Nukubati Nirvana

Saturday, November 20, 11:30AM.   This can’t be real… it’s just way too much of a picture perfect dream to be real.  Trolling in crystal blue waters off the Great Sea Reef in northern Fiji, 65 pound Spanish mackerel staring at me from the floorboards of our 25 foot skiff, Lucky Dube rolling out of the boom box, unbelievably clear blue skies with howling SE offshore trade winds, and, most important, still relishing our three hour morning session of six to eight foot peeling right hand perfection.  But nope, it’s real all right -- really real -- the fresh bite on my line confirms that. But I should rewind a bit, to the beginning.  
Always on the lookout for new, unique, and off the radar destinations, we had been eyeballing this small five star resort called Nukubati in northern Fiji, off the island of Vanua Levu, for several years.  It looked incredibly appealing and, through some credible inside information, we knew it had good waves on the reefs several miles off the island during the North Pacific swell season.  So I made the move and contacted the wonderful Fijian owner, Jenny Bourke, a local from the area, now married to an Australian garment retailer and living in Sydney.  It went very well, and in no time we had an exploratory trip on the books for mid November.
Early morning, Tuesday, November 16. Fighting off the cobwebs and aching knees from the 10 hour Air Pacific journey from Los Angeles to Nadi. Our boards are spirited out of Air Pacific baggage claim over to Sun Air, where we have our flight booked to Labassa on northern Vanua Levu later that morning.  No space on the eight passenger BN2 Twin Islander for, yep you guessed it, our boards.  Not a good start, but a few exchanges in Fijian, a transfer of a few dollars, and voila… we’re in.
This BN2 Twin Islander is a real experience, truly.  I fly a lot and dig getting on funky planes, and this one was my best yet.  Single pilot, good and loud, the whole deal, you know, real flying.  In spite of the size and funk of the plane, it was a smooth and beautiful 90-minute flight over northern Viti Levu and into the “city” of Labassa. The real good news?  We were practically sitting on our boards the whole way so we knew they made the trip with us.
A one hour, cushed out, air conditioned SUV transfer later, we were at the dock for the five-minute panga ride out to Nukubati Resort. We arrived midday checked into our amazing double bungalow, and were greeted with an incredible lunch set up. It was all starting to feel good.
With the “getting there” element of the trip over, it was time to do what we came here for. We were introduced to Masi and Rusi, our tag team duo boatmen, they would be our local watermen, dive masters, and surf guides for the next four days. A short period of provisioning and board loading, and the four of us were flying across pristine, sheet glass waters out to one of the nearby reef passes.  Radiantly gorgeous views and the always-impressive deep blue Fijian waters, there wasn’t another boat for God knows how many miles. All that was left was now was anticipation.
Eight to ten miles from the reefs, it takes 15 minutes or so before you finally see the telltale wisps of white foam on the horizon.  As we neared, we stood, straining to see better, we were finally there.  It was an impressive reef set up -- a fairly long bending right and an even longer set up on the left across the pass, but alas, not much swell.  
After about 30 minutes of moving in and out, up and down the reef, over the left, back over to the right, we decided not to surf that afternoon, at least not there. Okay, easy next move, out with the fishing lines and troll east an hour to the next reef pass. Once again, we didn’t see another boat in sight as we yanked fish after fish on board -- snapper, trevally, and a few missed barracuda. It was incredible fishing… and I totally suck at fishing.
Up with the lines as we arrived at our next reef pass -- a smaller, more condensed version of the one we last visited, with what looked like even more potential. There was more angular bend in both the right and left, each no more than several hundred yards apart.   This is the right we had heard about, but we just couldn’t get a good read with so little swell. Still, our guts told us this was a wave.  Another half hour of in and out, up and down the pass, showing the boys the right angle of approach and view.
Chalk up afternoon one to great fishing and some good reef check outs.  We knew there was plenty of potential, now it was a waiting game.
We enjoyed a gorgeous 20-minute sunset glide across inner waters back to Nukubati and a four-course dinner, cocktails, beer and wine included.  By 9 p.m. we were toast, dragging our asses the short 20 yards from the restaurant to our bungalow.  Lights out.
Wednesday, 5:30 a.m. call. Quick view out the windows -- clean, clear, and no wind. We were on it.  The boat was fueled, food and beverages provisioned, fishing poles and tackle in tow, boards, and off we fly.  
First call, the second reef pass we sussed out yesterday. Waiting for that telltale trace of white foam to appear on the horizon, yep, there it was. The right was super clean, slightly offshore and about head high, peeling perfectly along for 150 yards along the reef. Flawless. And the best part? Not a soul in sight. Time to set the pick and get in the water.
Three hours later, arms gassed, we flopped into the boat like a fish having done battle.  What a morning -- wave after wave of consistent, head high, south pacific perfection -- just me and my mate, left to savor it alone. Content beyond comprehension. After a rabid food refuel, we take a troll, catch a bounty of fish, and head back to the right.  Another three-hour session of the same, with slightly more wind blowing a bit more sideshore in the afternoon, but still completely rideable.
And that was just day two, Wednesday.   Thursday, Friday, and Saturday?  A repeat of the above. Add a few feet to it on Thursday, then another few feet coupled with stronger offshores on Friday. It dropped a few feet by Saturday, but the prevailing offshores kept it fun. All in all, it was surfing and fishing Nirvana.
As we circled around the reef pass for our final troll late Saturday morning before our flight back to Nadi, it hit me all at once. Like a movie montaj, the experience rushed over me and finally, what had been so surreal during our stay in Nukubati, sank in. To have it all -- outrageously fun surf, incredible fishing, unbelievable food and accommodations – is one thing. But to have it to ourselves? That was just downright unfair.