ALCYONE is probably the only sailing boat making an instant roundtrip between FULAGA area - and SUVA: we can get our son JIM on board for a few weeks. When somebody come on board for such a short time, we like "secure" the succes of his stay n best solution was a visit to beautiful FULAGA  before heading to less famous northern LAU islands. With help of a good adjustment of JIM's flight arrival in Nadi, bus connection to SUVA and the next weather window, we could sail back to SUVA to land again in FULAGA 3 days later and...around a month after our first visit.

Same island but what a change of feeling: Many boats arrived and majority congregates on the east beach  anchorage of the island, fortunatly not where ALCYONE stop, closed to the pass...and the best fishing spots .

Difficult to avoid thinking to "club med"this time here , with morning VHF call from a cruiser n proposed activities for a big part of the week : from "culture"visit to the village to islet beach picnic including Meke (dance)...all for a price but nothing for sunday god's day,  where no activity is possible except a logical invitation to the church...

The 2017 rallye showed this way and in FULAGA nothing ll be like before anymore !

Some boats stay for a long while in this beautiful n protected area ...a real social life is born here. We take part to one of these activities: A pigroast on the beach: locals are really working with building rain protection, organizing queue, serving prepared local dishes n their kids came to participate, creating nice inter action between all families ; it's was also pleasant for us to chat with nice locals and to meet  cruisers from many countries ...

But not everyday ! We came back quickly to our remote anchorage and stayed out of the trend later with the strange feeling to be daily "under control" with fishing boats never far from our dinghy...

This remind us the Kuna experience with our small trimaran experience in 1996...We red some notes  about the fantastic visit of this Panama islets, but did'nt enjoyed 2 years later only the behaviours of the indians Kunas, boarding at anytime to discuss "the world evolution", selling with insistance "molas" (had made cloth), or lobsters at price of Panama cities restaurants...Before blaming anybody, just a question:

Who is responsable of a spoiled kid ? Myself too writing this blog...

One fisher more on board

Immediate results on the way back to Fulaga

Another crossing of date line...giving real bug to GPS from E to W

Engine will relay Code O to come back to FULAG; esaier than trade wind in the nose

As often before a delicate pass: another night needed to wait for good light

Just after dropping anchor, let's go spearfishing !

So many boats arrived in the "beach anchorage"

Fortunatly, FULAGA offer a lot of space, including out of the islets...but despite shallow waters, locals watch us...

With his 6 first years on a cruising boat..coconut culture is back to JIM

Even crowded and under surveillance, FULAGA offer the most beautifull views of FIJI