Sunday, October 28, 2007

Fanning - Cruise Ship Left

We had a nice day with the cruisers from the ship.

The ship ami in around 6 AM and soon unloaded a couple of shore boats full of supplies for a lunch for the passengers on the beach. Then the workers to prepare, cook and serve the food. About 8:30 they started sending the passengers by the islands 3 ferries.

We talked to several of them. They were all excited by the prospect of retiring on boats, hadn't even thought of it in several cases. They were from all over the states, mostly, with a few others too. Lots of newly weds and old folks.

All the ladies from the villages brought their handi-crafts to sell. The baskets Trinda learned to make at Christmas, the flowers she taught them to make, necklaces, carved tikis, baskets, woven mats and shell things. Trinda spent most of the day with the ladies group from the village 5 miles south that we spent the time at. We have ridden down there 4 times now.

About noon, when they started serving the food, we found the captain and ask if there was a way for us to pay for lunch. "Na, just get in line." He was interested in our boat and where we had been too. We had a hamburger, hotdog, chicken, potato salad and fruit salad. Then they had apples and oranges out for snacks. Each time Trinda walked by she grabbed a couple more and stuffed in my bag. By the time we left she had 4 apples and 10 oranges. It sure is nice to have fresh fruit again. The last 3
islands had no fruit! As they closed up the bars, we noticed they were throwing away the sliced limes and lemons used for making drinks. We asked and to a gallon ziplock bag of limes! I hope they ill keep a few days.

They started loading up the passengers about 3:00 but didn't finish until after 5. The last thing they took was all the trash bags they had filled all day. Nothing was left behind except the uncooked food and beer, which seemed to be sold to the islanders via the local property manager for the facilities of the cruise lines. We tried to get some of the beer left over, but even young single Scott only managed a few bottles before the boss came round.

The next day, Kwai, the supply ship from Hawaii came in. It is an old 120 foot freighter that has a mast and sails added. He makes trips from Hawaii (Costco) to Christmas, Fanning, Washington and Palmyra. Sometimes he even goes as far as the Cook Islands too. The other boat here (been here since August) had an order with them and now has lots of stuff including some fresh stuff like cabbage.

One of the ladies from Trinda's group got a ride out to our boat via the local ferry yesterday. She wanted us to buy a big battery from the Kwai and sell it to her. We would not have to pay the 30% duty. I figured it was not right, so I didn't understand her. We took her to the ship to help her get a battery, but they said leftovers weren't to be sold until Monday. We told her we would help carry the battery then. When we took her ashore, she had a motor scooter. She asked Trinda to ride down to
her house and spend the day with her. She did. "The road is just as bumpy on the scooter as it is in the bike!" But she had a nice day, even ate lunch with them. It was fried fish and rice.

She gave us another bottle of coconut palm tree juice boiled down to make syrup. It is very good, almost tastes like maple syrup. She also gave Trinda another blouse. They sew pleats or flowers around the sleeves and neckline. I remember mom and the neighbors having similar blouses when I was a kid. Seems to be a fashion form the 40s & 50s I think.

We are having a pot luck with all 4 sailboats and the Kwai tonight. It should be fun.

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