tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88423310511491383892023-11-15T19:03:24.423-08:00Sailing BritanniaAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-35993942453665847302013-05-26T01:45:00.001-07:002013-05-26T01:45:27.386-07:00An UpdateIt's late. And tomorrow is my last day of work. Again. So I'll keep this short. Krister and I have been working in the Bay Area for the last five months, but we're about to leave on another adventure next Friday. We've been haphazardly getting ready, making plans and figuring "things" out. So what's next for us?<br />
We're headed to Alaska for the summer. Krister and I, along with his brothers and Rick, will be working on fixing the foundation of the homestead, cleaning up the little cabin, and building a guest house. Should be a sweet time to reconnect with family, ourselves, and land. When the summer's over things are a bit hazy. We're hoping to visit the midwest to reconnect with family and friends. Then maybe head back to the boat for a few weeks to check in and keep up on maintenance. We'll keep you posted, but as things stand now, the cruising kitty isn't big enough for south east Asia.Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-58290571240652714032012-12-27T01:19:00.000-08:002012-12-27T01:23:55.039-08:00Holidays down-underKrister and I continue to enjoy ourselves in Brisbane. The holidays are not the same as when we were kids, or when we were in the States, but they are jolly fun anyway. White boomers, Christmas crackers, minced pies, custard, and summery picnics with friends...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King George Square</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas day cruiser picnic</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opening a Christmas cracker</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We three kings?</td></tr>
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Christmas morning on Convivia; Lego mania!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas Britannia; our new fiberglass propane tank!</td></tr>
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This is likely to be the last post for a while as we won't be traveling through exotic destinations anytime soon. Our cruising kitty needs replenishment so we're taking a break while we decide where to go and what to do next. Thank you to all who followed us through the blog across the Pacific.<br />
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Wishing you all happy adventures!</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Love, </span></div>
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The Britannia's</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brisbane CBD from the dinghy dock</td></tr>
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Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-32320831254658042652012-12-08T21:47:00.002-08:002012-12-08T21:47:30.279-08:00A Week in BrisbaneWe've had a wonderful week in Brisbane! Our cruising schedule has been shattered; we do more than one thing a day. In fact, sometimes we do four or more things! It's hard to keep track of it all. With miles (kilometers) and miles of biking and walking trails throughout the city, we've had a great time getting our land legs back. Krister and I are running again and looking forward to taking advantage of the natural climbing wall at Kangaroo Cliffs across the river. And now that we're in a marina, there's plenty of fresh water for showering. We're moored right downtown in the business district within walking distance to cafes, restaurants (yummy sushi stands), stores, parks, libraries and museums. The city is sparkling. It's strange to look out the port lights and see towering buildings all lit up instead of uninhabited palm fringed atolls. Brisbane is full of useful amenities; lots of drinking fountains, bike racks with bike repair stations, paths and trails, a free public pool and water park, libraries and museums, and tons of public transportation options. And it's so clean; haven't seen any homelessness, graffiti or trash. I've never seen any city like it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The serpentine river runs through the city of...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3H30OED8CZfbA1M2ai7NDxDuYFjl_HJFDNyNQYjKbPJQK-wpKo41q1rIC6ojsy4S1BSLyjqviOyR6iuhhhrmfEWjBbcMlWXUecYTgswivhwjok9S8KPoIo0by5yx2Vo2VZi7UzSujgo/s1600/IMG_1771.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA3H30OED8CZfbA1M2ai7NDxDuYFjl_HJFDNyNQYjKbPJQK-wpKo41q1rIC6ojsy4S1BSLyjqviOyR6iuhhhrmfEWjBbcMlWXUecYTgswivhwjok9S8KPoIo0by5yx2Vo2VZi7UzSujgo/s320/IMG_1771.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful old buildings... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_gYQ4QabJrbJx9X-xQhYpYCXhyw5EUVJUFyEQ8JtXqgr2eUQfk7sHLdV2V5dEofKD_ChCHoTBoXirvdxjFNHJndmfNSBhVz3p2F3r9GCuyXoRKNY2e9zkN6P5MA1oDmlm52YivMs5dQ/s1600/IMG_1770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_gYQ4QabJrbJx9X-xQhYpYCXhyw5EUVJUFyEQ8JtXqgr2eUQfk7sHLdV2V5dEofKD_ChCHoTBoXirvdxjFNHJndmfNSBhVz3p2F3r9GCuyXoRKNY2e9zkN6P5MA1oDmlm52YivMs5dQ/s320/IMG_1770.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">along side modern designs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and tons of public artwork.</td></tr>
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We've made some time to clean-up and make repairs to Britannia too. Krister took the opportunity of the hottest day on record (100+) to install a new galley faucet. I don't think Britannia has looked this good since leaving Mexico.<br />
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Last night we attended a free Christmas concert in the Botanical Gardens with our friends on Convivia and Ceilydh. Tons of people showed up dressed in red and green with Santa hats on, but it felt so much like summer that there was a strange disconnect for us. A picnic in the park will never feel like Christmas to me no matter how many carols are sung. But it was fun :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more strange Aussie creature;<br />a possum checking us out on our walk back from the concert</td></tr>
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Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-59482999336079111902012-11-27T21:25:00.000-08:002012-11-27T21:25:13.569-08:00More on Vanuatu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm sorry these didn't get posted and written about sooner. Our time in Vanuatu was too short so I spent most of it out seeing as much as I could before we had to leave. We had a great time celebrating our 6th anniversary, eating out, visiting the markets and getting away from town to see Mele Cascades waterfalls. Here are the highlights...</div>
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The waterfalls are a short cab ride out of Vila. There was an entrance fee to the park, but worth it. The grounds are well cared for, with paths and hand ropes to guide you to the top pool of the falls. The also had a snack bar, showers, restrooms, tables and patio that made it a pleasant place to spend the day. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impressive bamboo stand </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_Rb45lB9bWUZtnlxlsyZgL2Ey4jE_O9YIDRI86OpbGsfGKMtg1DToxGQ2jQKVhWb0-QSbZaisxS8_rpylf93sTERDK47rY6oc_BDMF6ERM8RnkgsJghxN9M90w2f-BfkJ9k1gryEX2U/s1600/IMG_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_Rb45lB9bWUZtnlxlsyZgL2Ey4jE_O9YIDRI86OpbGsfGKMtg1DToxGQ2jQKVhWb0-QSbZaisxS8_rpylf93sTERDK47rY6oc_BDMF6ERM8RnkgsJghxN9M90w2f-BfkJ9k1gryEX2U/s320/IMG_0256.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mele Cascades; waterfall near Port Vila</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1n1mnU_9x225E0fkLeboFX3xhxfi7GcNfbC3s_rQ2C0ORd4sqVKbzxvw4nGrn03Jytx5SEmkMS7ALetWZcUKWoNs8Zh16na7RllLwvVQzdpcTko1Xfl_svpXahMZoz7bLch7rKYstv9M/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1n1mnU_9x225E0fkLeboFX3xhxfi7GcNfbC3s_rQ2C0ORd4sqVKbzxvw4nGrn03Jytx5SEmkMS7ALetWZcUKWoNs8Zh16na7RllLwvVQzdpcTko1Xfl_svpXahMZoz7bLch7rKYstv9M/s320/IMG_0311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very easy hike to the top, including handrails for walking over slippery rocks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBiVW5-m38cG632w6hZ5vHUt14fj-bK0KpWHa0eh82AzwLT_UyoYf09_Ei5pPWPgTfi_XrE7m-QKz7PgzJY7oHIxvfZdtprCqMZGofIxO_xatpdCZBb9CABusiSxBtLW9tn_ThWCC5cw/s1600/IMG_0317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBiVW5-m38cG632w6hZ5vHUt14fj-bK0KpWHa0eh82AzwLT_UyoYf09_Ei5pPWPgTfi_XrE7m-QKz7PgzJY7oHIxvfZdtprCqMZGofIxO_xatpdCZBb9CABusiSxBtLW9tn_ThWCC5cw/s320/IMG_0317.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of pools and rocks to hang out in and on </td></tr>
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There are a few great grocery stores in Vila; we found special treats we hadn't seen in a while. But the markets were definitely more colorful and interesting. </div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvvYhYUXEAcOEC_QMaJ-wn3m_JVF4y0xm6gi_er460QUTW35q8Kpg97Gb0wqNdxOzZWEEZStq2ebrZy0eEZ_qS-nDwRXaqF652vWUxdgZJlT-dfTjTxp28tHqe5zjpXMThBJ8cZd6Ij0/s1600/IMG_1429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitvvYhYUXEAcOEC_QMaJ-wn3m_JVF4y0xm6gi_er460QUTW35q8Kpg97Gb0wqNdxOzZWEEZStq2ebrZy0eEZ_qS-nDwRXaqF652vWUxdgZJlT-dfTjTxp28tHqe5zjpXMThBJ8cZd6Ij0/s320/IMG_1429.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Wonderful Port Vila Market; the most variety anywhere in the South Pacific</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-J_Xhe_snzSJtP-iolFfUeLhiT0FZ4ptaSNbguW1K4csBYIOdG5KvjZoKSxVkaWSzIwrjN4vHC_U7csB0E-56BOMyXgvyUrAF6Xg2YwVNO_sXLfoaP7ayHKaycE_tf_d-RnTe4fILxA/s1600/IMG_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-J_Xhe_snzSJtP-iolFfUeLhiT0FZ4ptaSNbguW1K4csBYIOdG5KvjZoKSxVkaWSzIwrjN4vHC_U7csB0E-56BOMyXgvyUrAF6Xg2YwVNO_sXLfoaP7ayHKaycE_tf_d-RnTe4fILxA/s320/IMG_1423.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby with a drinking coconut at the Port Vila produce market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPVLgsPrwcunVaovRIXtA3NSPWF5fPbtr6AcQW1FDlhhIxzg6pLhdYXJgMx-eq2xTeLrmli9VWERD3Dv9LodA3TCHBXgUFqWW_DQlHBTiGeB9NcW_IEwqYU-yXFzJE6gdxo7U1TZx5q0/s1600/IMG_1427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPVLgsPrwcunVaovRIXtA3NSPWF5fPbtr6AcQW1FDlhhIxzg6pLhdYXJgMx-eq2xTeLrmli9VWERD3Dv9LodA3TCHBXgUFqWW_DQlHBTiGeB9NcW_IEwqYU-yXFzJE6gdxo7U1TZx5q0/s320/IMG_1427.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting provisioned for our passage to Australia</td></tr>
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Here's a couple things you may not have tried at home...</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS77XUq2fFwSYqSQWaBJz8pCkgZFMxP1AYq9XzBXbT5tPm0b29o_rvIwVwIkR_lOe3hcliPduQwBDkeQGxwzMvAusL7ZONps2qyZ0fkWXYwi-2huK7mxtggG8hLt3VZIj4c-z8HxBuFEg/s1600/IMG_1491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS77XUq2fFwSYqSQWaBJz8pCkgZFMxP1AYq9XzBXbT5tPm0b29o_rvIwVwIkR_lOe3hcliPduQwBDkeQGxwzMvAusL7ZONps2qyZ0fkWXYwi-2huK7mxtggG8hLt3VZIj4c-z8HxBuFEg/s320/IMG_1491.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Choco; looks kind of like an avocado, and honeydew melon on the inside; but you pit, peel and cook it.<br />Has a tangy taste, great in korma, curries, soups, or where ever you need more vegetables. </td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToKHtLbvd5qI35gRaIm58bEf8GixECM5-mWN3IMZyWceWchngmaLaLsF5rKTXEcpxuEMzn4lPnHiDHVRgqO55RKmqKGT5Fka2oX81HczJVVYRNciWKIqzs1i8epQB2q0ugJfyjOxtdmw/s1600/IMG_1450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiToKHtLbvd5qI35gRaIm58bEf8GixECM5-mWN3IMZyWceWchngmaLaLsF5rKTXEcpxuEMzn4lPnHiDHVRgqO55RKmqKGT5Fka2oX81HczJVVYRNciWKIqzs1i8epQB2q0ugJfyjOxtdmw/s320/IMG_1450.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A sprouted coconut; it's the texture of foam but taste like a sweet coconut treat</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtRJvxSktllia_i6OQbKSKqsD3Iwd1Pxco8duM2_tdflsNoLV-BvzcUbvxd_9Yq7xNNP4YZSLohtq4p6X-LvwDZ40Z3dSx5FaLBaer2JP-765RJK76vDtmPloaACMvY21hD5y8k5JblU/s1600/IMG_0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtRJvxSktllia_i6OQbKSKqsD3Iwd1Pxco8duM2_tdflsNoLV-BvzcUbvxd_9Yq7xNNP4YZSLohtq4p6X-LvwDZ40Z3dSx5FaLBaer2JP-765RJK76vDtmPloaACMvY21hD5y8k5JblU/s320/IMG_0330.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Ladies playing cards near the handicraft market<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMBhfSMbXeduKWEIWukvoCTbp8yXZx8QP1vA0wQ-w0rTEELi1R-ACEjTrf19_ue8Si3GhDbT9QUWOwPsPL3rwuoOkS0oYhf8_OhkW0dYgaQJExlfwq9iLJ1D1qi3qKngPlRV9SVSzyfE/s1600/IMG_1442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMBhfSMbXeduKWEIWukvoCTbp8yXZx8QP1vA0wQ-w0rTEELi1R-ACEjTrf19_ue8Si3GhDbT9QUWOwPsPL3rwuoOkS0oYhf8_OhkW0dYgaQJExlfwq9iLJ1D1qi3qKngPlRV9SVSzyfE/s320/IMG_1442.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These ladies could sew anything you ask for on their antique machines</td></tr>
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<br />We really had a wonderful time in Vanuatu; wish we could've sailed further north, and stayed longer. But life is full of choices, and you can't do and see everything.<div>
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We're thankful for what we have been blessed with...<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR2K71pYE1vL3tEmk8JX9X-suLKbywUdW9jpe3KK0IiXc84n-my8Z5hgsPLDd9E-Bs2ja2vtB3428LRAQ8Jn2Dsw2kxR7hWGVChfeP41f13c7YqhfLf-CJN_oCy_TPUrkjlitPn5hJzM/s1600/IMG_1500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkR2K71pYE1vL3tEmk8JX9X-suLKbywUdW9jpe3KK0IiXc84n-my8Z5hgsPLDd9E-Bs2ja2vtB3428LRAQ8Jn2Dsw2kxR7hWGVChfeP41f13c7YqhfLf-CJN_oCy_TPUrkjlitPn5hJzM/s320/IMG_1500.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The moon rise.<br /> I love when you can see the faint shadow of the full moon behind the crescent.</td></tr>
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Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-69750555686187639232012-11-24T00:08:00.000-08:002012-11-24T00:08:59.472-08:00On our way to Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We arrived in Bundaberg last week, but making landfall, rally events, celebrating Thanksgiving and such, over-rode posting a blog. Now that things have settled down, here are the highlights...</div>
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Chesterfield Reef, New Caledonia</div>
