Dravuni, Fiji — Part 1

Tendering onto Dravuni Island

We had one more stop to make in Fiji before continuing our transpacific crossing.  This time it was the island of Dravuni just south of Viti Levu.  Dravuni is incredibly small — less than a third of a square mile/.8 km².  The highest point of the island is 130 feet/40 meters.  The resident population numbers around 125.

A Dravuni Beach

Being so small it only takes about forty-five minutes to circumnavigate it in a small motorboat, which we did.  But be forewarned.  Once we rounded the northern tip of the islands the waters did get rough.  We felt like we were aboard the S.S. Minnow just before it ran aground on the shore of an uncharted . . . well, you know that whole sad tale by now.  I’ll post a fun shot of our motorboat guide and his nephew on this week’s Fun Photo Friday.

Neighboring Yaukuve Levu Island

Being such a small island Dravuni’s residents receive much of their needs via regular cargo shipments.  One such shipment was in port the same day we arrived.

Cargo Run

There are no roads and no cars, but there is a school on Dravuni.

Dravuni School

The people were friendly and eager to sell their wares to us tourists, but they weren’t pushy about it.  I found the people fascinating photo subjects who were willing to take posing directions.  If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time then you know I’m more landscape-centric, but I had an absolute blast photographing the residents of Dravuni.  You’ll see some of those shots on this week’s Fun Photo Friday as well.

Tenders at the Dock

Look for more images from Dravuni on Wednesday and Friday.  Until then here are a couple more images:

Dravuni Sand and Sun

Chillin’ Beneath the Shade