Misadventure at Savusavu Marina:
This marina bills itself as a user-friendly marina with hurricane moorings. The reality of life there, as in the way they present themselves to the world via their website, could not be further apart.

I arrived at the marina just before hurricane season and was assigned a mooring older than 5 years. Not happy with this I demanded a mooring no older than 3 years (which is what they had told me) and had to wait almost a month (of hurricane season) for the correct mooring tackle to arrive so they could set up a safe mooring for me. I have learned to watch any work the marina does and always to speak up if things are not right, out of self-preservation.
There are a number of hurricane moorings, some of which are protected behind the reef that’s there and mangroves.

I was placed out on number 20, well away from the mangroves but behind the reef. I rode out two hurricanes there this season and thankfully we only saw the peripheral effects as the storms passed well away from our location in Fiji. But I can tell you this, being on these moorings would be extremely rough if you were in the path of one of these monsters, especially if it happened during anything other than low tide with the added risk of other boats from the other marinas breaking free and crashing into you, as has happened in the past. The hurricane protection here is not what you might think it is if you believe the website.

Hurricane Winston happened two and a half years ago and the marina still has not recovered the basic services. The only source of power for the dock is at the head of the ramp where extension cords run to each boat with multiple connections along the way. I have seen two electrical fires as a result in my six months here and recently a boat baked some of its electrical wiring on board (which according to the owner of the boat was a result of the electrical issues here on the dock). The marina did put in a new electrical outlet after this, but there is still no power on the actual dock.
There is no running water on the dock, just a tap at the head of the ramp next to the electrical outlets already mentioned. The water itself is good when it’s not raining, but is out of sorts during and after a rainfall (in my experience 2-3 days after). So if you have to fill your tanks plan accordingly.

There is a pole at the head of the ramp with two light bulbs on it and this is the only light anywhere near the dock unless you supply it yourself. Take a headlamp if you go out at night.
Internet (as in many marinas) is sketchy and is not available for all moorings.
It’s fair to say that the place is a shambles and there appears to be no progress to recover what would be considered basic amenities. It would also be nice to see staff on site during regular hours.
Be cautious of any emails that you send to the office and on occasion to any of the boats there as it has been known (I have seen it myself) that your email will be sent around to various people as entertainment. So be cautious of what you say in an email unless you want it to become public knowledge. I wish I could say that this was a rare event.

Finally, in my own experience that is fully documented, I have had trouble with a tradesman named Shane Middenway of Middenway Engineering Solutions who operates out of a workshop on the marina property. His information is on the marina website.
On my arrival, I had been at sea or travelling for 5 years and I needed a general clean-up and refit onboard Ellare. The marina recommended Shane, who quoted a ridiculous amount to do the work, which I refused. He then immediately dropped his price to what I told him was my budget and said he would do it for that price. It was agreed the job would be completed in 3 weeks and that I would supervise the work. Shane Middenway sent unskilled labour to do the job, with no tools or experience, and after six weeks I fired them. Various parts that had been removed from my boat and put in Middenway’s workshop for safekeeping, were then held to ransom and various demands for money made.

I really should have seen this coming, but blindly believed that good business practices would prevail and that my parts would be returned and we would part wiser for the experience. As non-citizens of Fiji, you are on the losing end of any trouble. The system is stacked against you.
I will add that when this trouble started the marina did allow me to stay on the dock for free, although I did have to pay for power.

My own story ends with a final offer I made to Middenway and which the marina supplemented by borrowing from another boat here to pay the ransom and get my stuff back.
EZRA at Savusavu Yacht Services worked with me and helped me put the boat back together. I used Ritesh for welding and fabrication.
Jamie MacDonald
[email protected]

Reported 28 January 2018 by Jim Van Cleve
Trouble in Paradise

A couple of nights ago in Nakama Creek, Savusavu Fiji, a yacht was robbed while the owner was sleeping. This much-loved individual, a fixture in Savusavu, is also profoundly hearing impaired. It appears that the carefree days of leaving your boat open, day and night, are over.

NAVIGATION HAZARD
Reported by Roger Jones – 30 September 2016

Savusavu update. There is a sunken boat near the entrance to the mooring field – a casualty of hurricane Wilson. It will be on your left just as you pass into the area. It is visible at low tide but not at high tide. Favour the right side as you enter.
Based on where my charted track goes crazy, my best guess is it is near S 16 46.661 E 179 19.731. Apparently, they have tried to mark it with a bottle on a rope.