After visiting Rarotonga, we sailed to Niue, then the Vava’u group in Tonga, followed by Lautoka in Fiji. Niue was by far our favorite, as we enjoyed some decent rock climbing and having humpback whales swim around our boat at anchor and sing us to sleep at night.
After leaving Fiji we had a quick sail with strong winds to the Solomon Islands. At their peak while running, the winds abaft reached apparent 40-45 knots steady with a couple gusts as high as 60 knots. Seas were a solid 20 feet and sometimes jumping into the cockpit……..not so pleased to make your acquaintance mr. wave wee thought. Other thoughts included; glad to have made that water tight engine control panel cover.
Our first anchorage was in Star Harbor on the island of Makira, where we were treated like family by the village chief, Willie, and his wife, Rebecca. They bestowed us with their generosity, presenting us with fresh pineapple, leafy greens from their garden, and they cooked us a few delicious meals of sweet potato in coconut milk, their main diet. The village of Mwarairaro in Star Harbor consists of a few families living in thatched homes and has no electricity. The people live simply with a subsistence based life-style. They have little, but have a lot to give. We responded to their generosity with gifts of fishing hooks, lures, sunglasses, a snorkeling mask, a bracelet, nail polish, etc. As soon as they gave us a gift, we would respond with a gift, which would be reciprocated by another gift, and so the "giving wars" began, each side trying to repay their indebtedness to the other. Graham received a beautiful chief’s necklace complete with shell money, which can be used for purchasing a wife. The giving war culminated in a large feast held aboard Chandrika. Willie and Rebecca provided a variety of sweet potatoes and a hen. At first they were going to give us the live hen the day before, to keep aboard Chandrika overnight and to slaughter the day of the feast. Not wanting to kill, feather and gut the hen on our boat with Squeak’s assistance, we asked if they could do this part for us, to which they kindly agreed. We had a lovely meal.
the primary school in Mwarairaro village
Casper (the village chief's nephew) with his wife and children
After hopping across slippery mangrove roots we reach the village's old drinking water source. Here is chief Willie with our local guides.
The children in Mwarairaro village have a natural sense of balance and were soon walking across our slack-line with ease.
The police stopped by, disappointed that we had failed to sail half way down the island chain just for the sake of government paper work (‘haus bullshit’ in Pidgin English proper), and kindly informed us we must leave next day for the city of Honiara. The night before our hasty departure, Willie and Rebecca came by to say goodbye and to present us with a very kind letter. Rebecca burst into tears as we gave her a goodbye hug. We will dearly miss our friends in Mwareraro village in Star Harbor.
Together with our friends, Rebecca and Willie, aboard Chandrika
We are currently in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, taking care of business, before we depart to explore more of the small villages on the outer islands.
24 November, 2009
