Suva, Fiji
We awoke to a muted sunrise and calm seas. Very calm. We were at the dock in the largest city in this quadrant of the Pacific, Suva, located on the eastern coast of Fiji’s largest island (Viti Levu). We divided up after breakfast, with the adventurous taking a fleet of taxis up the uneven road to Colo-I-Suva Forest Park. Here the hikers found a trail downslope through the lush rain forest, with orchids, parrots, and waterfalls. At the end of the hike some of us went swimming in a refreshing pool.
Others went for a walk through Suva, or took the town tour led by local guides. This featured the government offices, the University, the President’s compound, and the excellent National Museum of Fiji. At the Museum we saw early Fijian sailing catamarans, and many early artifacts of the way of life here before western contact. One striking exhibit showed a mural of the famous mutiny on the Bounty, when Captain Bligh and his most of his officers were cast off in a tiny lifeboat, later passing through Fiji. The exhibit featured the Bounty’s rudder, salvaged from the sea. Bligh was trying to transport breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) to British colonies when the mutiny occurred, so it was fitting to see breadfruit plants on the grounds of the Museum. Bligh was not successful in his transport of breadfruit until his second voyage in 1794.
In the afternoon we turned to sea, and heard a presentation by Edmundo Edwards on the initial peopling of the South Pacific islands. Later in the day we heard a talk by Gerald McCormick, on the plants and animals the early Polynesians brought with them on their epic voyages of discovery across the sea.
Our evening recap featured some kava for all to sample, the Fijian beverage of choice, and mildly alcoholic.
We awoke to a muted sunrise and calm seas. Very calm. We were at the dock in the largest city in this quadrant of the Pacific, Suva, located on the eastern coast of Fiji’s largest island (Viti Levu). We divided up after breakfast, with the adventurous taking a fleet of taxis up the uneven road to Colo-I-Suva Forest Park. Here the hikers found a trail downslope through the lush rain forest, with orchids, parrots, and waterfalls. At the end of the hike some of us went swimming in a refreshing pool.
Others went for a walk through Suva, or took the town tour led by local guides. This featured the government offices, the University, the President’s compound, and the excellent National Museum of Fiji. At the Museum we saw early Fijian sailing catamarans, and many early artifacts of the way of life here before western contact. One striking exhibit showed a mural of the famous mutiny on the Bounty, when Captain Bligh and his most of his officers were cast off in a tiny lifeboat, later passing through Fiji. The exhibit featured the Bounty’s rudder, salvaged from the sea. Bligh was trying to transport breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) to British colonies when the mutiny occurred, so it was fitting to see breadfruit plants on the grounds of the Museum. Bligh was not successful in his transport of breadfruit until his second voyage in 1794.
In the afternoon we turned to sea, and heard a presentation by Edmundo Edwards on the initial peopling of the South Pacific islands. Later in the day we heard a talk by Gerald McCormick, on the plants and animals the early Polynesians brought with them on their epic voyages of discovery across the sea.
Our evening recap featured some kava for all to sample, the Fijian beverage of choice, and mildly alcoholic.
