Designing an efficient domestic water supply system.

[Fletcher]

Ta Nick .. congrats are a bit embarrassing & not necessary - I had PM requests way earlier to put up details of what I do & I decided to share the thought processes & decisions along the way for those interested - not to brag or anything else so crude so let's leave it out & enjoy the scenery.

[Unbalanced]

Hi Fletcher,

I bought a a good little ocean capable boat and have been working around the clock to get her ready for extended voyaging. I hope to be in your neighborhood in about eight months. Hawaii, Line Is, French Polynesia, Cooks, Samoa (s), Fiji.

I'll look you up,

Curtis

[Fletcher]

That's great Fletcher, Savusavu's elevation should protect your investment! ;)

Actually I'm 24 km's away from Savusavu on the South-East Coast on macadam/seal - the subdivision area is level at a couple of meters above mean high water mark - I've just completed an EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment Report] to look into vulnerability to natural disasters etc - fortunately I'd done some homework before purchase which was confirmed in the expert consultants findings - that part of fiji's coast line is raising over time & not sinking, which is unusual - because of the natural geomorphological features of the lagoon & reef frontage plus protection from Bakabaka Island to the east there is almost nil chance or threat of tsunami or cyclonic flooding [sea levels rise in extreme low pressure zones].

That being said I've managed to have the front yard building line restriction reduced from standard 30 m's to 15 m's & building covenants will say that floor height must be 1 meter above ground datum.

My house is 8 meters above the lagoon.

P.S. C U then Curtis.

[Michael]

Great all around. Going from memory it is a resort right? How many people can it hold?

[Fletcher]

No Michael .. not a resort though I think one beach would be excellent for a resort development & I will consider that later - might lease the land as I don't want to become a resort owner in that intensive form, makes a mill stone for your neck.

At the moment I provide free grazing for my neighbours 80 head of cattle ;7) - but that will stop when I fence off the beach side of road & the subdivision perimeter etc - I have about 10 acres of coconuts that my caretaker cash crops for copra for himself as part of his deal.

The land is 200 acres with about 2 km's of beach front & goes about 2 km's to the back of property at 100 m asl.

[jim_mich]

200 acres? Dang, that is a nice large piece of paradise !

[Fletcher]

The challenge is to keep it a paradise Jim.

There is 18 acres between the coastal road & the beach & this I've cleaned up from hurricane fall after 30 years of neglect - I pulled out, piled & burnt the big native tree stumps & left the coconuts so that it looks like a park with grass beneath the palms.

The inland side is still in mainly virgin bush & forest with easy rolling tops - there are some 50 - 60 year old tracks thru it that were used for selective species logging judging by the odd stump I've found - so I opened them up a little as well.

Although I'm not exactly a 'greeny' I don't like to cut down trees indiscriminately so my intention is to leave large swaths of connecting bush corridors all thru the property that will also contain the walk tracks etc.

That, I think, will allow me to achieve my goals of lifestyle development & preserve the environment for future generations to enjoy, protected by covenants etc.

P.S. I have estates each side of me which raise livestock & grow coconuts for copra - the two tier farming operations are not particularly economic & a lot of bush was cut to establish them over the years - my way should create an open space park like environment with clusters of housing where everyone, beach front lots or back bush lots, gets to have access to & enjoy the amenities & aesthetic qualities of the lagoon - hopefully it will still feel like a slice of paradise & I'm sure it will.

[aStillMoreGloriousDawn]

Hey Fletcher, you wouldn't happen to be looking for a couple of bikini-clad babes to accent your beach, would ya? "Natural" living would be of the utmost priority.

;) ;) ;)

[Fletcher]

LOL, look for the facebook page when I set it up & apply on-line.

I might set up a business called "Extreme Fishing Expeditions" for groups of well healed business men [tax deductible conference] - strictly word of mouth only - some eye candy would be welcome & help trade ;7)

[aStillMoreGloriousDawn]

Well in that case I'm too old.

"Eye candy" to businessmen = 18 to 22 (At least in the U.S.)

Wish I would have taken advantage when I was younger!

[Fletcher]

You're never too old - anyway I don't think my wife is for it - doesn't like Ukrainian or Swedish accents for some reason ;7)

But if you're sailing around over here anchor in the lagoon & drop in for a wine.

[aStillMoreGloriousDawn]

LOL - Sounds good!

[nicbordeaux]

You are missing a real mean money opportunity Fletcher: derivative products. Just think of souvenirs, for ex : egg timers containing genuine sand from your place... snowball souvenirs containing bikini clad beauts with Urkranian or Swedish accents. There's no limit. Have it all knocked up in China. You have a cave on the property ? If so, all you need is a statue leaching olive oil, it'll be bigger than Lourdes because the weather's better.

[Fletcher]

Nah Nick .. I like my peace & quiet - the place would be like mecca on a quiet day.

Also I like to choose my company so this idea might be good - a few years ago now I visited Anse Vata, Noumea, New Caledonia [you'll appreciate the French connection & the extortionary cost of everything French] - there I saw about 200 kite boarders setting up their rigs - all the best gear & the support crews sunning on the beach etc - well, they would race out to Pine Island & back, about 2 km's, like a gaggle of demented geese, in the trade winds - Pine Is. was straight off Anse Vata [90 degs] & occasionally one of these experienced boarders, jumping to unbelievable heights, would take an unscheduled dip in the soup - it was obviously a run for the experienced because there were also some big bite'ees swimming around there looking for lunch & you wouldn't want a gear breakage out so far from shore - so I thought, my lagoon is perfect for this - about 3 km's long by 1 1/2 wide - trade winds [Sth Easters] come in at an angle so a kite boarder could blast along the coast line out only 50 meters to a couple of hundred meters etc, back & forth - gear breakage, no problem, just let the wind blow you in, or make a small swim - then not just the hot shots could have some serious fun, & the support crews could hang out - the cost would be quiet a bit less than New Cal too.

Anyway, have a friend who is a mad keen kite boarder back in Auckland NZ who will come across one of these days & give it a test drive, if someone doesn't beat him to it - he writes occasionally for sport & travel mags etc so I could put the place on the map that way, & not have to sell my sand or find weeping coconut trees - besides the botique resort would be a cool place full of guys & gals watching boarding & surfing vids during the bad days & I bet the stories around the bar after dinner would be worth listening to the first few times ;7) - besides I might unload a section or two.

P.S. I did a bit of wind surfing a few years back so I think it'll be pretty good for kitees.

Second thoughts, I might have to charge double for French guys ;7)

[justsomeone]

quote from Nic:

You are missing a real mean money opportunity Fletcher

Yes Nic. but the real money would be in housing ousted world leaders!

Fletcher could also open a bank close by to store the billions they took from the citizens.