In August, CharterWave sponsors Michael Sawyer of Infinity Yacht Charters and Missy Johnston of Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters spent a week cruising the Mamanuca and Yasawa island chains in Fiji. Both brokers were guests of management company 37 South aboard the 86-foot powercatamaran Bel’Mare, and it was both brokers' first charter in Fiji.
    Below is Part One of my two-day interview series with Johnston and Sawyer about their experiences. Interestingly, while they were on the same boat in the same place with the same crew, they each took away different perspectives about the most important lessons learned for future charter clients.
    Today’s interview is with Johnston; tomorrow’s will be with Sawyer. (Click here to read Part II with Sawyer.) The photographs are from a previous charter that I did in the same Fijian islands several years ago with crew members who are now aboard Bel'Mare, as well as a tour that I took of Bel'Mare at the 2007 charter show in Genoa, Italy.

You traveled to Fiji from Newport, Rhode Island. How long did your travel take, and how might charter clients make the trip easiest?
We flew nonstop from Los Angeles to Nadi on the island of Viti Levu, Fiji, with Air Pacific, which was around a 10-hour flight. I think Air Pacific, which is the Fijian national airline, may be the only airline offering nonstop flights to Fiji from any American gateway. Flying nonstop rather than to Australia or New Zealand and then to Fiji certainly cut down the travel time required. And the pricing on Air Pacific for both economy and business class was very competitive.  

Were the Mamanucas and Yasawas what you expected?
The Mamanucas and Yasawas were somewhat different than I expected. We understood on arrival that these Fijian Islands are often called the “BVIs of Fiji” since, like the British Virgin Islands, the Mamanucas and Yasawas are all navigable by dead reckoning, are close together for easy cruising, and offer a large number of anchorages.  
     On shore, though, I was surprised that the topography of the islands was similar to the Caribbean, more so than to another South Pacific destination like the Society Islands. While volcanic in nature, the islands have large expanses of grassy areas. There is a more arid feel onshore than in the Society Islands, with palm trees really only ringing the islands along the beach line.
    And of course, Fijian culture and village life is unique to Fiji.   

So you found the cruising comfortable compared to other charter destinations?  
Yes. Again, it is very much like cruising in the BVIs, or the Whitsunday Islands in Australia, as the islands are close and easily reached, allowing for one anchorage for breakfast, another for lunch, and even another for dinner if wanted, with only short cruising between. Long, open-water cruising is really not required, which is a location boon for those who do not like open-water cruising.

How did you find the island culture in Fiji compared with other charter destinations?
The island culture in Fiji is unique and an important part of a charter. Out in the islands, Fiji is really a nation of individual villages, each organized with a centuries-old familial hierarchy, with established communal village jobs such as chief, headman, and so on that are passed down within the village clans or families from generation to generation.  
    The villages and the waters around the villages should be respectfully viewed as singular areas, somewhat self governing under the national Fijian banner. To visit each village or anchor in the surrounding waters, permission should be asked of the appropriate village member to share or enjoy their area. Permission is requested through a ceremony called a sevusevu. It is customary to bring an offering to the village with the request for permission to visit. The offering is usually dried Kava root, as much of life centers around the village Kava bowl and the drink made in it.
    Important ceremonies and traditions surround all aspects of village life. A full village festival may occur on Sundays, or to welcome an important visitor, and might include dancing called a meke and a large banquet or lovo of various meats, fish, chicken, and vegetables cooked on hot rocks buried under banana leaves, palm fronds, and sand.  
    Experiencing the life and times within a Fijian Island Village is uniquely Fijian, not to be missed, and can be arranged and enjoyed on any Fijian charter.  

Tell me your favorite two things about Bel’Mare.  
As a powercatamaran, Bel’Mare offers tremendous interior space and exterior deck space.  And, like all catamarans, she is very stable at anchor and when cruising. The shallow catamaran draft lets the captain anchor very close to islands and beaches.  

Tell me your favorite two things about Bel’Mare’s crew.
In Capt. Neal Adams we had a very experienced and qualified charter captain who has been on boats for more than 30 years in many worldwide locations. He has spent the past several years in Fiji and is very knowledgeable about the local, secret places to go.  
    The rest of the crew are Fijian, which offers a great slice of Fijian culture and life. Learning about Fiji and the village ceremonies through the eyes of local Fijians is a terrific extension to the charter experience, and all of the crew are great to spend time with. The wide Fijian smile never dims.

What was the best part of your charter?  
We really enjoyed the beauty of the area, both on shore and underwater, with bright glistening beaches and extensive coral gardens. When you add the cultural experience of learning about Fiji, history, and life, the charter in Fiji was an all-around great cruising experience.  

What else should CharterWave readers know?
Chartering in Fiji is really about going to Fiji, combined with cruising in an area that offers great diving, snorkeling, water fun, clear waters, and beautiful island scenery. Fijian culture is unique and there to be explored with very welcoming local people who enjoy sharing their village lives, culture, and history with visitors.  

Missy Johnston is president of Nothrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters. You can read more about her recent experience in Fiji on her CharterWave Sponsored Blog, or contact her directly through her company’s website.

For Part II of our Fiji interview series, click here.

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