Sloths go Slogging on Ovalau!

Wednesday was a wet and windy day with squalls passing over us all day. We took advantage of it by gathering water for laundry and showers. It was also a "Dexter" marathon day - five episodes of the grisly serial killer television show. Gluttony accompanied our slothfulness, of course!

But, we made up for it by two full days of hiking in the back woods of Ovalau and burning those bad calories! On Thursday we set out to the village of Tokou to get a close look at the Devil's Thumb, a volcanic plug that sticks up in the air like a hitchhiker's digit. This was supposed to be a six kilometer return trip on the road, so we packed light with only a litre of water. But, along the way, we came upon another trail which led up from Draiba and decided to explore it instead.

Cemetery in Draiba - recent grave draped in tapa cloth and flowers

We had read of an old path that connects Levuka with the village of Lovoni in the heart of the island and guessed that we had stumbled upon it. So we carried on, scrambling and sliding on muddy trails up and down two valleys, through dense grass and canopied forests. Some parts of the hike cut through taro plantations and here it was a little more confusing and three times we took wrong turns. But, we were wise enough to realise it early and turned around to explore alternate routes which were more heavily trodden. We forded streams many times which allowed us a momentary rest and a chance to wash the mud off our legs and feet. The temptation to stop and pick a ripe papaya was hard to resist but we did not want to do so without permission and there was no-one to ask. Not knowing the time, Chris was getting really worried that we may not reach Lovoni before the last bus departed for Levuka. So we ramped up the pace and it was a huge relief when we sighted the village from a hilly shoulder and skidded down another steep slope.

Nicer part of the trail through taro plantation

Not so easy to find the trail here!

Chris, stop and see the flowers!

Lovoni sits in an old volcanic crater, an idyllic green valley crowned by saw-toothed peaks. To complete it's perfect setting, there is a river flowing around it. We washed our dirty limbs for the last time and were sorely tempted by the crystal clear knee-deep water to go for a skinny dip. But being in Fiji we chose to be socially conscious and tramped up the narrow cement walkway instead towards the houses. The first man we saw was Matei, sitting with his family in their home, and we asked him where we could find the chief. All we had in our backpack was a box of loose tea and sugar in case we ran into someone but we had no kava for sevusevu and were feeling somewhat nervous about this meeting. Luckily the chief was away, phew! Matei walked with us through the rest of the village, pointing out the school on the hill, the methodist church and the chief's large green-roofed house.

Finally the village is sighted!

Tempted to take a swim

We were introduced to several people along the way and everyone was amazed that we had walked all the way from Levuka, by ourselves no less! Few people use this ancient path other than people working in their plantations or tourists guided by Epi. We met Kenny, the catechist from the methodist church, returning from his plantation. He looked as sweaty and tired as we did, but kindly invited us to share a bowl of kava with him. We thanked him but stated that we needed to catch the three p.m. bus back to Levuka. He told us it was just after one p.m., there was no bus but there might be a truck which was bringing people over for a wedding. In the meantime, would we like a cup of tea? I almost hugged him! We were hungry, so we asked if there was a shop where we could buy something to eat with the tea. The shop was closed but Matei roused the owner who sold us some chocolate chip cookies. Kenny's wife Grace poured us large mugs of hot tea and served sweet pancakes which she had cooked for wedding guests she was expecting later. What a godsend!

While draining my second cup of sweet tea, I heard a vehicle engine and Kenny ran outside to make enquiries. We were fortunate that Malakae was indeed planning to drive to Levuka in another hour, but first he had to pick up some school children in the village of Bureta. So we got in the truck and he drove us to his home village where he intended to take an hour long break. Here we saw a couple of traditional Fijian bures, beautiful thatched houses made of bamboo cane and palm leaves. Malakae explained that they were built to teach the old ways to the young men of the village. We continued our walk to Bureta, stopping to chat with Siteri, who was standing at her gate waiting for the same truck to Levuka. She gave us a tour of her lovely garden.

Traditional thatched Fijian bure

Swing-out shutters under a heavily thatched roof

beams and supports in the ceiling

Then we walked around the village of Bureta and waited at the bus shelter with three little girls from the primary school. They laughed and giggled, whispered their names and asked us ours and where we were from. One of the younger ones went to sit in Chris's lap, not the least bit shy or scared that we might carry them away to a foreign land!

