Fiji

From CruisersWiki

Revision as of 12:03, 4 January 2008

Fiji

Fiji
Flag
Capital:	Suva
Language:	English, Fijian, Hindi
Currency:	Fijian Dollar
More notes about the country

Background

• The background and history of Fiji is best observed on [Wikipedia]
• Cruising and sailing in the region ...??

Climate & Weather

The Fiji climate is tropical marine with only slight seasonal temperature variation. Tropical cyclones can occur from November to January (but not exclusively).

• Fiji Met Services

Charts

Submit details of the charts required for safe navigation of the area.

The charts published by the Fiji Government are quite good and are internally consistant, but WILL NOT align with a GPS position.

There are NO CHARTS OR CHART PLOTTER DATA which reliably aligns with GPS data. There are also strong currents that run between islands, esp. when the tide opposes the wind. Do not stick your head down below and play with your electronics! Keep a good watch at all times.

Charted lights may or may not work at any time. Some of the lights are not positioned correctly on the charts, the Point Passage light in Savusavu Bay being one of the more famous, being inside the point of the reef, ~50 meters in from the end of the reef. Light house means an aluminum pole stuck on the reef.

Special Navigation Notes

Important Note: See the Unmarked Hazards list for the passage between Fiji and Tonga. (Kindly hosted by sv Ocelot)

Local Radio Nets

In Savusavu, Curly Carswell of Curly's Cruising/Bosun's Locker, operates a daily VHF net in season on channel 14 at ~0830 local (2030 UTC). He first makes a call on Channel 16, then switches shortly thereafter to channel 14.

Jim and Kyoko Bandy, of s/v Also II, currently on shore on his island near Udu Point, Natewa Bay, Vanua Levu, runs a Marine SSB net at 1900UTC on 8173.0 MHz. He starts by reading the weather from various sources (he does not interprete or extrapolate), then procedes from there.

Geography being what it is, he is often marginal copy from Savusavu.

Arrival/Departure procedures

Arrival Procedures as of 21 December 2007
First, please note that there is no sense of humour about drugs, pornography, or weapons! Please be a considerate guest (we love to have visitors) by not putting yourselves and ourselves in a situation we would prefer to avoid! A Canadian cruiser spent time in jail here for failing to declare a handgun and a significant amount of ammunition.

Please note effective 1 July 2007, Fiji Customs must be notified a minimum of 48 hours prior to arrival using the form C2C downloadable from FIRCA (Fiji Inland Revenue and Customs Administration). Fax the form to Customs at one of the Fiji ports you wish to enter (Suva - (679) 3302864, Lautoka - (679) 6667734, Savusavu - (679) 8850728 or Levuka - (679) 3440425) or email Fiji Customs. Failure to comply can attract heavy penalties.

Please note the word minimum means that you can fax it in before you depart your last port in order for it to be on record upon your arrival. This requirement was forced on Fiji by the G-8, don't blame us!

You may not leave your boat until all of the officials have cleared you. In Savusavu, Waitui Marina and Bosun's Locker will perform the clearance for you free of charge if you pick up one of their moorings, Copra Shed Marina has a minor additional charge.

There is a health fee charged ~F$38, as you are covered by the Fiji Health system, but no other charges levied ""UNLESS"" you incur overtime by not checking in during working hours. Do not get caught dropping an anchor anyplace in Fiji without being cleared into the country. Heaving-to is acceptable if outside a port, just keep an eye out for small, unlit fishing boats.

There is a move afoot to have one (1) AUTHORISED yacht agent in each of the four ports of entry, but, to date, this has not materialised. There is also talk of opening Rotuma in the far north as another Port of Entry.

After you have cleared into one of the Ports of Entry, you may only travel to another port of entry unless you obtain a Fiji Islands Cruising Permit. For all of the islands except the Lau Group, there is no charge by the Government for this permit, however you will likely be charged a small service fee to have it processed outside of Suva (fax charges being high).

This permit is written in the Fijian Language and requests that the Turaga Ni Koro (mayor, not chief!) to extend courtesy to you and allow your vessel and yourselves to enter the villages (this is different and seperate from the sevusevu, a presentation of yangona (aka, grog or kava) to the Turaga Ni Vanua, the senior-most chief of the families living in the village.

To depart the port to a destination within Fiji, you need to present your customs clearance, along with your copy of the Cruising Permit, to the Customs office and give them an intinerary of where you wish to travel to/from. If your route takes you past a Port of Entry, you must check-in/out with that Port also.

Do not think about trying to cheat. There is an active coast watch system with the Turaga Ni Koro's. In times past, some yachts have received a scolding the first time, large fines on the second. Some have received large fines and expulsion on their first flaunting of the law.

You may not depart Fiji from something else besides a Port of Entry. In years past, Musket Cove has arranged to have officials come out before the start of the 'race' to Vanuatu, but this is subject to the whim of the government.

Vinaka vaka levu.

The following FAQ's are posted on the Inland Revenue Web Site and appear here with their approval. I've taken the liberty to comment on them, with my comments in italics.

