A/NZ - Dravuni Island, Fiji - Day 11

Dravuni only has 125 people living on the island which is not uncommon for the smaller of the 322 islands that make up Fiji. It has crystal clear water and sandy beaches. It was a little rainy again and the Captain cut our shore stay short due to the potential for really bad weather. The temperature was 77 deg. You have to walk when here since there are no roads or cars on the island.

To quote our ship's newsletter concerning why it took the Europeans so long to explore Fiji's islands...."Those that did sight Fiji weren't exactly welcome. Rather than being invited for dinner, many found themselves invited as dinner. The islands were known among colonial explorers as the "Cannibal Islands". Fijians always had good food supplies so cannibalism was a way to disgrace your enemies and their descendants forever. They even had ceremonial forks of different sizes for different parts of the body. Smaller forks were for the eyes and brains while the larger ones were for big hunks of flesh. How clever.

Again, we had to use the tenders to get to shore because of the small dock.

Beautiful beach as advertised.

I have a suspicion the Holland America built the dock so they could bring passengers to the island.

Too bad it wasn't a pretty day. This could have been a nice photo.

Colorful house.

Water supply is mainly by catchment system. The rain water from the roof gutters is collected in large tanks. I assume that there is some type of bacterial treatment and filtration before use due to bird droppings on the roof.....but I don't know that for sure.

We walked a trail for nearly a mile.

Coconuts were all over the place ready to crack and eat.

One of several sea shells we saw along the path.

We eventually ran into their cemetery and decided it was time to turn around and head down the beach in another direction.

Bread Fruit is one of the staples of their diet.

Laundry day.

It was Sunday and everyone was dressed for church.

Sigrid trying to get out of the rain.

The community well in case it doesn't rain enough.

Leaves drying in preparation for basket weaving.

Church services. The kids sang for us.

We are now headed for Ile Des Pins, New Caledonia.