Christmas Island 2
CARANGO AMEL 54 #035
PETER and VICKY FORBES
Sat 24 Sep 2016 04:39
| The island is populated by about 1,200 people - White Australians, Malays, Chinese and various other Asian types. The Chinese being the most populous. The Island is about 10 miles by 8 miles in the shape of a scottie dog. It is a volcano which we were told erupted about 60 million years ago [young by geological standards] and then later sank below the surface - coral formed and grew and decayed back to limestone. The surface of the island is now limestone, phosphates [phosphate mining is the largest employer on the island], basalt, pumice nd a rather thin layer of soil from rotting vegetation with tropical rain forest. It seems they get about 2.6 meters of rainfall a year - sadly the most of this years ration fell during our visit. Never have we been so thoroughly wetted! Carango was escorted into the island shelter mooring by the Royal Australian Navy, with an impressive turn of speed and a sharp turn which impressed us and burned quantities of diesel for the Australian tax-payer.  He, like us, carries a white ensign - his, if course, defaced with a Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross - but looking just so smart.The Island is unique for it millions of Red Crabs which when in annual migration stop all traffic as they cross roads. Some special underpasses have been built for these crabs but the roads stop for crabs.     Talk about rain forest - we were totally soaked. |