Day 182 Pleasant sailing

Before 0800 we are headed out of the pass on our way to the Yanuka Island (next to Mbengga Island – on some maps this is spelled Beqa) just off the South coast of Viti Levu. This time we are sailing West and since we are going in the same direction as the wind, the sailing is very pleasant. Also, it is nice to leave behind the rain of Suva. The Lonely Planet says that Suva gets 30 cm of rain a year (that's about a foot) and during our stay, it rained for some part of every day. That got old quick. (Note: two days later I will meet the U.S. Ambassador to Fiji who tells me that the average annual rainfall in Suva is 120 inches per year). During our drive we noted that the rest of Viti Levu did not seem to be as wet. During the trip we see a pod of the big dolphins. We have seen three types of dolphins on our journey. The small ones, sometimes called “spinners” are about 3 to 4 feet long and are all grey. They usually just surface to breathe but sometimes they jump out of the water and apparently have a habit of spinning in the air. The most common kind are 5 to 6 feet long and grey with a white face. They surface to breathe and sometimes must of their back is out of the water. These are the ones who play in the bow wave of the boat and if they see the boat, they usually swim over to investigate. The kind we saw this morning look like they are on a mission. They usually swim in unison and always ignore the boat. Usually we see them at a distance of at least 100 yards. They are black and look like they are at least 8 feet long. To breathe, they come completely out of the water in a graceful but serious arch. I will have to look up dolphins the next time I get to the Internet and see if I can find out more about them.
By noon we have the hook down just off the beach of two surf camp resorts on Yanuka Island. After some chicken fajitas made from Gary Wahley's boneless chicken breasts, we had a nap and then play almost an hour of water polo - really just passing the ball around while treading water and occasionally swimming for an errant pass. For dinner, we barbecue the fillet steaks and are amazed at the outcome. The meat is so tender you could cut it with a fork. Not only melt-in-the-mouth tender but also very tasty. Is this where the meat comes from for those mail order fillets that cost $US10 apiece? Fiji may be a place where you need to be careful to not be cheated by some of the merchants but it is also the cheapest food we have seen on the entire trip and the occasional places like Wahley's butcher shop shine like a jewel in the dry grass. After dinner and a round of cards, we go to bed early with plans in place to surf tomorrow with Salicorn and Liahona.