And so it begins

Fiji has been a dream we have had for more that 25 years.

We became PADI certified divers back in 1990 in Salt Lake City in preparation for our belated honeymoon in Cozumel, Mexico. It took a few years to save, but it was spectacular! Fast forward to 2001 and we spent a week on Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. Again, a slightly belated 10th Anniversary trip, but it was a once in a lifetime adventure.

We always planned to return to Lizard Island and snorkel the truly transcendent reefs, but that dream died with the reef itself, a victim of the 2016-17 global coral bleaching event. The Fijian reefs came through that event mostly unscathed due in part to Cyclone Winston, which cooled the surrounding waters, though they did take one helluva beating with the storm (double-edged sword).

Waters are warming again with a “strong” El Nino on its way this winter and predictions pointing to 2024 exceeding 2016 as the hottest year on record.

So what does this have to do with our adventures? Well, we decided if we wanted to see the reefs in Fiji, we better do it as soon as possible. With a literal fire burning under our butts, we booked our airline tickets, did a wack-ton of research on the region of the reefs in top conditions and booked 9 days at Nukubati Island.

Unlike our last two “dive” trips, this one is a wee bit ahead of schedule. We will be celebrating 35 years together in 2024.

More to come!