• Where do I have to go to enter my yacht if I am coming to Fiji?
  • You can enter at any of the following sea ports of entry:
    • Suva-FIRCA FAX Number 67-93-302-864
    • Lautoka-FIRCA FAX Number 67-96-665-961
    • Savusavu-FIRCA FAX Number 67-98-850-728
    • Levuka-FIRCA FAX Number 67-93-440-425
• What authorities do I have to see in Fiji upon my arrival?
  • • You have to see Ministry of Health, Customs Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Quarantine Dept), and Immigration.
• What are the papers that I have to submit to Fiji Customs?
  • Papers that you have to submit are:
    • Clearance from last port of call
    • Inward Report C.2.C (click here to download FIRCA Form C.2.C).
    • Store List C11 (Given to you by Customs when they board your vessel).
    • Passenger List C10 (Given to you by Customs when they board your vessel).
    • Parcel List C4 (Given to you by Customs when they board your vessel).
    • Crew List
    • Crew Declaration List C12 (Given to you by Customs when they board your vessel).
    • List of Dangerous Drugs
    • List of Arms and Ammunition
    • Declaration of Nett and unregistered tonnage and maximum draft on arrival
    • Declaration of explosive on Board (Form D)(Given to you by Customs, if needed) (EXPOSIVES, ON A YACHT? GIVE ME A BREAK! IF YOU HAVE THEM, DON'T COME HERE!), when they board your vessel.
• What is the procedure of high dutiable stores which I have in my yacht?
  • High dutiable stores example: liquor, cigarettes, tobacco
    • Procedure: Once you arrive at the port of entry the customs will seal all your high dutiable goods on board or it will be detained and brought to our warehouse for safe keeping. Once you are finally departing customs will place the dutiable goods on board.
      (Note: This is bunk for small yachts. From memory, similar to airline passengers, you are allowed 200 cigarettes, 500gms tobacco, 5 liters of booze, and a similar quantity of wine and beer. If you have greater than that, be prepared to pay tax on it.).
• I am carrying arms and ammunitions on my yacht. What authorities do I have to see upon my arrival in Fiji?
  • • You have to declare to customs upon your arrival which will be detained and handed over to the police for safe keeping.
• How will I obtain my arms and ammunitions from police when I finally want to depart from Fiji?
  • • You have to give customs 24 hours notice for your departure so that arrangements can be made from Fiji Police to place them on board.
• What is the procedure of bringing animals and birds on my yacht?
  • • Animals and birds should be caged until seen and cleared by Quarantine Department of Fiji. (note: Cats and dogs are no problem, birds, primates, and other animals may pose a problem. As Fiji has two major introduced 'pest' species, your reception may be affected by other animals. You might want to consider contacting Customs, the agency charged with frontier control, to avoid emotional trauma).
• When I finally leave Fiji with my yacht, what do I have to do?
  • • You are required to obtain outward clearance from Fiji Customs at the port of entry.
• What if I have some problem with my yacht and cannot leave the port?
  • • Inform the customs authority within 24 hrs from the time of your clearance.
• Do I have to obtain another clearance for my departure?
  • • Yes.

Immigration & Customs

Effective December 2007, Mahendra Chaundry, the Military appointed Minister of Finance, decreed that yachts may only stay in Fiji duty free for a period of 3 (three) months, with a maximum possible extension of another 3 (three) months upon application to his Ministry (you can get a copy of what is needed from a Customs office). The duty charged is based on a surveyors evaluation (paid for by the applicant) and is 38% of the value of the yacht. In addition, there is a 12.5% VAT charged on the total of the value of the vessel and the duty. In the past, monthly payments have been arranged, but this is on an individual basis.

For the tourist visa, for most nations, you are granted a 4 month visa upon entry. Sometimes (in error?) the date given is less, please check the stamp in your passport after you receive your clearance.

If you wish to stay up to six months, you may apply for an extention for a small fee. Between six months and one year, you may apply for 'Temporary Permanent Residency', which is quite a bit more dear. (I'll post the exact fees after the new budget information filters down). You will need to provide proof of income.

ANY sort of work is strictly prohibited, including work at no pay. My wife was given a caution by Immigrations for organising (with other accredited teachers) for trying to tutor English language for free.

If you need to leave the country for whatever reason while your vessel remains in Fiji, you need to obtain a letter from Immigrations to allow you to return to Fiji to rejoin your vessel. Simple and easy to obtain before you leave, difficult/impossible from abroad.

Similar applies to arriving crew members, get a letter first from Immigrations for them to have in their hands for when they arrive at the international airport in Nadi (pronounced nan-dee if you don't want to sound like a tourist)

Visas

Submit information about what visitor's visas are available and where they are obtained.

Health & Security

Outbreaks of dengue fever during the summer months are common. As there is no vaccine for dengue, the only recourse is to avoid getting bit by mosquitos.

