A strong wind sweeps across the sea as our kayaking instructor, Semi Murray, guides us through paddling techniques and rescue drills. The waves are choppy, but the adventure has only just begun. Over the next four days, we navigate the Yasawa Islands, an 85-kilometer volcanic chain in northwest Fiji.
Murray, who grew up watching kayakers camp in his parents’ garden on Tavewa Island, now leads tourists through these waters. Our group settles into spacious bell tents with solar-powered ventilators, hammocks swaying beneath mango trees. At sunset, over a glass of wine, Murray and co-guide Peter Wainwright outline the plan. The wind has calmed, allowing us to paddle along Nacula’s eastern coast—a rare opportunity.
Roosters crow at dawn as we pack our kayaks. A support boat carries our supplies, a service we’ll soon appreciate while maneuvering through island straits. We paddle into rhythmic waves, rewarded with dazzling turquoise waters and white sand beaches beneath swaying palms. In the clear depths, corals flourish, turtles surface for air, and garfish dart across the sea.
Nacula Hill looms ahead, resembling a table mountain. Murray shares its storied past—a former fortress where warriors once feasted on their enemies, now a sacred, tourist-free site. Passing untouched beaches, we reach Balawi, where a new luxury resort is under construction, a sign of change in the region. Many locals now work in tourism or sell fresh produce to resorts.
After a break on a pristine shore, we snorkel among vibrant coral gardens while our guides prepare lunch. Paddling onward, we reach Navotua, a village of modest brick and wood homes, where children greet us with cheerful “bula” calls. We camp on the village rugby field as locals gather for an evening match beneath a star-filled sky.
As darkness falls, a conch shell summons us to a kava ceremony. Wearing traditional sulus, we join villagers in song and dance before sipping the bitter yaqona brew. The earthy drink numbs the tongue and soothes the mind as we retreat to our tents.
At sunrise, we paddle toward Sawa-i-Lau, an islet of towering karst formations and hidden caves. Descending a stone stairway, we swim in the same grotto where scenes from The Blue Lagoon were filmed. A narrow passage leads to a pitch-black cave, where beams from waterproof lamps reveal sculpted rock formations. Floating in the silent pool, we are reminded of the novel’s description of the sea as a “vast and voiceless blue.”
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