11:02.84  152:26.79

23^rd July 2010 – Riman Bay, Moturina

Anchored close to the coral, great for snorkelling, some of the best we’d seen in years, clear water, perfect soft and good cauliflower and lettuce corals.  Huge Maori wrasse following young turtles swimming past, huge cuttlefish changing their colours, loads of Christmas tree worms, plenty of royal angel fish and many coral fish not seen before.

View from the pass that children cross to go to school every day, across the second anchorage

It didn’t take long for the children to come out and greet us, these are primary school children mainly, trying to see what ‘goodies’ we might have for them, our friends on Swanky had plenty of lollies for them....

David tended to the eye of this young lad who had it half closed due to conjunctivitis.

Ashore, we are surrounded by children excited to have visitors

The houses are on stilts to keep the air beneath them, and the pigs and dogs at bay

They all just love having their photo taken, but note the rags they are mostly dressed in, specially the girls!

We shelter on the platform of one family’s house during the rain, and chat about their lifestyle

Some of which is happening before our eyes, such as the feeding time for these pigs, (half coconuts)

The carving on the front of their sailing canoes represents the eyes and nose of the spirit of the tree from whom the dugout is made, so that the new owner can become a partner with him.

This young boy is carrying his younger brother home in the rain, they get to be strong very early!

And this one is taking his young sibling out in the canoe to see what’s on the go, or to do some trading with us = usually shells for fruit and vegetables or coconuts.

Our friends on Swanky joined iin the football game these young lads are playing with a piece of rounded polystyrene  used for a fishing buoy.

Over the other side of the island, they have a football match between adults from different villages:

Some play in football boots, but the marjority with bare feet, like they did as lads, and very good they are too!