More Fiji Regatta pics, yes we've been having tons of fun!

Fiij Regatta week 2013

 Fiij Regatta week 2013

Fiji Regatta week 2013

LightSpeed Fiji Regatta week 2013

Behind us a Lagoon 58 crowds up on a Beneteau 58 and a Deerfoot 64?  Luckily all these BIG boats are in our rear view mirror.

LightSpeed looking good as she sails away from the fleet of BIG boats, unfortunately this photo was taken from a pretty fast 50' that had a bit of a lead.

Another 60'ish photo (original was totally washed out)

Fiji Regatta week 2013 - Beach Olympics -midday report

Continuing the our day started with a mini-marathon at 8, followed by beach Olympics running til noon.  Next up is the Hobie 16 semi finals.  Stay tuned. 

 Kathy with team 1 goes for bonus points to impress the judges.

 Earlier in the day Kathy participated in a mini-marathon.

 Start of the big race around Musket Cove.

 And they're off.

 Next was the open ceremony for the Musket Cove Fiji Regatta week beach Olympics.

Team 'I' making fun and games out of the coconut toss.

 Dave with Team 'I' finding some shade between events

Kathy doing a water glass relay.

Musket Cove Fiji Regatta week 2013

Musket Cove Fiji Regatta week 2013

Race course is everything to the left of the yellow start line.  

Short race with very lightwind

Jamie and Lucy of s/v Bamboozle joined for a afternoon of racing in super light wind conditions.  Jamie did a great job trimming the main and calling tactics.

Dave at the helm and Lucy trimming the jib.

 Tacking LightSpeed ohh so close to the reef.

Another shot showing skinny water close to the reef after a less than perfect start in super light wind conditions.  We placed 

 Party aboard LightSpeed with the crew of the winning mono-hull.  LightSpeed 2nd in the multi-hull division.

 Just a few of the activities from yesterday prove we still know how to have fun.

• Yacht racing.  2nd place. 

• Hobie 16 sailing.  Kathy and Dave won there first match advancing to the semi finals.  

• Hairy Chest competition.  Dave was 1st place win by unanimous decision by the panel of 5 judges winning a huge bottle of Bounty rum. 

• Wet tee shirt contest.  Kathy was a contender, but her modesty of keeping her top 'on' prevented a top showing.

• Beer drinking competition.  1st place win with team Seattle comprised of crews of LightSpeed and Sophie.

• Golfing competition.  Kathy took top score wining tons of fabulous prizes.  Usually high scores in golf don't earn top honors, but this is the super fun Musket Cove regatta week.

• Beach Volleyball tournament

 Early morning at Musket Cove is pretty quiet.

 LightSpeed at the Musket Cove Marina.   A huge thanks to the Royal Suva Yacht Club for sharing their reserved space at the Musket Cove marina dock for Fiji Regatta week.  RSYC Commodore Mark is the best!

Sunset near Nadi, Fiji

A nice sunset near Nadi, Fiji.  Sailed 15 miles from Cloudbreak to Nadi to do a little shopping.  Fiji regatta week 2013 starts tomorrow, so we stocked up on BBQ items and beer for the event at Musket Cove.  It'll be fun to catch up friends at Musket and with 80 boats it's going to be a hoot.

Cloud 9 at Cloudbreak, Fiji

Just dropped the anchor here infront of Cloud 9.

Fast catamaran sailing in Fiji

Fast sailing aboard Atlantic 42 performance cruising catamaran s/v LightSpeed.  South coast of Fiji on September 9, 2013.

Robinson Crusoe Island Resort (really Likuri Island) Fiji

 LightSpeed anchored in front of the Robinson Crusoe Island Resort anchored in 7 feet of water with super holding muddy sand.   Likuri Island is a convenient stopover en route to Fiji Regatta week at Musket Cove in western Fiji.  The anchorage was flat calm despite pretty strong SE winds.

Bar at the  Robinson Crusoe Island Resort Likuri Island Fiji. Once the day trippers headed for the mainland we pretty much had the Wreck Bay and entire Robinson Crusoe Island Resort to ourselves.  It's a boater friendly and a great place to stop for a beer and bonfire. 

Hanging out on the beach with some backpackers for some music and Kava.

Traditional Fijian wedding. Suva. Fiji 2013

Attending a traditional Fijian wedding was a highlight of visit to Fiji.  Our friend Temo from Tovu village on the Island of Totoya was so kind to invite us to his son Saimoni's wedding.  Our day started at 8:30 AM with Temo arrived in a Taxi to wisk us back to his brothers home where the grooms party had assembled and was busy preparing for the post wedding feast. It rained like crazy all day, but it didn't dampen the spirits of day, but it did make for lots of mud walking to the church and back.

Saimoni and Bua on their wedding day August 31, 2013

Preparing the grooms traditional tapa cloth robe for the wedding. 

Prior to the wedding preparations for the bride and groom take place in different homes.  Saimoni's uncle was the host and had rented or borrowed the neighbors home for the brides family to hang out and prepare the bride.  Even though we were only feet apart the families didn't mix until after the wedding ceremony at the church.  

Since we were guests of the grooms father, Temo from Tovu village on Totoya Island, we had a inside look at the preparations for the groom.  Here Saimoni is getting dressed by his mother, grand mother and sister.

 The flower garland as fragrant as it was large.

 Traditional mats with beautiful wool fringe.

 Bridal party's table was the only one in the home besides a prep table in the Kitchen 

The Presbyterian church in-between downpours.

 Kathy with the grooms family

Wedding ceremony Fijian style.  

Ring girl

 Flower boy

Beautiful couple with incredible traditional tapa cloth wedding dress.

Pouring rain 

Kitchen with a lovo earthen oven

Kid's plates

 Wedding party spread

 Fried fish with an artistic flare

 Center: Dalo (taro) cooked to perfection in the lovo earth oven. 

 Enjoying the incredible food

Exchange of gifts.  Temo with a bundle of Yaqona (kava) and sperm whale tooth on a plaited coconut fiber rope.  The whales tooth or Tambu is a gift of the highest order.  It was a real honor to observe the exchange between the bride and grooms fathers.  Even though we didn't understand a single word of the Fijian you could definitely tell this was serious heartfelt business.   This is my favourite digital capture from the event.

 Brides family presents mats, a chest full of goodies and tons of pillows and linens.   We're not exactly sure of the significance of all the linens and over 40 pillows, but there is something there.

Brides father (right) with presenting the Tambu to Temo (left) with bride Bua in the middle.

 Cute little girl with some high heels

 Drinking some grog after dinner to cap off a incredible cultural experience.