Well Bula from Fiji!

Well we have had an exciting couple of weeks here in the Fiji Islands.  Mostly because we had our first tropical depression hit the islands.  I am not talking about a mass movement of sad people, but a cyclone. What is a cyclone?  Technically speaking they form when the energy released by the condensation of moisture in rising air causes a positive feedback loop over warm ocean waters!  What does that mean? Well big winds and lots of rain! But for a more technical explanation I am going to quote Wikipedia.  

“A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain. A tropical cyclone feeds on heat released when moist air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapour contained in the moist air. They are fueled by a different heat mechanism than other cyclonic windstorms such as nor’easters, European windstorms, and polar lows, leading to their classification as "warm core" storm systems.”

So what does that mean on the ground? Well being my first storm I have to say it was awesome.  Jeff Hommel  (Rivers Fiji Operations Manager) and I spent the afternoon checking in on the families that help support us, i.e. guides and drivers.  Driving through blinding rain, downed trees and power lines we headed up the Coral Coast to make sure everyone was safe and not in danger.  While looking for our driver Nareesh (he was already gone to higher ground) we evacuated Fijian family from their house that was about to be blown apart. As we packed the nine of us into the Rivers Fiji Landcruiser and headed to safety we were dodging roof sheet metal flying through the air! We had to get them to a cousins cement home.  We did, they were grateful and invited us in for a bowl of grog. But better judgment said we should get home, the eye of the storm had not yet reached our part of the island.  

As we sat and watched the rest of the storm and ventured outside to feel the fury of 150 km/hr wind, the crashing surf, the falling trees both of us could only imagine what the countless families that we didn’t help must have been going through.  But this Island Nation is resilient. The next day as families began the clean up, waves and smiles were exchanged, radio’s played on and people just picked up and kept going.  Mick was a category 2 cyclone, but a wet one.  Our rivers here swelled!  We went to clear the road to our put in and after a couple of hours cutting down trees we arrived at the put in to witness where the water had been the night before!  Amazing it was! The high water line was easily 25 meters above where the water had been the night before.  

And now the clean up is almost over, people are right back to there normal routines. We are back on the river and watching the guests faces struck with awe.  The beauty of the Upper Navua, which somehow missed the wind, is still the virgin rainforest that drew us here back in 1993.  And one more thing for the whitewater enthusiasts; you may have experienced high water on the Tuolumne, or perhaps the Salmon, but you need to see post cyclone water on the Upper Navua!

Signing Out in Fiji,
Moce!

James

P.S.  Check out the O.A.R.S. Whitewater Facebook page for more details of Fiji!

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Bula and greetings from Fiji, O yau o James, and over the next couple of months I am going to be reporting on Fiji and the O.A.R.S. experience.  My goal is simple; Provide an inside glimpse of the Rivers Fiji daily adventures and the people that support them. Now that is a daunting task, considering the fact that I am a newly arrived visitor to this island nation. But I am sure with help from my friends here and all of you out there that you can help me on my way. So what exactly will I be writing about?  Everything that I come across, from kayaking down the Luva, Rafting down the Upper Navua, Visiting our partners like the village of Nakavika, and hopefully any little adventures you want to send me on. That’s right! This is going to be an interactive record that you will help with. Do you want to know how fresh water eels are caught? How about the pounding of Kava, Perhaps how traditional tattoos are given (Please don’t ask me to get one, I hear they are very painful) I have a couple of tools with me to help capture these details of life here, a handy video camera, a still camera and my laptop.  So if you want to send me on an adventure, just make a suggestion and we will find out where it leads us. Along the way I will try and give you little tidbits of information, like the fact that Tongans used to visit the islands in order to get feathers from the endemic red-breasted musk parrot. Or the fact that pottery shards dating back to 1290 BC have been found in the Sigatoka valley, just up the coast from our office.  Fiji is an island that holds daily discoveries, and I hope you will enjoy the adventure along with me. Au sa liu mada (see you later) James

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A member of the O.A.R.S. Family of Companies, Rivers Fiji is a whitewater rafting, inflatable kayaking, multi-sport eco-outfitter based out of Pacific Harbour in the Fiji Islands. Recently honored at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards for "Best for Preservation of Cultural Heritage," Rivers Fiji was one of 35 companies singled out by the judges. In total, there were more than 2000 nominations submitted by travelers worldwide.

A prestigious honor indeed, but who is Rivers Fiji and why the recognition?

