In Depth May 1994 Vol. 9, No. 5 Consumer Reviews for Sport Divers A Fijian Primer So Many Islands, So Little Time Fiji is a confusing dive destina- they should work for money.” to dive. Beqa Divers, at Pacific tion. It has a variety of diving, at — James A. Michener, 1951 Harbor Hotel, runs daily trips a wide selection of islands and (well, maybe not always daily). resorts. Want to dive Mana, Still true, James, and the The Dive Connection is another Matagi, Namena, Viti Levu, British just didn’t get it. The option for day trips; reports say Laucala, Namale on Vanua Levu, Fijians possessed long ago they run a good operation. Qamea on Taveuni, or Mantana what money still can’t buy. on Kadavu? To decipher the Fijian The native Fijians are by far I stayed a couple of nights at puzzle, we chose someone who has the friendliest and happiest the “Pac Harbor” and can safely spent considerable time there. He’s people I have ever met. And say it doesn’t have much to a case of the proverbial “swaying second only to the people, it’s offer. The hotel itself is thread- palm tree” dream at work. His the diving that makes Fiji entire family (including children) memorable. have decided to pack up and move to Fiji. A major part of his where- Beqa Lagoon In This Issue: to-move criteria was great diving, and he’s made several trips to Fiji All planes lead to Nandi. No Diving in Fiji to check it out. He told us up front matter where you start, you A Full Face Mask that he doesn’t keep a dive log and end up at Nandi International is horrible at remembering the names Airport on the west side of Viti The PRISM Rebreather: Low-Tech but Reliable of dive sites, so if we expected to Levu, the largest island of the know that on Thursday at 2:57 he Fiji chain. From here, the The Good Format Tables: 1 was at 73 feet in 27.2°C water closest diving is a 2 ⁄2-hour cab You're Diving What Tables? with 2,100 psi, we would be sorely ride along the Queen’s Road Barracuda Reef by Dive Light disappointed. If we wanted an to Pacific Harbor, followed by For the Double Standard overview of diving in Fiji, though, a 30-minute boat ride out to he was the man to do it. Here’s Beqa Lagoon, a collapsed Flotsam & Jetsam: his report. volcano about 5 miles south of Reef Species Viti Levu. If you’re into shop- Crown Diver Down Flying to Cayman Brac “A hundred years of prod- ping, nightlife, or golf, you Sheck Exley Dies Diving ding by the British have failed can stay in Pacific Harbor and to make the Fijians see why do day trips out to the lagoon © 1994 Elephant Socks Publishing, Inc. bare, and I didn’t travel halfway a god once repaid a favor and It was not uncommon to see around the world to walk into a gave them the ability to walk on whitetip sharks — or as Fred lobby and hear country-and- white-hot coals. likes to say, “shark butts,” since western muzak. However, I will they don’t hang around long say that sitting in the bar listen- The in-house diving opera- enough for you to see anything ing to intoxicated Japanese tion is run by Fred, who takes else. We also surprised a turtle tourists sing kicker music on daily boat trips out to the or two and saw plenty of little the karaoke is good for one lagoon. Beach diving is unlim- stuff like blue (and black) evening’s entertainment. ited, but what little we did was ribbon eels, leaf fish, and underwhelming. If you’re a nudibranchs. If you have your heart set on photographer or just like to staying in Pacific Harbor, I poke around, you may be able My favorite fish story from would recommend one of the to stay amused for a few dives. Marlin Bay, however, happened many villas that are leased by out of the water. On the dive the week at reasonable rates. boat between dives, I looked However, if you are going to off just in time to see a manta dive Beqa, why not stay on with a 6-foot wingspan do a Beqa, a small island with no complete, out-of-water back roads, nine villages and Marlin On one dive, I was flip — a perfect 10 for both Bay Resort? George Taylor, an trying to decide which of execution and style. American, has pulled off an six lionfish to amazing feat. His resort is close immortalize on film, Kadavu to paradise. A dozen bures (cottages) share space with when my buddy pointed About 60 miles south of Viti huge coconut palms that ring out four more within Levu is the island of Kadavu. the edge of the small bay. Each two feet of my head. The grass runway ends on the bure has its own personal beach, so it’s a simple matter to hammock tied to the coconut grab your luggage off the palms. It takes considerable will plane, walk a few dozen yards, power not to get stuck in one and throw the whole mess into every afternoon with a cold a boat for the short ride up the Fijian bitter. During our two visits, the coast to Mantana Resort and visibility was a bit off (40–70 Dive Kadavu. Food is five star. For break- feet), but the current was fast, your choice is omelet, always manageable, and Fred The resort, managed by French toast, or pancakes — did a good job of tailoring the Debby Minto, is not as upscale always with fresh fruit. Every dive sites to the divers on (or pricey) as Marlin Bay. other meal is — fish. George board. Computers are allowed; Perched on the side of a steep lets you know that fish is his once you’ve established that hill, the bures are comfortable thing. Unless you ask other- you’re competent, you are not and the open-air gathering/ wise, he will serve it for both restricted on depth or time. dining room has a stupendous lunch and dinner. I never Although a couple of dives sunset view. Breakfast is cooked asked otherwise, as the fish were led, we were generally to order and other meals are came to us prepared every free to roam. served buffet-style. which way under the sun and always fresh. People who were Most diving is shallow (I don’t Most reefs in Fiji are privately not fish freaks were served think I ever hit 100 feet), which owned by villages, so the dive chicken, lamb, beef, or vege- gives you plenty of bottom operators have to cut deals with tarian. The chef is Austrian, so time. For some reason, the the village chiefs before any I won’t even mention the coral on the bommies stops at anchors are dropped. Dive desserts. 50–70 feet. Soft corals of every Kadavu was evidently having possible color take up every just such a chiefly disagree- Villagers who staff the resort space that is not already occu- ment during our stay; Eric, are very accommodating and pied by anemones and clams. who runs the diving, apolo- friendly, but this is not unique, On one dive, I was trying to gized that we would miss a few as it happens all over Fiji. Beqa decide which of six lionfish to of the better sites. As a consola- is also the home of firewalking; immortalize on film, when my tion, I suppose, we did some you should definitely ask one of buddy pointed out four more exploratory dives, with the the Sawau tribe to explain how within 2 feet of my head. usual mixed results. 2 © 1994 Elephant Socks Publishing, Inc. That’s not a complaint. I love you need to get permission, Yellow Wall, one species of to jump over the side of a boat but the view of the ocean and coral (white, in this case) and tell myself that I’m going the inland lake that feeds the dominates the landscape as far where no man has gone before. waterfall is well worth the as you can see. I was happy as a clam. hassle. Matagi On a typical dive, we would The review of Garden Island take a short boat ride, roam Resort in the November 1993 A short boat ride from around coral-smothered bom- issue of In Depth was spot on. I Taveuni is the incredible island mies, and get swarmed by your have reliable information that of Matagi. The Douglas family basic South Pacific menagerie. Garden Island is now up for owns the whole island, and it’s All dives were made inside the sale. You can never predict the another no-road, no-car, reef, so currents were never a effect of a change in owner- volcanic-mountain tropical factor. Visibility was quite good ship, so it might be wise to paradise. Matagi is the sister to and we had unrestricted diving. check before booking a trip. Malcolm Forbes’s Laucala One spot we visited was called, Island. Old Malcolm could I think, the Yellow Wall. It was On first meeting, I thought have owned anything anywhere, a spectacular sight: one species the folks at Rainbow Reef so I think that speaks well of of soft coral (guess what color) Divers, next door to the Gar- these islands.