During heavy rain periods, the fresh water supply can become contaminated and there are sporadically typhoid outbreaks. Besides vaccines, hygene and boiling water takes care of those problems. Your own fresh water catchment system is the best, watermakers are an expensive alternative, and many manufacturers do not recommend running them in the contaminated water found in the major ports.

Malaria is non-existent at this time.

For whatever reason, aspirin tablets are not stocked at the chemist shops. If you need to use aspirin, lay in a stock sufficient for your stay before arriving.

Medical care can be obtained either from private practitioners or from the public health system. Public health is actually quite good, considering the resources of the country, but the private practitioners are a cut above and are very reasonable compared to the US and Europe.

There are two excellent dentists that I can recommend, Dr. Kumar in Labasa and Dr. Khan in Suva. New Zealand citizens needing extensive dental work sometimes fly up to have it done by them.

The Suva Private Hospital on Amy Street in Suva is also very, very good, with board certified staff, again with very reasonable prices.

Suva Private is also where the recompression chamber is located. Dr. Ali in Lami is the managing physician for it. He is also the local expert in removing skin cancers (more to follow about the diving medicine network here).

For security, Suva in particular, has a street crime problem, minor compared to large European cities, but it exists nevertheless. Against tourists, it generally amounts to 'snatch and run' type crime. There are occasional muggings also. Cabs are quite reasonable and I would suggest taking them at night rather than walking.

There has been no change in how tourists have been treated since the military coup on 5 December 2006. I would strongly advise against being vocal in public if you are a pro-democracy supporter, especially in the large cities. There have been no (zero) outbreaks of violence as a result of the coup, but if it's going to happen, it will happen in Suva.

Ports & Anchorages

• Vita Levu
  • Suva (Port of entry)
  • Lautoka (Port of entry)
  • Port Denerau
• Vanua Levu
  • Savusavu (Port of entry) (Has data)
  • Viani Bay
• Olavau
  • Levuka (Port of entry)
• Kadavu
  • Daku Bay
  • Vunisea
• Yasawas and Mamanucas
  • Musket Cove
• Taveuni
  • Somosomo

Islands

List Islands in the group

Cruiser's Friends

Michael Homsany lives in Fiji, is VERY informed and is ALWAYS willing to assist cruisers with any information.

Michael Homsany
Adress: PO Box 814, Savusavu, Fiji
Phone: 67 9 885 3031
Mobile: 67 9 997 2558
Fax: 67 9 885 3031
Email: Email
Web: Website

Michael is truly the "Cruiser's Friend" in Fiji.

Lighthouse 08:13, 21 December 2007 (MST)

References & Publications

Books, Guides, etc.

Links to CruiserLog Forum discussions

Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum

External Links

• sv Ocelot (Fiji page)

Personal Notes

Personal experiences? A short note about the generally misunderstood chiefly system of the Pacific.

The traditional government system is very similar to the pre-christian nordic model. It is feudal and some of the titles date back over 2 thousand years. The hierarchy of peerage is a very well defined, but is largely undocumented and can be quite confusing to someone trying to just pop in and out of the country. To keep out of trouble, try to follow the respect accorded to certain people by other Fijians and you'll have a fair idea of where they happen to stand.

Great respect is given to age.

The titles are tied into families and thus into the land. Succession of titles can be to either men or women although is based largely on lineage of both parents, other factors come into play, such as knowledge of tradition and community service.

The sevusevu ceremony, although abused as a source of free grog in the more 'touristy' areas, is not to be taken lightly in the regions less frequently visited. In a nutshell, you are becoming a vassel to the Turanga Ni Vanua (chief of the major family in the village) and as your liege lord, he/she extends the privilege to you of being part of the village, as well as the waters of the village, the qoliqoli, the aquatic version of the village commons.

You cannot present the yagona to the Turaga Ni Vanua, another person must speak for you. You will notice that the bundle of grog is placed in front of, not given to, the Turaga, to allow him/her the ability to refuse it. If you cannot sit cross-legged, fold your legs behind you. In tradition, showing the soles of your feet to someone implies that they are your slave (there was a scandal in American Samoa when a Vice-President of the United States did this to the highest ranking chiefs of the islands!).

To help understand the seriousness with which this ceremony is viewed, part of the feud between the military government and the traditional government is based on the Interrum Prime Minister, Commodore Bainimarama, having his sevusevu refused and not being allowed to enter certain villages before the December 2006 coup.

If you want to have a chat and get to know the people, if you bring a sack of pre-pounded grog, offer it up after the ceremony, a young person will be dispatched to fetch a basin and some water, everyone will let their hair down, and you can have a pleasant afternoon chatting.

In most villages, Monday is 'village day' and everyone must take one day from their work for village service. The village council will also usually meet on the same day. Although the 'chief is the chief', few decisions are made in a vacuum and are usually discussed, at great length, until a concensus is reached (if ever).

If you catch a pelangic fish on your way into a village, you can become quite the hero by either giving away the fish to the villagers, or even the head and spine (if you fillet the fish) for soup.

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