O.A.R.S. is indebted to longtime friends, Nate and Kelly Bricker, for assisting in the creation of Rivers Fiji and the Upper Navua Conservation Area. Nate and Kelly first visited Fiji as tourists in 1993. They returned in subsequent years, exploring deep into the interior of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. In 1997, Nate was working for O.A.R.S.  Having just explored the Upper Navua River, he and Kelly enthusiastically talked to O.A.R.S. founder and president, George Wendt, about their vision of offering guided trips on the Wainikoriluva (‘luva) and Upper Navua rivers.

Their conviction reminded George of the excitement he had felt when exploring the canyons of Glen Canyon on the Colorado River in Utah years before. The drowning of Glen Canyon delivered a profound sense of loss and with it the realization, and a sense of urgency, that such wild places need to be shared, preserved and protected for future generations. Ultimately, this was an opportunity to protect these spectacular Fijian river canyons and the following year, George co-founded Rivers Fiji with the Brickers and began offering commercial whitewater rafting trips on the ‘Luva and Upper Navua rivers. Since 1998, Rivers Fiji has employed local residents to manage operations and guide guests downriver.

Historically Fiji’s tourism development has been focused on the coastal communities – with Fiji’s interior populations receiving little attention and even less economic benefit. Rivers Fiji, however, provides economic alternatives to communities whose previous development options were limited to logging and resource extraction.

The mission of Rivers Fiji? To enhance visitors’ and indigenous peoples’ awareness of, and appreciation for, the culture and environment by providing activities that promote conservation and preservation through socially responsible and environmentally sensitive interaction with the people, landscape and ecosystems that make the Fijian Highlands so distinct and unique.

With the help of 9 mataqali (landowning family groups), 2 villages, a logging company, and the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB), Rivers Fiji successfully negotiated with the government of Fiji and established the Upper Navua Conservation Area in 2000. This unique public-private partnership protects the pristine Upper Navua River Canyon from future logging or gravel extraction in a 10.5-mile conservation corridor. In return, Rivers Fiji compensates the NLTB and landowners through lease payments, user fees and employment opportunities, leading ultimately to full protection of the area.

On April 11, 2006, the Upper Navua Conservation Area became Fiji’s first, officially designated Ramsar site (protected wetland of international importance), making it part of more than 1280 wetlands around the world, which now include nearly 2 million square kilometers of the Earth’s surface area. The Ramsar Convention is “the first of the modern global intergovernmental treaties on conservation and wise use of natural resources” and recognizes the Upper Navua Conservation Area as an important host to flora and fauna critical to the health of the area as well as to the greater local and global human communities.

To further protect and manage the conservation area, Rivers Fiji developed a comprehensive natural resource and tourism management plan with the help of the NLTB and mataqali. All guides receive an in-depth international training program, which includes a minimum of a three-month guide school as well as training in swiftwater rescue, First-Aid and CPR, river conservation related to operating tourism programs, and conservation briefings related to the company’s river and ocean operations. In addition, prior to visiting villages, Rivers Fiji guides educate their guests about the area’s ecosystem, cultural traditions, heritage sites and local preservation issues, thus affording guests a deeper understanding of the daily life of indigenous Fijians in the rural highlands.

Rivers Fiji created full-time employment for local residents. With the exception of the managing director and marketing/operations manager, all employees are from the communities where Rivers Fiji operates. Thus the local community has a real stake in the long-term sustainability of the company. In the past, infractions by logging companies and plans for road development through the conservation area have been thwarted due to mataqali alerting Rivers Fiji management and local authorities.

Rivers Fiji has also set up several mechanisms for local participation in its day-to-day and long-term operations. For example, the opinions of local communities are regularly solicited and incorporated in decision making related to operations. In fact, the mataqali are a part of the decision-making process relating to guide hiring and natural resource management fieldwork. Additionally, meetings are held regularly with village elders to discuss their ideas and concerns about company operations. Their input is then utilized to help the company make key operational decisions.

There are certainly many travel organizations promoting their company as “eco-friendly” or claiming to offer “eco-tours,” but to garner the recognition of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards is testament to Rivers Fiji’s eco-practices. The awards are the most prestigious and competitive of their kind in the world. The central tenet of the awards is that all types of tourism can and should be operated in a way that respects and benefits destinations and local people.
 

Upper Navua River, Fiji

Upper Navua River, Fiji

One of many waterfalls along the ‘Luva River, Fiji

O.A.R.S. Marketing and Partnerships Director, Steve Markle, accepting the

Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award on behalf of O.A.R.S. and Rivers Fiji.

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Mindy Gleason, who has worked with and has been whitewater rafting with O.A.R.S. for nearly two decades, recently returned from the Upper Navua River in Fiji as the first person to navigate each river included in the O.A.R.S.’ Seven Whitewater Wonders of the World.