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Nothing more than a way point on the way to Australia, but more than amazing. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6aoBM9o9ncQ5T7oSQxKVZpLR8Iln_ddw_zTBBFQxmOxve6w1qgZITNIe-WakdkpOMvBlELAZcJBj_9Lj0nBy2vQry1jpLSpiWfzEZYyMVJoC_KEDy7Qsw8KcXYW8SRB9bhUrb1BeQfg/s1600/DSC_2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6aoBM9o9ncQ5T7oSQxKVZpLR8Iln_ddw_zTBBFQxmOxve6w1qgZITNIe-WakdkpOMvBlELAZcJBj_9Lj0nBy2vQry1jpLSpiWfzEZYyMVJoC_KEDy7Qsw8KcXYW8SRB9bhUrb1BeQfg/s320/DSC_2058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chesterfield reef is home to thousands of sea birds, and zero humans.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym2mzjUuOvWYFQjY7q7Dhk_X5USZ-TZAU6ctHidZFdgljl0Fz7TeH4J3izCCxTfktfGknPe4ffl87FV_cswhygcCUx_yFYAnUgsTFZme7tBNIiS83DrIULJWQSpRMNUNxk66_vU__bnA/s1600/DSC_2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym2mzjUuOvWYFQjY7q7Dhk_X5USZ-TZAU6ctHidZFdgljl0Fz7TeH4J3izCCxTfktfGknPe4ffl87FV_cswhygcCUx_yFYAnUgsTFZme7tBNIiS83DrIULJWQSpRMNUNxk66_vU__bnA/s320/DSC_2022.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mothers and babies were easily found and disregarded our presence.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwK_rmn3aR7vtB5sZQOrrz_HQAzy2jgSvFZOP-99ch4BbBxCLI_pUNOOwPgqEPzs1wiWXVU1dVG4hZAoAbyqEaq9ikdJxjLP03ZZPz-fV0BnUDcEMK3XYTnhG_FxZbfhjK8DWb84AW0s/s1600/DSC_2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwK_rmn3aR7vtB5sZQOrrz_HQAzy2jgSvFZOP-99ch4BbBxCLI_pUNOOwPgqEPzs1wiWXVU1dVG4hZAoAbyqEaq9ikdJxjLP03ZZPz-fV0BnUDcEMK3XYTnhG_FxZbfhjK8DWb84AW0s/s320/DSC_2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nests everywhere; in trees, grassy patches, and on the beach.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdJDWmqcF03Qg9CJeLElZe3E5UVjA4IqXKaIUlTVgAUturIIn-7gBngHj5nFfMYBIWtuORRdNYw5Qh99p4oGsc9IQQEQlJ66ljzpB6DxiwZ2bHWMfQ3kP32MXYP6hQWj8Gpi72kMGn7c/s1600/DSC_2048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdJDWmqcF03Qg9CJeLElZe3E5UVjA4IqXKaIUlTVgAUturIIn-7gBngHj5nFfMYBIWtuORRdNYw5Qh99p4oGsc9IQQEQlJ66ljzpB6DxiwZ2bHWMfQ3kP32MXYP6hQWj8Gpi72kMGn7c/s320/DSC_2048.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice tail feathers huh?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9HLNCrFnQwvLQ57iOKAPRnMJEWzU0BGMo_1v6V1ZoKVXm0h4MZHYNZoNynEuxF_Tf0FaijqQF-dCjNYceE2dEzbo7IEB55xPKsSSLtLFvOJRUJ6vpHL9mSj7yQTNrmRJ3i1vON1wusk/s1600/DSC_2082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9HLNCrFnQwvLQ57iOKAPRnMJEWzU0BGMo_1v6V1ZoKVXm0h4MZHYNZoNynEuxF_Tf0FaijqQF-dCjNYceE2dEzbo7IEB55xPKsSSLtLFvOJRUJ6vpHL9mSj7yQTNrmRJ3i1vON1wusk/s320/DSC_2082.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They flew right over us...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wUX7A8L_S_2nyfbGDAeupBYZkK9cCjsp6CMqMhfuQ6aT6SCAWzqm_8m0EXw7IPKI7HkyA_y1IufBgYUKpQvIrvgqMUFq6zKIZfRA7NDz8ozJ5fARxYApNDKwyDZampCzQ9z51nH30HE/s1600/DSC_2084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wUX7A8L_S_2nyfbGDAeupBYZkK9cCjsp6CMqMhfuQ6aT6SCAWzqm_8m0EXw7IPKI7HkyA_y1IufBgYUKpQvIrvgqMUFq6zKIZfRA7NDz8ozJ5fARxYApNDKwyDZampCzQ9z51nH30HE/s320/DSC_2084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and looked into our eyes with no fear.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25z3icRXzIPJG1Pw-5gNNWWwPs9rLbONzpfZX9eG6_FLX9R2iYwm68s5sQszcKnq1Cc2CC_4OGfst6aAdX60PK0D-G1ozTJWVSxuIO-AqK1jO5ZeCtLcXKl0d28MklGzTICu9Lqzc0QA/s1600/DSC_2105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25z3icRXzIPJG1Pw-5gNNWWwPs9rLbONzpfZX9eG6_FLX9R2iYwm68s5sQszcKnq1Cc2CC_4OGfst6aAdX60PK0D-G1ozTJWVSxuIO-AqK1jO5ZeCtLcXKl0d28MklGzTICu9Lqzc0QA/s320/DSC_2105.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much shade to be found for the young ones.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4snKo1F8d3iDzfiZChIKovLOT_-EH85pNwGagNIxvVycG49xwIT7Ecl7hm0iSRoILXjuLefy7vUAxjkugVs7rxA8Hg-WZyyFYQbbKd-zUsXVx1dHgtSLheMStwwpDR94_p2wloqLMw1U/s1600/DSC_2153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4snKo1F8d3iDzfiZChIKovLOT_-EH85pNwGagNIxvVycG49xwIT7Ecl7hm0iSRoILXjuLefy7vUAxjkugVs7rxA8Hg-WZyyFYQbbKd-zUsXVx1dHgtSLheMStwwpDR94_p2wloqLMw1U/s320/DSC_2153.JPG" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">I'm not usually into bird watching... but this was a special experience.<br /></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTebm5dU7QqCxIWsYw5WBi8ccKVI4PTxlyF9bjTirKXsJ9MLAH40IdtApCVEqKhk-5TjjzpEnpn_gWYKebEfgwxigTa914GmByV9hrCEkduO56ts_qh10FHoGfOZd9-Aws2kkS67HcUOA/s1600/DSC_2130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTebm5dU7QqCxIWsYw5WBi8ccKVI4PTxlyF9bjTirKXsJ9MLAH40IdtApCVEqKhk-5TjjzpEnpn_gWYKebEfgwxigTa914GmByV9hrCEkduO56ts_qh10FHoGfOZd9-Aws2kkS67HcUOA/s320/DSC_2130.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could have watched them soaring all day<br />and just living their lives.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Pj_Eqx_5hYQhbGvyxHB0WGvZekcHzdDibQ0DIVK7eJA4sw5FZQeVLXFhFGHt58cco9OqVhQNMa86trnZuxtVvQzUSiytzQNB5rLDAvbjsLv5L1StISPCbcbsbK6h8AHq3AAWzFQsluQ/s1600/DSC_2158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Pj_Eqx_5hYQhbGvyxHB0WGvZekcHzdDibQ0DIVK7eJA4sw5FZQeVLXFhFGHt58cco9OqVhQNMa86trnZuxtVvQzUSiytzQNB5rLDAvbjsLv5L1StISPCbcbsbK6h8AHq3AAWzFQsluQ/s320/DSC_2158.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Am I with stupid?<br /><br /><br />I took so many amazing photos the day we spent at Chesterfield, that the next day when something even more amazing happened, I only got one shot before the camera battery died.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeBxZDCekU9fz3aOWAriYHZqYaaByUDLGOkAnw6Wp8SwtGxuOnIyCmYzpO-e8zT56tG6WpezTix-5EP944AlWDntUwwIliwxUftZOxH1kx2LjcgWLFkHCWUMuH91QYB2U8S_xGq_De6k/s1600/DSC_2173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigeBxZDCekU9fz3aOWAriYHZqYaaByUDLGOkAnw6Wp8SwtGxuOnIyCmYzpO-e8zT56tG6WpezTix-5EP944AlWDntUwwIliwxUftZOxH1kx2LjcgWLFkHCWUMuH91QYB2U8S_xGq_De6k/s320/DSC_2173.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A total solar eclipse!<br /></td></tr>
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If you've never seen one in real life you'll have to take my word for it; it's breath taking! To watch the sky go dark and the stars come out in the middle of the day... To see the moon and the corona of the sun all around it... and the rosey color of sunset on all horizons... it left us with a feeling of unimagined, difficult to describe, awe.<br />
<br />
The passage from Chesterfield to Bundaberg was sweetly uneventful. The customs and immigration officials were nice and easy going. The Port to Port rally organizers did a great job. So now we're in Australia, headed south to Brisbane... what's next?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvQa9LJPHMNkPtI6OueU33CtJBfrncuqEIh_3dVncaNRO2fG4gj5vPdTe6uRipiuVjz8GthY97G0jxX1q5SER9fJAOI42Yz48GTVs98DGznUrMkaRNBDufYw-pFu6uULfphOwIrogmkE/s1600/IMG_1508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLvQa9LJPHMNkPtI6OueU33CtJBfrncuqEIh_3dVncaNRO2fG4gj5vPdTe6uRipiuVjz8GthY97G0jxX1q5SER9fJAOI42Yz48GTVs98DGznUrMkaRNBDufYw-pFu6uULfphOwIrogmkE/s320/IMG_1508.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, there are just as many wild kangaroos hopping about in Australia<br /> as there are deer trampling through your gardens back home.</td></tr>
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<br />Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-31914075321455146222012-10-31T16:18:00.002-07:002012-10-31T21:49:44.103-07:00Vanuatu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We set sail for Vanuatu on a Friday- something we never do- never ever. Yes, some might say it's superstitious, and it is. Oh wait, I say that, and I am superstitious. Because if you don't know what you're doing, it's best not to tempt fate. See there I go again. Well, we had one of the best passages ever, and safely anchored after dark (another thing we don't ever do). I guess Vanuatu is a special place, easy-going and safe. Not being familiar with the anchorage and unable to gauge the distance between us and the anchor light of other boats, we dropped far outside the area. In the morning we awoke to the customs officials. They asked if we could please move closer to the other yachts before checking us in. They were so nice, and accommodating. We didn't have to call on the radio, or walk across town to multiple offices; it was the easiest of anywhere we've been. (FYI for cruisers, the Aneityum anchorage is open with good holding, our charts were accurate and coming in after dark was not a problem. Check-in was also easy, but there is no access to money here, only an exchange bank, so bring your $ US, NZ, Fijian or other currency. The fees totaled $80 US, and we were able to trade sugar and rice for produce).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuyJH8lL1WwPo-7qNfHjSaPzuNYsW_0MwI8eQ_o2jKL8R5zLZ5Q2w6I4U4UsVALgj_Xqw9Q0NE7hBql9S7_F5S2slBj9GPtAt4OZ5tH03msQzKDUJ5ht3Rr7SFwRJrHL0_bH_VGVmtA4/s1600/IMG_0968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuyJH8lL1WwPo-7qNfHjSaPzuNYsW_0MwI8eQ_o2jKL8R5zLZ5Q2w6I4U4UsVALgj_Xqw9Q0NE7hBql9S7_F5S2slBj9GPtAt4OZ5tH03msQzKDUJ5ht3Rr7SFwRJrHL0_bH_VGVmtA4/s320/IMG_0968.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is downtown.<br /> Ladies sat in the shade and chatted, the men were hauling cinder blocks to a build site. It was a great place to get off the boat and run around.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKR4-F-SOBisivxtjmt_JVMsKPScqVIbBXaEVe7qFE2zlPJ22L9dQ-C2UwUmBwqRdJ5qw7cxbJXnk5_E_N5vku9xg_GYj8bX04MRmjIsyyYlgI0X_Zyscw4HfnQQ4kmaL77S2sUp892s/s1600/IMG_0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKR4-F-SOBisivxtjmt_JVMsKPScqVIbBXaEVe7qFE2zlPJ22L9dQ-C2UwUmBwqRdJ5qw7cxbJXnk5_E_N5vku9xg_GYj8bX04MRmjIsyyYlgI0X_Zyscw4HfnQQ4kmaL77S2sUp892s/s320/IMG_0985.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local kids hanging out in the residential area.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjk9YcnzmsdkufreQmsFZKMd7pmh8w-bvYr8sYp8aZ5YSb6yzYNLYrw0wfbPvmLvWv1P3p4-vZGCj-VLbNAGj1VzQwdRv1Skx31RRsk4fBsNLljQqfVM0FAZwJrDDXzAXGAEfelEOI0bw/s1600/IMG_1011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjk9YcnzmsdkufreQmsFZKMd7pmh8w-bvYr8sYp8aZ5YSb6yzYNLYrw0wfbPvmLvWv1P3p4-vZGCj-VLbNAGj1VzQwdRv1Skx31RRsk4fBsNLljQqfVM0FAZwJrDDXzAXGAEfelEOI0bw/s320/IMG_1011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miles flying his kite on Mystery Island</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYQhpAqoXzuq77p2GqazpR7VKvLXkae4vFI0XwglCb0k4v0bc2QIZ8nxOFH2Qvm7TjQi5cadPIKY2QjfFGg8PMVVfK-QkeZGMpaKOy0fM4mbhzxlsBrMFZSOo68TjjTpuJktgQiVabzU/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYQhpAqoXzuq77p2GqazpR7VKvLXkae4vFI0XwglCb0k4v0bc2QIZ8nxOFH2Qvm7TjQi5cadPIKY2QjfFGg8PMVVfK-QkeZGMpaKOy0fM4mbhzxlsBrMFZSOo68TjjTpuJktgQiVabzU/s320/IMG_1013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Self photo :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPIeO_ZYr46W4ZwFNEGLnIC43xVu0rcMRABzTCZVRpiCeNu1MzLTGTSFFTAo6Yg-PU31FzCH2q63M1ZiCurHhEA8HODx6gGoq4bSHec7Hp6eJV1d6tVgwRq39R5eQfJhCmwkZPxUO_T4/s1600/IMG_1016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPIeO_ZYr46W4ZwFNEGLnIC43xVu0rcMRABzTCZVRpiCeNu1MzLTGTSFFTAo6Yg-PU31FzCH2q63M1ZiCurHhEA8HODx6gGoq4bSHec7Hp6eJV1d6tVgwRq39R5eQfJhCmwkZPxUO_T4/s320/IMG_1016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day at the beach with the crew of s/v Convivia!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jqXn2fzMtUZa_u575skBKXogz2RS-aEulct51K4LHk4SAZMWUVLIkGI7-4NsQDo4erZjcQnttoWZc9klpCj0h_JhRq-vVA1HLMddjvpY4I_11KX_6GcNDXUqMPLiRJ9SgaPv4qcBP8g/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jqXn2fzMtUZa_u575skBKXogz2RS-aEulct51K4LHk4SAZMWUVLIkGI7-4NsQDo4erZjcQnttoWZc9klpCj0h_JhRq-vVA1HLMddjvpY4I_11KX_6GcNDXUqMPLiRJ9SgaPv4qcBP8g/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhhh.... </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd5aytea6D2zYq6eZf3ov0aDzH4B6Rufq3DYq4oEW_xP-9BrId2kTy_lUnmlModxk3xG81GCIIKLC666w7NHgQ-fZoPPJaaWDqGct4eyXM_aufZJfvXaQPSF7_oC5CIRPTcURp2c4tCk/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd5aytea6D2zYq6eZf3ov0aDzH4B6Rufq3DYq4oEW_xP-9BrId2kTy_lUnmlModxk3xG81GCIIKLC666w7NHgQ-fZoPPJaaWDqGct4eyXM_aufZJfvXaQPSF7_oC5CIRPTcURp2c4tCk/s320/IMG_1032.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just hanging out</td></tr>
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The villagers threw us a traditional dinner and invited us to ask any questions we had about their culture and way of life. After 3 bowls of kava, Krister was ready to chat (see previous post). The local kids ran around with Ruby and Miles (from Convivia), we all danced and talked and really got into the spirit of cross cultural exchanges.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional dress</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A short walk across the island through coconut palms and banana trees</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was so excited to find my first nautilus shell! ... followed by my 2nd, 3rd, 4th... Krister said I shouldn't keep them all, so I left a few for some one else to find. What a magical beach! </td></tr>
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We had a great time on Anetieyum and Mystery Island, but with such a short time left before we had to be in Australia, we had to keep moving. Early in the morning we set sail to Tanna. It was a long day's sail to Port Resolution, and our charts didn't provide much detail of the anchorage. The friendly locals came out to say hello, they brought delicious, organic produce and asked if we could come by and help fix their generators.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister assessing the generator problem with Patrick, his son Louis, and the local boys.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kids loved having their photo taken!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Britannia anchored in Port Resolution</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patrick's home, and village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie showing us the village garden. Sweet potato, taro, corn, beans, a variety of cabbage, papaya, banana,...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful banyan trees where everywhere</td></tr>
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We made arrangements to visit Mt. Yasur, an active volcano. It was a bit on the expensive side, but like swimming with the whales in Tonga, it was unforgettably awe-inspiring. It felt like living on the pages of National Geographic. Even though I'd seen videos and photos, I was not prepared for the physical experience of standing on the edge of a living volcano. The minor eruptions sent pulses through the air; the shock waves could be seen in the smoke rising from caldera. The larger blasts sent adrenaline pulsing through our veins as we stumbled backwards in instinctual survival mode. The vibrations of the molten rock hitting the earth could be heard around the crater and the pulses of air forced out blew through us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the sun set, the lava glowed brighter and Mt Yasur disclosed its secrets</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local fishermen in their homemade outrigger</td></tr>
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After the volcano experience, we were off again. This time on an overnight passage to the capital, Port Vila on the island of Efate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister on watch with the bananas received for working on a generator</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The day before elections in Port Vila- voting is taken very seriously. The streets were full of pride and propaganda.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda looking over Port Vila.</td></tr>
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We've had such wonderful times here in Vanuatu, wish we could stay longer.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Footprints in the volcanic black sand</td></tr>
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<br />Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-1190003170443950142012-10-20T00:46:00.000-07:002012-10-20T00:48:26.594-07:00Kava in VanuatuI've been disappointed by how mild (or nonexistant) the effect from Fijian kava has been. Fijians love their kava, and I just don't get it.
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<br>The kava in Vanuatu is another story entirely. We were invited to a traditional feast onshore that, of course, involved a kava ceremony. I was struck first by the lack of "ceremony" involved - rather than having everyone sit formally in a circle, the kava was just available to be consumed as people desired. Think beer keg, where a social circle develops, but there's no official event. I was struck (very) shortly thereafter by the powerful effect of the kava.
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<br>I felt relaxed and talkative at the same time. Our hosts told us to ask any questions we wanted to about their lives and culture, and sitting with the Vanuatu-ans (?), drinking kava and talking about what it feels like to live in the same village that your family has lived in for 50 generations, watching stars above swaying palms brought me an overwhelming sense of wellbeing.Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-76159687324059263952012-10-15T18:43:00.000-07:002012-10-15T18:46:48.512-07:00The Best Passage EverWe've spent a long time now being at sea in relatively uncomfortable conditions. The trip to and from New Zealand is well known as a passage that's considerably less comfortable than the down hill tradewind passages we had early last season. Looking back, it seems like the last truly "nice" passage we had was maybe the pacific crossing... and even that had it's moments of nastiness.
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<br>I think we'd forgotten how nice it can be to just head down wind in moderate seas. So basically we've spent the last three days looking at each other and smiling saying "Is this what sailing is actually supposed to be like?"
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<br>We're in Anetiyum, Vanuatu now and just cleared in through customs. Vanuatu is supposed to be the "friendliest place on earth" or something to that effect (most islands in the South Pacific like to advertise as such), and this time it actually seems to be true. I've never met such friendly customs officers.
