These are the poetic words of Pauliasi Volau, the single inhabitant of the island called Yanuyanu Kalou. Directly translated the island name is “Island of the God” and we would have to agree.

Pauliasi has a poetic soul.

We kind of lucked into this spot. We saw it from our anchorage at Naividamu. It’s a little island about a mile from Naividamu with an inviting beach, so we decided we would anchor here. Imagine our surprise to find someone living here. You might call him a hermit, but that would diminish who he is. We have found Pauliasi to be a man of wisdom and inner strength. He is 72 years young. He has two dogs and a rooster.

Pauliasi's small hut...

...complete with newly made fishing spear (the last big fish swam away with his old spear)

He’s working on keeping hens but the rats on the island keep eating them. However, with fish (that he spears and/or nets) clams, coconuts, papaya, bananas and some gardening that produces cassava and eggplant he is not wanting except for water. That’s where we came in. There is a bit of a drought right now down here and Pauliasi, as with the other villagers on Fulanga, are short on water. Enter our buddies on Orcinius who are anchored with us in this lovely spot. They have a huge watermaker and they made a couple hundred gallons for Pauliasi today. As he put it, he now has water for daily use and more water “for Christmas”. Orcinius ran their watermaker and I ferried the water it produced into the island in 5 gallon jugs. Took a while but it was worth it to see his face knowing he had water to spare.

Once we met him we immediately took a liking to him and set up a sundowner session on his beach. We told him to meet us on the beach “when the sun is almost down”. The only worry was that just before sunset an outrigger canoe showed up with a women, man and young boy. Our first though was, “Darn, this is going to spoil our time with Pauliasi”. It turned out it that they were his nephew with his wife and son who had come out to bring him some food and company. They were delightful and we had quite a party on the beach.

Pauliasi's nephew and family.

Sundowners on the beach.

Ann and Lisa had gone out earlier and foraged for clams which John cooked and we brought to the beach. We had a hard time getting the clams away from Pauliasi who really liked them. In Fiji the elders have the respect and if they don’t share the food, the younger folks can’t ask them to share. We finally pulled “the Palangi card” and said he had to pass the clams. We gave him a big plate and then passed the rest on to the other family members. All the while sitting on one of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see in your life, looking out at our two boats with the sun setting behind them.

Sun setting over the canoe.

As Pauliasi said, “The sun sets and we rise and watch the night”. I couldn’t say it better. Magic.