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. They were both guests of management company 37 South aboard the 86-foot powercatamaran Bel’Mare, and it was the first charter in Fiji for both brokers.
    Below is Part Two of my two-day interview series with both brokers about their experience. 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 Sawyer. (Click here to read Part I with Johnston.) The location photographs are from a previous charter that I did in Fiji several years ago with crew who are now aboard Bel'Mare; the interior yacht photo is from a tour I took of Bel'Mare at the 2007 charter show in Genoa, Italy; and the exterior photo of motoryacht VvS1 is courtesy of 37 South.

You traveled to Fiji from Vancouver, Canada.  How long did your travel take, and how might charter clients make the trip easiest?
I flew nonstop approximately 10½  hours on Air Pacific from Los Angeles, departing Los Angeles at 11:30 p.m.  On arrival, I transferred to a hotel in the Denarau Island resort area in about 30 minutes.  
    This is logistically convenient and connects with a lovely hot air balloon experience, but the manmade island has beaches that are just okay, and the water off the beaches does not really beckon.  Alternately, one could arrive to an island resort with lovely beaches, swimming, and snorkeling. We could look at flight arrival times and the interests of the party to make the most of their time before boarding their charter yacht.

Were the Mamanucas and Yasawas what you expected?
I had few expectations, as historically there have been few yacht charter options in Fiji.  
    Fiji is a vast cruising ground, with five major areas offering different attributes.  Selecting the best area to fit the charter party’s interests would be important.
    The Mamanucas are very close to Denarau. We cruised about two hours, then stopped and enjoyed a spectacular snorkel along a reef, and we snorkeled directly off the anchored yacht. Seeing the island used in the Tom Hanks movie “Castaway” was quite interesting.  
    The Yasawas are a world-class cruising ground. The scenery is mountainous and combines lovely golden grasses with lush vegetation. Our late-August travel dates were during Fiji’s winter, with modestly high temperatures by day and cool temperatures at night. I was able to sleep with my hotel door open, and a hatch open in my stateroom on the boat, which was very nice.
    We covered all this in a short period with a fair amount of cruising, but one could position the yacht in a prime location and arrive or depart by seaplane to reduce the cruising time and distance.

How did you find the actual cruising in these islands compared with other charter destinations?
It’s lovely, and so uncrowded! Some nights, you can have an entire stunning bay to yourself.  This combination of world-class quality and off-the-beaten-track atmosphere is fantastic.

How did you find the island culture in Fiji compared with other charter destinations?
The local culture is unsurpassed. Experiencing a welcoming ceremony with rich singing and dancing is spectacular. People are genuine and extend a warm, heartfelt welcome.

Tell me your favorite two things about Bel’Mare.
The crew are utterly charming, and will win your hearts.
    Bel’Mare is a large, fast, stable catamaran. Fast cruising at up to 20 knots saves considerable running time in the vast areas of Fiji. The boat's stability allows consideration of a wider variety of anchorages, including some highly remote locations. Screening a movie outdoors on a 100-inch projector screen is a perfect way to complete a day!

Tell me your favorite two things about Bel’Mare’s crew.
Bel’Mare’s crew members are gracious and elegant. They serenade you with lovely singing, and extend a warm welcome. They welcomed us aboard with a ceremony where we drank kava together.
    I was greatly impressed with Capt. Neal Adams, who looked after countless details for us all, both before boarding and during the charter.  Neal has a keen sense of humor and is a continual delight to chat with in any setting.

What was the best part of your charter in Fiji?
Getting to know a new, world-class cruising ground, and having world-class yachting experiences on Bel’Mare and the 112-foot Alloy motoryacht VvS1, which cruised with us in this exotic setting (see photo below). I also spent a full day on VvS1, diving with its dive instructor, having lunch, cruising all afternoon, and visiting with Capt. Andy Grocott, so I can contrast the two charter experiences precisely for clients seeking different types of boats and crews in the same location.  
    From the hot air balloon ride before boarding, to stunning island scenery with rich cultural experiences above the water, to lovely snorkeling and diving below the water, Fiji has it all—provided you are willing to spend the time to get there. New legislation is opening Fiji to new charter yachts, but for now, I recommend both Bel’Mare and VvS1 on my website.

What else should CharterWave readers know about chartering in Fiji?
If time allows, take a day or two ashore before boarding your boat to adjust to the travel time and time zone change. This makes great sense to me. You can rest and be richly entertained in a beautiful place.

Michael Sawyer is president of Infinity Yacht Charters. You can contact him directly through his company’s website.

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

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