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<br>A bit of weather has kicked up; it's blowing 25 knots and rained hard last night. It's actually a pretty nice way to wake up after a passage - no reason to do too much, so we're taking it easy on the boat and getting excited to do some exploring tomorrow...Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-83735277311435649112012-10-11T16:32:00.003-07:002012-10-11T16:32:56.054-07:00Leaving FijiMan! Have we been here a long time! The weather, more specifically the SPCZ, has finally moved on and sunny days with light breezes are here. Krister discovered a de-stranding cable in one of our shrouds and a cracked insulator on our back stay a few days ago that we had to scurry to fix in time for this weather window. Thanks to Bruce, the local rigger, we're all set to go. The boat is looking good; full of fuel and food, cleaned up and ready to go. It's been a long time since we've made a passage, but it's only 3 days to Vanuatu. It's the perfect amount of time to remind us what it's all about, and to get us ready for our longer passage to Australia that's coming up in November. This will be the first passage we've made without Piko since leaving Mexico. They are currently underway, sailing back to Auckalnd, NZ. We're missing them a lot, but keeping in touch via the SSB. Our Emery Cove Marina friends on s/v Convivia have caught up with us and will be accompanying us westward. It's been a busy couple weeks and lots of fun, but we're all looking forward to what's next.<br />
Fairwinds,<br />
AmandaAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-8081575035752027492012-09-12T03:34:00.000-07:002012-09-12T03:34:44.133-07:00Some things about Fiji<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been meaning to write for weeks... has it been weeks since I last wrote?... well here are some thoughts and happenings that I've wanted to write about but until now haven't gotten around to doing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We've been "out" long enough so that things like dental appointments need to happen before we "go home." Lucky for us, we found an awesome DDS in Lautoka. It was the first time since I was a kid that a dentist cleaned my teeth instead of a hygienist. Nice guy, next day appointments, inexpensive ($25 USD for cleaning and consultation, $20 for a filling), thorough and professional and right on the bus route. We really recommend this guy if you're in the area. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Dr. Vimal K Murthi, Thank you!</span></td></tr>
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</div>Another recommendation are these guys...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDA3Ozg68QHKz2rRc4WQZoXveo1zSEeDvSnSEOIl2bplk0So_ANusc5I5NH8Lks6DhDscKqRVby0DXUH2IQ0VxWHpvpf5KmlLJ3gjeYLhFz77yPeW3tuChrP5abKVw5ztc39-wRCCohE/s1600/nadiboyz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDA3Ozg68QHKz2rRc4WQZoXveo1zSEeDvSnSEOIl2bplk0So_ANusc5I5NH8Lks6DhDscKqRVby0DXUH2IQ0VxWHpvpf5KmlLJ3gjeYLhFz77yPeW3tuChrP5abKVw5ztc39-wRCCohE/s320/nadiboyz.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you're looking for something local and authentic they've got the goods. Tony hooked us up with a beautiful, traditional, Fijian carved bowl and even engraved Britannia's name on it for us. True to Fijian form, we were heartily welcomed back and invited to stay with him anytime we're in Nadi. I mention them not only because of their friendliness, which was ample, but because the souvenirs and art they sell is all locally made. A lot of the shops here import "hand carved" but mass produced items from China and other parts of the world. I was happy to have met the people who made my keepsake. It's great to support local economies but really it's all about the memories man!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So we've been back in town for a while. (Actually we're anchored in Saweni Bay again) Most days we catch the bus into Lautoka for lunch and admin, like provisioning, filling propane tanks and extending our Visas. No day is ever the same (the "schedule" is pretty loose) and we're always being presently surprised. Like when we went back to the immigration office to pick up our passports we ran into Alex from Moondance; a single hander that we'd meet in La Paz, Mexico almost 2 years ago. What a small world... well it is when you're sailing around it! It's amazing how small and well connected the cruising community really is. I love it! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister carrying a massive bag of groceries to the bus stop. </td></tr>
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A few things about Fiji...<br />
The sugar industry is huge. There are fields of the stuff everywhere, and after they harvest it, the fields are burned. So it's smokey. Lautoka is home to the largest sugar cane mill in the southern hemisphere. But it seems that it is closed a lot due to mechanical break downs and a lack of parts. We've spoken to many locals, taxi drivers and market ladies... it has something to do with the military coup and lack of international trade. (Funny note: We've heard advertisements while riding the bus to call or write suggestions for the new constitution.) Most people we talk to don't seem to have much to say about the government. What they'd rather talk about is racial bias. Which leads me to...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>There are a lot of Indians in Fiji. And Fijians, as a whole, don't have nice things to say about them. During British colonial rule, Indians were brought here as indentured servants. Now they live here, but are not allowed to own land. They can lease it, but most of the Indian population lives in the cities and own businesses. To sum it up, the Fijians say that the Indo-Fijians are busybodies and the Indo-Fijians say that the Fijians are lazy. My opinion (as a liberal American) is that Indo-Fijian food is delicious, their clothes fascinating and ornate, and that they are helpful although more stand offish than Fijians. Can't we all just get along?!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Indo-Fijian clothing store</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even though we felt a bit like smuggled human cargo, Krister and Lauren enjoyed their bouncy ride in the back of an old pick-up truck into Lautoka</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On Monday our friends on Dilligaf set sail for Vanuatu. We'll be following in their wake at the end of the month. But first Krister's mom is coming for a visit, and we're in for a reunion with Tao and Convivia next week when they arrive in Fiji from Tonga. We've known since the beginning of the season that Dilligaf was planning on being back in Seattle for Thanksgiving and that Piko was going back to New Zealand for work, but after all our lazy days together it'll be hard to go our own way.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B_m2gwLou6QsKboHBMYe7ND5cBdgHOpQjI-kPX1oD1DXEmUA0oRG6o5Wu4ZiyKfoEzELQsGtrBrj1zE8X0m1OJn3A2Zwx0is-FBeQdSgBvO74VJxHGk98Tp7Sdt4Vr863-khL3o0uqg/s1600/daboyz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-B_m2gwLou6QsKboHBMYe7ND5cBdgHOpQjI-kPX1oD1DXEmUA0oRG6o5Wu4ZiyKfoEzELQsGtrBrj1zE8X0m1OJn3A2Zwx0is-FBeQdSgBvO74VJxHGk98Tp7Sdt4Vr863-khL3o0uqg/s320/daboyz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One last thing. Today was the first time we drug our Rocna anchor. Nothing too serious; we just nicked the reef. It's mysterious though. We've been sitting in the same spot for a week with mostly settled conditions, anchored in 10 feet, mud and rocky coral. Today started like any other, but then the wind piped up from 17 to 25 knots and shifted to the north, opening us up to the full fetch of the Bligh Water. With a scope of 7 to 1 it's hard to imagine us dragging. We sat thru 45+ knots with 3 to 1 in Musket Cove. But the hobby-horsing must have unset the Rocna- maybe too much jerking for our snubber to keep it in the ground at such shallow depths in what's less than perfect holding... Anyway, everyone goes on the reef in Fiji at some point. It's just a matter of time. We're officially in the club now- but just barely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEp-1vxaUD64IJxR5lSOCUncd1O3q96o2WXv7_3g7-uBoI8WoLOS_w81vGJMUF8BtHYKtUQgL5UaZBXTIdoA-17qDUCPw8heG8f2SLAZ9R3W2_AdnxkMrzAiMq0SXRuYuRxUsZ0QncSgM/s1600/britannia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEp-1vxaUD64IJxR5lSOCUncd1O3q96o2WXv7_3g7-uBoI8WoLOS_w81vGJMUF8BtHYKtUQgL5UaZBXTIdoA-17qDUCPw8heG8f2SLAZ9R3W2_AdnxkMrzAiMq0SXRuYuRxUsZ0QncSgM/s320/britannia.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ps.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">A few more sightings to add to our sign collection:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMq6rCv9lLlliJrM-zzrw5e9zXr5__FAV3i4fhYM_kWtEbmrAYeSfKosL6pZlW9PNcvsieSCP_U0mKcyK57qTNAO1WhtWwJQHDWOCHpSxAGNUNymXzI8W7Eu5TM3rWWu0GhdUvAekeok/s1600/tavaruasign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMq6rCv9lLlliJrM-zzrw5e9zXr5__FAV3i4fhYM_kWtEbmrAYeSfKosL6pZlW9PNcvsieSCP_U0mKcyK57qTNAO1WhtWwJQHDWOCHpSxAGNUNymXzI8W7Eu5TM3rWWu0GhdUvAekeok/s320/tavaruasign.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">For all the surfers :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYyPvhPTmjMjkzcZoLMYpcmjf3TSvGt9rT60LobWAnr28XniqZ_n1RqnKYtnu1qljRHh5TMowh-ujFIkXiOSOVTgJCOkjjtk0v1-_j6aBx2JkSyhhcrNuayBbVAn8-uVbMpY-jKn_uF4/s1600/graphitisign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYyPvhPTmjMjkzcZoLMYpcmjf3TSvGt9rT60LobWAnr28XniqZ_n1RqnKYtnu1qljRHh5TMowh-ujFIkXiOSOVTgJCOkjjtk0v1-_j6aBx2JkSyhhcrNuayBbVAn8-uVbMpY-jKn_uF4/s320/graphitisign.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">What is this implying?<br />
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</tbody></table>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-28035802004180202142012-08-26T20:22:00.000-07:002012-08-26T20:22:22.073-07:00Some favorites from Blue Lagoon and Manta Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXYYJBsyCreRT4DLPfYDWb-JPub-y_o3hZ6MFDoaJuCkC3dzOiLNoQE8cOjaVw60Hzjzn-eo03HFSbF3-AWNMJIn1x2Gk5Mw0Ywbu_nA42kWqOmBNvSBe57NIv-sGYZ7LbNMQcpT3urw/s1600/beachflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXYYJBsyCreRT4DLPfYDWb-JPub-y_o3hZ6MFDoaJuCkC3dzOiLNoQE8cOjaVw60Hzjzn-eo03HFSbF3-AWNMJIn1x2Gk5Mw0Ywbu_nA42kWqOmBNvSBe57NIv-sGYZ7LbNMQcpT3urw/s1600/beachflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXYYJBsyCreRT4DLPfYDWb-JPub-y_o3hZ6MFDoaJuCkC3dzOiLNoQE8cOjaVw60Hzjzn-eo03HFSbF3-AWNMJIn1x2Gk5Mw0Ywbu_nA42kWqOmBNvSBe57NIv-sGYZ7LbNMQcpT3urw/s1600/beachflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXYYJBsyCreRT4DLPfYDWb-JPub-y_o3hZ6MFDoaJuCkC3dzOiLNoQE8cOjaVw60Hzjzn-eo03HFSbF3-AWNMJIn1x2Gk5Mw0Ywbu_nA42kWqOmBNvSBe57NIv-sGYZ7LbNMQcpT3urw/s320/beachflower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fiji continues to be visually stunning! Although we've gotten lazy about getting off the boat and getting "out there," we still manage to find surprises and delightfulness while walking around and going ashore.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wFil3r2m6kmomZiPNJFtFlwDtQUzg0ve_4BfOBDJjdo9JhudbUC3j8W5A1X1pNW4KFrhrK5gI2zY0Oz0F8GpWyOf-zRbouc20ceFYk2bHnufRGcB7fvrGL0E32lO6dCj9d36UOzehtk/s1600/nicetree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3wFil3r2m6kmomZiPNJFtFlwDtQUzg0ve_4BfOBDJjdo9JhudbUC3j8W5A1X1pNW4KFrhrK5gI2zY0Oz0F8GpWyOf-zRbouc20ceFYk2bHnufRGcB7fvrGL0E32lO6dCj9d36UOzehtk/s320/nicetree.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7k8sQJY18949hQA3DBSXCRvA0tQomvBTTUf7C1Dk_pLP4I7WBC_vrchNvipDFkm2fVw9Nrh0_8vdJAlNAwH_nHvzIp5VuCw-GXR2gStg3ifdr8n_aWtDyhv-cZ44tGY_eA2xGR8yqeM/s1600/blagoonanchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7k8sQJY18949hQA3DBSXCRvA0tQomvBTTUf7C1Dk_pLP4I7WBC_vrchNvipDFkm2fVw9Nrh0_8vdJAlNAwH_nHvzIp5VuCw-GXR2gStg3ifdr8n_aWtDyhv-cZ44tGY_eA2xGR8yqeM/s320/blagoonanchorage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue lagoon anchorage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dilligaf, Britannia, and Piko</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking across the island to the Tea House</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfL5Nd9wv31lTSOYC3SAE-wY55Gatx37IB0M6fV5r_fMSCj4SFJsTz1hFpjp7S24990Owl33JRwdj8rXj5ZTHjx1f51Un73vszuB37aHvEfeNa5KNgXG8ncptISN7IyJtgzO2Yt2iusE/s1600/matching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfL5Nd9wv31lTSOYC3SAE-wY55Gatx37IB0M6fV5r_fMSCj4SFJsTz1hFpjp7S24990Owl33JRwdj8rXj5ZTHjx1f51Un73vszuB37aHvEfeNa5KNgXG8ncptISN7IyJtgzO2Yt2iusE/s320/matching.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5alPRCdTgPtuknDiU91Du2P3pgo9QGmGzEkO7LDYK-NvGa2qJkzrlMMrXGV7BIlT-wOTouqbvp-kPdVPQH_I5T4kb9N5tUey8qzVTa1BdjMEgYpSdXsqHfHskAx8A4FkeSfvt85816rc/s1600/waiting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5alPRCdTgPtuknDiU91Du2P3pgo9QGmGzEkO7LDYK-NvGa2qJkzrlMMrXGV7BIlT-wOTouqbvp-kPdVPQH_I5T4kb9N5tUey8qzVTa1BdjMEgYpSdXsqHfHskAx8A4FkeSfvt85816rc/s320/waiting.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Waiting for the girls<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruiser's Happy Hour</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister hearts Piko!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp1qDRojEH3VkU5XGmEQzDC4RnkESgWP7ocpkIg6nKmcG14NonyPP3mdIDux22J_ao4CRGKRVi-KIyxU4i2JeGSE0kvq92CIzfZ1baTfgUwDvGk0CIKqXUhvFyoiGjn3_Jsx4pXWLAzg/s1600/purplecoral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvp1qDRojEH3VkU5XGmEQzDC4RnkESgWP7ocpkIg6nKmcG14NonyPP3mdIDux22J_ao4CRGKRVi-KIyxU4i2JeGSE0kvq92CIzfZ1baTfgUwDvGk0CIKqXUhvFyoiGjn3_Jsx4pXWLAzg/s320/purplecoral.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRZrw73lSUYyCoRFuswNngfW29pPYz_3hA-NzK5-od3WQv_YwTEfmaafxWuu6gs8XesV17XkQxYsUIPGBEvuRchThnyAznwc0YMNP1EuO9jq_5ZJ8rDYywNAz8EvQThnt1rTVglagFUk/s1600/starfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRZrw73lSUYyCoRFuswNngfW29pPYz_3hA-NzK5-od3WQv_YwTEfmaafxWuu6gs8XesV17XkQxYsUIPGBEvuRchThnyAznwc0YMNP1EuO9jq_5ZJ8rDYywNAz8EvQThnt1rTVglagFUk/s320/starfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje5z72F1nmXLKuZIB1HwYQ8okc9qCThTjX6W_LzYOV7xxqMCsEImLgcI-eC2SWD3mheVmDyW4QtM_zeRRSCwMOu8jaWTajd9qwRUZsfhoCGLuVLwEhUaHu-wIZHzzvXxOSo05yqsDPLE/s1600/softcoral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgje5z72F1nmXLKuZIB1HwYQ8okc9qCThTjX6W_LzYOV7xxqMCsEImLgcI-eC2SWD3mheVmDyW4QtM_zeRRSCwMOu8jaWTajd9qwRUZsfhoCGLuVLwEhUaHu-wIZHzzvXxOSo05yqsDPLE/s320/softcoral.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft and Hard Corals</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs8wlezfN_wqWJNK8gVR11XZ0drkonxCdjoZNFEIjNYE0YHDV9_j72ZHFfawwTI0ifqimTAofWZoFH5QAUSA0Y18exbgTYxCXfMVhI4_O0UWGInFtSF8pKljkJvMfB22OnnasqP5U87Q/s1600/silouete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXs8wlezfN_wqWJNK8gVR11XZ0drkonxCdjoZNFEIjNYE0YHDV9_j72ZHFfawwTI0ifqimTAofWZoFH5QAUSA0Y18exbgTYxCXfMVhI4_O0UWGInFtSF8pKljkJvMfB22OnnasqP5U87Q/s320/silouete.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNB9gkG-GDF6iEDIdQHjYIziaj5eIXjRBmsWQyBETqCFtuvVFFB0qyCk9g_eRajzd2-HiCrdOXd_5HFS4-P3Z07HNelTxlTN1tzZvl2xAZRRJitSjR3uwD2vIpfem89w6u9V9MiFF3kw/s1600/snorkelgirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglNB9gkG-GDF6iEDIdQHjYIziaj5eIXjRBmsWQyBETqCFtuvVFFB0qyCk9g_eRajzd2-HiCrdOXd_5HFS4-P3Z07HNelTxlTN1tzZvl2xAZRRJitSjR3uwD2vIpfem89w6u9V9MiFF3kw/s320/snorkelgirl.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda in action</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yQDLl5BEsGN5TNv2L25gyB306DyPla1VZyexcT3u3Ubq5PnwJScbmn50Pluv71ACdG7RaJJ7hrairbCVhsLuOUiSfq3HKHI-vnywYcPatCNdNbam5lYfvvmibrhUptb4-rW5QMuZ9oQ/s1600/snorkelwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5yQDLl5BEsGN5TNv2L25gyB306DyPla1VZyexcT3u3Ubq5PnwJScbmn50Pluv71ACdG7RaJJ7hrairbCVhsLuOUiSfq3HKHI-vnywYcPatCNdNbam5lYfvvmibrhUptb4-rW5QMuZ9oQ/s320/snorkelwater.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snorkel area in front of Barefoot Resort</td></tr>
