Whales, Giant Clams, Calamari & Turtles
We
have been so busy having fun that there has been little time for BLOG updates!
We spent a couple of weeks in the greater Gizo area, mainly to visit with our
friend Bishop Bernard who was about to depart to Australia for further cancer
treatment..
We spent several nights at Kongulavata Bay where we
snorkelled over the wreck of the Toa Maru. Bernadette, David & Will dived on
this wreck in 2002 and swam through the holds as the ship is lying on its side.
This time we did not go down 41metres but still had an excellent view of the
side of the ship.
Sagheraghi was just as beautiful as previously and it
was even better being there by boat this time. There were a few anxious moments
getting through some uncharted reefs & again the scanning sonar was a huge
help. We bought Tuna in the market before leaving as the fishing has been poorer
than previously. On the way, we caught a Kingfish that was just over a metre
long. We gave it away to Rose, wife of the former chief who died of asthma in
2004. We had met him in 1996 when we took our epic, exhausting walk.
Rose and her boys were very kind to us and we had an excellent time
snorkelling and swimming in the lagoon. Swims were frequent as the temperature
was 34deg each day. Even the lagoon was 28.6degrees. Rose looked very fit as she
sweeps the beach most mornings, works in the garden every second day and paddles
1.5hrs each way to the Gizo market three days a week. On market days, she leaves
at 3.00AM and returns in the dark.
We spent a pleasant day at Olasanna
Island with Bishop Bernard plus friends, helpers and volunteers. We were pelted
with rain on the return but the 25kt winds meant a brisk sail!
After
Gizo, we commenced a trek around the large Western Province. This will take us
about five weeks. We overnighted at Ringgi Cove, a Forestry Settlement on
Kolambangara Island & then proceeded to the beautiful Vona Vona (pronounced
"Wana Wana") Lagoon. There, we rested, snorkelled, fished and had a couple of
excellent meals at a nearby resort.
We spent a half day at the Kiribati
village of Canaan visiting friends. Then it was off to Bat Harbour on
Kolambangara Island to visit our friends Ellen and Solomon Ngana. We were
disappointed to find they have moved to Ringgi Cove where Solomon now has a job
with the logging company.
We did manage to speak with Ellen who was
there briefly to pick up produce from her garden, which is now sadly being
overgrown by jungle. They are extremely hard working people who were always
quite poor financially, so we hope this change will assist them. Ellen owns the
land so they might return to Bat Harbour eventually. We were assured that the
crocodiles have departed Bat Harbour, so Charlie got his swimming done.
From Bat Harbour, we moved up the coast of Kolambangara to Poitete Bay,
which has a small logging facility. The snorkelling there was absolutely first
class and David managed to hook a Kingfish for dinner while trolling the Bay in
the rain.
From Poitete, we travelled to Wagina Island which is at the
bottom end of Choiseul Island. We are now at latitude 7degrees, so are getting
closer to the equator. On the way, we had strong wind/rain squalls, saw a pod of
whales close by and giant sea turtles. The wind strengthened and was from the
wrong (and unforecast direction) so we had to tack most of the way. Indeed, we
got through a gap in a reef after sunset and were soon engulfed in total
blackness, with zero visibility.
We were fortunate in finding a shallow
& protected patch to anchor. Next morning we did the last few miles and
anchored in a magic lagoon with barely enough room for one yacht (us!) There, we
collected giant clams for dinner (a new taste sensation) and Penny did a load of
washing ashore where there is a village fishing co-op with large rainwater tanks
which the villagers said we could use.
On Sunday, Charlie said Mass in
the large Kiribati Church at Wagina. The singing was fantastic, with tremendous
music from Pan Pipes of all shapes and sizes.
Even though the fishing
has been poor (perhaps because of the weather), we have collected enough
calamari for a couple of meals and picked up a few fish from time to time.
Perhaps the fishing will improve further from the larger population areas.
The Crew
