Wednesday 7 July:

Return from Korovuto Village

The touring party returned from the village after boosting the local economy with substantial purchases of jewelery and craftwork made in the village.
While some Dads snoozed the afternoon away, others took to the high seas with their sons to snorkel and scuba dive the Turtle Rock, a one hour boat trip from the resort. It was a roughish trip to the reef through choppy seas whipped up by 20 knot winds, the smaller scuba-diving boat having to sit in the close wake of the larger Sonaisali cat, to reach the reef in reasonable time. The water visibility was good, there was an impressive display of coral and small tropical fish, but those expecting a jaws-like encounter were disappointed.

Before dinner the boys hot-footed it to the far end of the island for a display by ten traditional Fijian firewalkers. Bare-chested and in grass skirts, they tip-toed through rocks heated for hours in blazing log fires. Some of the Newport visitors were disappointed that they were not invited to tip-toe through the embers.
But the night was not over, with a special transmission of the State of Origin game in the Zero bar. The Dutch contingent in the Newport group had little time to sleep before rousing themselves to cheer Germany to defeat in the World Cup.