23/06/09

Sunday saw a number of contests, canoeing with  6 person crews, 4 sailors and two locals per boat.  One boat led by a young female local won all the heats.  Then there were fruit races, with big sticks weighted down by a bunch of bananas  at east end.  You had to carry it on your shoulder. This was followed by a get the milk out of the coconut race, by first husking it, splitting in in two, scraping out the white meat and filtering it through s piece of fabric. Then there was lifting the rock.  They had three, one 80 pounds, one 150 pounds and a third at 200.   Only the locals could deal with the really heavy one.  Some of the  sailors “forgot” to pay for their dinner the night before which left a bad taste.  The was more native dancing at the closing ceremony.

In the evening there was indeed an impromptu party on a 55 Lagoon cat, which is perfectly designed for such things. We all learned to play “Bonjour Monsieur,” a really silly card game with only a couple of rules which have to be followed exactly.  You have two or three decks of cards and deal them all out.  Each player wants to get rid of all his cards. One by one in turns you expose a card and out it in a pile in the center of the table. For dueces through  tens nothing happens, but when there is a Jack everyone has to say”Bonjour Monsieur” out loud.  With a Queen you all say “Bonjour Madame”.  With a King you say nothing, but you make a salute,  and with an Ace you have to put your hard on top of the pile of cards.  The last one to put his hand  on top of the others, loses that round and has to pick up all the cards in the center.  If you make a mistake in giving the correct response anytime you have to pick up all the cards.  The loser each times starts the round again. The game is played quickly and is more difficult that it sounds,  especially if you’ve all had a few drinks. I forgot that if there is a Joker you all have to make a funny face.

Monday morning a bunch of us went to a spot a  a mile or so  away from the anchorage where several dozen sting rays hang out and are accustomed to being hand fed  by swimmers, in very shallow water.  It was delightful. 

Spindrift headed back midday only to be greeted natch  by 25 knots on the nose. Anyway we’re back in Papeete and Demetri arrives this evening.

____________________________________________________________________________