A Problem that Ends Well
A Problem that Ends Well
August was a month with a Friday the 13th. As though the date were the center of an hour glass, all the events of the days prior had to sift through that narrow passage to spread out on the other side.
After Pam and Rae left, Jim and I, (Alice) had just a few days to do a bit of cleaning and organizing before our next crew member came on board. Nicola arrived from Australia on Saturday morning, August 7. The timing was perfect. A gathering of yachties was planned for that afternoon at the Planters Club. Its hillside location and large deck provides a good view of Nakema Creek, Savusavu and most of the sailboats from a variety of different nations moored in its calm secure waters. It is an old private club established for the entertainment of the local copra planters, primarily as a place to drink and hang out.
Like the other Cruisers, we brought some meat to barbeque and Nicola & I made a great potato salad to share. One fellow brought his guitar, another his banjo, and another a harmonica. There were conga drums and Jeff and Christie brought their ukuleles. All enjoyed the music. Nicola, who also plays the ukulele was delighted to meet Jeff and Christie and to hear them play and sing.
The following day we relaxed and did a few more jobs around INTENTION. Monday we shopped and around noon the three of us plus Bogi, left for Cousteau’s. We were giving ourselves a head start to sail out to Taveuni as soon as the wind and the sea were agreeable.
Anchored out at Cousteau’s there was snorkeling plus a couple of hikes. On Tuesday we all went for a hike to a hill overlooking the bay. On Wednesday while I relaxed in a hammock on the foredeck of INTENTION, Jim, Nicola, and Bogi went for a long hike all the way to the telecommunication tower.
Conditions looked favorable to sail out on Friday, August 13. Thursday, Jim, Nicola and I took a short bus trip into town to stock up on supplies. Jim got a call from Bogi that Customs wanted to see him. So after lunch we went to Customs. The man who wanted to see him was not there but he was told that he must return the boat to Savusavu, Nakema Creek. He had to return to Customs the following morning.
On Friday, August 13 instead of sailing out to Taveuni we returned to Savusavu on INTENTION. When Jim met with Customs he was told that he broke a Fijian Customs rule that he was required to inform Customs of his sailing itinerary before INTENTION leaves Savusavu even if all the sailing was completely within their jurisdiction. Customs wanted to know where the boat had sailed previously and Jim told them, “Buca Bay.” Customs then imposed a fine of $1250 Fijian. And until it was resolved, Jim or INTENTION could not leave Savusavu. Jim told the man at Customs that he was not going to pay and that he would appeal it to a higher authority in Suva. Jim spent the day composing a letter, telling where he’d been and that his experience had been that this rule had not been enforced at any of the other ports in Fiji. He also explained that the Customs officer who first checked him in at Savusavu did not inform him of this rule. He them brought the letter to Customs. We were told we would hear back from Customs on Tuesday. The question was, “What Tuesday?”
Saturday Nicola went into town to investigate her options to explore Taveuni by land. On Sunday Nicola took the 7am bus, the “Black Virus,” that would then take her to a ferry at the Mission in Buca Bay which departs daily at 10am to Taveuni Island.
For Jim the next few days were spent trying to resolve the matter with Customs. On Monday we spoke with a Customs broker, Herbert, who said he would contact the official in Suva directly. The issue was with our previous sail to Buca Bay. Jim told Herbert that we checked in with the police in Buca Bay shortly after our arrival. That information was included in a subsequent letter along with the official’s name and badge number. This letter was faxed to the head Customs official in Suva. The next day a local Customs official came to the boat requesting that Jim sign a piece of paper admitting guilt and agreeing to pay the fine. Jim courteously refused.
Nicola returned on Thursday from Taveuni. She’d had a great time. The waterfalls were not crowded and she’d had time alone in nature.
On Saturday Nicola had to leave. We hope she will sail with us again. She was fun, great company, harmonious crew, and a fabulous cook.
Jim and I spent the bulk of the next week doing jobs around INTENTION and hoping to hear good news from Herbert. On Thursday, August 26, when we went to his office, he made a phone call to the Head of Customs and Revenue in Suva. He was told that a letter would be faxed to Customs in Savusavu and the issue would be dropped, no fine and INTENTION released to sail again. On Friday morning Jim got that confirmed, when he and Herbert went to Customs.
Finally the matter resolved in our favor with the promise to Customs to always respect their rules. Now, we will be sure to inform Customs when we leave the Nakema Creek, Savusavu area. We are both very grateful for the very positive outcome of this issue. In the future we will make it a point to thoroughly research Custom’s rules and requirements no matter where we go.
