Straight after breakfast we went for a snorkel as the forecast was for cloud and rain in the afternoon. We headed back to the gorgeous reef around the little island next door called Yadua Tabu. The conditions were not as good as yesterday as the wind had whipped up some choppy waves but it was lovely to see again. A highlight was seeing a Hawksbill turtle blissfully munching coral, when it saw us it scarpered, it was a great viewing. Rowan took his new Chinese GoPro rip off on the snorkel and took some photos but he is not too optimistic about the results, as the lens was all fogged up. He also has to down load some dodgy looking Chinese software, so it may be a while before we see the results.
Rowan had read we could not land on the island so I googled the island and came up with this info ……
‘After the discovery of a crested iguana on the tiny island back in 1979, the National Trust of Fiji secured a management agreement to the uninhabited island and surrounding coral reefs, and established it as Fiji’s first wildlife sanctuary in 1980.
The iguana is endemic to the Fiji Islands where it is now restricted to less than 10 of the 300 or so islands of the archipelago. The island also has critically endangered tropical dry forest vegetation and is also a Hawksbill turtle nesting site.
No one is allowed to visit the island, and landing here is strictly prohibited, unless approved by the National Trust. Due to the ‘Critically Endangered’ status of the Fijian Crested Iguana (IUCN Red List), their listing on CITES Appendix I and threats from disturbance, a ‘community watch’ program was initiated, with regular policing by National Trust Rangers.
Today, the senior ranger is a fabulous character, Mr Pita Biciloa. Pita is charged with protecting the island on behalf of the National Trust. Hailing from the only village on Yadua, Denimanu, Pita’s mantra of ‘Pita the ranger, is no stranger to danger’ – recited often, and with a huge smile – sums up his dedication to the survival of this extremely rare species.’
We had heard about the ranger, how sad we didn’t see him! Our friends on Kindred Spirit had come across him and heard his mantra!
The cloud came in the afternoon, a good cool time to read the Sunday papers and get stuck into my bookclub book, The Whalebone Theatre which I am enjoying. The sky got darker and darker, with some lightening about. Strange cloud patterns keept Rowan on his toes. Just as we headed to bed the heavens opened and it poured down but all good, the storm has past us by.
News on our weather window to NZ is to continue to sit tight!
Yadua Tabu island, we snorkelled in the light blue patch all the way back to our bay, the coral was magnificent.
Red line shows where we snorkelled and X marks where we anchored
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