It was on the first of our bis in die excursions to the nearest island that we discovered the dinghy would only get up on the plane if we crouched with our weight forward, caught a wave, traveled over shallow water, and/or sang the chorus from Indiana Jones. From then on fishing, snorkeling, exploring and scavenging destinations were quickly and easily reached.

The reefs are colourful with a fantastic array of coral types – fanlike structures, staghorns, solid bulky formations and fine, delicate lacy arrangements. Residing in the anemones are bold little clown fish that energetically guard their habitat against intrusive snorkellers. On the reef between our mooring at Port Maurelle and the beach, we saw metre-wide bouquets of peach-coloured coral rosebuds, ribboned with tiny leschenaultia-blue fish that sprouted out in a perfect frizz when they thought we were not looking. Colonies of black and white striped fish the size of a 20 cent piece, thrive within the sanctuary of miniature coral forests. There are fat, blimp-like starfish, pumped up and baby pink, together with their leaner, leggy, cobalt cousins. In the weed beds exposed during low tide, long, wormlike creatures with furry heads insinuate themselves between the rocks, and sea snakes with delicate ruffled collars swim by. Live shells, cowries and cones, numerous clam shells, dead and alive, large and small, litter the seabed and the beaches. By fortunate accident, we sailed close to a pod of whales, and even as we gaped, a marlin leapt into the air six or seven times. Although one or two shots at supplementing the Yellowfin failed, the irresistible impression is that the sea around the Vava’u islands is teeming with life.