Monday 24^th December

Christmas tomorrow and we are arriving at the Padaidori Islands (1.17.790S.136.36.286E) after a very frustrating three days of travelling. Not much sailing involved as the wind and current has been on the nose and the seas have been quite choppy. Jeremy has been quite excited by six knots which is usually our slowest motoring speed! We expected this weather pattern and were hoping to have gone west before it arrived but not quite quickly enough! We sheltered a night at Liki Island, a rollie anchorage on the way, but a better alternative than the storm of big seas and high winds which we were approaching.

We have made it and have met up with the other boats Sea Glass and Totem, so we can spend Christmas with them and Muscat, who we have been travelling with. Arriving mid morning everyone was very pleased to have a swim after not being able to Jayapura. The day passed fast with relaxing, cleaning up the boat and the girls enjoying Jamie, from Totem, dragging them around on the biscuit. Squeals of laughter as they flew around the corners were heard from the girls and the chief of the island, who was in the tender having a great time. Drinks on Nalukai, as we are the biggest boat and able to accommodate everyone, was a good lead up to Christmas and lovely catch on all the news from the last month.

Wednesday 25^th December

Luckily everyone wasn’t up too early yesterday but good news that Father Christmas found us all the way out here. The girls were very pleased with their loot and after pancakes for morning tea, spent the morning playing with everything on the cool of the front deck. Face paint and painted toenails for everyone, many wardrobe changes for the girls between bathers, new sarongs and dresses and Willow didn’t put her new backpack down loaded with all her presents!  Everyone from the other boats arrived for a feast where we all contributed to a long, delicious lunch. We got out what we thought was a chicken to roast but it turned out to be a duck with head and feet! Slight hitch but delicious after some cooking assistance from Gary. Adults drank and chatted while children swam and happily played on the front deck, even the boys had painted toenails, much to their horror! Everyone fell into bed exhausted after a fun day spent with friends!