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Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-44377354588251233882012-08-26T00:52:00.001-07:002012-08-26T19:57:59.511-07:00Redefining the Healthy Reef<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM9uHSSB2ToioD4YNxuK701ZwKO7Vn0mV-ZCLQZM9GVbDUd2QftS0Ilnyeti2qGSCOtyY1XLMLr4eFZSOxy0Sj1L6Tku0RG0aM9wfPVu1eIw5_rcizR5naymnO-uoGB5l_9pbyd0u6AY/s1600/fishtypes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCM9uHSSB2ToioD4YNxuK701ZwKO7Vn0mV-ZCLQZM9GVbDUd2QftS0Ilnyeti2qGSCOtyY1XLMLr4eFZSOxy0Sj1L6Tku0RG0aM9wfPVu1eIw5_rcizR5naymnO-uoGB5l_9pbyd0u6AY/s320/fishtypes.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>We had an amazing snorkel yesterday, with more fish and more variety of fish than I've ever seen. It was stunning - we've spent quite a lot of time in the water at this point and to see so much that was new was a big surprise. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTFgHg5DrSfaRIZppr2MaRxWiimeR1MVcrpgJH5849HUkMfJijGaOJqD_c16s0Xe1EuOw3jFbCIDdj13judmZKKmz3XhOqvbDoTOzA1EVin3MiGc4AfN44lQt7dv1E5q41UHu7VBUEzY/s1600/parrotfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJTFgHg5DrSfaRIZppr2MaRxWiimeR1MVcrpgJH5849HUkMfJijGaOJqD_c16s0Xe1EuOw3jFbCIDdj13judmZKKmz3XhOqvbDoTOzA1EVin3MiGc4AfN44lQt7dv1E5q41UHu7VBUEzY/s320/parrotfish.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="258" /></a><br />
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After getting out of the water, I learned that the area we were in had been declared a marine reserve. Not the whole group. Not the whole island - just that small bay. It was a startling demonstration of the effect that we're having on the oceans. I don't understand how it's possible that such a small area could sustain so much life without broader and more far reaching protections, but there you have it. I can't imagine what it would look like if the whole ocean was protected. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF8UaRFHMzZ9MWNPA-ZON39GIgyt7p9dSqbKay6YezzNk98LXyBn3ITBQaS-RQxH_VUT0yl6WTLEXAtoYEiKlNirJc2cDrRo_VIix-gptwGXCTFoMkoxDF0ty2wdvv58Z08MwizH7BbM/s1600/kwithfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF8UaRFHMzZ9MWNPA-ZON39GIgyt7p9dSqbKay6YezzNk98LXyBn3ITBQaS-RQxH_VUT0yl6WTLEXAtoYEiKlNirJc2cDrRo_VIix-gptwGXCTFoMkoxDF0ty2wdvv58Z08MwizH7BbM/s320/kwithfish.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fnlPAlCTQv88ZlLP-GMx4fqOFa1HurqNNVUeZTNYqyxmrKRdcKXqhPEpAybf3e_0CSFlhLR6JVrHSFoWoodIkIEESriIpjg1n6ZXiOKty2bl3NW_xyHLFrPu9QTt5jIHK_cutGj_y0s/s1600/caurieshell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1fnlPAlCTQv88ZlLP-GMx4fqOFa1HurqNNVUeZTNYqyxmrKRdcKXqhPEpAybf3e_0CSFlhLR6JVrHSFoWoodIkIEESriIpjg1n6ZXiOKty2bl3NW_xyHLFrPu9QTt5jIHK_cutGj_y0s/s320/caurieshell.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
It reminds me of a scene from a BBC documentary (Life? Planet Earth? Something like that...) which showed an aerial pan of a particularly vital part of the Great Rift Valley. I was struck at the time by how healthy the ecosystem seemed to be - it was heartening. I'm realizing now that my focus should have been on the fact that you have to fly to remote parts of Africa to get that shot. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwX-SjD1gRYjfWW5ks4nrBxPHYLECO0FGHaeIXEoztRjdxdD6ymcYz9NRfFCk3xw95zxhle6vQM86tSP2To_padh9U001_LQ04_zbgOqHJEeY0kNVCiEsQcfP3aF-oSFc-rM8UERUmkU/s1600/longfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhwX-SjD1gRYjfWW5ks4nrBxPHYLECO0FGHaeIXEoztRjdxdD6ymcYz9NRfFCk3xw95zxhle6vQM86tSP2To_padh9U001_LQ04_zbgOqHJEeY0kNVCiEsQcfP3aF-oSFc-rM8UERUmkU/s320/longfish.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
Did the whole world used to look like this?<br />
<br />
What are we doing?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYP84fVGg0a-r_xSh3kGeCRwLheuQFd4hVhauhT1AYxchYN4oQsc9z6s2bW-NNmhcUIhhAGdkNAaOP-Im3bm0a9cK3u3psbLaB1N3q7BceJsTC4ezCnoM8Rrdr4paVTQxNTg3d7FH_6E/s1600/angelschool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihYP84fVGg0a-r_xSh3kGeCRwLheuQFd4hVhauhT1AYxchYN4oQsc9z6s2bW-NNmhcUIhhAGdkNAaOP-Im3bm0a9cK3u3psbLaB1N3q7BceJsTC4ezCnoM8Rrdr4paVTQxNTg3d7FH_6E/s320/angelschool.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-70457496719905618622012-08-18T20:31:00.001-07:002012-08-18T21:11:31.253-07:00Mamanucas and Yasawas, Fiji<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">As promised, the photos to go with the last blog post...</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvwKo2PV_A1jQfKYOkaCXbSUnnBbBQM8DfdNivnPwuFzs5Jb3KOjAGkww2zK6r7dGX2KGJJnoZC7_W3wXeVWprdEPykzicWRbMGQYa77zhw05KevUgz9YZhmaQpxVpvG7lNF4iTieoYw/s1600/beachwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivvwKo2PV_A1jQfKYOkaCXbSUnnBbBQM8DfdNivnPwuFzs5Jb3KOjAGkww2zK6r7dGX2KGJJnoZC7_W3wXeVWprdEPykzicWRbMGQYa77zhw05KevUgz9YZhmaQpxVpvG7lNF4iTieoYw/s320/beachwalk.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister and Lauren walking back after snorkeling the plane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuXR4BnaAwQpHxAD76sU_GdtWUFLHDSaid1mj_VTewHY9B2lLfe7jQU_zYjB1EaxHCnMjRjgdXQvbI7BWYfjaKTWPyXz4leChYegqmDkFF-_wdDb99PQuhQHXMHvt9O6Uj1P8-MuKJkY/s1600/billslobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvuXR4BnaAwQpHxAD76sU_GdtWUFLHDSaid1mj_VTewHY9B2lLfe7jQU_zYjB1EaxHCnMjRjgdXQvbI7BWYfjaKTWPyXz4leChYegqmDkFF-_wdDb99PQuhQHXMHvt9O6Uj1P8-MuKJkY/s320/billslobster.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill finally got his lobsters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmPJpHyO3FZaPuaeouiwEUC6g07MljSJU22U7y4eieEmRllk66LRrWIUoo4JYpja2NR3UoRMmNpVM3LLHk1iIgQSr5E6XosDKfoWf34aB7crMF5Y6G0J9SWYhumk_zUU_28l235YOGzk/s1600/grandmashouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmPJpHyO3FZaPuaeouiwEUC6g07MljSJU22U7y4eieEmRllk66LRrWIUoo4JYpja2NR3UoRMmNpVM3LLHk1iIgQSr5E6XosDKfoWf34aB7crMF5Y6G0J9SWYhumk_zUU_28l235YOGzk/s320/grandmashouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma's house- a traditional burre</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfsKNfxeFsD1QIh1l1lugioga7oIANRoXLT2R7fnUkcDMo4w6IJf65upk_Z3b0FztsvuCALhLRyk9Uoi1MyflzJAPqcnZaeySssA_r-XgNAp1ajZvXjH2Cf64CyDgvIKd7MZisojgIEc/s1600/islandwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfsKNfxeFsD1QIh1l1lugioga7oIANRoXLT2R7fnUkcDMo4w6IJf65upk_Z3b0FztsvuCALhLRyk9Uoi1MyflzJAPqcnZaeySssA_r-XgNAp1ajZvXjH2Cf64CyDgvIKd7MZisojgIEc/s320/islandwalk.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking across Somosomo, Naviti to the plane crash</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3mGT1Yo8oRXWehpdJblUREvEXplK7cjpiJR-Nc0Pokte0uUAJx6FzxNzrmbHiY8tjrUiq53rKzYJUTr9rAVFh01rLGAEreLPk_BlZXy96KPHLXXY6FRONZvHne_tbdzMXoedUFMrb8c/s1600/junglewalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3mGT1Yo8oRXWehpdJblUREvEXplK7cjpiJR-Nc0Pokte0uUAJx6FzxNzrmbHiY8tjrUiq53rKzYJUTr9rAVFh01rLGAEreLPk_BlZXy96KPHLXXY6FRONZvHne_tbdzMXoedUFMrb8c/s320/junglewalk.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWnt7zQ_N4LcRhg6b7UjBYffc4bVTlFI1kOMF6cWZgaADtNY5ToAxEfKCkAMzan83cMeLp8u_kVWOL6s7BtrZ2C7tymdzC7REO2kyY8vZ3p8eb0-bFiJEqxjQpnOTUH52GkackwVA8tc/s1600/ondilligaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWnt7zQ_N4LcRhg6b7UjBYffc4bVTlFI1kOMF6cWZgaADtNY5ToAxEfKCkAMzan83cMeLp8u_kVWOL6s7BtrZ2C7tymdzC7REO2kyY8vZ3p8eb0-bFiJEqxjQpnOTUH52GkackwVA8tc/s320/ondilligaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sundowners on Dilligaf with Piko and Gigi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8mDHQrcD74VWjo8joJcBMo-0qN6K41Y6ULhKm0K7f3ju2np-4CrGzJlPMclero_m1cCgfgcYGP3joS-aM0EKz3nxOndTjwXJ1gdQn6i4fLIRNvno1UDP13m6P7KEhb_3LOMR0DhX6yw/s1600/planedive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8mDHQrcD74VWjo8joJcBMo-0qN6K41Y6ULhKm0K7f3ju2np-4CrGzJlPMclero_m1cCgfgcYGP3joS-aM0EKz3nxOndTjwXJ1gdQn6i4fLIRNvno1UDP13m6P7KEhb_3LOMR0DhX6yw/s320/planedive.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WWII mustang crash site</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nQLNNV36axd8hSyeqaN0wsVTLDb_Qv9d-wWRKArpKnmfz-EKpRDj4oNa7PyZ15pJJD8-3io1h11RlrF8HxtXNfDA_q0Su96Dbl5QNLufMDVu1ijOZo6SuxLhzO1Xj2lxkCjt4jFjQLI/s1600/pufferandloin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nQLNNV36axd8hSyeqaN0wsVTLDb_Qv9d-wWRKArpKnmfz-EKpRDj4oNa7PyZ15pJJD8-3io1h11RlrF8HxtXNfDA_q0Su96Dbl5QNLufMDVu1ijOZo6SuxLhzO1Xj2lxkCjt4jFjQLI/s320/pufferandloin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lionfish and puffer fish under the plane's tail</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsvwSDiLVfyA0o5bOSWn88yQgzScI9jYM51DjxOU6VqKUbu2UuekHLtZN826ptrpnxSmpZTOgAX7JVYrj2lOAAw0ZWrTS6XKnAf5kTPSZ5AcwzBC4Eo2mtxfrc96u6r8ViY2Wd4t13rA/s1600/rockybeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmsvwSDiLVfyA0o5bOSWn88yQgzScI9jYM51DjxOU6VqKUbu2UuekHLtZN826ptrpnxSmpZTOgAX7JVYrj2lOAAw0ZWrTS6XKnAf5kTPSZ5AcwzBC4Eo2mtxfrc96u6r8ViY2Wd4t13rA/s320/rockybeach.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backside of Navandra</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dqgZ4nnKAN7JmJHSelLXWMurf8-xeRXPeKZv5kWTjTgENEDkf4u9aaLmpMX-7hjsgfzEuP2BS9A_52MszmulI3BU1QPyl4uLM44vRqk7OS1t-2wwxau-vPFTLlvk1O0REKZm5cVlerI/s1600/selfphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dqgZ4nnKAN7JmJHSelLXWMurf8-xeRXPeKZv5kWTjTgENEDkf4u9aaLmpMX-7hjsgfzEuP2BS9A_52MszmulI3BU1QPyl4uLM44vRqk7OS1t-2wwxau-vPFTLlvk1O0REKZm5cVlerI/s320/selfphoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfphoto; a bit blurry, but still beautiful</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNDxhbcwLtIGV2l9kySsleRPq5fcSNPSacqDC1IHKWD0Y3uZTDVsPWCgEFwoh9EFMh6uK_NlqaGd0EvYIchACPYB0NmhDFvysTsdTwz0ccYBQe3gVBV1SqCR-DLltNe-oplZjT6LAu4U/s1600/tanning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNDxhbcwLtIGV2l9kySsleRPq5fcSNPSacqDC1IHKWD0Y3uZTDVsPWCgEFwoh9EFMh6uK_NlqaGd0EvYIchACPYB0NmhDFvysTsdTwz0ccYBQe3gVBV1SqCR-DLltNe-oplZjT6LAu4U/s320/tanning.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing in the shade</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklSKnPO4LoLCi-46naafG9WDcmpzRZ0X5csQSr70Kich2PVav4njiGForwwW-TXdNGdBcQurF6Lif3yVlHaSl477V6MFdV4oypQ2ciRDvk-jZkxpv3dsh0q-YIZcMiiIstx3ygm3WXq4/s1600/anchorageview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgklSKnPO4LoLCi-46naafG9WDcmpzRZ0X5csQSr70Kich2PVav4njiGForwwW-TXdNGdBcQurF6Lif3yVlHaSl477V6MFdV4oypQ2ciRDvk-jZkxpv3dsh0q-YIZcMiiIstx3ygm3WXq4/s320/anchorageview.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The anchorage in Navandra</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgUpYO-oo_9DEF1DJCJuKYlGyOkdZ2mXQhQbz2eiWwSVU3PsKzhAAg8Rjyd4czac79dyEcu4hrxkdWo22328By0_kvhHuclLQPXsXbACiCDFC6Wcib60ql4m53Nh0_JuI3gGVtkOjUME/s1600/beachcandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgUpYO-oo_9DEF1DJCJuKYlGyOkdZ2mXQhQbz2eiWwSVU3PsKzhAAg8Rjyd4czac79dyEcu4hrxkdWo22328By0_kvhHuclLQPXsXbACiCDFC6Wcib60ql4m53Nh0_JuI3gGVtkOjUME/s320/beachcandy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach treasures</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD4ghxsP4A3yP0Ew-7NA5A1XMEjrVWQU-fPWw7yPAvX8ZJZAyRmkoCfD06IBRF3sj2KFE_4qvVCfBdhPk2p9rcjFWMG43ncjgDmu9vPWDKnHRpQ9l3CSeF6chYCXw_AEnR_oRXMjojqw/s1600/flyingray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzD4ghxsP4A3yP0Ew-7NA5A1XMEjrVWQU-fPWw7yPAvX8ZJZAyRmkoCfD06IBRF3sj2KFE_4qvVCfBdhPk2p9rcjFWMG43ncjgDmu9vPWDKnHRpQ9l3CSeF6chYCXw_AEnR_oRXMjojqw/s320/flyingray.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manta Ray near Naviti</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqiqxsCWCvJ4F9YbhNDVGGIyFDlR7i15F1rEtKVPzhgUTMavUeNeIfVYOjsSRY-cAiilSiYDUsX170Vo-Nu8Th7tIt6XC6Z0hn1eSzFuNS9AD0aALlz7CFpznH8o70tUCQbtldEQjWy4/s1600/hermitcrab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlqiqxsCWCvJ4F9YbhNDVGGIyFDlR7i15F1rEtKVPzhgUTMavUeNeIfVYOjsSRY-cAiilSiYDUsX170Vo-Nu8Th7tIt6XC6Z0hn1eSzFuNS9AD0aALlz7CFpznH8o70tUCQbtldEQjWy4/s320/hermitcrab.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermit crab</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1phCvyZ7uSHh2sG60H8p4VuK7x_HovQrrgzM1Hft5X1zb92h4BnU_qGkgHaXbLSawSTSm_wZcDOfUUnGUcBFkHXwutVxx0NQN553cnqT25dck7a0YALa3EgApWDyFVds08BHuJ4NfWVo/s1600/navandra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1phCvyZ7uSHh2sG60H8p4VuK7x_HovQrrgzM1Hft5X1zb92h4BnU_qGkgHaXbLSawSTSm_wZcDOfUUnGUcBFkHXwutVxx0NQN553cnqT25dck7a0YALa3EgApWDyFVds08BHuJ4NfWVo/s320/navandra.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idyllic Navandra</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVv2IpTf4GM3u8-fu3Yd8fZylc9MsXKwikOhP1ZlN2FVvIARxh4Ma4H1HaaebAOeOBadPt_OgwkSYPbgvXn9gwPm9moVv7aWwo7P5LnG3mb4wKN57KV491Vk8NqHEbd_lF8HM-pYwGwY/s1600/sandytoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVv2IpTf4GM3u8-fu3Yd8fZylc9MsXKwikOhP1ZlN2FVvIARxh4Ma4H1HaaebAOeOBadPt_OgwkSYPbgvXn9gwPm9moVv7aWwo7P5LnG3mb4wKN57KV491Vk8NqHEbd_lF8HM-pYwGwY/s320/sandytoes.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toes in the sand- ahhhhh</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDnrfbwKzFQbWbujSbs1mhAXpRuOJRLd9NZuYztSR3yq7Dbb_jwhC_NZ9hO-BsYL80Z1KbHoeti09oLY5od8KmU_lPb7hitcd2_nz4fmZnb3bQGYxBhGTIePyF0TuY4L-avQzbMBU-h0/s1600/thepikos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghDnrfbwKzFQbWbujSbs1mhAXpRuOJRLd9NZuYztSR3yq7Dbb_jwhC_NZ9hO-BsYL80Z1KbHoeti09oLY5od8KmU_lPb7hitcd2_nz4fmZnb3bQGYxBhGTIePyF0TuY4L-avQzbMBU-h0/s320/thepikos.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piko </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1yXGz5Cs6myewAVXIZWgj_2KR77wwjhVFseNrQdvfOReBN1DCYpXnWxn82S6tPk07ysaHq18gQcPgK73bQXK8Njail-f3fPWXx4mEZ89V1y28w5TTCF2d7T8tCnsL4L3QXJ3DZDwMjI/s1600/piko@sunrise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1yXGz5Cs6myewAVXIZWgj_2KR77wwjhVFseNrQdvfOReBN1DCYpXnWxn82S6tPk07ysaHq18gQcPgK73bQXK8Njail-f3fPWXx4mEZ89V1y28w5TTCF2d7T8tCnsL4L3QXJ3DZDwMjI/s320/piko@sunrise.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At sunrise</td></tr>
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Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-33545169085537083242012-08-17T14:34:00.000-07:002012-08-17T14:39:54.696-07:00Rolly Anchorages and Neat DiscoveriesSince leaving Musket Cove, we've been moving north up into the Yasawa Group. This is the first time really since Mexico that we've had unprotected anchorages and I realize how spoiled we've been spending a year anchored inside one reef or another. We've had a few pretty uncomfortable places and a few nights of pretty light sleep.
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<br>Totally gorgeous though...
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<br>The highlight for me has been diving an old WWII plane that crashed just offshore. The wreck itself is only moderately interesting (though I enjoy WWII history enough that it's still pretty neat even though there isn't much to see), but the family that lives on the beach was fascinating to talk with. The woman who lives there with her husband, daughter and grandchildren has been living in the same place for 75 years, and she remembers when the plane crashed and how they helped the pilot who survived. It really brought the whole thing to life for me. It was also wonderful to spend the afternoon chatting with the grandsons (who are all very well educated and well spoken, having gone to school "on the mainland") over green coconuts. It was a special day and will definitely standout.
