It pays to have well-connected friends. After a few days of Viani Bay and the prospect of a run of weather not conducive to diving or snorkeling, we followed Toucan around the corner to Sau Bay Fiji Retreat, a secluded little resort owned by Bruce’s former colleague Nigel and his wife Carol.
The buildings are so sheltered, tucked among the trees and gardens, that it wasn’t until we dinghied ashore that we saw the main lodge housing the restaurant, bar and lounge with a wide welcoming veranda shaded by a huge old tree. Carol welcomed us with coffee and cookies, and soon we were invited to lunch, then dinner, and thus began nearly a week of easy living in a boutique getaway. It’s the kind of intimate resort where you get to know the other guests, and where the staff cheerfully anticipate your needs and desires before you even have a chance to think of them.
Jack and I aren’t generally resort people, but this experience may change that. We stayed on our boats but Nigel and Carol gave us the run of the place and welcome yachties. They plan to install moorings, which will take the worry out of anchoring in a deep bay. There’s a reef right at their doorstep for snorkeling, kayaks to paddle the bay, a masseuse, a resident dive master and dive boat for exploring the world famous Rainbow Reef about 15 minutes away. For working people needing a relaxing break from stressful lives it’s the perfect decompression zone. For us it was days of enjoyable conversation with interesting people and fabulous meals in an elegant natural setting. Jack and I especially appreciated the art and artifacts that decorate the rooms, the comfy furniture to spend lazy afternoons, and the cocktail hours plumbing Nigel’s and Carol’s local knowledge of all things Fiji.
The clear water gave Jack the opportunity to do his least favorite job, scraping the marine growth off Escape Velocity’s bottom.
