Majuro Canoe Class

There is a program here in Majuro to help young people to learn some skills. Most classes build a traditional canoe as part of the program. This was graduation week for them. The took three of their canoes out to Enako, an island in Majuro lagoon for kind of a celebration and a chance to "live what they have learned". They cooked a turkey in an 'under ground oven' along with coconuts, pandanas and breadfruit. And of course rice and fried tuna.


They invited the yachts to come out and if we gave them a tour of the yacht they would give us a ride on their canoe. I sailed on one like this. I took pictures underway, but it is too small to see so you get this picture of Linda (Hawkeye) instead of me. Trinda's tatoo is still to be kept out of the salt water (for fear of infection) and she is still suffering symptoms of the flu, so she stayed on the boat. Notice there is not much free-board here. With two kids and a 'kelip rebelly' (fat American) on board, the bow is very close to the water. We got a couple of wind gusts that spead us over 12 knots and the bow wave flew over the ama! Not to mention the part of the wave that washed over "all occupants"!
It is definately quite a ride.

Another of those unresistable sunsets.

Majuro Beer Can Race

We participated in the annual beer can race last night. I took an easy second, but Trinda easily claimed very last.
Its hard to see but that is her beer can sailboat at the bottom at the starting line.
I won a Friday night 'Mexican Night Buffet" for two. I guess I'll have to share my winnings with the big looser!
The local kids made the boats. For $5 we buy a boat, put it in the pool and give a good blow to get it started. The first one to the opposite end of the pool is the winner. It was fun and yet another oppertunity to have a beer with friends.

Things in Majuro

Ever since the French Polynesia Trinda has been threatening to get a tattoo! Well a cruising couple is leaving and Chris decided to get a memory of her life here. Trinda went with her and came back with these!


I tried to get a picture of the faces she made during the process, but they aren't suitable for publication!

The turtle has a beach scene in the middle and the word "Yokwe" across the top. That is the Marshallese word for 'Hello' or 'I love you' or 'good bye' depending on how it is used. I may get a better photo after it heals some.

Photos from Likiep

At Wotje a bird landed on my wind arrow on top of the mast and bent it. Since I had to go up there to fix it I took the camera. This is the bay in front of the village at Likiep from 60 feet up. From the left, the copra shed (dried coconut to be processed for oil), the Fish Base, and Community building where the Internet is installed.
The airport and terminal building with Mayor James Capelle in the Police rain coat. most of the people go out to meet the plane hoping family in Majuro has sent something they've requested. Junior got a few beers and a newspaper from the pilot, his relative.
I fixed a VHF radio for Matsen and made him a new antenna, so he offered us a coconut crab. This is one of the larger ones we've had. He came with the leash, but grabbed Trinda's dive knife while I was trying to get the picture. I'm lucky he didn't know how to use it! He fed us both with a little left over. Much better than the Dunngeness crabs.
The Fish Base is sponsoring the growing of giant clams. The tank is full of the ones they are ready to sell to the salt water aquarium folks in Florida, about 12000 of them. Junior was showing Trinda the tank. They sell the clams about 12 to 18 months old and about 2 inches across. They raise 4 varieties, some of which get to 4 feet across in their life time, lots of years. They started the program to re-stock the atolls that have eaten too many of their own but then discovered the aquarium market. At $2 a clam they say it is easier work than making copra.
Junior's wife, Titi, made us coconut cookies, cinnamon twists and cinnamon rolls. With their German and Portuguese background, the ladies here bake a lot more than the other islands we've been to. And their baked goods are delicious. That's quite an oven, a barrel with a place for a coconut husk fire underneath and two racks for cookies, or whatever.

Trinda also had a sewing class to teach the smocking stitches to several ladies here too. 3 made significant progress and promised to help the others finish their blouses. The Catholic Priest came for a couple of weeks to each atoll and was watching the ladies after I gave him a tour of the boat.Another day Trinda took the beads ashore. They were a big hit too.


Here they are wearing their jewelry, mostly earrings.And the swim toys were a hit too. Several kids ask for more cause they were elsewhere when these few got passed out.
Just before we left, the ladies insisted we come to a going away function. They presented us with necklaces, hats, earrings, the dress Trinda has, and lots more handicrafts. And of course a pumpkin and more coconuts to drink on our trip back to Majuro.

Photos from Wotje

Nauto is the vice principal of the Northern Islands High School. We were the postmen for the families of the kids. the boxes and letters on the table are what we brought. Nauto is from Kiribati and we talked a lot.
This is downtown Wotje Village on Wotje island in Wotje atoll. That is the just past President's house in the background ( he lost the vote of no confidence last week). Here they all complain about all the "Japanese cement" everywhere. They left lots of small generating stations all around too. I think I have photos of at least 10 sites of old rusty motors.
We were invited to a first birthday party. This is my plate. Turtle, chicken pork, pumpkin in leaves, doughnuts, breadfruit pudding in plastic bags, pumpkin in coconut cream sauce and bananas in the middle.
Getting the turtle out of the "in the ground oven". I was almost more thrilled to be able to see how they did it than to eat it, but not quite! They line the hole with pieces of coral and build a coconut husk fire. When it burns down and the coral is hot, they put in the cut up turtle and shell, cover it with banana leaves then palm fronds then plastic sheet and finally a layer of sand. Maybe 6 hours later, just before the party, they dig it up. It was dark so they had trouble finding all the feet and the heads.

Photos from Kaben, Maloelap

Looking up main street in front of the school and clinic. Big water catchment tanks for catching rain water and big breadfruit trees. With no cars, the street is kinda vague (behind the trees).
Just after handing out the box of 100 'Blow Pops' to the kids then the ladies. Kaben has a beautiful sand beach, but it is on the up-wind side and the normal trade winds build 3 foot breakers here so most yachts don't stop. We had a very calm day coming up here from Airik, but the wind started again just after we arrived, so we could only stay one night.

It was "Customs Day" and they were to play softball on this beach, but when the saw a yacht coming, they just stood around and waited for us to anchor. Two guys even paddled out is a leaky canoe before we finished anchoring! We were teh first yacht in 4 years.

Photos from Airik, Maloelap

The ladies in Airik, Maloelap noticed Trinda's blouse (Kiribati cibuta) so she offered to teach any of them that wanted to, to learn to sew the smocking stitches. These three spent two full days sewing. Trinda got prudy sore sitting on the cement floor all that time. I worked on a generator annd visited the guys while she did this.
Besides the World Teach Volunteer (posted a few weeks ago) we had another teacher and his family out to the boat. All they can say is "Wow!". We don't think the boat is that different, but we have much more than the average islander's house has; gas stove with oven, refrigerator, watermaker, mattress, couch, etc.