Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
The BIG city of Honiara loomed on the horizon as we approached
her dusty streets and congested traffic ways. Our respiratory
systems were beginning to suffer even at 12 miles out! However
on arrival we found that along with the dust and traffic was
a thriving little city of friendly people. The presence of literally
hundreds of RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon
Islands) officers forever within view has seemingly quelled
the tensions of the inner city and one can walk and talk freely
with friends and ex-foe.
Within all of the dusty degradation we found a little slice
of the western world and had the occasion to frequent this appetizing
lunch stop more then a few times. The Lime lounge provided wonderful
air-conditioning, a welcome change from the Sahara like inner
city smug, and also good food.
Our time in Honiara was mainly spent buzzing back and forth
through the streets trying to locate as many of the items that
remained on our 'Must Buy' list. We had good times cruising
back and forth and bartering at every level possible. Even with
the taxi drivers. We also were entertained by a group of Gilbertese
whose grandparents had resettled here in the 1950's. They have
held onto their dances and adopted many of the more well known
dances which they happily display to the best of their ability
in the hotels. One of these is the Tahitian Tamure, which when
being viewed floods our senses of times back in Bora Bora.
Dylan met up with the dance group and along with the good friends
from Nyathi and Goedhap, attended a beach bonfire instigated
by Matt and attributed to by everyone. It was a fantastic afternoon
and evening encompassing the employ of traditional methods of
food preparation, loud modern music from the back of a truck
and later bonfire song with the guitars. It was spectacular.
We have had one major problem whilst here in Honiara and that
was with our cameras. Due to unforeseen circumstances both Dylan
and Vicki’s digital cameras failed and had to be returned
to the States for repair. Due to this situation we have been
unable to capture any of the friends, places and events we have
met, seen and experienced since leaving Honiara.
Our travels after Honiara included the Florida Group, the Russell
Group, Marovo Lagoon, Rendova Island, Vona Vona lagoon, Kolombangara,
the Gizo group and most recently the island of Liapari next
to Vella Lavella. We have many great tales from these places
and these we will include in the next update. Below is the a
clipping of what our experiences have entailed
."Dear Friends and Family,
We would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas (belatedly!)
and all the best for the New Year - from the Solomon Islands,
the land of betel nut, crocodiles, head hunters, amazing wood
carvings, and the ring of fire. We have been in the Solomon
Islands for almost two months now and have enjoyed them immensely.
During this last month, we have not seen any other cruising
boats. All the people we have met are the most sincere, friendly
race of people we have ever experienced in our travels.
Many areas, especially in the lagoons, are unsurveyed on the
chart and very shallow, so it requires great diligence and someone
at the bow watching the depth at all times. One crossing of
a reef up to Uepi Island was touch and go. We crossed a large
area of reef as shallow as 10 feet and we draw 9 ½!
The last several weeks here in the Western Province of the
Solomon Islands has been just so phenomenal and special that
we thought we would share them with you. A good friend of ours,
John Rice, suggested we stop at Tengamo Island in the Marovo
Lagoon, to visit some friends that he made during his visits
many years ago. Here we met Peter and Judith; her mother, whom
we nick-named the Queen, owns the island. There are only about
25 people in the village, all descendants of the Queen. We managed
to fix a few things for them and make a much needed new sail
for their canoe. It was a treat to be away from the carvers
for awhile. Peter himself is a master carver, and was sent to
the Pacific Festival of Arts in Palau this year to represent
his country, and now he does only commission work.
As we were leaving the lagoon, Jim saw a beautiful kingfisher
bird fly right under our main awning. It was not flying very
well and almost fell in the ocean. We captured it and put it
in a box with some water and seeds. By the time we reached Rendovo
Island, it seemed to have recovered and we released it there.
The Solomons are rich with sea life and the reefs are alive
and vibrant. Jim and Dylan have had some of their best dives
here on the spectacular reefs. Also, on the way to Rendovo,
we were surrounded by dolphins, which stayed with us a very
long time. Then a very large pod of whales passed us and then
another school of dolphins joined us. This was all in a 6 hour
passage! We didn't do very well fishing on this short trip,
catching only one barracuda. In the last few months though,
we have been very successful; we've caught a sailfish (about
125 lbs. and then released a smaller one), and many mahi, yellowfin
tuna, and wahoo, our favorite.
