Northrop and Johnson at the Newport International Boat Show
The 39th Newport International Boat Show was held September 17-20, in Newport, Rhode Island and as always, Northrop and Johnson was there. The show was very busy this year, both on the docks, in the brokerage section and in the tents. And in general, the show was considered a success; at least Northrop and Johnson considered the show a success as we were very busy. If this activity is any forecaster of the economy, certainly, the yachting public is feeling more comfortable. Read the rest of this entry »
Located in Fiji year around at Port Denarau, the motor catamaran, Bel Mare, is available for chartering the Fijian Islands. At 86′ with a beam of almost 28 feet, this yacht offers ample on board space for 6 guests in 3 guest staterooms all with ensuite baths. Big wide deck spaces are available as well, for comfortable on deck living, dining and just relaxing, and as with most catamarans, Bel Mare is quite stable, and with the shallow draft of only 6′, the yacht can anchor close to almost any island. Bel Mare is a perfect yacht for island hopping through the various island chains in Fiji. However, the real “piece de resistance” of a charter in Fiji on Bel Mare, is the Captain Neal Adams and the all native Fijian crew. Fiji has a fabulous and unique culture, especially as seen in the island villages, many of which are only reachable by yacht. On Bel Mare, the Fijian crew will welcome you on board and show you the islands in the Fijian way. Read the rest of this entry »
Up on the top deck of VvS1, a 112′ Alloy built motor yacht available for yacht charter in New Zealand and Fiji is an authentic Teppinyaki Bar surrounding a large Teppinyaki Grill. This is a great place for evening cocktails and dinner, and what could be better, than food prepared on a Teppinyaki Grill? Recently we had a lovely dinner on board VvS1, and sat at the Teppinyaki Bar surrounding the Teppinyaki Grill under a starlit night, overlooked by the Southern Cross constellation. On board Chef Belinda Grocott prepared a Japanese Teppinyaki Grill dinner while we watched, ringside, sipping our cool white wines. Belinda was trained on the Teppinyaki Grill at the Owner’s favorite Japanese restaurant and we were the happy recipients of a fresh, healthy, and very tasty Japanese Teppinyaki dinner, as will be any charter guest on board this lovely yacht. Read the rest of this entry »
Sugar cane is believed to have been brought to Fiji by the original settlers over 3000 years ago, who traveled thousands of miles in their open canoes with live sugar cane plants on board. Sugar cane was a food item in Fiji for centuries and today, when we were recently in Fiji, we saw many a villager chewing on a piece of the sugar cane reed for a sweet flavor snack. After the chiefs ceded the islands that make up Fiji today to the British Crown in 1874, through a “Deed of Cession”, sugar cane was developed into a leading export crop requiring a large amount of manual labor. Sir Arthur Gordon, the first Governor of Fiji as a British Crown Colony, filled the need for manual laborers by establishing indentured labor from India. While the cessation of this group of islands to Britain stopped the centuries of inter tribal wars, the importing of Indian indentured laborers created a new history for Fiji and a new set of issues still part of the culture today. Read the rest of this entry »
Known in Fiji as Yaqona, it is the roots of this plant that are prized in Fiji. Once reserved for the Chiefs and Elders only, Kava is now used socially by various communities and is always a part of a Sevusevu, the ceremonial request of asking the Chief for the right to visit an island or enjoy the waters around the island. Whether used socially or for an official purpose, the presentation, preparation and serving of Kava is a highly evolved ritual of great dignity, with various aspects of the preparation and presentation passed down through village families for centuries. To enjoy a welcoming bowl of Kava from the village basin or “tanoa”, is an age old tradition and part of exploring the local culture of Fiji, while on charter. Read the rest of this entry »
If deep sea fishing is a passion, you should be sure to try your hand for at least an afternoon of deep sea fishing while on charter in Fiji. When we were just there cruising in the Mamanuca Islands, Adrenaline Sports, a water sports company located in Nadi, sent out a very nice 56′ Riviera sport fishing boat with a fly bridge and tuna tower named Opulence to our charter location, and took a group outside the reef for deep sea fishing. This is easy to arrange for either the Mamanuca Islands or the Yasawa Islands and very affordable. During our charter time, the sport fishing boat came out for an afternoon with a Captain, mate and a world renowned sport fishing guide. The outer reef area along these island chains is a great for fishing for Spanish Mackerel, Yellow Fin tuna and Dolphin. One of the intrepid sport fishing guests on Opulence reeled in a substantial sized Dolphin and they had several other hits of what they were sure were huge marlins! Read the rest of this entry »
Fiji is a terrific area for a yacht charter, with beautiful waters and a unique culture. Part of the Fijian Charter Experience is visiting the many villages ashore dotted throughout the island areas. Fiji is a village culture. Each village has a social organization starting with Chief then to Headman and further along with family clan members performing village jobs done for the social good of the village. The jobs are passed down through the family clan from generation to generation as has happened for centuries in each village, and each clan is responsible for training the next generation for the particular family job. Each village has a full hierarchy in place in daily operation. When visiting on yacht charter, permission must be asked to come ashore and visit the village. Permission is requested through a Sevusevu Ceremony including drinking Kava, and important visitors are always given a village Meke or dancing ceremony. While cruising on Bel Mare and VvS1 recently in Fiji, we participated in the ceremonial Sevusevu request to visit the village and were treated to a traditional village Meke. Read the rest of this entry »
Filled with thousands of miles of coral reef and located in a relatively unpopulated part of the South West Pacific Ocean, Fiji offers hours of underwater scuba diving and snorkeling in what is also called “The Soft Coral Capital of the World”. Encompassing over 350 miles of ocean, the islands of Fiji are strewn across this area like little jewels, each island archipelago an area of great underwater diversity and fascinating underwater ecology. If you are an avid tropical scuba diver or snorkeler and want to see a variety of Soft Corals, Fiji is the destination for you. Read the rest of this entry »
