pos 9:0.98S 160:07.41E

Roderick bay, Nggela Sule

Wedensday 27th of May

 

Sunday we sailed the 25 NM over to Florida Islands. We decided to go in between Nggela Sule and Sandfly Isaland. We headed up a nice bay to anchor but were soon approached by a canoe and talked in to moving around the corner to the next bay. That way we ended up on a mooring bouy outside. Roderick Bay Hideaway, a family run place that is very friendly to yachties. Ewa cooked us a very nice Pentecost dinner.

Monday morning we had a visit by John, the head of the 25 people big family (not counting the children). He offered to give us a performance of kustom dancing which we gladly said yes to. I and Thomas were determined to fix our malfunctioning toilet. We took everything apart even all the hoses. After cleaning out everything and putting it together again we had a well functioning toilet. While we were getting dirty the rest of the crew took the Dinghy and explored the wreck of an expedition ship, the “World Explorer” that was beached at the head of the bay. (Must google when I have an opportunity, to find out more about this ship and how it come to rest here). In the afternoon we did some nice snorkeling and later went ashor for some lovely singing and dancing from all the boys and girls of the big family.

Tuesday we did lots of snorkeling also around the sunken ship. In the afternoon while the girls were ashore and visited Lilian, who showed them hom to weave baskets from palm fronds. Suddenly there was alot of shouting from the shore. The boat had brooken free from the mooring and was adrift. After a quick engine start we were soon moored at an other mooring bouy. Luckily this happened in the daytime and not in the dark. The reason was a rusted through schackel. In the evening we again went ashore, this time we shared a meal with the family. lilian served fish with sweet potato and jams and other vegetables, our contribution to the meal was meat balls, sausages, bear and wine. We had a great dinner together. Some of the older ladies got a bit tipsy (bimmelim) from the wine.

Wedensday morning I (Lars) was greeted on my birthday with a watercolour painting from Ewa and a welcome guidebook over the Solomon Islands. Sanna had been up early and baked fresh scones for breakfast. After breakfast I took out my scuba gear and went diving down to 26 meters to recover a sunken mooring for John. Mission completed we went ashore to say good bye to the big family. We then sailed around to the other side of Sandfly  Island. There we found a beautiful bay that we instantly named paradise bay. I can’t find any name in my charts. We were soon surrounded by children in canoes and anything that floates. We delt out many lollipops. In the afternoon we took the Dinghy in search of Manta Rays that we had heard was around most every day. No luck but we will try again tomorrow. The evening ended with a nice birthday dinner and cake.

 

All is well,

Lars and crew.