smile and say Bula. Never in our time in Sigatoka did we ever feel that it was edgy or dangerous as we wandered around, although some of the vendors hawking their overpriced wares in the market from their tiny stalls were a bit pushy.

Here at the Bedarra Beach Inn, our home for our first week in Fiji, the staff all knew our names from the first day and we are greeted each day with a smile and a Bula, and we get the feeling this is just the way of the people of Fiji, not the commerce of traveling.

Fiji has proved to be a wonderful place and well worth the effort of getting here.

Thanks for reading. BULA!

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

FIJI TRAVEL LOGISTICS

WHERE IS SEPTEMBER 9?

INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE

The South Pacific Island nation of Fiji is far and from door-to-door it has been over 24 hours of traveling. We left for the airport at 12:30 pm September 8, and arrived in Nadi, Viti Levu, Fiji at 5:30 am on September 10. Friday may be on my mind, but for us Friday, September 9 never existed. When we finally arrived at the Bendarra Beach Inn on the Coral Coast outside of Sigatoka, a hour away by car it was 3 pm at home.

FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

Considering the distance and the time involved, this trip was easy all because of Janet’s diligence and attention to detail. All the forms and receipts and confirmations were kept in her blue book, set in chronological order on the right as needed. When the tasks were completed, those forms are moved to the left.

I take pictures and write silly stories about our trip, but Janet gets us there.

Because of her diligence there were no surprises. We knew about the Rapid Antigen Test Fiji required all visitors to schedule and to pay for before arriving, and had us all ready to take the test, but she learned that on the Monday before our departure Fiji lifted that requirement and had ALREADY applied for a refund before I even charged up my phone.

She was on the phone with Allianz, our travel insurance company to confirm our policy COVID related issues, which remains a requirement of Fiji.

I struggle to decide what Aloha shirts (Bula shirts in Fiji) to bring.

You could trace our trip in that booklet. From flight information, the travel insurance policy (which we had to present to FIJI Airways agents before being allowed on the plane), the RAT test, the car pick-up we had in Nadi for our final leg of the trip, reservation and payment confirmation (my contribution) for the Bendarra Beach Inn, the reservation for the 2-tank dive we are taking with Diveaway Fiji, and the reservation for the Navua River white water trip with O.A.R.S. as well as our reservations and payment confirmation with Blue Lagoon Cruises (my contribution).

There were no surprises. For her it was like filling out a grocery list at the supermarket. Very impressive.

I did recommend we go down to the beach and get a couple of chaise lounges rather than hang by the pool when we finally settled in.

Janet thought that was a good idea.

JANET APPROVED

Despite the early hour we were greeted with plenty of smiles and “Bula’s” and breezed through customs. Our driver was pleasant and informative and spoke of the history of Fiji and the influx of Indians under British rule who worked under indentured servitude. He talked about the Fiji’s history of tribal warfare and the practice of cannibalism that thankfully ended about 200 years ago. He spoke glowingly about the World Cup Seven and how the Fiji National Rugby Team was playing Samoa in Cape Town, South Africa the next day.

RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS

Halfway to “home” we stopped for coffee and a bathroom break at a surprisingly beautiful and clean gas station / supermarket / restaurant. Everyone spoke beautiful English and patiently explained the different exotic fruits that were being sold. 

We got our room right away at the Bendarra Beach Inn, although official check in wasn’t until 4 pm, but rather than flounce directly into bed we were determined to get over jet lag as quickly as possible.

We walked the coral strewn beach, saw a live clam spurting water as it tried to propel itself in the receding low tide waters. We saw several cobalt blue starfish in ankle deep water. We visited the comparatively busy Outrigger Hotel, where the dive shop is located and confirmed our dive next week. 

Back at the Bendarra we had complimentary foot massages, had lunch, had happy hour drinks at half price. Happy hour was announced by a guy wearing a sulu and Bula shirt wailing away on wooden drum. We dragged ourselves over to the beach again to watch a brilliant sunset around 6:30 pm. We then shuffled a bit up and down the road marveling at all the beauty before finally dragging our drooling selves back to our room to finally sleep. Janet slept 12 straight hours.

I got up several times during the night to make sure I locked the door to the hotel room properly. 

Thanks to Janet for getting us here.

Thanks to you all for reading.