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<br>No internet, so no pictures for awhile, sadly. We'll post when we're back.Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-47183954843164741772012-08-03T12:52:00.001-07:002012-08-07T15:02:33.939-07:00Tavarua<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQv347OKMMAKyGYH7yTYGVNJo2NxoRdbOYE33xPifujVjOUA9NBkTec_MoUfq57IIdHBDZBTrrudftFqGnNi8lU2HptdmKTg0l1fmdaAH7eNvMtaUxbBrar2nwNr9gkH0Yl56n6eOzJo/s1600/namotu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQv347OKMMAKyGYH7yTYGVNJo2NxoRdbOYE33xPifujVjOUA9NBkTec_MoUfq57IIdHBDZBTrrudftFqGnNi8lU2HptdmKTg0l1fmdaAH7eNvMtaUxbBrar2nwNr9gkH0Yl56n6eOzJo/s320/namotu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Namotu Island</td></tr>
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It's difficult to overstate the near mythical status that the island of Tavarua holds in the surfing world. It's a place I've dreamed about seeing basically since I first started surfing and watched Pat O'Connell and Wingnut charge Cloudbreak in Endless Summer II.<br />
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For the last two weeks, we've been within dinghy distance of Tavarua, and I've been getting more consistent and more incredible surf than I've ever had in my life. There are a number of breaks in addition to Cloudbreak that are surprisingly manageable and picture perfect.<br />
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Loading up the boards, getting in the dinghy and seeing the iconic image of Tavarua getting closer gives me a feeling of stoke that hasn't worn off in the slightest in two weeks. I'm not sure it ever could.<br />
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I've got a few pictures, but the Tavarua resort website has better ones. Check out these <a href="http://www.tavarua.com/thrills" target="_blank">amazing photos</a> of the surf that we've got right next door.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdIC2-KqJASiRxvoKV5NdRwyVBfYI7faPyRPmRTYUEUWrTVfLcn7wwOKfypdWzUGErj1hKmPca85ylJDc18j9nV4PI4GoMX6WuNpQczC6hLy982Yx3HV8hUAsBUC6xbDHMCf0GtGv5Vg/s1600/cloudbreak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixdIC2-KqJASiRxvoKV5NdRwyVBfYI7faPyRPmRTYUEUWrTVfLcn7wwOKfypdWzUGErj1hKmPca85ylJDc18j9nV4PI4GoMX6WuNpQczC6hLy982Yx3HV8hUAsBUC6xbDHMCf0GtGv5Vg/s320/cloudbreak.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cloudbreak</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-47198946111918659832012-07-28T18:47:00.001-07:002012-07-29T13:07:16.677-07:00The Wind, The Reef, and The Long Night<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The weather reports we get have been, as a rule, quite accurate. When we're underway, we get GRIB files and listen to a great radio net run by a former meteorologist. When we're able to, we check a number of weather related websites as well.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">So, it was a little exciting to realize that we could still be taken by surprise...</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">After a delicious meal onshore with Piko and Dilligaf, we enjoyed a dingy ride back to the boat in flat calm. Reflection from anchor lights on surrounding boats twinkled in the water, mingling with bioluminescence and our gentle bow wake. Moon. Stars. Calm. I love dinghy rides like that.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">About midnight, the wind started to kick up to about 20 knots, along with some spectacular lighting displays. When we're underway, lightning totally freaks me out (I don't understand why we <i>wouldn't</i> get hit since we're sitting under a 55 foot lighting rod with nothing around for miles...), but when we're anchored surrounded by taller masts and land masses, I actually kind of enjoy weather like that.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I'd normally have no trouble sleeping through 20 knots, but the wind had shifted such that rather than being abeam of Piko with a comfortable distance between us, we were now in front of them with only a boat length or two separating us. Practically speaking, this meant that if we did drag our anchor, we'd have basically no warning before we bore down on them.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">In the course of the next hour, the winds built to the high 20's. For those who don't know, the wind force is exponential - 20 knots produces 4 times the force that 10 knots produces, and 40 knots produces 16 times that force. So, the difference between low 20's and high 20's is actually pretty noticeable.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">As the winds built, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep with Piko so close behind us, so I sat an anchor watch and decided to play the "watch the instruments and see if it gets to 30 knots game". It's fun - I came up with it myself.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Our anchor held perfectly, and sometime around 2AM, I started feeling a little silly being on anchor watch. Just as I was thinking about calling it a night, the main force of the weather system hit. The light rain became torrential, and Britannia swung 90 degrees, sailing at anchor as the wind came roaring in at 40+ (we talked to many people that saw consistent wind in the mid 40's). The boat heeled as violently as it ever has underway, and I invented a whole new game called "see if you can fill the water tanks in 40+ knots."</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Because we'd changed directions, I was a little less worried about falling back onto Piko. We had our dragging alarm on, and I was amazed that we weren't budging, just swinging in an arc behind our Rocna. As I fought my way to the bow through rain drops that felt more like bullets, the anchor line was bar tight. Between the wind and the heavy chop that built in the anchorage, Britannia was bucking pretty hard and I chose not to try and compute the snubbing loads she was generating.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Since I no longer had to worry about dragging into Piko, I chose instead to worry about dragging onto the reef that was directly behind us with this new wind direction. We hadn't been facing this way when we'd anchored, and I wasn't sure what the radius of our swing circle was, not to mention any movement we might have if we started dragging.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzJ-jIlr96qcWwBgMs3S2FLncDMyd7DXzurGqvdotnQeRnVObA6CNTh-lHGv6DV6Ce5ymhsYAmrvTyUN7tbgoj-iZAiLdg9z-2fhVp4T89LwEkx_is0GJ46gj3CYRp1sHKFqeFrEiNGU/s1600/thereef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzJ-jIlr96qcWwBgMs3S2FLncDMyd7DXzurGqvdotnQeRnVObA6CNTh-lHGv6DV6Ce5ymhsYAmrvTyUN7tbgoj-iZAiLdg9z-2fhVp4T89LwEkx_is0GJ46gj3CYRp1sHKFqeFrEiNGU/s320/thereef.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reef at dawn, just a few boat lengths behind Britannia</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">The next time I looked over at Piko, I got a sinking feeling in my gut. She was heeled 35 degrees, and eerily still. Not swinging in line with the other boats, and not responding to the wind or swell. When I saw a corner of the jib come out, I knew they were in trouble, and had to be hard on the reef behind us.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I got in the dinghy, leaving Amanda with the dragging alarm on and the engine running. Arriving at Piko, I was struck by two things in particular. The first was how calm both Laurens were - I was expecting total chaos, or at least some serious stress, but they were responding to the situation perfectly, remaining calm and focused. It was impressive, and I can only hope we'd react as well. The second thing was how unnatural the motion of the boat felt as it lay on the reef. Sometimes the chop would lift her off just enough to pound the boat back down again and even standing off the boat in the howling wind, I could hear the crunch. It must have been both deafening and heart wrenching to hear that below deck.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Lauren Boy and I had a quick conference on the bow and decided that the best plan was to put out a secondary anchor and attempt to kedge off. We loaded up the dinghy and I tried to place the anchor appropriately between Britannia and another boat to our starboard side. Piko's windlass is the stuff of legend (she's been described as a windlass cruising around on a hull), but grinding down until the deck lights dimmed and the windlass stalled wasn't making a difference. There didn't seem to be much else that could be done. At this point, they'd been aground for about an hour or so, and the bilge was dry and the tide was rising. It was fair to hope that the situation wouldn't worsen, and there wasn't much else that we could think to do in the dark and the wind. It felt weird to leave them, but winds were still in the 40's, more weight on Piko wasn't going to help anything, and I was still worried about Britannia.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">As the winds subsided, the direction shifted 90 degrees again, and Britannia was now directly over Piko's kedge anchor. We could actually hear the rode grinding on the hull at times. If Piko came off the reef, it was likely that the secondary anchor rode would act like a big rubber band and send her right into us. There was still only a boat length or two between the two boats. I got back in the dinghy and Lauren and I set our secondary anchor as yet another kedge. Piko's bow was starting to look pretty tangled in a web of rode, snubber and chain.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The wind was in the low 30's at dawn as Piko came off the reef. The feeling of relief at seeing the mast pointing up and boot stripe comfortably above the water line was huge. We gave a big cheer and started feeling like it might be time to think about relaxing. As we watched though, Lauren Girl looked back from the helm and I could just make out her yell of "we've got no power" over the wind. That was weird - the bilge had remained dry... I couldn't figure out why they would have lost power. That meant that they no longer had a VHF or a windlass. I got back in the dinghy.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">So did Jake from Hokeulea and Bill from Dilligaf. Good thing too, because as we approached Piko, Lauren said "now the engine's died too!". Piko was totally dead in the water, 100 feet in front of the reef that they'd just escaped, in a gusty 30+ knot winds . Lauren Boy had managed to get the second kedge anchor up, but the first kedge was still set (though not placed appropriately to keep them off the reef or off of us), and their primary was still on the bottom somewhere. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We used the dinghies as tugs, keeping Piko in place, while Lauren Boy dove to clear what turned out to be a fouled prop (the rode from the secondary kedge had wrapped on the prop shaft). It was a relief to hear the engine start back up and feel like the immediate prospect of disaster had been diverted. For reasons unknown, Piko still had no power, so Lauren and I raised the primary anchor by hand and buoyed the primary kedge for later retrieval.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcCtnMJQzm8jXM7Zcv3iAdNGRHDgkmVIXMuijJTwy-qfJQXKBdm3uIVHmE88SuwU9BPZOdk915FsMPTOlaXnMNGcNy_Gyk14iw50k-RBI70ns2bgERuTSaXbVoQoxAD1BGVywVAo37L8/s1600/piko&reef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcCtnMJQzm8jXM7Zcv3iAdNGRHDgkmVIXMuijJTwy-qfJQXKBdm3uIVHmE88SuwU9BPZOdk915FsMPTOlaXnMNGcNy_Gyk14iw50k-RBI70ns2bgERuTSaXbVoQoxAD1BGVywVAo37L8/s320/piko&reef.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piko unanchored and without power</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Bill had scouted out an available mooring ball for Piko to pick up. Once she was tied on, we all breathed a huge sigh of relief. It had been a long adrenaline filled night.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">As it turned out, Piko's master breaker had tripped - they had the radar, all instruments, computers, VHF and the windlass all on all at once. I guess they'd just never used that much power before. A quick dive of the boat showed just how tough she was. There was a good chunk of glass missing from the rudder skeg, and a few gouges in the keel, but other than a good deal of missing bottom paint. The boat was basically undamaged. It was a good practical lesson in the value of a skeg hung rudder. If they'd had a spade rudder, it almost certainly would have been badly damaged.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The biggest lesson for me was not to get complacent in my trust of the weather forecasts. If you anchor every time knowing that there's always a possibility that severe weather could come in, you won't be caught by surprise. Britannia could have easily been in the same situation as Piko that night. After all, we're basically the same boat, with exactly the same anchor, in the same wind, in the same holding. We will never know how it happened. Did we drag? Did they? If they did, why didn't we? I'm thankful that this lesson learned wasn't as painful as it could have been. May God and lady luck always be so kind.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-44772840108761749542012-07-20T15:13:00.001-07:002012-08-07T14:59:46.643-07:00A nice surprise; Musket Cove<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQRhznlH1gMBEgDJw6FgBV1hxDbLjumRHbK2CBanLlxEmFGSxMX-WhQI-3CUA9Ko8_O8MYTQp3L2MKJt3JvHFUm55qtvBZbyPreib2I8zdD-l0dREgdRd4Iz8S__Ef7tB5eS2_nAicKs/s1600/aoverwhitesand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQRhznlH1gMBEgDJw6FgBV1hxDbLjumRHbK2CBanLlxEmFGSxMX-WhQI-3CUA9Ko8_O8MYTQp3L2MKJt3JvHFUm55qtvBZbyPreib2I8zdD-l0dREgdRd4Iz8S__Ef7tB5eS2_nAicKs/s320/aoverwhitesand.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking Malolailai island with Tavarua on the horizon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoewn52y3lK-CALNxePw2GjFM4adIBjJiy-DjeQA1TatOXqEz9iXRGbD_DWKEoO2-PjIzdunQLoVx2gdbKYUVhzDASJeFlb3VZFewCyNb5gLGMRTQcfrnyfiRDdTJQMPvAlag6uA93M4w/s1600/cutecouple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoewn52y3lK-CALNxePw2GjFM4adIBjJiy-DjeQA1TatOXqEz9iXRGbD_DWKEoO2-PjIzdunQLoVx2gdbKYUVhzDASJeFlb3VZFewCyNb5gLGMRTQcfrnyfiRDdTJQMPvAlag6uA93M4w/s320/cutecouple.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost like a honeymoon vacation</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3lnEqCUuO5YOmLFQRtQfDNSmTEHhyphenhyphenyakpApMLKcp48uNN5nfEgsPlNgUmgRibdZl3lCC1YsOQojhePM0thKJcv1pvgyklo4TxI6bWqGtNcq04OJjVMHmotCyfkTz2adT_Il39MLwx64/s1600/ilandsigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3lnEqCUuO5YOmLFQRtQfDNSmTEHhyphenhyphenyakpApMLKcp48uNN5nfEgsPlNgUmgRibdZl3lCC1YsOQojhePM0thKJcv1pvgyklo4TxI6bWqGtNcq04OJjVMHmotCyfkTz2adT_Il39MLwx64/s320/ilandsigns.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're adding this one to our collection of "interesting" signs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfgsgMl6ZSqK-ycWioT-nB6Qn2kdgxpCd-SF8IlmD2SecDNfx1St6zQexH9I50J_rl02ktVTlNWYWrk1GW5GDpurIpA5PuttXO97t4lRg_o09eMXuaUX3aqBRybFhr8c_zCXabDT9lug/s1600/musketanchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfgsgMl6ZSqK-ycWioT-nB6Qn2kdgxpCd-SF8IlmD2SecDNfx1St6zQexH9I50J_rl02ktVTlNWYWrk1GW5GDpurIpA5PuttXO97t4lRg_o09eMXuaUX3aqBRybFhr8c_zCXabDT9lug/s320/musketanchorage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The anchorage at Musket Cove</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpBZKccTXMED21IEBHrk-z6pv1YW9NI24Un1lYOXllGTpwRP3Uyo0nNbMvbLAecTMdIt5XkyXtCb227Rp3svKAb2ntNJ1aVw7s2FZNgIBUAm3Y-_BMFH6rHw-0gGaxYphlU2YPXjtUsc/s1600/musketcovemarina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNpBZKccTXMED21IEBHrk-z6pv1YW9NI24Un1lYOXllGTpwRP3Uyo0nNbMvbLAecTMdIt5XkyXtCb227Rp3svKAb2ntNJ1aVw7s2FZNgIBUAm3Y-_BMFH6rHw-0gGaxYphlU2YPXjtUsc/s320/musketcovemarina.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Musket Cove Marina</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgLYOWYLJQZdYatlIJk_AzYkKEu7GurYpA-J5BE42VISTa6c8rdeTJwGjVsoQnFtaIMA_ZagCf1yk-DJ-0pLbAJG1MDoIOdHgkwUsPt3Pze5rxQg03rumjPf3SgMUpy58hghEUrmg0bY/s1600/nightbbq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgLYOWYLJQZdYatlIJk_AzYkKEu7GurYpA-J5BE42VISTa6c8rdeTJwGjVsoQnFtaIMA_ZagCf1yk-DJ-0pLbAJG1MDoIOdHgkwUsPt3Pze5rxQg03rumjPf3SgMUpy58hghEUrmg0bY/s320/nightbbq.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday night BBQ with cruising friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hwu9fulC7LuJlVvIVfCtcyepIDH5piCQf1_wRXLF1B1e05q2TBOXNCZIllq9SPp2uiXdGtPtywPqwsBR4r-X-sKYVQ6SjLs54sDpXnngEOww3CWL-gsOZPvZCjDXozwPFtqNi7xdYsA/s1600/poolside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hwu9fulC7LuJlVvIVfCtcyepIDH5piCQf1_wRXLF1B1e05q2TBOXNCZIllq9SPp2uiXdGtPtywPqwsBR4r-X-sKYVQ6SjLs54sDpXnngEOww3CWL-gsOZPvZCjDXozwPFtqNi7xdYsA/s320/poolside.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool day!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1f4srT2JXt1vppsmND3ZtfgckDUCk1Pc00KDHf5rst_paUGuVbAuaM2bOycvArb2nIjDOyEmfzpZTR0sgXPcXOMTyD40YL5xnpO-rFoK85qjqUQ7W6XwfNrGLGb6Y6FwCe0FiatJP3z4/s1600/upforahike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1f4srT2JXt1vppsmND3ZtfgckDUCk1Pc00KDHf5rst_paUGuVbAuaM2bOycvArb2nIjDOyEmfzpZTR0sgXPcXOMTyD40YL5xnpO-rFoK85qjqUQ7W6XwfNrGLGb6Y6FwCe0FiatJP3z4/s320/upforahike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A great day for a hike around the island with Jake and Jackie (s/v Hokulea)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>After leaving Saweni Bay we spent a night anchored off Beachcomber Island in the Mamnuca Group. It wasn't so great; a deep, rolly anchorage, with the nuisance of jet skis and tour boats buzzing all around. By morning I was in a foul mood and ready to go anywhere as long as it was away from there.<br />
