Kavala, Kadavu Island

Kadavu Island, is a large island just south of Ono Island.  It was only a few miles from Nabouwalu Bay on the west side of Ono to Kavala Bay at the north end of Kadavu Island.  The passage between them is protected by the famous Astrolavbe Reef.

We left Nabouwalu Bay because the wind was predicted to swing around to the west and would send wind and waves into the bay, making it uncomfortable.  So we moved south to Kavala Bay, taking a sheltered anchorage behind a small reef at Kavala Village.  Bill went ashore alone to do sevusevu, as Kathi had a bad cold.  Bill was gone quite a while and had a good time helping drink the kava he brought.  Ironically, Kadavu Island's economy is based on kava farming.

Kavala is one of 60-70 small villages scattered around the shores of Kadavu Island.  The island is steep and mountainous in the middle, and most of the island has no roads.  People get around by boat.  There are a few small resorts as well.  I don't think it has an airport.

The next day, the weekly cargo ship made its stop across the bay from us.  Dozens of small boats came zooming in to meet the ship, unload goods for the local consumers and load up kava to send to the Suva market.  The kava we bought in Suva for sevusevu at Kavala, may have come from Kadavu.

Meeting the weekly ship

Small boats bring goods and people back to the village.  This boat had a stack of stacks of flour and rice covered with a tarp n the middle of the boat

Sitting a bit low in the water

As you can see from the photos, the weather has been cloudy quite a bit, with showers.  About every couple weeks there's a cycle of rainy weather and shifting winds, then a few sunny days, before cloudy, wet (and pleasantly cool) conditions resume.