Love Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

GOING COMMANDO IN FIJI

SULU FOR YOU

It is expected of us to wear a native outfit called a “sulu” whenever we visit villages in Fiji. A sulu is a large square piece of fabric wrapped around the waist and worn as a skirt by both men and women to a length below the knee.    

Other islands call them “sarong” or “pareau”; basically, beach wraps; but the wearing of the traditional sulu is a sign of respect in this Christian conservative country. Away from the villages and on the resorts or onboard the Fijian Princess our dress can be more casual, but it shows respect for the elders and the people of the village. As the people of Fiji are hospitable, generous and forgiving and because visiting a village should be a highlight of our trip it is only right that we would show them such respect by wearing a sulu. Indigenous Fijians have a strong sense of tribal heritage and customs and as guests we should immerse rather than conflict with their beliefs.

Blue Lagoon Cruises will provide us with our sulu for the trip. The difficulty is keeping it on.

For men the sulu is worn tight at the waist by wrapping it around and tucking in the ends. It should be low enough to around mid-calf, but with any movement that thing is going to get loose. There definitely won’t be any running around while wearing my sulu. I won’t be going commando while wearing it, nudity is prohibited in Fiji. 

Attire in the villages will be the most conservative on our trip. Women are expected to cover their shoulders as well as the sulus which should cover the knees. Sunglasses and hats should also be removed; wearing them is considered impolite. Also, it is recommended to not carry a backpack on the back, but to carry it in front of you, lest someone thinks you are hiding something,

This is going to fun, if a bit breezy.

Thanks for reading.

Love Janet and greg.

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj

FIJI’S RIVER OF EDEN

THE UPPER NAVUA RIVER CONSERVATION AREA

UPPER NAVUA RIVER GORGE

When we set our sights on traveling to the Republic of Fiji, a 300+ island archipelago in the South Pacific, we thought this far-flung tropical paradise only offered white sand beaches and blue Pacific waters and coral reefs. We were ready to bask in the sun as languid breezes dried us after refreshing plunges into tranquil waters sipping tequila laced Kava drinks and shouting “bula” (Fijian for ‘hello’) to everyone within earshot!

Fiji offers much more though. Viti Levu, the largest island of Fiji, is tropical, lush and volcanic and all that beauty hides yet another beautiful destination. The Navua River has been described as one of the top ten white water rafting day trips in the world!

The 10.5-mile gorge is like a mini-Grand Canyon with the waters cutting through ancient black lava forming steep walls that are in places 40 meters high and sometimes the river is just 5 meters wide, barely the width of the rafts themselves. The lush tropical landscape of ferns and tendrils of vines and waterfalls cascading down the walls at nearly every bend make this a necessary trip for your dynamic traveling duo to Fiji.

Often referred to as the River of Eden, when we saw pictures of the Upper Navua River Gorge we knew we had to book a day’s excursion, even though I don’t really like white water rafting. Janet loves it. She likes it enough to have booked a two-week adventure on the Colorado River through the real Grand Canyon. She had booked her trip through O.A.R.S. and the company is our guide on the Fiji trip as well.

It is beautiful and it is gorgeous, but most importantly, all that beauty is protected, and by our taking a trip down the Navua we are helping preserve this land.

SUSTAINABILITY v EASY MONEY

It’s alluring for developing and poor countries to sell their land for the timber, mine for resources or to dam the river. It’s the quickest way to make money, and often the money is too great to ignore, but the people of the small villages that line the Upper Navua did just that and said ‘no’ to development. They feel the river is a direct connection to their ancestors and the short-term gain will never make up for the long-term damage.

Two outfitters run trips down the Navua and both helped broker this unique conversation cooperative, which prevents mining, logging or even roads within 200 meters of the river. River Fiji and our outfitter O.A.R.S., helped form the Upper Navau Conservation Area (UNCA) by leasing the rights from the local villagers or Mataqali.

RIVERS FIJI

O.A.R.S.

We went with O.A.R.S. because of Janet’s connection with them from the Grand Canyon trip, and she was even able to logon to the website and get us some “frequent flyer” discounts for this trip.

Perhaps even more appealing than sailing through the islands off Viti Levu, this day of white water rafting through Eden will be life-altering epiphanous.

Thanks for reading.

Love to you all, Janet and greg

© 2022 by Gregory Dunaj