These crème de la crème whitewater rafting trips include:

• Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
• Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho
• Chilko-Chilcotin-Fraser Rivers in British Columbia
• Futaleufu River in Chile
• Klinaklini River in Coastal British Columbia
• Tuolumne River near Yosemite National Park in California
• Upper Navua River in Fiji

National Geographic Adventure magazine twice named O.A.R.S. as the Best River and Sea Outfitter on Earth and recently National Geographic Traveler recognized the whitewater rafting and adventure travel company’s Ultimate Fiji Explorer luxury adventure as one of their 2009 Tours of a Lifetime. As testament to the company’s outstanding customer service and expertise, Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Reservations Manager, Mindy Gleason, their Top Travel Specialist for River Rafting in 2007 and 2008.  It’s been a good year for Mindy, eh?

The Seven Whitewater Wonders was introduced as part of O.A.R.S.’ 35th anniversary celebration.  Many whitewater rafting enthusiasts call O.A.R.S. in search of trips on the world’s finest rivers.  The office staff put their collective experiences together – the office staff alone has done close to 1,000 river trips – and realized these seven rivers represent some of the most unique waterways in the world. Five years later, there are several other O.A.R.S. travelers who are about to complete all seven itineraries and join Mindy in the Seven Whitewater Wonders Club.

In an interview from the O.A.R.S. HQ, Mindy said, “I realize I am extremely fortunate to be the first person to participate in such a unique travel opportunity. I certainly will never forget sleeping in tree houses along the Futaleufu River in Chile or witnessing the nearly 75 waterfalls cascading from the Upper Navua River’s canyon walls on my recent trip in Fiji. I find it helpful to have first-hand experience on so many different rivers when I talk with people who call our office. I’m frequently asked to reveal my favorite river, although I can’t truthfully do that. I do, however, have favorite memories from each. I particularly enjoyed the remoteness of the Kliniklini River in British Columbia.  I love to fly and we utilized helicopters and bush planes to access the river, which was thrilling. I often suggest to our travelers to experience more than one river, as each one offers something unique and unforgettable. No matter the economy, it’s always a good time to invest in lifetime memories.” 

Congratulations Mindy – for becoming the first person to navigate all 7 rivers of O.A.R.S.’ Seven Wonders and for being recognized as a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler magazine!
 

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Every year, the editorial team at National Geographic Traveler magazine combs the world to find the most authentic, most innovative, most immersive, best-guided, and most sustainable tours.  This year, they wanted to make sure that the trips they picked were also a great value, given the economic climate. 

O.A.R.S.’ Highlands to Islands: The Ultimate Fiji Explorer was selected as one of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 2009 Tours of a Lifetime.

According to Nat Geo Traveler senior editor Norie Quintos, “What we found is that there is no better time to go on a guided tour than now as the traditional savings offered by an outfitter being able to negotiate better rates on a trip’s components is magnified by cheaper airfares, a strengthened dollar, and more discounts, freebies, and extras."

This Fiji vacation features Class II-III whitewater rafting on the Upper Navua River, as well as inflatable kayaking on the Class II ‘luva River with a visit to a riverside village where friendly locals welcome visitors.  Also included:  sea kayaking on Beqa Lagoon and zip lining through a forest canopy.  And, of course, snorkeling and swimming in turquoise water and relaxing on white-sand beaches.

The May/June issue hit newsstands, Tuesday May 5th. 

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James Wood of Sleepy Hollow, New York, recently joined a family reunion in Fiji.  He and his group of 23 others went whitewater rafting on the Navua River, and he had this to say about the experience:
 
We went on an all day rafting trip down the Navua River!  The rafting trip started at 5 AM when 24 of us piled on a bus.  Fortunately we had a very talented driver who for two hours navigated the potholes and four serious police barricades set up to catch inebriated holiday revelers!  Then it was on to another bus – this one with 4-wheel drive, which took us up, up, and still further up for another hour to where we were each issued a paddle. We then climbed down about 124 steps notched into the side of a steep hill, then up another 100 before going down a final 95 to a gorgeous cove in the river where we boarded the rafts – 4 or 5 to a raft plus a guide each.  Then it was down one rapid after another, with perhaps 100 marvelous waterfalls tumbling into the river as we passed through the canyon walls.  The guides were WONDERFUL.  They quickly sized us up as a fun loving group who enjoyed getting wet!  It was in and out of rapids and then when we reached the first stretch of calm water, Sarah was the first to leave her raft, with the rest of us not far behind!  Splashing with the paddles kept us cool and wet, as did various waterfalls when the guides steered the rafts under them!  We all agreed that you didn’t have to be under 15 to have fun!

