Captains Log

Morning

Overnight we steamed some 115 nautical miles to Kioa Island on the eastern side of Vanua Levu, the home of some 800 Polynesian people. The present population represents the descendants of 27 individuals originally from Tuvalu (formerly the Gilbert and Ellice Islands). They bought Kioa Island from the Fijian people in 1946 so that they could resettle their families who had outgrown the small island on which they lived.

Of the present population of 800 only about 200 actually live on Kioa, the rest having migrated elsewhere for work. On our arrival we were warmly greeted by a flotilla of canoes, each with 2 or 3 persons aboard beautifully dressed in traditional clothing, which were paddled around the ship while those on board sang songs of welcome. The passengers and crew then went ashore where we were treated to a truly wonderful concert of singing and dancing. There were so many participants it seemed as if the entire population of the island was taking part.

Afternoon

Following a very memorable morning we travelled to the island of Rabi (Rambee) which is home to the Banaban People of Fiji –  Micronesians displaced from their home of Ocean Island (in what is now Kiribati and the site of extensive phosphate mining for many years).

Here we were entertained by a group of dancers who presented a beautiful exhibition of Banaban culture – very different from that which we had seen in the morning. Following the performance everyone had the chance to enjoy swimming, snorkeling and diving from a beautiful beach at Albert Cove, still on the island of Rabi, but some way north of the village.

Captain Chris