While resting comfortably in the warm, humid air on the beach of Viti Levu, Fiji, reading a book by Richard Bach, on my honeymoon, my ears pick up a familiar rumble. Thinking the sound is in my head at first, I ignore it, reasoning to myself that there is no possibility I could be hearing a radial engine. It slowly grew less faint, and finally reached the point where I looked up to the horizon. Where the ocean meets the sky I found an aircraft steadily growing in size. Wings and a fuselage quickly became apparent, but what were the appendages slung under the fuselage? Floats, it turns out, and it quickly became apparent that Fiji has its own resident Beaver fleet. As the Beaver gently banked overhead, engine romantically rumbling, the last remaining sun of the day flashing off its paint, I decided we had to, at one point in our stay, take a flight. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would find a North American icon, actively working so far from its home.

Fiji is a group of 392 different islands in the South Pacific. Most are inhabited, but there still remains a number which stay free of inhabitants. Settled over 3,500 years ago, Fiji has a vibrant history. Generally discovered by the Dutch in 1643, and Captain James Cook of England in 1774, Fiji’s discovery and recording is largely credited to Captain William Bligh when he sailed through the island group after the mutiny on the Bounty in the year 1789. It is commonly known that the native population of Fijians once practiced cannibalism and Captain Bligh was apparently aware of the formidable warriors as he sailed non-stop through the island group to insure his safety. But as the missionaries gained influence in the islands and Christianity took a strong hold in 1854, the tribal warfare quickly ceased and the practice of cannibalism died off with it. We decided to break our trip into two modes of travel to and from Castaway Island. For the trip out we wanted to see what the islands between Viti Levu and Castaway were like, so we opted to travel by boat. For our return we thought it would be nice to see what Fiji looks like from the air because the commercial flight to and from Fiji from Los Angeles lands and departs at night.

We rode on the catamaran from Viti Levu to Castaway Island, and after a 2 hour ride in not the most pleasant seas, I was ready to be at our destination. Upon our arrival we were pleasantly greeted by the staff of Castaway Island Resort, and were offered very welcomed tropical drinks. Near the edge of the perimeter of the Fijian islands, in the distance, one can see the large breaks crashing on the distant outer reef where the sky meets the sea. The water around Castaway Island are surprisingly calm and the tiny waves gently brush the sand from the beaches creating a beautiful location for snorkeling, swimming, or kayaking. Walking around the grounds reminds me of a soothing spa, and during our stay, the staff cutting the coconuts out of the trees even offered us a freshly cut coconut. Regular tree trimming is a must because of the dangers of falling coconuts. During one night we were woken by one such coconut, and given how loud it was when it hit our roof, I can only imagine that one could certainly be knocked unconscious.

Pacific Island Seaplanes, based at Nadi International Airport, operates 2 DHC-2 Beavers. Dubbed the “Workhorse of the North,” the de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver has created a long-standing reputation of being a reliable mode of transportation from locations with difficult access. First taking flight on August 16, 1947, and first customer deliveries commencing in April 1948, the Beaver swiftly became a success with its ability to operate with wheels, skis, or floats. A simple and robust design, it has a powerful engine giving it a useful load of over a ton and an airframe which has easy access for maintenance in remote locations.