A conservation easement protects the 50-mile length of this wonderful river, which ended all too soon!  (Unlike our conservation easements, this one has a finite life of about 20 years so we need to keep our ears and eyes open to be sure it remains in force because it is a very lovely stretch of water and needs to be protected from loggers who would otherwise cut down the mahogany trees) At 7:30 PM a very tired but happy group arrived back at First Landing where we were staying.

O.A.R.S. started running commercial river trips in Fiji in 1998, and has since employed local residents to manage operations and guide guests downriver.  In 2000, we signed the final paperwork creating the Upper Navua Conservation Area ensuring the river corridor would be protected from logging and gravel extraction for a minimum of 50 years.  The transaction received approval from local government, occupants and landowners, as well as from the very logging company who cleared swaths of land nearby.  On April 11, 2006, the Upper Navua Conservation Area became Fiji’s first, officially designated Ramsar site (protected wetland of international importance).
 

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Frank Headon traveled to Fiji in 2006 with several members of his family and participated in a whitewater rafting trip on the Upper Navua River with O.A.R.S.’ sister company, Rivers Fiji.  (Remember Survivor: Fiji?  Same river, same river outfitter!)  The trip, and especially the Fijian children, inspired Frank to start a book drive.  He, along with family and friends and other students, collected more than 1600 books for a Fijian school’s library.  Here is his story, in his words:

