While the coral around Land Harbour was magnificent for the health and different varieties of coral, the visibility was disappointing. Strong winds over the last few days has increased the amount of sand in the water. Naturally the most fish life was on the sunny side of the bommie, including a pair of large batfish.
Straight after snorkelling we all lifted our anchors and the small armada of Jackster, Vixen and Sea Esta sailed another 8 miles north to the village of Yasawa-i-Ra; the most northerly village in the Yasawa island chain.
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| Chief Ame's house |
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| David & Eva playing shove draughts |
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| weaving mats in the community hall |
It's another fabulous anchorage; sparkling turquoise water, long white beaches backed by palm trees and reefs to each side. We three boats gathered our kava to offer sevusevu to the chief together with some outgrown childrens' clothes which we carried up from New Zealand. Chief Ame and his son Phillipe made us most welcome – honorary village members for the duration of our stay and Philippe gave us the guided tour. In the community hall, which every village seems to have, we met the ladies weaving three large mats which they'd been commissioned to make for a school in another village.
Another group of ladies gathered under the banyan tree tried to sell us jewellery which they bought on the mainland and sea shells. We declined the plastic turtle necklaces, polyester sarongs and local cowrie shells but it was good to chat with them and with the older menfolk who were sitting in the shade of the same big tree playing a board game which involved flicking draught pieces down holes in four corners of a low level table table somewhat reminiscent of pool but played with counters.
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