AA YACHTSMAN'SYACHTSMAN'S FIJIFIJI A Navigator's Notebook Michael Calder The Cruising Classroom SYDNEY Published by The Cruising Classroom 20 Milham Crescent, Forestville, NSW 2087, AUSTRALIA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. This guide is intended for use with the official navigational publications and charts. While every effort has been made to describe conditions accurately, the author and publisher shall have no liability to any person or entity with regard to any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions or advice given herein. Copyright © Michael Calder, 1987 Typeset by The Cruising Classroom Printed in Singapore by Kyodo Printing National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Calder, Michael, 1931- . A Yachtsman’s Fiji : a navigator’s notebook. 2nd ed. Includes index. ISBN 0 646 14682 3. 1. Pilot guides — Fiji. 2. Yachts and yachting - Fiji. I. Title. 623.89299611 First Published in 1987 2nd Edition - 1993 3rd Edition (Electronic) - 2011 Table of Contents A YACHTSMAN'S FIJI..........................................................................................1 Preface.....................................................................................................................15 What This Book Is:.............................................................................................16 What This Book Is Not:......................................................................................16 Preface to the 2nd. Edition....................................................................................17 Preface to the 3rd. Edition (Electronic) – 2011.....................................................19 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................20 2nd. Edition - 1993.................................................................................................21 Photography:..................................................................................................21 Orthography...........................................................................................................22 List of Phonetic Fijian Names...............................................................................23 PART ONE..............................................................................................................26 Introduction.........................................................................................................26 1....................................................................................................................................28 Fiji...........................................................................................................................28 The Land and its People:.....................................................................................28 The Shortest of Histories:....................................................................................29 1987 Coups:........................................................................................................31 Climate:...............................................................................................................32 Fishing in Fiji:.....................................................................................................34 2....................................................................................................................................36 Rules, Regulations and Customs...........................................................................36 Ports of Entry:.....................................................................................................36 Entry Procedures:................................................................................................37 Documentation Required on Arrival:.............................................................37 Procedures of Yacht Entry:.............................................................................37 Charges and Customs Duty............................................................................38 Firearms and Weapons...................................................................................38 Notice to Owner of Yachts Declaration:.........................................................39 Movement Within Fiji Waters:............................................................................42 Permits:...............................................................................................................43 Yaqona (Kava):...................................................................................................48 Departure From Fiji:...........................................................................................49 Further Reading:.................................................................................................50 3....................................................................................................................................51 Navigation In Fijian Waters..................................................................................51 Tides and Tidal Streams:.....................................................................................51 Charts:.................................................................................................................51 GPS Positions:....................................................................................................52 Buoys and Beacons:............................................................................................52 3 A Yachtsman's FIJI Lights:.................................................................................................................53 Radio:..................................................................................................................53 Weather: .............................................................................................................54 Inshore Passage-Making:....................................................................................55 Nautical Almanac: ..............................................................................................55 Units Of Measurement: ......................................................................................56 Bearings: ............................................................................................................56 PART TWO.............................................................................................................57 Suva, The Central and Eastern Division..............................................................57 4....................................................................................................................................59 Suva.........................................................................................................................59 Banks:.................................................................................................................59 Hospital:..............................................................................................................60 Recompression Chamber:...................................................................................60 Victualling:..........................................................................................................60 Repair Facilities:.................................................................................................62 Fiji Visitors Bureau:............................................................................................62 Approach—(BA1660, 1673):..............................................................................62 Daveta Levu:..................................................................................................62 Suva Harbour from 'Tradewinds' showing Daveta Levu...........................63 Anchorage:.....................................................................................................63 Suva – Royal Suva Yacht Club looking South..........................................64 Royal Suva Yacht Club:......................................................................................64 Honorary Membership:..................................................................................65 Anchorage:.....................................................................................................65 Marina:...........................................................................................................65 Showers:........................................................................................................65 Laundry:.........................................................................................................65 Fuel and Water:..............................................................................................65 Club Activities:..............................................................................................65 Courtesy Flags:..............................................................................................65 Transport:.......................................................................................................66 Tradewinds Hotel:...............................................................................................66