<br />
We weighed our options and randomly chose Musket Cove on Malololailai island. It was close, and a known safe place to anchor to wait-out the forecasted rain. After being in the city, I was hoping to get away to a quiet, isolated place. From what we'd heard and from scoping it out on Google Earth we didn't expect to like it much. We're not into posh-snotty resorts or tourist traps; you know, for those other types of yachties. But we were pleasantly surprised. The yacht club's easy breezy policies, the use of all the facilities, (pools, paths, laundry, showers, garbage disposal, water, fuel, grocery store, cafe, bar, surf moorings, book exchange), were accessible and affordable- some even free. Best of all, we finally caught up with friends that we haven't seen since Savusavu, New Zealand and Kadavu. So maybe we are all into the amenities and creature comforts... I'm going to take a long hot shower and ponder that one :)<br />
<br />
A<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2CD6XIfmRDmBzEQSfcHsPvGIft_goNb6N7jISMpSN2xA_Lg_tisQMTNPnxS2Q4NGgXMZBUKVM-wXl1aGyrattB8hE3tLBiS5Rtlq9LWsmtPkpcvF5m-RwSyR0vEw8rP78m7p12gLyIA/s1600/VitiLevu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2CD6XIfmRDmBzEQSfcHsPvGIft_goNb6N7jISMpSN2xA_Lg_tisQMTNPnxS2Q4NGgXMZBUKVM-wXl1aGyrattB8hE3tLBiS5Rtlq9LWsmtPkpcvF5m-RwSyR0vEw8rP78m7p12gLyIA/s1600/VitiLevu.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out towards the mainland (Viti Levu) from Malolailai</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-82966354328262378712012-07-16T23:02:00.000-07:002012-07-16T23:02:07.211-07:00Lautoka; for better or worse<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">We've been anchored at Saweni Beach near<br />
Lautoka for a week now. Here are the pros<br />
and cons of being back in the big city.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1nZa0c_-ZmdopL5Nd6ozQKzxKZEhTEweIjUfo6kYp_l6KC_p6gPbpaMNOU0UxmxuP9LtGAIaiFJ802JZQWgRJvAqLfs6fvIc5MlEY7fm7zTRNV7Ck4ArP5q0o-wFYdzjraB3kO7KeMQ/s1600/marketspices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1nZa0c_-ZmdopL5Nd6ozQKzxKZEhTEweIjUfo6kYp_l6KC_p6gPbpaMNOU0UxmxuP9LtGAIaiFJ802JZQWgRJvAqLfs6fvIc5MlEY7fm7zTRNV7Ck4ArP5q0o-wFYdzjraB3kO7KeMQ/s320/marketspices.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spices at the market</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB1UG1iRIoxgZvKhFxYmj3UekNJCKYJTyL2f81ImPEX4SQ0DUqiV_7niDVXEO7oRHaKj71afIqNvAfUiQ-66qUFtu0sgz88SfcYRWStDePxw0ny58kG8NrdiMrjMNBKni-KRMycsr1pQ/s1600/marketveggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPB1UG1iRIoxgZvKhFxYmj3UekNJCKYJTyL2f81ImPEX4SQ0DUqiV_7niDVXEO7oRHaKj71afIqNvAfUiQ-66qUFtu0sgz88SfcYRWStDePxw0ny58kG8NrdiMrjMNBKni-KRMycsr1pQ/s320/marketveggies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally; fresh veggies!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnpplYvFGVGai2BUcDhhCY8fcsFtPBM9eZuLYBLgda9qqqcgOXyR-tKS375VyCq6qzJ3iaRpjTjLQukL7wMqJ2whqopmbsvGAYb3T7SxFonh6i5mR-UKe3EHSVknJJOVzo7EClJH4r_w/s1600/roadtosaweni.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRnpplYvFGVGai2BUcDhhCY8fcsFtPBM9eZuLYBLgda9qqqcgOXyR-tKS375VyCq6qzJ3iaRpjTjLQukL7wMqJ2whqopmbsvGAYb3T7SxFonh6i5mR-UKe3EHSVknJJOVzo7EClJH4r_w/s320/roadtosaweni.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to Saweni Beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrWZX13SxeyjEkWVc66jrPkYf8XGHtjc2gRd1B7FQZcQ9roIDzx1OF62IJj3kRiJeeVFy0nD5fDKxugYrQQdPTOPlJzzptXXGwSMSQTspA-PFctXDhzsA2dehE2QZhyphenhyphenqxodCQnrfWE_E/s1600/ruralrugby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrWZX13SxeyjEkWVc66jrPkYf8XGHtjc2gRd1B7FQZcQ9roIDzx1OF62IJj3kRiJeeVFy0nD5fDKxugYrQQdPTOPlJzzptXXGwSMSQTspA-PFctXDhzsA2dehE2QZhyphenhyphenqxodCQnrfWE_E/s320/ruralrugby.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local Rugby at Sunset</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzp-6S2fZLQi9pN-m4VTIAaD5fY98st4D_5hocTTa8RdO63fcLbyV57ibzGp9NbTKhUEBtTTL3BdGMz73PwptZsqNl6tLXr2QkgXsNrDNA68MafOb-F4f_802UIgfAUpmhv0L50WwGBo/s1600/sugarcity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkzp-6S2fZLQi9pN-m4VTIAaD5fY98st4D_5hocTTa8RdO63fcLbyV57ibzGp9NbTKhUEBtTTL3BdGMz73PwptZsqNl6tLXr2QkgXsNrDNA68MafOb-F4f_802UIgfAUpmhv0L50WwGBo/s320/sugarcity.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lautoka</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The grocery stores aren't the best for variety or availability but after the isolation of Kadavu, the produce market is great!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There are buses that service the beach, but aren't frequent so we walk the road to the main highway. It's about a mile of country road that reminds me of the midwest in the summer. We really enjoyed getting out for a nice walk, but man, were we dusty when we got back to the boat.<br />
<br />
We passed an evening rugby game on the way home. Sweet to see the neighborhood and the locals in their element.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
Lautoka is the Sugar City and you can see can it growing everywhere. Unfortunately, the fields are burned after harvesting so the air is full of smoke. Well, from that and burning garbage. Like all third world big cities, garbage disposal is a problem. The big trucks and busses belch diesel fumes and black smoke pours out of industrial smoke stacks. Our deck is sooty but there's no use cleaning it until after we sail to the next anchorage.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrL9wt7K7e51vEO6cQJvgPyx4UlWMWU3neUaBHkIIAw6muTXKpPtjcWLKeQVEkO0M3KPEXoWZUp-Eg8e4AWY5ygoScAwU9TYlC66Y0kYMAK3J1v7M99QCqesnF_uRLtJeFVTNt3sYFOk/s1600/sugartrucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifrL9wt7K7e51vEO6cQJvgPyx4UlWMWU3neUaBHkIIAw6muTXKpPtjcWLKeQVEkO0M3KPEXoWZUp-Eg8e4AWY5ygoScAwU9TYlC66Y0kYMAK3J1v7M99QCqesnF_uRLtJeFVTNt3sYFOk/s320/sugartrucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trucks waiting to drop sugar cane off at the mill<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkaNvjgg0kKoVNcI0jkpAkOLIxi1Q3mGdD535N0-kop2zGL6ybLx_sHkmJ-DCY14XzmFmiHRt7xNfEaewmgolN3Kxl4NHhXkL_GLy5vMhV_eHqDd0WEbGyj05CrbuNt-sKNdue2b6Iow/s1600/typical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQkaNvjgg0kKoVNcI0jkpAkOLIxi1Q3mGdD535N0-kop2zGL6ybLx_sHkmJ-DCY14XzmFmiHRt7xNfEaewmgolN3Kxl4NHhXkL_GLy5vMhV_eHqDd0WEbGyj05CrbuNt-sKNdue2b6Iow/s320/typical.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical activities on Britannia; drink coffee, play guitar, listen to podcasts, hang out with Piko.</td></tr>
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We've enjoyed eating-out and walking through town. It's not all that big or difficult to get around. After only 2 days I think I've seen pretty much all of the main streets and picked up everything we need or want. Krister bought new headphones for playing guitar and I got portable speakers for listening to music at the beach and in the V-berth.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c4G3TB-3eKTHgLLMblZOofYYoVFeBUOVRcLyymJ3zQdF0-1_6GzcCjcbPI2cqwF0tuS3Buik5ZzQ1sEdSaHScVgAe1GjagaX9iQSaQDrrS47xKp7PdWvBvJwKtM_m3d1C0vwEcCuo9k/s1600/yummy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5c4G3TB-3eKTHgLLMblZOofYYoVFeBUOVRcLyymJ3zQdF0-1_6GzcCjcbPI2cqwF0tuS3Buik5ZzQ1sEdSaHScVgAe1GjagaX9iQSaQDrrS47xKp7PdWvBvJwKtM_m3d1C0vwEcCuo9k/s320/yummy.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fully stoked for Indian food</td></tr>
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So that's about it. Happy to have the fast internet and all the amenities of town, but also looking forward to getting back to crystal clear water and white sandy beaches.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WR7MMzpKQ8R5wNxZ5O8UYtQ7BTDbPDobfObh1LIUjLd3wDjiM-RSwNr7z7uf8J1XX2DCB1Z_-yZrEKB1infL_zaSM2HBUHgNeOG8j19zgNzih-N7PmkdrprtfQCzRoQwmliHkhh2reg/s1600/perfect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WR7MMzpKQ8R5wNxZ5O8UYtQ7BTDbPDobfObh1LIUjLd3wDjiM-RSwNr7z7uf8J1XX2DCB1Z_-yZrEKB1infL_zaSM2HBUHgNeOG8j19zgNzih-N7PmkdrprtfQCzRoQwmliHkhh2reg/s1600/perfect.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-49736861949696685202012-07-08T21:41:00.002-07:002012-07-09T20:54:36.244-07:00Gender Limbo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRZ5k7eimtPgYgwWY1AmPX93WvlRT6yLwCv9NZtePd6sQHbwx27fDxHMm99efg3OwXxHwe4wYC98DU59nVYxLobXyp6NRzhLK9ETXJe9jtX0DVKLhglT40lvrc_Gqa7_SstqdISsQHcI/s1600/nabouwalu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrRZ5k7eimtPgYgwWY1AmPX93WvlRT6yLwCv9NZtePd6sQHbwx27fDxHMm99efg3OwXxHwe4wYC98DU59nVYxLobXyp6NRzhLK9ETXJe9jtX0DVKLhglT40lvrc_Gqa7_SstqdISsQHcI/s320/nabouwalu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nabouwalu Village</div><br />
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</div>We recently visited a small village on Ono Island in Kadavu,(still in Fiji). When I say small, I mean about 70 people, no cars because there are no roads, no TV because there is no power grid, no store to buy stuff, and no school so no school age kids (they stay at a boarding school during the week so we didn't see them). The village is called Nabouwalu; literally village "number eight." Hard to picture it if you've never been there but I'll do my best to give you a sense of it.<br />
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Situated along the shallow water front, behind a protective line of palms, stand a couple dozen small buildings, the largest of which is the church. They are not in rows, or numbered, and they're surrounded by neatly kept grass and fruit trees. Foot paths are beaten into the ground, but are not traveled frequently enough to wear the grass away. Quaint and quiet. Except for that gong-like clanging, but we'll get back to that. <br />
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After an overnight sail from Taveuni, we anchored in the large bay with Piko and Dilligaf. Fijian custom requires that visiting yachts come ashore to meet the chief, present them a gift of kava, and ask permission to... well do whatever it is one may want to do there. It is not alright to just go wandering about thru their private property. The ritual is called sevusevu. Sometimes it is short and sometimes it can become hours of kava drinking. I like it because it's an easy opening to go ashore and interact with the locals. So just after putting the boat to rest that's what we did. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Traditional Fijian Bure</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>A few of the village men greeted us as we arrived. "Bula, bula!" The now familiar greeting of welcome and hello. They gave us a tour around. As we walked, men and women came over and shook our hands with genuine smiles and enthusiasm. They showed us their fruit trees, poinsettias, kava plants, the hot spring, and the bure built by the whole village to accommodate a tourist that wanted and "authentic and traditional" Fijian experience (ironic given the setting). We continued to walk and meet villagers. They handed us papaya and beautiful shells and asked for help repairing an outboard engine. We laughed together at the hunting dogs chasing pigs. The toddlers stared at us wide-eyed; hiding behind their mothers' shirts, shy but curious. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdy8zfUx66WMhJ3fZQhFq3te7BI9zRbbJx-uws4UyRiDGewNYUuDOXDlWqu_dAcgKPNGYFa058hn92G-a6TN8tZQrpw1j3Vl52YQ13uRcWI4RvuSeiLAqLf8mqDPfSWAmfvBc-03vP15Q/s1600/ponsettia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdy8zfUx66WMhJ3fZQhFq3te7BI9zRbbJx-uws4UyRiDGewNYUuDOXDlWqu_dAcgKPNGYFa058hn92G-a6TN8tZQrpw1j3Vl52YQ13uRcWI4RvuSeiLAqLf8mqDPfSWAmfvBc-03vP15Q/s200/ponsettia.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Poinsettias<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFyXbK_4HENwUF18tg_IygdcT1np_yWrW3-IaUew8BMj8WeFgLjieQ4T2i1pf_AShjX24mBKnul2POXZkaAtqbVbdShuRSIjHfucg2PLztf4wXkkCjA3mDgipu5jeYrIRW2HHQK-SXu8/s1600/papaya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFyXbK_4HENwUF18tg_IygdcT1np_yWrW3-IaUew8BMj8WeFgLjieQ4T2i1pf_AShjX24mBKnul2POXZkaAtqbVbdShuRSIjHfucg2PLztf4wXkkCjA3mDgipu5jeYrIRW2HHQK-SXu8/s200/papaya.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papaya</td></tr>
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</div>It turns out that we turned up on just the right day. The villagers of Nabouwalu were just finishing roofing their new solar storage house. (This was not the banging I wrote of above.) One of the village women is in India studying solar power installation and the town has been preparing to fit each house with it's own panel. The completion of the building was celebrated by a community tea which we were invited to join. And here's where the gender thing starts to manifest itself. <br />
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When cruising, boat tasks usually are broken down into pink and blue jobs. Something that isn't as prevalent or noticeable on land. It's not a hard line, but even on Britannia, I do the cooking and most of the cleaning and Krister does most of the installations and fixing of things. (He is a mechanical engineer so that makes sense right?) So I thought maybe this is more of the same. The women baking and serving tea and the men building and constructing. But then I noticed that the women didn't eat until we (the cruisers and the men) were finished. <br />
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Two days later we were invited to a lovo (a Fijian banquet prepared in an underground oven). This celebration and ceremony was not for us. It was a thank you to a villager that works in Suva that had donated the building material for the solar house and as such, it was not the usual tourist, chatty event. It was a solemn affair, with blessings and prayers. The village reciprocated with gifts to the man and his family of coconut oil and woven floor mats. Just before sundown, we went ashore and were greeted by our new friends and brought to the village mayor's home. Then we walked to what I think of as the kava-drinking house to wait while the women finished preparing the meal. Now here's the thing; Lauren girl had stayed on board Piko due to a headache, and Bill and Sue on Dilligaf had sailed to the next anchorage, which left me as the only female cruiser. And now the only female in the room. Awkward. Not only was there the language and the cultural barriers, but I felt stuck in limbo. I was a guest, so working with the women wasn't appropriate, but I am also clearly not a man. So as the sun set, we sat together on woven mats with the village elders and waited quietly until word came that it was time to eat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHenwgn3eTex0gn9NDUGAB_dMnMXdhzot0Lr8gZLikrMaJvuhS4ZHD0nribDvrSp8OlwMLP6B1cOtEwq8n5eaZLOb5JfB1QjHDqhyphenhyphenPfU_5DCZ_QsLgA67vllYmwW85q7wxUsBo-DWngE/s1600/fijianfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHenwgn3eTex0gn9NDUGAB_dMnMXdhzot0Lr8gZLikrMaJvuhS4ZHD0nribDvrSp8OlwMLP6B1cOtEwq8n5eaZLOb5JfB1QjHDqhyphenhyphenPfU_5DCZ_QsLgA67vllYmwW85q7wxUsBo-DWngE/s320/fijianfood.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Fijian Food; what looks like bread is cassava and taro root</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmNM0P4SaHCUkVhi06XzXQMsPH2GjrSk1KrHynBvQ-lAQGFMP6oV1El2be_H2qm4J85Z8TUly2slfR3MLLXWXnm_6Fj6Fdj9hjlY5UYDpOtcc4x4oo8_fsxws0eKC1DxRX_Xl6QWdcMA/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCmNM0P4SaHCUkVhi06XzXQMsPH2GjrSk1KrHynBvQ-lAQGFMP6oV1El2be_H2qm4J85Z8TUly2slfR3MLLXWXnm_6Fj6Fdj9hjlY5UYDpOtcc4x4oo8_fsxws0eKC1DxRX_Xl6QWdcMA/s320/dinner.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The hall was set with plates and dishes piled with food; fish, crab, pork, chicken, taro greens in coconut milk, wild spinach, cassava, taro root... But no forks and knives and no glasses. We sat in long rows with the men, feasting happily with our hands. Everything was BBQ-smoky and delicious. The taro and cassava were great, but starchy so I reached for my bottle of water saying "Americans drink a lot." Smiles and chatter. It felt like a big family dinner- with the men eating and the women hustling about, exchanging empty plates for full ones. When the chief and elders finished, the women and young men took their places. There were a few small boys eating and playing with each other, but only one little girl. And she watched me throughout the whole dinner. It felt like she had never seen a white women or straight hair before. Her father sat her on his lap across from me and smiled; offering her hand to me to shake. The room held a warmth and friendliness not unusually found among strangers or the newly acquainted. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Round II: Women and Children</span></td></tr>