Mr. Wendt (George Wendt is the Founder and President of O.A.R.S.),
 
   In the late winter of early 2006, part of my family, my grandfather (Frank Headen), uncle (Greg Headen), father (Mark Headen), cousin (Chandler Headen), brother (James Headen), and I (Frank Headen), were invited to go on a trip with one of my granddad’s friends, Richard, and additional family friends.  My grandfather knows Richard through traveling with him around the world.  We all decided that it would be fun, and right before school ended in May, my granddad got it set up for us to go.  Before the trip, we read at least one book each about Fiji.  My brother and I were also watching Survivor: Fiji every Thursday night, being fans of reality shows that we are.  We were anticipating Independence Day for more than one reason; the unobvious reason was that we were getting on a plane and flying to Los Angeles, where we would catch our 13-hour flight to Nadi, (I didn’t know it until I landed in Fiji, but it is pronounced, “Nandi.”)
   After we landed, we went to our first hotel, which was only about 20 minutes away.  When we got there, we were treated with a Mojito and a damp, peppermint-scented cloth.  We checked in, put our luggage in our rooms, and went for an early lunch.  After that, we took a dip in the pool, and then decided we would take a quick nap and meet back up for dinner.  Well, it didn’t end up that way!  We slept from 2:00 in the afternoon until 8:00 the next morning!  Our taxis drove us back to the airport and we met up with the other people that would be in our group for the next ten days.
   As we drove across the beautiful Fijian landscape, we got our first sense of what the country was like.  We saw a lot of beautiful land and not very many houses – but there were many smiling children playing outside with rugby balls and just chasing each other around.  It was simply child’s play, and they looked so happy.  We ended up getting to our second hotel, where we would stay for the remainder of our time in Fiji, except for one night, the highlight of my trip.
   The day started out normally:  we got ready, ate breakfast, hopped on the bus and arrived at the Navua River.  As we were taking our six-our rafting trip, I found out that my raft guides had been on Survivor: Fiji!!  (I remembered the particular show that they were on very well.  It was down to the final three, and it was the last rewards challenge.  Jeff Probst, the series host, described the reward challenge as a rafting trip and a wonderful traditional lunch made by the guides on my rafting trip.  Each of the three guides that I talked to had a different show favorite.  It was between Earl, Cirie, and Yau-Man.)  It was pretty cool to relate to people that I had never met before, especially from half-way around the world.
   About two hours before we got to Nakavika, we stopped at a village called Wanindiro.  An elderly man was sick and needed to get to the hospital, many hours away from where we were located at that point.  He jumped on a raft, and caught a bus to Nadi, when we neared the village. It showed me how close knit the Fijians are with one another, and how every person there is a Good Samaritan inside and out, which is, sadly, not always the same in the US.
   When we got to the village of Nakavika, we set up our things in tents that were on a field by the school.  We had a quick meeting, and then went to see the wonderful meal that the people of Nakavika had made for us.  Every village person wanted to help, even if it meant that an eight-year-old boy had to pick up a piece of chicken on hot coals with his hands.  The meal was one of the most amazing I ever had!  The food was really delicious, and it was cool to know that it was made just for us, by our hospitable hosts.
   After dinner, we went to Chief Leo’s house/hut.  When we got there, we were told to sit in a circle, and be quiet for the moment.  My granddad, the oldest in our group and referred to as “Chief Frank” sat by Chief Leo.  I sat beside my granddad.  There were phrases said in Fijian by one of the men in the village, which were our right of passage to stay in the village, and our right as a real villager of Nakavika.  As a bowl of kava was going around, I saw my new friends’ faces turn greenish.  They looked like they were about to cry.  My cousin leaned over and whispered in my ear that it tasted like cough medicine and mud mixed together.  I told myself that if that was what I had to do to embrace the true Fijian culture, I would drink it.  Well, my cousin was right!  It did taste exactly how he said.  When the ceremony was over, we were told that it was okay for us to stay and visit with the villagers and Chief Leo.
   I was determined to stay and talk to Chief Leo, even if I had to wait for hours.  Fortunately, it didn’t pan out like that.  I only had to wait about five minutes for the bird watcher from Arizona, Helen, to finish talking to him.  It was finally my chance.  I was nervous and intimidated at first, because he was now the chief of my new village.  I ended up being fine and he was a pretty cool old man.  I talked to him about how he was offered a lot of money to leave the village, because it was blocking a copper company’s way of getting to their prime source, copper. Chief Leo said that it was a hard decision to make because he didn’t know if the money would benefit the villagers after Leo passed, as he said that he would anytime soon.  He said that his other choice was to stay and live happily in the Nakavika village, like he had done for over sixty years.  We also talked about God and Jesus, as we both are Christians.  I told him about my experiences of helping people on mission trips in West Virginia, Ohio, and Tennessee, as well as local missions in my close community and the whole metropolitan area of Charlotte.  He strengthened my relationship with God and the rest of the people in the world.  Just listening to him speak one humble sentence about helping his village, would have made me want to go see him again in Fiji.
   At the end of our conversation, we talked about school, and he said that villages around the area would send children from grades kindergarten to 8th grade every morning to go to school.  I met the principal, the Chief’s son, and we set up a tour of the school for the next morning after breakfast.  My dad and I went, but as we went into the first classroom and the little first graders sang us a song, everyone in our group came inside and listened and smiled.  We visited every classroom except the 8th grade.  After our tour, I went to the principal’s office and saw the school’s “library.”  It was made up of about 40 books, which were either tattered or just not good books to read to and relate to, like a good reader would like.
   When I got back home from Fiji, I couldn’t get the “library” image out of my head.  Even before I left for Fiji, I knew that I would end up having to give back to the Fijians because of what I was expecting to get out the experience from them.  I had the perfect idea – I would begin a book drive.  I told my mom and dad first, and they bought the idea.  I then told my advisory, which was headed by Ms. Babula a.k.a. “Profe”. They all agreed to help and that’s where it all started.
   We ended up sending 1657 books to Fiji.  I am so proud of everyone that helped me throughout the experience, and I should be the last person to be thanked.  It wouldn’t have happened without the help of my school and my family.  I set a goal of 250 books, and I got more than six times the amount.
 
Thank you so much,

Frank Headen

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Don’t let the fact that the California whitewater rafting season is winding down deter you from making other adventure vacation plans.  O.A.R.S. still has plenty of other 2008 departures remaining:

CHILE:
Futaleufú River Multi-Sport:  Nov 29; Dec 5, 12, 26, 28

ECUADOR:
Ecuador Multi-Sport:  November 16, 30; December 21, 28

FIJI:
Highlands-to-Islands:  December 6

Upper Navua Gorge:  Year-round Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays

‘luva:  Year-round Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays

GALÁPAGOS:
Multi-Sport:  Nov 22, 29; Dec 6, 13, 20 (Last Chance for our land-based itinerary!)

Sea Kayak the Enchanted Islands; Dec 12, 26

Galapagos Naturalist Sailing:  December 19, 26 (additional dates available upon request)

MEXICO:

Sea of Cortez Island Hopping:  October 4, 25; November 8

Sea Kayaking the Baja Coast:  October 11; November 1, 15

Sea Kayaking and camping on Espiritu Santo Island:  October 19; November 16, 23; December 20

PERU:
Peru Multi-Sport:  October 7, 21; November 11, 25

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Okay, whitewater rafting anywhere is paradise.  However, it’s especially true in Fiji.   Don’t take my word for it… here’s a video clip of an O.A.R.S. / Rivers Fiji trip on the Navua River…

Navua River Fiji

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