The best day on Vaka'eitu

Hebe
Sun 8 Jun 2014 03:09

8th June 2014

This has to be one of those very special days you talk about for years to come. 
We anchored in a sheltered bay off Vaka'eitu along with half a dozen other ARCy folk. The beach and little island is the home of David and Hika and six of their eleven children….the eldest girl is married and producing number two, a son is away at collage and their youngest baby daughter Hika gave away to her best friend last year…..No more she says with a huge grin. (That makes nine, two missing perhaps in the grave along the beach-Ed)
Andrew, Adam, Alice and I wanted to explore the beach over the other side of the hill and five of the children happily took us along the jungly path, Gaho (9yrs) slashing the way with his machete. 

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We watched as they played gathering berries - no eat just play. Pounced out at us throwing leaves, and leaping from the branches...

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Gaho then shinned up the nearest palm tree to give us all a coconut which he prepared using his machete with great skill.

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Even the littlest ones helped carry the coconuts home…….ooops Ursuline almost fell off the branch then

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After a couple of happy hours playing on the beach on their very own island they led us home singing and laughing. Back home David and Hika were busily preparing a feast for us all, but that's another story.
We returned to Hebe and I had a lesson in paddle boarding from Bradley on Alpheratz and managed to stay standing up, much to the dismay of all those with cameras ready for the belly flop.  I am now hooked, not adrenaline fuelled I admit but we can't all be kiting dudes. 


S/Y HEBE
hebe {CHANGE TO AT} mailasail {DOT} com  
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