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Krister, who had gone off to pound kava, peeked inside to tell me and Lauren boy to come outside. Although the dinning hall had only been lit by one bulb(run by an old generator and strung along multiple extension cords), the darkness was thick and we stumbled towards a clanging sound; the sound of kava root being pounded in a heavy metal bowl. This sound can be heard at any time of day in many of the anchorages. The beating stick was heavy too and the guys took turns bringing it down hard against the roots until all that was left was a fine powder. Time to drink kava. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kava bowl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZJnN02PI1uPS_gB5ixU06Da6zFU_PyEaDu01W19D_YaW-cK0VQl2Kc77A09MtEahSp_Oe97_YP7arih3j7HRYsT1ZNu4uJ3oWL2euBDeHeuGT2vdUMD5lLLCfzRXve-DE1cF5mjWeME/s1600/LBkava.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZJnN02PI1uPS_gB5ixU06Da6zFU_PyEaDu01W19D_YaW-cK0VQl2Kc77A09MtEahSp_Oe97_YP7arih3j7HRYsT1ZNu4uJ3oWL2euBDeHeuGT2vdUMD5lLLCfzRXve-DE1cF5mjWeME/s320/LBkava.jpg" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren drinking from the bilo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bilo is passed around. The group of women in the back corner did not drink. </td></tr>
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So as the women cleaned up, we (me and the men) went to the kava drinking-house and prepared the first bowl of grog. There's a whole ritual that goes along with it; the bilo (half a coconut shell) is filled, and brought over from the bowl. The drinker claps once, drinks until it's empty, hands the bilo back and usually claps 3 times, but in Kandavu they clap 5 times. The chief drinks first, then the elders, then the bilo was handed to me. I don't know if it was because I was the first guest or because of my gender, but I was always given a "low-tide" cup, meaning it was only half full. Krister was also offered "low-tide" but Lauren was always given a full cup. Huh. As the cup was pasted around, more kava was made and women filtered into the back of the room. I noticed that they never drank and I never saw them offered any. Earlier in the evening Krister had asked if it was okay that I was there- the guys said yes and chuckled like it was a funny thing to ask. I had a great time and was thankful to be welcomed into the community- even if I was an anomaly. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ypH3t3QLSBPiPos-ELB-TNpHOj32UKKr9uDQbUp1zFVibc_WG4pOSN7Dk459NRt-1SYsyxJbruYDc7ggbKBbqby2wQ7Dwgm491mFqIYs6rFYzd83NxV8wajvJkTIHoOEZWAEb0KYeY4/s1600/atanchor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ypH3t3QLSBPiPos-ELB-TNpHOj32UKKr9uDQbUp1zFVibc_WG4pOSN7Dk459NRt-1SYsyxJbruYDc7ggbKBbqby2wQ7Dwgm491mFqIYs6rFYzd83NxV8wajvJkTIHoOEZWAEb0KYeY4/s320/atanchor.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br />
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At 6/16/2012 10:05 AM (utc) our position was 16°26.75'S 179°56.28'WAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-91708698147130789022012-07-02T22:45:00.001-07:002012-07-09T21:02:32.742-07:00In and around Kadavu<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzXymN3OViL0bcwL_TKb7UZhSt9bG-qWU10Q6f-9JoHEkSOURZr1aGuYRyOLSZ0YhU5MGdzXLQCexGkvs5jG9G70wl5GrZg_SVv6Au2Cdnsaq52DNrI9G7fuz-8jlSghtIAXDwyOQR28/s1600/bubbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzXymN3OViL0bcwL_TKb7UZhSt9bG-qWU10Q6f-9JoHEkSOURZr1aGuYRyOLSZ0YhU5MGdzXLQCexGkvs5jG9G70wl5GrZg_SVv6Au2Cdnsaq52DNrI9G7fuz-8jlSghtIAXDwyOQR28/s320/bubbles.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bubbles</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKP-eRmSu_iHyqTFrDjbpfvLIyVc-C3LdGQ5iNQey43sqw_u0RMBFy68deTZB-Dh70i4Gh_24bQN0v53NYZqxraWIaaHdtxcdtdteXoB_uKAboVP-ZhNEWM9MvN1C0kEO04WwxppTBDk/s1600/floortoceiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKP-eRmSu_iHyqTFrDjbpfvLIyVc-C3LdGQ5iNQey43sqw_u0RMBFy68deTZB-Dh70i4Gh_24bQN0v53NYZqxraWIaaHdtxcdtdteXoB_uKAboVP-ZhNEWM9MvN1C0kEO04WwxppTBDk/s320/floortoceiling.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From floor to ceiling</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrXXHpXGhyphenhyphenV_S5oK9FLXcqqufF6Q5BGk6-Tjgef6-ne5grzsTiamwzcA_i1d-LhSKrmUA0vUprFF5B7fBLuJ_bAnaYJTdBb8ZySMUcuibbWeODvNvuIpetCJQTbOm-bmXQIY8jWg3R8/s1600/nemo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHrXXHpXGhyphenhyphenV_S5oK9FLXcqqufF6Q5BGk6-Tjgef6-ne5grzsTiamwzcA_i1d-LhSKrmUA0vUprFF5B7fBLuJ_bAnaYJTdBb8ZySMUcuibbWeODvNvuIpetCJQTbOm-bmXQIY8jWg3R8/s320/nemo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clown fish guarding their home</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIldI5DXXYJrS4yQ6A8dWvZVpIY7ZcPK_bj-DYi7AB1VjPpmS5zSsTqImHlJ8UX-pKwkkMdPUHEm3Owax1UnsZGq0fpa2GumgxbJ2sqQ0HbCT3gkU3x4zn5afmHPSQialBNzn2V1V7Qo/s1600/whitetip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIldI5DXXYJrS4yQ6A8dWvZVpIY7ZcPK_bj-DYi7AB1VjPpmS5zSsTqImHlJ8UX-pKwkkMdPUHEm3Owax1UnsZGq0fpa2GumgxbJ2sqQ0HbCT3gkU3x4zn5afmHPSQialBNzn2V1V7Qo/s320/whitetip.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White-tip reef shark</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKblrMwYHSbFz-qmakBnqZMDEqaRmM8xLPAhtVvPzvqcKkj1mNDTqYw29olQuGNhuPQptL-pMkGTqIBEB8G1Om0_rPUT4WhRK2R0ODzqki9bfRNsVRoHyyXDfEwl30hiBziv1GDfTgXc/s1600/krister.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKblrMwYHSbFz-qmakBnqZMDEqaRmM8xLPAhtVvPzvqcKkj1mNDTqYw29olQuGNhuPQptL-pMkGTqIBEB8G1Om0_rPUT4WhRK2R0ODzqki9bfRNsVRoHyyXDfEwl30hiBziv1GDfTgXc/s320/krister.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Krister hovering over coral and fish</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTYsovQPeDWunfvSMKl73FhyLHlMM9Z6IcEXQAp3BCMRkHuqSaBEm5-Rw0wgqmvL30eJGC1TI6c40ILsu8PprpK_4NMzLFBf5hOlndCIdcmM846bbkGjGLxxnsCYIyaeZ0oKu0wETGPw/s1600/amanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTYsovQPeDWunfvSMKl73FhyLHlMM9Z6IcEXQAp3BCMRkHuqSaBEm5-Rw0wgqmvL30eJGC1TI6c40ILsu8PprpK_4NMzLFBf5hOlndCIdcmM846bbkGjGLxxnsCYIyaeZ0oKu0wETGPw/s320/amanda.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda coming up for air</td></tr>
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Since posting last, we haven't seen a non buddy-boat. Kadavu is close to Suva, but feels way remote compared to any place we've been in Fiji. We've gotten out of the habit of following the cruising guide for anchorages, and we've started getting more adventurous and just dropping the hook wherever looks good. Sounds simple enough, and it's a little strange I guess, that it's taken us this long to feel comfortable making calls on our own. Feels good though. Right now we're in 15 feet of water over white sand. It reminds me a little of Tahiti. <br />
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The moon's almost full and the sky is clear which means that we'll have one of these almost eerie swimming pool-ish views by moonlight tonight. Sounds like a good night to sit in the hammock long after the sun's gone down. <br />
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The visibility in the water here is amazing - leaps and bounds above anything we've seen. It actually makes moving around in the reef hard because we can see everything. This morning when we were moving to this anchorage, I thought we were in 45 feet of water because I could see sand and bommies below the boat, but when I looked at the sounder it was 98 feet. As we sit in 15 feet right now, it seems like the boat is suspended in air and if it wasn't for the surface ripple on the water, I'd almost be afraid to jump overboard. <br />
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All that good vis has made for truly epic snorkeling. Head and shoulders above anything we've ever seen before - the coral formations are AMAZING - caves and swim-throughs everywhere you look with 80 foot walls of both hard and soft coral. We've seen sharks, a turtle, Mahi Mahi and more little reef fish than I've ever seen before. We'll post pictures when we can. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nx1VhIJe00ggTkQ4er6R9zdIMm34lUc-Whh5bYu20HBsw3sdtoVCo78IIBfnAv9WOJeyRkgKWHLNkgBJfizLTG7mUFwomian3XQgOzewcBZLXNr-2u09tQt8jQjXtilZ5zJF9Fa3Zbk/s1600/bombies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nx1VhIJe00ggTkQ4er6R9zdIMm34lUc-Whh5bYu20HBsw3sdtoVCo78IIBfnAv9WOJeyRkgKWHLNkgBJfizLTG7mUFwomian3XQgOzewcBZLXNr-2u09tQt8jQjXtilZ5zJF9Fa3Zbk/s320/bombies.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Beautiful bay & crystal clear water<br />
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At 6/16/2012 10:05 AM (utc) our position was 16°26.75'S 179°56.28'WAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-79978000808895381752012-06-20T22:11:00.002-07:002012-06-23T00:55:44.962-07:00island stuff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a random assortment of photos from the last couple weeks. Yes I've gotten that lazy... here's my 1000 words in pictures...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd4REaezJIOpwxNcISXvIBnX9VSZkfgQ_jinapwYT2m5I6EUu1StobQUaRl2hp_FpYG23yCsUPnLPGJKubtDbaTTouR2-ls52lMUI8C2r6HL2u18Eu4tVc9oIvGPRuOYr6rVyNy2mf50/s1600/anchorage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDd4REaezJIOpwxNcISXvIBnX9VSZkfgQ_jinapwYT2m5I6EUu1StobQUaRl2hp_FpYG23yCsUPnLPGJKubtDbaTTouR2-ls52lMUI8C2r6HL2u18Eu4tVc9oIvGPRuOYr6rVyNy2mf50/s320/anchorage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Britannia anchored off the north west side of Taveuni</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstnvu91BKWCD1JHMMZp1K0x_K6qFIdk6Hy1fIVRzEriM8_aea0qL9REN8lRA7vtQey8xM-ZjTjZZqYzOVIRKOCwtkVGwjbKJwcIcmEQGadFF2GQvAikWSzyV4lXcKez0nV6i2frm-_gk/s1600/kittycrazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstnvu91BKWCD1JHMMZp1K0x_K6qFIdk6Hy1fIVRzEriM8_aea0qL9REN8lRA7vtQey8xM-ZjTjZZqYzOVIRKOCwtkVGwjbKJwcIcmEQGadFF2GQvAikWSzyV4lXcKez0nV6i2frm-_gk/s320/kittycrazy.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kitty crazy- it's been a long time for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCImI7xE3MsPbfbQlFrzeiZ8RWPM4s-ifRy4s4Jm0WHCZfktQbpfW99QFRZvWlBZz1B8pAxbJ6QftaE4n6rdQDYTAw8Otr4VRcUdZw-hH86wxXtR0JFYhOE_ncDogi7wM-kMd71r0ujQI/s1600/snorkeling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCImI7xE3MsPbfbQlFrzeiZ8RWPM4s-ifRy4s4Jm0WHCZfktQbpfW99QFRZvWlBZz1B8pAxbJ6QftaE4n6rdQDYTAw8Otr4VRcUdZw-hH86wxXtR0JFYhOE_ncDogi7wM-kMd71r0ujQI/s320/snorkeling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Snorkeling with a group of cruisers</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfana5M9dgOPaz7_LZ-CljDPHRjpE0ihyNNsAwu4cVsSwWtRXVQtbKjKJRI0juLnBSVVua5D7avTwFFR33EXoVOW7lIXmxS72Qz7AFA0fMDgUMKGNfl8BeKg6diMmHBpX7axU3wMrc1U/s1600/sundowners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfana5M9dgOPaz7_LZ-CljDPHRjpE0ihyNNsAwu4cVsSwWtRXVQtbKjKJRI0juLnBSVVua5D7avTwFFR33EXoVOW7lIXmxS72Qz7AFA0fMDgUMKGNfl8BeKg6diMmHBpX7axU3wMrc1U/s320/sundowners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sundowners on Dilligaf</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu8twPZxMfLXugzjjIqdytXIc9u94Ge5PMjn9e6zYWmJlu4dmf3pkgN1QFuWnjMFt5r-PKvbNAjyWOnAeqbf9m5uTaZDbRtxCr5izI3rpG4wxSyCkoa4Zyy7k0AH3L_ZPnugye6qpjik/s1600/inwater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxu8twPZxMfLXugzjjIqdytXIc9u94Ge5PMjn9e6zYWmJlu4dmf3pkgN1QFuWnjMFt5r-PKvbNAjyWOnAeqbf9m5uTaZDbRtxCr5izI3rpG4wxSyCkoa4Zyy7k0AH3L_ZPnugye6qpjik/s320/inwater.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sliding rocks </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEt39bwYPjeZpr_-FG7nqUQEhUs-LmWAWEXbi2PxYKivgge1tjzhcaYBn4QcqUzf7vk2iZAI8H13ftWzWraZf440ik2IgGzebtoccwIH5rqARKy0LnOqkyAVk40bSB8n7T60kDyP1t-M/s1600/slidingrocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPEt39bwYPjeZpr_-FG7nqUQEhUs-LmWAWEXbi2PxYKivgge1tjzhcaYBn4QcqUzf7vk2iZAI8H13ftWzWraZf440ik2IgGzebtoccwIH5rqARKy0LnOqkyAVk40bSB8n7T60kDyP1t-M/s320/slidingrocks.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Very fresh water</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhdq-DyKrHQQqfkw3DNPIx2KOaoUj675bC1-Mrhskpfyu0FxTwgki82VLvfoHrsznoowD0xUlgDkblipbHErtv9oYCi_-t08z-nAPhhtpQKp_ASST47NjjuE1gOdbSYsC1X1lLydSK8c/s1600/waterslide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhdq-DyKrHQQqfkw3DNPIx2KOaoUj675bC1-Mrhskpfyu0FxTwgki82VLvfoHrsznoowD0xUlgDkblipbHErtv9oYCi_-t08z-nAPhhtpQKp_ASST47NjjuE1gOdbSYsC1X1lLydSK8c/s320/waterslide.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So yeah you start on the top and slide all the way down- exhilarating!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AbAwBa4VUQJTumaNnp47lvrxlGcA5m9_ACDiWr0VtNYejXzKUXjQV9hD2sePOeSLS8x_e8Wucx7hyphenhyphenAwPuNYZ328v_7FCze7ActB-j6Tx5o6s5iYr1p5keDRThnLRuliCJ0vM1uVk43Y/s1600/tropicflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AbAwBa4VUQJTumaNnp47lvrxlGcA5m9_ACDiWr0VtNYejXzKUXjQV9hD2sePOeSLS8x_e8Wucx7hyphenhyphenAwPuNYZ328v_7FCze7ActB-j6Tx5o6s5iYr1p5keDRThnLRuliCJ0vM1uVk43Y/s320/tropicflower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An exotic flower in front of an even more exotic scene.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQKBVdKvwT6ep1svNqaenXqPV9qDyY_TB_WH7XZox9Q-cgaVakJFa_ND52-zcby8zQumue6-RXmN-ZCTuLuL0IBqODRxj9JSUz8epoaErc-S2sD8EhjiSfZ3mXgk524nN1R4iRKk__Y0/s1600/bananaflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQKBVdKvwT6ep1svNqaenXqPV9qDyY_TB_WH7XZox9Q-cgaVakJFa_ND52-zcby8zQumue6-RXmN-ZCTuLuL0IBqODRxj9JSUz8epoaErc-S2sD8EhjiSfZ3mXgk524nN1R4iRKk__Y0/s320/bananaflowers.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Banana flowers</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1NIujwzqKhmOAAiepKeBjUjZDig33jRwoJGD0yObxn8WVwKOcJtba9W6Skb6NjKo4sPRLhZztP4aLd5Y3GNIAsf2HdN681Odk08jlARan3-tM7aUg5ZzaXZ8xLAJR-1kV_bmRFh8xgQ/s1600/krisupatree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir1NIujwzqKhmOAAiepKeBjUjZDig33jRwoJGD0yObxn8WVwKOcJtba9W6Skb6NjKo4sPRLhZztP4aLd5Y3GNIAsf2HdN681Odk08jlARan3-tM7aUg5ZzaXZ8xLAJR-1kV_bmRFh8xgQ/s320/krisupatree.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh climbing coconut trees isn't as easy as it looks</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfR_NBH17ZlhpFukCzKrZ7V0ZE95roFfoeUIs4IFA80GvGbmlddJRPjvTWQWATyl_M4PwLqq3MfweaDNT_DO_YAVNn3CqAGLU4cf7NV4rdO_8AZSCa4bmCsEE4k5GaUEEpz9AyJgAtr14/s1600/ontheroad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfR_NBH17ZlhpFukCzKrZ7V0ZE95roFfoeUIs4IFA80GvGbmlddJRPjvTWQWATyl_M4PwLqq3MfweaDNT_DO_YAVNn3CqAGLU4cf7NV4rdO_8AZSCa4bmCsEE4k5GaUEEpz9AyJgAtr14/s320/ontheroad.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the main road around Rabi</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVg9UvUM6_S8mmRQPhkJIG6Y_PZfK_oa3AYZ05B3L7SRU0JyUwO9q5kSwB6-7vow1tExlruMSCgw7KjbCu6BZwE-ErssQdMRe8GkHfSLw17lgpP6uylqxzb3xDRO7pphwVN5101rGZ6g/s1600/sewingsails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVg9UvUM6_S8mmRQPhkJIG6Y_PZfK_oa3AYZ05B3L7SRU0JyUwO9q5kSwB6-7vow1tExlruMSCgw7KjbCu6BZwE-ErssQdMRe8GkHfSLw17lgpP6uylqxzb3xDRO7pphwVN5101rGZ6g/s320/sewingsails.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cruising= boat projects in exotic places. Eg. patching sails in Fiji</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFi0i3EWKd6VE_JcWHVU8sWtI4ue4sgz-KxudU6cjxMeDg9W9uCjnEFy3fZjqQENN2_Q4nHlTRqqKChnoGCfBSCZhE5lemM0iGlxrCizgSEEFGSoaNLh0glv4lhQSectR79xdCQW6Ec8/s1600/methodistchruch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFi0i3EWKd6VE_JcWHVU8sWtI4ue4sgz-KxudU6cjxMeDg9W9uCjnEFy3fZjqQENN2_Q4nHlTRqqKChnoGCfBSCZhE5lemM0iGlxrCizgSEEFGSoaNLh0glv4lhQSectR79xdCQW6Ec8/s320/methodistchruch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Methodist church. Took 40 years to complete.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gbOhA5I22neREl_oY2V9O0t8XPfJ0oGBeI03QcWeqpgdeq4WdtAwcKppDXy5fab-xlnKx3aQvRIREpeU6ol2snj01jEsgvgdb_XiPAHR1uLqD6CNY4LfWx_E_yDUINClKfP5QIEY0BA/s1600/kavaplant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gbOhA5I22neREl_oY2V9O0t8XPfJ0oGBeI03QcWeqpgdeq4WdtAwcKppDXy5fab-xlnKx3aQvRIREpeU6ol2snj01jEsgvgdb_XiPAHR1uLqD6CNY4LfWx_E_yDUINClKfP5QIEY0BA/s320/kavaplant.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kava plant</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedVbNjFaIIUDM1NxqtV1-d-zBA7evg-u8ZBCHEO-0NDRjWN33ZKZOau7st9QMm7NW4Vf9_w7na8sVxA-Re9C_CDlys4e2zwdT5wy0r3w2zE1p-xIgSrHSIMoeI13WkuY2-4y-XfL6ETM/s1600/ondeck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedVbNjFaIIUDM1NxqtV1-d-zBA7evg-u8ZBCHEO-0NDRjWN33ZKZOau7st9QMm7NW4Vf9_w7na8sVxA-Re9C_CDlys4e2zwdT5wy0r3w2zE1p-xIgSrHSIMoeI13WkuY2-4y-XfL6ETM/s320/ondeck.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Relaxing on deck. Do I really look 35 years old?!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxHgtHmfDU2_WZhfk4qVqdbd82WgifvFhVrNwhyaMBX13CD9MCSrIwN9TR8v-uFeXpgfERn3yadeTXNRTJei3IP2SHlSrHGudfxQNLHjlUI-SmpfXsAj-O05XwV99MvriOs4XdpsxKJ8/s1600/Asnorkeling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxHgtHmfDU2_WZhfk4qVqdbd82WgifvFhVrNwhyaMBX13CD9MCSrIwN9TR8v-uFeXpgfERn3yadeTXNRTJei3IP2SHlSrHGudfxQNLHjlUI-SmpfXsAj-O05XwV99MvriOs4XdpsxKJ8/s320/Asnorkeling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Swimming above coral and fishes.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5RvtWyv8WViDcP6DTgGi98Ka4NfWw4SwA7KAjqRZWsuau1VKQGS1Wi6igQMBB4gScIYhnQbtJiuIFIGYXh6RBIEAZ0ZpFOHu5-ES8rm5GSRtHe5LPoLesWPX_a3k06eT3dNOLjz4yqQ/s1600/bluefish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5RvtWyv8WViDcP6DTgGi98Ka4NfWw4SwA7KAjqRZWsuau1VKQGS1Wi6igQMBB4gScIYhnQbtJiuIFIGYXh6RBIEAZ0ZpFOHu5-ES8rm5GSRtHe5LPoLesWPX_a3k06eT3dNOLjz4yqQ/s320/bluefish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Hlejm0gG8qX8VHfkvsTKC3wpYd2t3HNA9nXgD-WwNQux7y4cVCwEiYaQ-WT1nJ0fyChaUeuAe_mSUYH3y8Ai4eXs_4B2dg1wLbaNVU2uO3CjosIZhSylK9H6lCZldyh-G97i3CwDvo/s1600/ussunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Hlejm0gG8qX8VHfkvsTKC3wpYd2t3HNA9nXgD-WwNQux7y4cVCwEiYaQ-WT1nJ0fyChaUeuAe_mSUYH3y8Ai4eXs_4B2dg1wLbaNVU2uO3CjosIZhSylK9H6lCZldyh-G97i3CwDvo/s320/ussunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Krister in his usual "I'm stoked" pose.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAv7HMRKu_H4z02hGmEhWyzFFXg6UdUoppJuwfHt8Lbdb-inyhmzN88Pq2S7N0SWezHDKVJGWx7K7Ks6rKdi74HA1WhpScembs0Q1BqWnxkH8xCsSmrZc8aF9BhVdSHRTje3VM-o7imw/s1600/whitetipshark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAv7HMRKu_H4z02hGmEhWyzFFXg6UdUoppJuwfHt8Lbdb-inyhmzN88Pq2S7N0SWezHDKVJGWx7K7Ks6rKdi74HA1WhpScembs0Q1BqWnxkH8xCsSmrZc8aF9BhVdSHRTje3VM-o7imw/s320/whitetipshark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White-tip shark- don't worry they don't really like us around either.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE3F-CxWDnL41U4W-6d9T3V-lcKh8R4IkOjFPJrOxRNSnRbzOr_fwn0qEk2gnlqHXGWNzkTYOhf8FPgRhg8zkzJO0WAAcdfvlri5E_OyraEwDXIhYiVRNd85nH8jltmnrRfPbuYpIQCs/s1600/britsunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEE3F-CxWDnL41U4W-6d9T3V-lcKh8R4IkOjFPJrOxRNSnRbzOr_fwn0qEk2gnlqHXGWNzkTYOhf8FPgRhg8zkzJO0WAAcdfvlri5E_OyraEwDXIhYiVRNd85nH8jltmnrRfPbuYpIQCs/s320/britsunset.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Still in Taveuni...</div><br />