It was a long ride in the back of the truck, bumping over the gravel road with the cool wind rushing through its open front . It was so chilly that I felt goose bumps rising on my legs and one of the passengers put on his sweater.  We passed a number of villages at the southeast part of the island and got a great view of the Devil's Thumb that we had originally set off to see.

muddied rugby players running home after school

Temcy corrects my spelling of their names - Mere, Temcy and Taufa left to right

Girls in their pink school uniform sit close to Chris in the truck

They are not always angelic!

Levuka, Ovalau

The sail from Makogai to Ovalau Island last Monday was better than we expected - blue sky and sunshine. The southeast trades were light (8-10 Knots) and the sea almost flat. We tacked fives times to avoid the curving reef protecting the east coast of Ovalau and turned on the motor just outside the main Na Tubari pass. Despite the width of the deep channel, I went up the ratlines while Chris steered us towards the church where we had planned to anchor.

Cession Stone

 The common anchorage is off the Church of the Sacred Heart but it is downwind of the tuna cannery and the diesel electric plant. With the gagging smell of fish processing in our nostrils we almost pointed a reciprocal course through the pass. It seemed a shame to miss visiting the nation's first capital, so we decided to give it a second chance and motored over to the south side of Queen's Wharf, upwind of the fish factory. We dropped the hook in 44 feet after avoiding several coral heads between the wharf and beach. The anchor set instantly and we have not moved for 5 days despite stronger SE trades.

"Gonna Spin U!" - Kava is a BIG part of life here.

Kava pounding machine and operator

There is a tiny rocky beach close to the Cession Monument and an old pier which must have been destroyed by the last cyclone. We use the beach for our dinghy landings and it is not far to walk along Beach Street to the main shops and businesses. When the tide is low, we must carry little Annie a long way over rocks and debris to park her on a grassy bank alongside a couple of local long boats. Lately, a couple of local lads who live across the road have been running to help us and take great delight in carrying her and pushing us off towards Ladybug. Yesterday they offered us a fresh coconut to drink and it was the sweetest juice I have ever tasted!

Rugby match in front of the Marist Convent School

Town hall. 

Levuka is a fine town with many 19th century buildings from its colonial past. Originally founded as a whaling settlement in 1830, it became the main trading centre for Europeans in Fiji. A cotton boom in the 1860's brought many more settlers and resulted in the opening of over 50 hotels and taverns along the waterfront. Convicts and debtors fleeing from Australia added to the crowds and it was said that a ship could find the pass through the reef by following the empty gin bottles flowing out at ebb tide!

Ruins of the Masonic temple. This movement dates to the 1870's here.

In 1874, Fiji was annexed by Great Britain and a municipal council formed to bring about order. Levuka became Fiji's first capital and remained so until the lack of space for expansion forced a move to Suva in 1882. It was a collection centre for copra until 1957 when a new mill opened in Suva. A Japanese cold storage facility opened in 1964, followed by a cannery in 1975, thus reviving it's economy. "The Fiji Handbook" by David Stanley has more details.

Taiwanese trawlers lie off the dock, waiting to come alongside to unload their catch of tuna.

We have enjoyed our rambles up the winding lanes on the forested hillsides, greeted by enthusiastic "Bula, bula!" from almost everyone we meet en route. The Fijians are the friendliest people we have encountered during our travels. One lady invited us to come for kava on Friday night but we opted for tea instead as we like to return to our floating home before it gets too dark.

Pre-dawn

Pre-dawn is perhaps my favorite time of day in the tropics. I like the soft light and the cool breezes, and the quiet.

Today I sit on the cabin roof, watching towering cumulus clouds dump rain on the nearby islands. Ladybug is anchored south of Levuka, away from the noise and smell of the main town. Behind me, the road into town is alive with people walking in from the outer villages. Some are heading for the cannery and can-making plant, which together employ about a quarter of the local population. A team of young rugby players passes in military file and, pacing the low tide shore, two men gather shellfish.

The cliffs behind Levuka seem to catch the rain and our attempt to climb to 'the peak' yesterday was thwarted by a prolonged downpour. But here in the anchorage, mild wavelets bounce around our little dinghy and the offshore rain seems to pass us by. Perhaps today we will make the ascent. More likely is a hike to the south along the gentle coast road to see the 'Devil's Thumb' - a volcanic plug that rears sharply over one of the southern villages.

