Life on Christmas Island
NORDLYS
David and Annette Ridout
Wed 16 May 2007 02:45
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Reflections on Christmas
Island
10: 25.6S
105:40.16E
Christmas Island
anchorage
16th May 2007
During our few days here we have learnt a lot about
the politics of this island. Firstly as a development of our reception by
the authorities on arrival we discovered that others had also suffered.
Another yacht, British registered and sailed by an English journalist and his
American University lecturer partner limped in a few hours before us with their
steering cables broken. They were steering by using the auto pilot or the
emergency tiller. They were told to go to sea again by the harbour
authorities as no anchoring was allowed and there were no moorings.
Readers of this column will know my attitude to Australian authority and its
pigheadedness. I tell this story so that no one may think that it is a
personal problem I have with authority.
The island itself is really in a state of
uncertainty. The privatised phosphate mine has had its lease cancelled, or
rather not renewed. This will mean that within the next three years the
mining of phosphate will have stopped. What happens to the workers,
largely Muslim Asians and Chinese, is unknown although they do have the right to
go and live in Australia. The huge and very expensive immigrant holding
and processing centre is almost finished. Whether it actually gets
American detainees in it and if so will they be Cubans who have been caught
trying to get to the USA or will they be ex Guantanemo Bay detainees is at the
moment unknown. On top of this there could easily be a change of
government in Canberra and this could change the whole immigration
policy. Lots of unknowns. If the detention centre is not used it
will be a very costly white elephant that any government will find hard to cope
with. One item I was told yesterday is that the blocks of the detention centre
are colour coded. Red, White, Blue plus Green and Gold!
On the ecotourism front there is hope that a new
walk right round the island on the first level ledge which is on
average 100 feet above sea level will be constructed. This
could be a lovely experience but very costly to construct as most of it would
have to go through virgin jungle. Thus in ten years from now it will be a
very different Christmas Island from the present situation. I cannot help
but think that it may well be an Island with a very small population and little
going on. Great for the wild life.
The wild life can really be divided into two
groups. Birds and crabs. The former are dominated by two groups of
Frigate birds, the Greater and the subspecies that is unique to here. The
boobies are mainly Red Footed and Brown. The very rare Abbott's booby also
roosts here and Annette thinks she may have seen one! The cutting down of
the jungle for the mining has severely reduced their habitat but this should now
improve. In the Caribbean we saw the Frigates feeding by harassing
food from other seabirds while on the wing but here they can often be seen
scooping up fish from the water as they fly. Remember they are the birds
that die if they actually land on the water due to no oil on their
feathers.
Crabs come in three types. Firstly the red
crabs that everyone has heard about. They cause chaos when they migrate to
the sea to spawn. This is in the wet season so we have not witnessed this
migration. Then there are the blue crabs and finally but most
spectacularly the Robber Crab. Known elsewhere as the Coconut Crab.
These are big and very colourful. We managed to get a 4WD for two days and
have 'done' most of the roads and tracks on the island. During which we
saw all three crabs, walked some considerable distance through the jungle on
trails that ranged from excellent to very doubtful and enjoyed the
peacefulness of some of the Chinese temples that dot the coastline. I have
also had five dives, one of which was deep into a cave. Inside in the
total darkness we took off our gear, walked some 100 metres further in then with
torches off and goggled heads in a pool we saw Lantern Fish. These
little creatures are about 5cm long and have two eyes that are bright day glow
lanterns. Watching them approach is like seeing two pieces of huge
phosphorescence coming towards one.
Last night made us have mixed feelings about this
visit. A phosphate ship was loading covering us in yellow dust,
the rain came down in sheets and for the first time the anchorage became
extremely rolly, as opposed to just annoyingly rolly. The mate retired to
bed having taken an anti seasickness pill and in a foul temper. I
cannot honestly say I blame her. Today the sunshine is out, the anchorage
is calm and we will go and purchase the last stores we will probably get
until August in the Seychelles. Tonight we set sail and hope to arrive in
the peaceful and clean anchorage of Cocos atoll sometime on Sunday.
The name of the cove we are anchored in is 'Flying
Fish Cove'. To reiterate this fact a huge flying fish landed on deck last
night. Annette saved its life getting covered in sticky scales for
her kindness.
 One loner who does not know it is not migration season!
 A Red and a Blue unite in raising their claws to the
camera
 A Red with his spectacular cousin the Robber. We saw
several larger than this which
we were told are often over 50 years old.
 A peaceful view from a cliff top temple.
 Inside said temple. By island standards this temple was
along way
from anywhere but the incense was burning and the floor
recently swept.
 The southern shore, not hospitable to boats. In fact
Flying Fish Cove is the only real landing place.
 Luckily for us the supply ship came while we were here so
fresh food has been available.
It gets very near one as it comes between its mooring
buoys. Fixed to them like a fly caught
in a spiders web she lay about 10 metres off the shore
and a huge crane spent two days
unloading her.
David
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