Our first stop in Rendova Island was at Egholo Bay and village.
We were swarmed by woodcarvers there. We invited 4 or 5 at a
time to come aboard and display their work. All the carvers
seem to have natural artistic talent and a unique style. They
use local wood: rosewood, ebony, kerosene wood or coconut. Most
of the carvings have intricate inlays of nautilus shell. During
our three weeks in the Marovo Lagoon, we purchased many bowls,
fish, walking sticks, spiritual statues, gnuzgnuzus, war canoes,
turtles, and masks. In Egholo we purchased about ten carvings
to add to our growing collection. For payment, the carvers usually
like to receive one half in money and the other half in trade.
(We will leave the art of trading for another time, for it is
quite complicated affair!) Part of our huge treasure stock of
trading items is clothing. While in Honiara we purchased three
55 lb. bales called 'village packs'. We now have a storage problem,
but we have enjoyed the interaction with the local people, and
have justified our acquisitions as a way to help support the
local economy.
Our most special stay of all was at Rendova Harbor. We were
welcomed by many, many canoes. It seemed that everyone in the
village wanted to greet us and inspect our boat. Many of the
people are light skinned with ginger colored hair, and everyone
in this village of 200 is related. There is a great story by
a man from England, William Randall, who visited here several
years ago, and wrote a book titled Solomon Time. He tells of
his own experiences living with them and also the story of how
these Malaitins came to the Western Province decades ago to
work for the Commander, a British plantation owner. It is a
delightful book to read!
The chief invited us to hear pan pipe music, which the Malaitins
are famous for. 'Pan Pipes' is a general term, referring to
traditional music that includes several different instruments.
The smallest is the pan pipe flute - a row of narrow bamboo
sections woven together and played in a fashion similar to a
harmonica. Then there are the 'drums', which are of a similar
construction but much larger, from 2 to 6 feet long, all strapped
together. These are played by banging the sole of a flip-flop
on the upper opening; the tone is determined by the length of
the pipe. The final variation is the stamping drum, which is
a large diameter section of bamboo that is played by pounding
it onto the ground. The music is amazing! We were entertained
by a group of two dozen young men and boys. The ones playing
the 'flutes' danced in unison as they played.
On Sunday, the church (Anglican Church of Melanesia) choir
of about 30 came out to Firebird in the evening and sang 'Christmas'
songs for us - a cappella. They did not resemble our 'American'
Christmas carols, but they were sung from the heart and the
last one was sung in their local language.
Chief Gordon is about 73 years old. He has no teeth so it is
difficult to understand him. He has a distinct British accent
and a commanding boom to his voice, which he surely picked up
from the Commander years ago. Gordon has been trying for many
years to get the government to provide a school here; there
are over 100 children. It was heartbreakingly sweet to see them
paddle out to visit us every day in their small dugout canoes,
with only a few inches of freeboard. There would be as many
as six kids, half of them naked, with a toddler or two on board
as well, and no adult in sight! (And ashore, the littlest ones
who cannot 'toddle' yet are carried by the next size up - maybe
someone around four years old!) They would say - "Missus,
pen-so plez, sha-pen-a, booka". (Also, la-lie, and bah-lune).
And when we gave them pencils, sharpeners, exercise books, lollies
and balloons, they were ecstatic! We made a donation to the
school fund and will attempt to see some officials in Gizo to
plea their case.
Also here Dylan and Jim dove on a US Douglas SBD Dauntless
Dive Bomber, sunk in 45' of water, which crashed during WW II.
The plane sits up right and is completely intact. The pilot
who was flying this plane actually came and sat in the cockpit
on the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. This harbor was
also a WW II base for PT boats, most famous for PT 109, skippered
by John F. Kennedy. We met the son of the Solomon Islander who
helped rescue Kennedy and the crew after they were run down
by a Japanese destroyer, which sunk their PT boat.
Remember, we would very much like to hear from you. Please
write and let us know what you are up to.
Wishing you all of the best in the New Year!"
FIREBIRD