History of the Leper Colony on Makogai

We spent a few days wandering through the skeletal remains of the leprosarium buildings on Makogai Island, Fiji, but had no access to research material. Our questions remained unanswered until we reached Ovalau yesterday and connected to the Internet. I used information from the following articles for a brief overview:

1/ The Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary - MAKOGAI 100 YEARS – AN OASIS OF COURAGE AND HOPE IN FIJI

2/ A Short History of Leprosy Control in Fiji - Ms. Mere Vakawaletabua and Dr. Iobi Batio, 2008

Leprosy may have existed on Fiji prior to European and Asian arrivals. There were graves whose stones were said to be contagious and stories of attempts to cure lepers by suspending them in the smoke over a fire made from Sinu gaga, a poisonous tree. Lepers were clubbed to death and in one horrific case, burnt for entertainment by a chief on Kia Island.

Treating a patient at Makogai

When Fiji became a British colony, clubbing was banned. With an increasing awareness of the contagious nature of leprosy, the Leper Ordinance Act of 1899 was passed to prohibit lepers from handling food, medicines and tobacco, using public transport, bathing in communal pools and lodging in public houses. Non-Fijians caught disobeying the act were sent to Walu Bay on Vanua Levu and Fijians were banned to the outskirts of their villages.

As the number of infected cases grew, the Walu Bay facility was closed and in 1906, the patients were moved to Beqa Island.The island's limited size and it's proximity to Suva which generated fear among travelers, drove the the government to select Makogai as the site for a new facility in 1908. However, it proved difficult to recruit health workers to send to Makogai and an appeal was made to the Catholic church to send caring nuns.

In September 1911, four sisters from "The Missionary Sisters of the Society of Mary", two from France and two Fijian, arrived with Dr. Hall, the Bishop in charge, to prepare for the arrival of the lepers on Makogai. The first twenty lepers landed in November, 1911.

A few pictures follow from when the colony on Makogai was active.

Overview of leprosarium village site from road to the staff village.

Overview of main patient village. 

Interior of woman's ward.

Makogai was an ideal island with lots of level ground for building and fertile land for growing crops and raising cattle. Separate villages were built for the Fijians, Indians and other Pacific Islanders, and the staff. There were two churches, a Catholic and Wesleyan, a mosque, and probably a Hindu temple as well. The patients lived in dorms, with Women segregated from men. Indentured Indian workers were brought to the island to do much of the farming.

Chris looks over the remains of a building that may have been a laundry/sterilization facility

The villages appear to each have had several water sources - wells and cisterns. This well is about 4 meters wide and capped in concrete.

The locks still look functional in these doors leading into a dormitory in what was probably the Indian patient's village.

We were struck by the quality of civil engineering throughout the settlements. The road could easily have been restored to use, being well built and drained by dozens of still functioning culverts.

The physically able were encouraged to work in the fields, assist in building, cooking, sewing and other daily chores.  Physical activities and recreation were promoted including inter-village sports and arts and crafts. Children attended school and there were girl guides and boy scouts. There was even an open air movie theater. These varied activities were introduced to help overcome the sense of hopelessness that can occur when people are exiled from their homes and families. All in all it was a very positive community. The sisters attended to the physical as well as the spiritual needs of their patients.

Movie theater projection building today

Buildings near the old wharf

Buildings in the main village. Some of these can be seen in the village overview photo shown above, which was taken from the right side of this picture and up the hill.

One gets a brief but illuminating look into this world from a newspaper article written by Frank Exon, who went to Makogai in the 1930's to establish a wireless (radio communications) station:

"Whatever one did, whenever one went, there seemed to be always a watchful sister handy with a disinfectant bottle of iodine or bowl of disinfectant. It would be difficult to over-praise these sisters. Whatever their duties - and they are many and varied - they are always serene, practical, and capable. Between them they run the electric lighting plant, the refrigerators for foodstuffs and the necessary serums, the moving picture equipment, and now the wireless plant...Although they work from daylight till dark they apparently never grumble."

Makogai became a very successful leprosarium and soon patients were arriving from all over the Pacific - countries such as the Solomons, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, and Tonga. By 1947, there were 675 lepers on Makogai. At the beginning, the only treatment offered was Chaulmoogra Oil, used to dress wounds or as an intra-dermal injection. It was not a cure, but treated the symptoms. In 1948, dapsone, a sulpha drug and a cure for leprosy, was discovered and patients were finally effectively treated and released.

The following photos were taken in the graveyard, which  is large, stretching for several acres up the hillside past a wall marking the boundary of the main village. It houses more than 1000 graves, most unidentified.

