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The Fiji Islands were one of the greatest surprises of our tour. It was always easy for me to think that most south Pacific islands are simply volcanoes surrounded by coral reefs. The Fiji Islands are a great deal more complicated, as volcanoes have not been active here for several million years. Instead, the islands were formed by complex tectonic plate interactions that have twisted the oceanic crust, and pushed many kinds of relatively unusual rocks to the surface. During my short hike in the interior, I picked up samples of basalt, agglomerate, tuff, gabbro, and even some granitic rock.

We had a choice of activities while staying near Nadi on the biggest Fiji Island, Viti Levu. Many of our group elected to take a boat to small uninhabited Malamala Island. Others took helicopter flights or hiked into the big island interior. Tours through the orchid displays at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant also proved popular.

Coral Reefs (Malamala Island)   dsc # File name Description     4532   Approaching little (6 acre) Malamala Island, a few miles offshore of Nadi. The island is a small coral atoll, with a sandy surface, and surrounded on all sides by a coral reef terrace. 0016   Another view of the island, courtesy of Shirley, from a helicopter. When we arrived, tide was high, but dropping. We were able to snorkel in about 2 feet of water, but the water was soon so shallow that walking was the only way to see the reef (staying in the sandy areas, of course) 4627   Close up of coral derived sand on the shore of the island. There is no quartz here. All of the sand is the result of waves crashing on coral reefs 4612   Staghorn Coral exposed by low tide 4556   A bright blue starfish! 4561   What is an oxymoron? Here is a little giant clam....(about 4 inches across) 4589   The "interior" of the island is a beautiful jungle of coconuts and shrubs. 4593   Low tide on the reef 4586   The glass-bottomed boat explores the outer edge of the reef. The main island of Viti Levu 4663   Fiji Sunset from the homebound boat

The Nasouri Highlands and the Interior   dsc # File name Description 0687   Our hiking journay took us for several miles from a high ridge at 3,000 foot down into the valley containing the small village of Yavuna. 4713   The upper slopes of the ridge were covered by high grasses. I am really glad they don't have ticks here.... 4690   The Nasouri Highlands 4750   The upper ridges were on the somewhat drier leeward part of the island. They once had a covering of native trees, which were later logged off. Replanting has begun in several areas, but not here... 4726   A few pockets of natural vegetation could be seen. The cliff and thick forest in the foreground was described as an ancient refuge that was easily defendable. 4730   Outcrops revealed dark volcanic breccias, deposits left by mudflows streaming down the sides of erupting volcanoes. The mudflows are called lahars. 0694   We arrive in Yavuna. The pleasant little village had a Methodist Church, a few dozen families, and few, if any cars (a bus arrives daily for access to Nadi). The logs under the thatched roof are drums. 4757   A small river flows through the village. The water was very low when we came through. 0712   My greatest surprise was finding granitic rock in the interior. This roadcut exposes a nonconformity where conglomerate overlies eroded tonalite (a coarse-grained intrusive rock related to granite). These rocks usually form deep beneath the surface (sometimes miles), so their exposure here means that many tens of thousands of feet of overlying rock has been removed by erosion.