Not called the Reef Islands for nothin'
Kokamo's Pacifc Meanderings
Tom and Rachel
Sun 12 Sep 2010 10:59
|
Kokamo is anchored at 13:38.1S
167:30.4E
If you can zoom in on the google map,
you should see that we're anchored in the lee of a huge reef-fringed lagoon,
which has a collection of small, uninhabited islands in it. These are the
Reef Islands: little pin pricks of green off the north end of the
Banks island group, hemmed by untouched white sand, soft as flour,
and washed by the vast lagoon, glowing irredescent in sundrenched mint
greens, jades and topaz. They are totally unlike the towering volcanic
islands we've become used to since arriving in Vanuatu.
Tucked into a bite in the leeward
side of the reef, we're protected from the swell, but not from the wind - which
was blowing at 25knots when we arrived two days ago, so kicking up a good little
chop. Not much good for snorkelling as we'd intended, and Rachel wasn't
sure it was worth us staying. But I'd spotted another attraction - the
miles of knee deep lagoon water with a 25 knot breeze across it could be
good for only one thing. Yep, kitesurfing.
The choppy seas are right on the
limit for our little dinghy with our little outboard - especially as there is no
other person, let alone any other boat, for miles. We loaded her up
with kites and board, along with some spares and other emergency kit just
in case, and braved the 2 mile bumpy ride across the reef, and then
traversing the lagoon to the closest of the islands. I had a
great couple of days kiting, while Rach chilled on the beach of our own private
paradise.
This morning the wind had dropped
enough for us to go snorkelling on the reef. The coral wasn't
especially spectacular; but the sheer numbers of fish certainly was, while their
size was also impressive with, for example, plump Parrot fish over 70 cm
long, and we saw many species we'd not come across before.
Fishermen don't often make it to the Reef Islands it seems. We
also swum over three large stingrays, peering out from under their
sand camouflage in the gulleys between coral heads, their surprisingly large
black eyes gleaming back at us, while their metre-long barbed stingers
promised menace. Rachel was relatively unfazed by these docile
bottom loungers, but when I pointed to a 2.5 metre long black-tip shark on its
way over to check us out, she made a rapid retreat towards the dinghy (with me
not far behind...!).
It's time to leave our private
adventure paradise behind, and head for what we expect will be the most
northerly, most equatorial and possibly most remote village on our
trip...
|