paradise beheld
17:47.30S 177:11.50E 7:30am Wed (sorry; a bit late today as I was out taking
pictures) Yesterday we presented ourselves at 7:45am to the government
office for cruising permits to visit the islands. I know it is a strange phrase
that seems out of another era, but seems appropriate. The official didn’t
show until 8:15 who took my information. At 8:45 she mentioned that the
computer didn’t work and she had to wait to borrow her colleagues.
Anyway, I (the others had abandoned me for breakfast) sat there and got our
papers at 10am and joined the diners. We left the anchorage, which
showered us with black soot during the night from a neighboring belching smoke
stack, leaving the deck covered in black filings We motored the 12 miles
to Malollailai Island and negotiated the very narrow but beautifully colored
reefs, including going the wrong side of a mark and surviving, to enter Musket
Cove Marina. Now, you should understand this skipper has performed many
Mediterranean style dockings; where one enters the harbor aimig directly at the
wharf, and about 10 boat lengths before hitting it, spin the boat around 180
degrees so the stern (the back of the boat) is facing the wall, drop the anchor
and back straight into the wharf between other boats similiarly docked.
The entrance here is only 150 feet wide (less than 3 boat lengths) and we had
to enter at 90 degrees to the wall. So, with the normal 25 knot side wind
we came in, at the appointed point, turned 90 degrees away from the dock, went
the 10 feet until we were almost aground at the bow (the front), dropped anchor
and roared in reverse for a perfect docking; if this writer does say so
himself. Exactly 20 steps from the dock is the sand beach, 30 steps
in the other direction is the palm and thatched shaded beach bar with bar b
ques and wood and food you can buy, for boater use. Back to the 20 steps,
as we looked, we saw an endless crescent of beach with little bures (huts) stretched
along and in the trees, a sports centre, 3 restaurants, 2 pools. As the
sun set, the air took on a silky soft feel. The breeze was now quiet, just
enough to be refreshing. Sort of like the feeling of swimming in a
northern Babelfish |