One of the founding French sisters - she ran the facility for 34 years from its inception.

Grave of Maria Filomena - a Fijian sister who worked from the colony's inception and lived there as a patient and worker for 30 years after she contracted the leprosy.

Early graves were marked by stone piles and some by upended bottles.

This bottle dates its bottle grave to around 1918.

Concrete appears to have come into use around 1940 and these mostly unidentified graves pack the lower hillside.

One of the last graves from 1969, the year in which the colony was disbanded.

According to the statistics register kept at Makogai, 4,185 patients landed there, 2,343 returned to full health, 1,241 died and were buried there, 518 were repatriated, and 83 transferred to the P. J. Twomey hospital in Suva when the Makogai leprosarium was closed in 1969.

While a visit to the ruins of the leprosarium is sobering, it is hard to remain somber when you meet the current inhabitants of the island. These children are carrying coconuts back to their homes.

Makogai Photos 2

We went snorkeling several times on a nearby coral head where a giant clam lived along with a great diversity of small fish and hard and soft corals.

Tank-raised giant clam up close

A real giant clam - more than three feet across

An unfortunate clam that did not make it is eaten by other reef denizens

Unoccupied clam shell on nearby coral head

Possibly anemones or maybe some sort of soft coral

Trevally

Several clams were placed in the sand near the research station.

Leaf and reflection

The coral head was home to thousands of fish

There were a dozen of these larger yellow fish - about 15 cms long

These blue fish live in large groups always around a protective coral formation like this one.

Makogai Photos - Part 1

The following are from our visit to Makogai where we explored the ruins of a former. There is now a research station here where they raise giant clams and turtles.

Chris looks through a window at the remains of what could  be a washing/sterilizing facility

This was a small mosque. The entrance is decorated in Islamic green with carved decorations. 

House on the beach at the doctor/administrator's settlement - about 7 kms from the leprosarium

Fish trap

Hawksbill turtles in the tank at the Dept of Fisheries station

Giant clams

Giant clam up close

We saw one alive this big later when snorkeling nearby

Makogai

We made a quick but rolly passage from Koro to Makogai yesterday. We had winds from 10-20 knots from the east, which put the wind almost on our stern. Once clear of the lee of Koro, a lively 2 meter swell kept us in a perpetual roll. However a slight shift in wind to the ESE stiffened things up and we had only a few soakings when odd wave combinations slammed into the hull abreast the cockpit and a few liters of water found there way into the cockpit (and all over where I was sitting of course). We flew only the jib, slightly furled for the most part, and still averaged better than 5 knots.

The entry into the narrow northeast pass was hair-raising due to cloudy conditions and rough seas. We used way points from the "Soggy Paws" cruising notes and our Google Earth charts, but despite this, Rani says we passed a boat length from green water. She was up the spreaders while I hand-steered us through on a beam reach under half-reefed main, waves crashing on the coral on either side. Heart in your throat stuff and it would have been much more difficult with only one person. I suppose I would have put the motor on had I been alone and possibly sailed around the island to the easier western pass. Anyway - we made it through into the relatively calm waters of the lagoon, passed between the main island and a smaller one to the north, and dropped the hook in a lovely quiet harbour off a research station where they raise giant clams and (currently) rescue turtles.

We went ashore and met a caretaker to whom we presented our Kava offering for the chief (his uncle). We then had a brief tour of the station where baby giant clams (about the size of bent over beer bottle caps) were growing by the hundreds in large concrete saltwater tanks. In another tank a half dozen larger clams with their beautiful coloured 'mouths' were being raised until old enough to put out on the nearby reef or in other places in Fiji where they would be protected from hunters.

The station and nearby houses are built on the remains of a vast leper colony. Until quite recently, this was the home of more than 4000 lepers. There are dozens of concrete and wood frame buildings still standing and hundreds more can be seen draped in vines and crumbling back into the jungle. We walked until we came to a wall marking a graveyard. The first few graves were marked and named - those of priests and nuns who worked here, but hundreds more were simply piles of stones, some marked with concrete crosses, some decorated with old bottles turned upside down and buried all along the top of the grave. The graves extended up a hill side covering many acres. There is a terribly sad feeling here and as we walked back to the dinghy, the laughter of children returning from school seemed out of place.

Today we plan to visit the village on the other side of the island and snorkel to visit some giant clams in their natural habitat.