Johnny X gears up for his shark dive at The Bistro off Beqa Island. Betsa Marsh photo
By Betsa Marsh
Johnny X the SATW Traveling Teddy crossed the International Dateline to explore Fiji–the two-day odyssey felt a bit like a mini-hibernation.
Johnny flew across the US and the Pacific Ocean, took a bus and then hopped two boats to get to Beqa Island, pronounced “Mbenga”–that word took some practice! Johnny X travels for the third-grade class of St. Joseph Consolidated School in Hamilton, Ohio.
Johnny was coming to scuba dive in the warm water, where giant soft corals sway in the current and divemaster Joeli Delana led a shark dive! At 86 feet below the surface, we watched nurse, lemon and bull sharks swim by and snap severed skipjack fish heads out of Joeli’s hand in a fluid buffet line. Yikes!
Back on land, Johnny X went to the Methodist Church in the village of Raviravi, and later that day met a young chorister performing with the full church choir back at the Beqa Lagoon Resort.
Johnny X meets a young chorister of Raviravi Methodist Church on Beqa Island. Betsa Marsh photo
After catching two return boats and heading to Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu, Johnny X traveled inland a bit, meeting young friends in the pottery village of Lawai. And he even jumped into the arms of the village’s young warrior, Inosi Navoto of the warrior clan. That warclub he was carrying looked serious!
Johnny with children at Lawai pottery village. Betsa Marsh photo
Johnny with warrior Inosi Navoto in Lawai pottery village. Betsa Marsh photo
During a Waitui breakfast at the Warwick Fiji Hotel, Johnny X did a double-take–was that really a mermaid? Sure enough, and she wanted to cuddle with the furry little bear.
Johnny with a mermaid at Warwick Fiji Resort. Betsa Marsh photo
Even closer with a mermaid! Betsa Marsh photo
To wrap up an unforgettable Fijian trip, Johnny X jetboated up the Sigatoka River and met the village elders of Naveyado Village. Afterwards, he joined a giant communal feast,
Yum! The village feast in Naveyado Village. Betsa Marsh photo
sitting on the floor, then dancing with his new village friends. Soon it really was time to hibernate on the two-day trip across the International Dateline to his den back home.
