Thursday, 8th July 2010 We were all very slow getting out of the scratchers. There was no wind, so the first thing on the agenda was look at the top batton which seemed to coming out of its pocket at the top of the mainsail. We were also having grief with this part of the sail when we were furling and unfurling the sail.
Scotty went aloft on the bosun chair, and removed the batton, which turned out to be badly damaged, all twisted.. corblimey, imagine that. When he returned to the deck, we rolled up the sail again. It will be interesting to see how the sail comes out the next time we use it !
We did some more messing about the boat, and also got working on putting together our gifts for the Villagers at the "Gift Exchange" ceremony being held at the Yacht Club, midday........
11.45hrs We all went ashore in the rib, loaded down with gifts and Daniels bags, as he has to return to London. All participating yachts brought their own gifts to the Yacht Club (gifts included, books, copy books for the school, clothes, ropes, nails, saws and tools, fishing gear, and lots of other useful gadgets). From there, went to the Village to watch some local dancing and foot stomping. Of course, they both men and women were all singing and it was a sight to behold. The singing and chanting is great, we could listen to it all day......
Then, everyone marched back to the Yacht Club in a singing and dancing parade, great crack.................some of the locals nicely painted for the occasion. Then the official exchange of gifts took place, and again a first for all of us to be part of such an important event for the Natives, the children sang " This land is our land , and this land is your land" this brought the house down... Awesome stuff, really, it was.
This was followed by the locals using their machetti's to open green coconuts, god, what a skill, 3 chops and the coconut is skinned and opened. But then, they start using these weapons as soon as they can walk... The coconut milk was really cool and tasty, and the flesh was soft and delicious, nothing like what we get at home...
Daniel got a 4x4 truck ride back to the airport, Gee, what a short trip to the Pacific.
When the ceremony was finished, Aileen, Maggie, Skipper, and Scotty walked to the village and did a bit of local bag buying, Then we went to the local school, where we met the headmaster, he has 120 pupils at the school, and most of them board there. They would love to have internet access and a computer at the school, as the only internet is at the Yacht Club, and if locals want to send an email etc, they have to write it out and give it to Mr Werry, the manager of the yacht club, and he sends it off for them. Can you imagine, no secrets around here...thank you....
Providing this facility for the school would be a good project for some enthusiastic group.........................
Later we returned to the boat and had a ziz. zzzzzzzzz
18.00hrs We went ashore again in the rib, this time we flaked a submerged coral and split the hull, cripes, not good, we will have to try some repairs at our next stopover... well blast that anyway.
We gave Miriam (one of the local girls and also teaches at the school ) a large globe we had on board, this is for the school, she was delighted, we also gave her some other useful things for a school, and promised to send them a box of copy books from our next port of call. We were really impressed with this place, the friendly people, the hospitality, the primitive conditions they operate and live in. The Volcano, the dancing, the dirt track roads, the wild life, the bats, the tree's and forests, the horn blowing, the hot springs, WONDERFUL and yet they all have their mobiles, isn't it gas.
No stress on this Island, and yet no one lives longer 60 ..........hmmmmmm wats gone wrong! Skipper was to go wild bore hunting tomorrow, but in the end decided against it, as this hunt could take all day, and we wanted to leave about midday at the latest. Ahhh well, there may be other opportunities..
Anyway, after presenting Miriam with the globe, etc we joined the rest of the crews for a feast, prepared by the locals. It included rice, and all sorts of cooked fruit and vegetables, fish, and of course the roast pig. No alcohol, unless you brought your own...
Again, this was a great occasion. Enjoyed by all ................. as time moved on, it was great to see the local kids asleep on the floor of the Yacht Club, while their parents took part in the festivities. Could you imagine that happening at home in our own yacht clubs? Two chances - Nil and None!
21.30hrs We returned to the A Lady, now only 3 of us on board. We watched a presentation film about "Roratonga" (Cook Islands) and it was a great little film.
We all had an early night, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Signed :- Stephen Hyde (Skipper)