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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Spike from Holokai was here with us. This family named their baby boy Spike. Jedirc Spike invited us all for dinner pictured here. Coconut crab, lobster, rice, pumpkin, breadfruit pasta salad and coconuts to drink. Then the kids got the ukuleles and sang and played a while. Quite a night.
Spike had his son along, and contracted a model canoe. This is Reed Capelle from a real canoe making family making it for him.
They invited us to church on Sunday and kinda insisted we all come. In our honor, they re-did parts of their Christmas program. Most of the ladies even had the dresses they wore for it.
The wind was almost on the nose so sailing slowly as close to the wind as we could and only motor-sailed about 10 hours.
After Ice tea and a hamburger from Tide Table we're going to bed!
More later,
Good night