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</div>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-58599979354536064602012-06-17T23:21:00.001-07:002012-06-20T22:18:30.229-07:00Coconuts, Solder, Mystery... Light!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">In a scene reminiscent of the movie "The Gods Must be Crazy", a man on the beach here in Albert Cove stumbled upon an interesting piece of flotsam on the beach as he went out to catch fish for his family. It was sort of mushroom shaped - about two feet in diameter with a clear plexiglass dome and a squat "stalk". Caution labels were printed in both English and Spanish.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The man took it home, hoping that when night fell it would light, as some of the buoys here do. The palm covered structure he shares with his wife and children has no electricity save for the eight D cell batteries that he's placed in series using a stalk of bamboo as a housing, allowing for use of a small DC radio. A cluster of LED lights once competed with the radio for battery power but this has stopped working awhile back, so the only light comes from the fire.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When we stopped to anchor in front of his home, we were invited by "Bill" (a westernized version of a name that I'm sure I'd find unpronounceable if he hadn't been as kind) to have brunch with him and his family. The cruisers brought brownies, pasta salad and a casserole dish. The Banabans prepared taro root, coconut, fish and crab. All drank kava for the better part of the afternoon.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgT6w1f2nji6hHEkprMF6DDx0dgGETsoje8lCoiBihIHMPV3n6CSR2kgvxZPCDEbm7Icxetp5sFodMXB8PPikO5XFarJblgeUNHj2Noui0gvPDlodAJePbaU8H_wLG__dBThDG9xxPVnk/s1600/homestead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgT6w1f2nji6hHEkprMF6DDx0dgGETsoje8lCoiBihIHMPV3n6CSR2kgvxZPCDEbm7Icxetp5sFodMXB8PPikO5XFarJblgeUNHj2Noui0gvPDlodAJePbaU8H_wLG__dBThDG9xxPVnk/s320/homestead.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The "homestead" </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikjUD6Kt1ZLFAQ_QCf6sTz6eaqY2lySunLpVLiCET8YXrfZ1FJihoQjo2x5NPECjWIQbgd_o4dYrpbvnhPRiTVtXj8iNmFFRmIlfL7imusDVqrXr5S811vHGPOpeRM00o8Yuzp1bGhgg/s1600/fixinglights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgikjUD6Kt1ZLFAQ_QCf6sTz6eaqY2lySunLpVLiCET8YXrfZ1FJihoQjo2x5NPECjWIQbgd_o4dYrpbvnhPRiTVtXj8iNmFFRmIlfL7imusDVqrXr5S811vHGPOpeRM00o8Yuzp1bGhgg/s320/fixinglights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Lauren Boy and I dismantled the mysterious dome and found a microwave antenna (GPS?) coupled to a solar array and sealed lead acid batteries. As we debated what in fact it was, I grinned as I realized that despite the fact that we were able to determine some of the components of the charging circuit, ascertain the health of the batteries, etc. it was equally mysterious to us. I felt like we were on the right side of the cultural divide.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We ripped out the microwave antenna (I like to think that Command Central somewhere is now on high alert) and added a socket for the spare lights that we had on board - a self contained solar power station.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As we watched the sunset and I saw the lights turning on shoreside, it felt good knowing that we'd made a meaningful contribution to improve the quality of life for our new friends.</div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HqmytXtmERC6soaMw2IgbTgQcVxDmhb9QF_Qr0YkiGDNXKfREfTg3nOYNmFYoktVUbDXGi_CnkUhRPfm8K3XKexvryyPQhGzKYFik7K2iTQ5RGiL2acqjeQO9n0iKCNsbx4ujYxWMY4/s1600/puppytime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-HqmytXtmERC6soaMw2IgbTgQcVxDmhb9QF_Qr0YkiGDNXKfREfTg3nOYNmFYoktVUbDXGi_CnkUhRPfm8K3XKexvryyPQhGzKYFik7K2iTQ5RGiL2acqjeQO9n0iKCNsbx4ujYxWMY4/s320/puppytime.jpg" width="231" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The youngest member of the family entertaining himself while the adults drank kava and worked on the new solar light machine.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxNPRYjtLhSpL7OkdrvXiav5OR5sPEwTa_A1nU9ukKz1H7UD34y9_486B1_veDHyfOeShCpFoUTfUlc9V4yBx-W-V3jP5XJRJJ94S7EVvEPfrXKEhuWlSSi6tmM3RxQB7EW9d5s51i40/s1600/weavingplates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxNPRYjtLhSpL7OkdrvXiav5OR5sPEwTa_A1nU9ukKz1H7UD34y9_486B1_veDHyfOeShCpFoUTfUlc9V4yBx-W-V3jP5XJRJJ94S7EVvEPfrXKEhuWlSSi6tmM3RxQB7EW9d5s51i40/s320/weavingplates.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Learning to weave palm fronds to be used as plates at our potluck lunch.</div><br />
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At 6/16/2012 10:05 AM (utc) our position was 16°26.75'S 179°56.28'WAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-37704136847523954312012-06-12T12:34:00.000-07:002012-06-12T12:35:17.089-07:00Moving Around in FijiWe left our anchorage on the northwestern tip of Taveuni yesterday, planning on sailing around the island and ending up on the eastern side where we'd be well positioned to jump off to the Lau Group.
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<br>Unfortunately, when we weighed anchor, we almost immediately ran into heavy squalls and pouring rain. Piko and Dilligaf were both within a mile or two of us, and I lost my visual on both boats due to how heavy the rain was.
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<br>Getting around Taveuni isn't as easy as it sounds. There are a pile of reefs that require dodging, and if the visibility is poor that becomes a pretty dangerous proposition. We decided to reroute ourselves to a clearer anchorage, and we're now tucked into Katherine Bay in the island of Rabi (pronounced "Rambi").
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<br>Moving through reefy waters anywhere is scary, but in Fiji it's particularly bad. I've been playing with a program called MaxSea (Dominic, look into it if you haven't) which allows for a comparison of the two major electronic charts companies (CMap and Navionics) as well as a satellite image. It's a horrifying exercise - if you overlay the two electronic charts in places, they only vaguely resemble each other, and it becomes particularly scary to overlay the satellite image (which we'd presume to be accurate) and see that both sets of charts read like a novel "loosely based on a true story". No where else have we had the charts be off like this.
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<br>It's pretty infuriating - the charts are extremely expensive, and those companies should be fully capable of performing the same Google Earth comparison that we're making. I realize we're living a ridiculously cushy life navigation-wise (sextant who?) and maybe I should just be grateful.
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<br>We've heard of too many boats being lost on reefs here. In fact, a boat we made landfall with was lost about 10 days ago on a reef.
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<br>So, we're being cautious. Waiting for better weather and getting ready to explore Rabi.
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<br>At 11/22/2011 8:38 PM (utc) our position was 35°18.69'S 174°14.80'EAmanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-3799410162581962592012-06-06T15:56:00.001-07:002012-06-06T15:56:47.020-07:00Visiting the VillageYesterday we wandered ashore to check out the school that's here in Viani Bay. It was pretty impressive and an odd juxtaposition of familiar grade school elements (math posters on the wall, map of the world, too small desks...) in a setting that is about as exotic as it gets. There are 59 kids (some walk to school, some are bussed and some are picked up by the "school boat" which makes perfect sense, but totally cracks me up), 3 teachers a few computers and a campus that feels like the very best of the third world - water catchment, solar, barefoot kids, a few more dogs than you'd expect, but extremely clean and sort of impressive.
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<br>Anyhow, we checked out a trail that lead away from the school and found a "village" about a mile back into the bush. Quotes used because it's really just an extended family home. There are 20 people who live there, all of whom are related (and two of whom are mentally handicapped - I wondered if it was a genetic predisposition or perhaps a lack of variety) and all of whom were incredibly sweet, kind and happy to have a few gringo visitors. They're 100% subsistence livers from what I could tell, and there was a vibe that reminded me a lot of being home in Alaska.
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<br>I'll post pictures when I can - I got a good one of Amanda, Lauren Girl and about half the town.
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<br>The next few days are forecast to be rainy. Having the solar power to write a blog post in the rain still blows my mind.Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8842331051149138389.post-5172432731394795032012-06-03T21:36:00.000-07:002012-06-03T21:36:12.348-07:00Snorkeling in Viani Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are from two different snorkeling excursions, both in Viani Bay near the pass in the reef.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs1uV_5P6J1kJjjNYwmFCvPrnRyrIPzstJTGKNYqom33fsqL5Uje23I9LdXCeugRANmlHgjkRj1kommt9DrBsPY0AGVON3qZrVIpNuict-bjMj9luAuUzXLR6KhFLcZe0Gdw3852bkzk/s1600/coralform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDs1uV_5P6J1kJjjNYwmFCvPrnRyrIPzstJTGKNYqom33fsqL5Uje23I9LdXCeugRANmlHgjkRj1kommt9DrBsPY0AGVON3qZrVIpNuict-bjMj9luAuUzXLR6KhFLcZe0Gdw3852bkzk/s320/coralform.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cool coral formation</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijc9D8YSX3vUVXEwPmquWdPQjZ4dbTRosk3njrM45FlU1kZlFfToNhefZbjCv8EnJkGXOx3fvA8vdpKFSmO5N4NVrBK-twB7bPR-hoIcMH2fsnLojVtof_1Tb94r-sEE9Q2SZDVmM47kg/s1600/favfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijc9D8YSX3vUVXEwPmquWdPQjZ4dbTRosk3njrM45FlU1kZlFfToNhefZbjCv8EnJkGXOx3fvA8vdpKFSmO5N4NVrBK-twB7bPR-hoIcMH2fsnLojVtof_1Tb94r-sEE9Q2SZDVmM47kg/s320/favfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My favorite new fish of the season; the red and purple one in the middle.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5GWoJ5Kyt38ChsGJgDPOekf_erqY9PIhJ25DFNr9gKUBqjD7Z-mnSas_G1l9YcqsTpjPPjGtqTQoHWtEuqgEnOFtW0gWH8bapmH6NwifF9ujbUN3I5sp-s2BZlDLOVkM8PPd3UMuwaQ/s1600/bluefish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ5GWoJ5Kyt38ChsGJgDPOekf_erqY9PIhJ25DFNr9gKUBqjD7Z-mnSas_G1l9YcqsTpjPPjGtqTQoHWtEuqgEnOFtW0gWH8bapmH6NwifF9ujbUN3I5sp-s2BZlDLOVkM8PPd3UMuwaQ/s320/bluefish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Blue fish taking shelter in the coral</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb695yBI5qa8Zzo0oas-HYRazGNMAP01gGAJGZrPZges4xvVVR36H8cIlBrjIl30PHSRZbtYFmAqPDqRbGhl_rAc3CPB160LccBSJbq4EYYlCP3fS7jBZYFO2ZAY122P8LGMywY6Ovk0/s1600/coolfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCb695yBI5qa8Zzo0oas-HYRazGNMAP01gGAJGZrPZges4xvVVR36H8cIlBrjIl30PHSRZbtYFmAqPDqRbGhl_rAc3CPB160LccBSJbq4EYYlCP3fS7jBZYFO2ZAY122P8LGMywY6Ovk0/s320/coolfish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not sure what kind of this fish is, but it's cool</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4ArL4zDhyphenhyphenQ6qr1y4gd1wLIW15-xfJp7AYXuPOW-do0irMO3-BSOUZavmB-dRr2PBMBMaVXoNeuiF0paSGEFRsmqX8R90Dceg8scAYM09UU7RjyqSEpQatUFRaaUjrDVAYx0OSg_69lg/s1600/coralgarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4ArL4zDhyphenhyphenQ6qr1y4gd1wLIW15-xfJp7AYXuPOW-do0irMO3-BSOUZavmB-dRr2PBMBMaVXoNeuiF0paSGEFRsmqX8R90Dceg8scAYM09UU7RjyqSEpQatUFRaaUjrDVAYx0OSg_69lg/s320/coralgarden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coral garden perspective</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl2Wwo1gWdrSd05xvBQ4K00JJg3a7amt1me9lK6F82IN5S5v89CDehNOx-T0udZkbuiEN1sN4lkmWtY84oTGwOI2055GesBoKdtBfLfQRm-nlaKJlP_yh6wOHNaWM1GjxijxmmlRl9-g/s1600/brownclam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvl2Wwo1gWdrSd05xvBQ4K00JJg3a7amt1me9lK6F82IN5S5v89CDehNOx-T0udZkbuiEN1sN4lkmWtY84oTGwOI2055GesBoKdtBfLfQRm-nlaKJlP_yh6wOHNaWM1GjxijxmmlRl9-g/s320/brownclam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Brown and cream spotted clam- new to us this season.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSatfk2dnunk5iFC81NHc3GYoIAVNhPQbSRJNKqnl6C0f6p6SAauGeQTvqEKZtTJIMtN43bPyZJAVtr9VqyfK_HW049C96yvOQV56tPdxPiivKjD8ycZK37yvszoOu4BKFhduk8bMDEA8/s1600/spottedclam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSatfk2dnunk5iFC81NHc3GYoIAVNhPQbSRJNKqnl6C0f6p6SAauGeQTvqEKZtTJIMtN43bPyZJAVtr9VqyfK_HW049C96yvOQV56tPdxPiivKjD8ycZK37yvszoOu4BKFhduk8bMDEA8/s320/spottedclam.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one is new to us too; love the teal and brown coloring</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRlCDv5CNUW5uxJj3rDZHpIIrewsX81nbaGkC3FiSUIxkbpVos3Wtqg5nEctp0BoobOULu3hbA5ERK7Y9nUflXWFVaynRTabeIeJXUUpqlR1CV1x2IniQiicbqsNxwBtOGJ4wS6W0zL4/s1600/kdivedeep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRlCDv5CNUW5uxJj3rDZHpIIrewsX81nbaGkC3FiSUIxkbpVos3Wtqg5nEctp0BoobOULu3hbA5ERK7Y9nUflXWFVaynRTabeIeJXUUpqlR1CV1x2IniQiicbqsNxwBtOGJ4wS6W0zL4/s320/kdivedeep.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Krister is free diving 50-60 ft these days</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5h16ZVOFfymESvG2InPd85C1toAiDc3QmTkicFYm2Kg1yAEyMn4rsNq7jHrPkoJNEWu3e38dN_VJBYml5qjG-K2zsY7c84jn5Q_lhzkf_OcgZczn3eqWHTjzoV6kOfrqO0RrPgOvBZE/s1600/overcoral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5h16ZVOFfymESvG2InPd85C1toAiDc3QmTkicFYm2Kg1yAEyMn4rsNq7jHrPkoJNEWu3e38dN_VJBYml5qjG-K2zsY7c84jn5Q_lhzkf_OcgZczn3eqWHTjzoV6kOfrqO0RrPgOvBZE/s320/overcoral.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Swimming over awesomeness</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLTeOFLA5AOariqvZfxLOW7kOX2ZBKulB702iHZU42Ej3ql09M88GenTzfUw8PBLZaKggk4m4becQvhaO0gKK5qTZtsAH1Azz1kDa_TF9GwaAzgDoLXoSYWg8GpRgzUeqGhaGQNrPXCc/s1600/groupsnorkel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLTeOFLA5AOariqvZfxLOW7kOX2ZBKulB702iHZU42Ej3ql09M88GenTzfUw8PBLZaKggk4m4becQvhaO0gKK5qTZtsAH1Azz1kDa_TF9GwaAzgDoLXoSYWg8GpRgzUeqGhaGQNrPXCc/s320/groupsnorkel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sue's birthday snorkel on s/v Katie M II with crew from Piko, Britannia, Sea Esta, Hokulea, Sea Bride, and Vixen 7</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvSiaJR41v6E1GlZwTJI0MmCzqYmC3vNvdIJJ871UR9guu4GwxAuTgahmrDEXJBTfKQyzBgE7mEti0zpr3r6vIU1KyMJow5IakBL2DRfBiDQXC0FB84kauUG146wV1TQfakV8uSOSLtg/s1600/buddyboats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirvSiaJR41v6E1GlZwTJI0MmCzqYmC3vNvdIJJ871UR9guu4GwxAuTgahmrDEXJBTfKQyzBgE7mEti0zpr3r6vIU1KyMJow5IakBL2DRfBiDQXC0FB84kauUG146wV1TQfakV8uSOSLtg/s320/buddyboats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Buddy boats; Britannia, Piko and Diligaf anchored in Viani Bay</div>Amanda and Kristerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14581306512477075438noreply@blogger.com3