• Christmas day Aur atoll

    Arriving in Aur on the 24th of December we didn’t expect to be able to organize much for Christmas day. But thanks to the lovely people on Aur island we were quickly made honorary members of their community just in time for the celebrations to begin.

    Aur atoll is around 80 miles north of the capital of Majuro, and feels like a different world. With only 300 people living on the atoll everyone knows everyone, and Christmas is not an individual family celebration but a huge gathering. Apparently dance practices began in early November and every night the Marshallese diligently practice their routine.

    The 25th Dec festivities started around 11am with a church service. The juxtaposition of the American/Marshall islands influence was shown by the decorations in the church. Woven mats and hand-made miniature outrigger canoes lined the front wall, whilst hanging from the ceiling were American $1 and $10 notes. The minister even wore a necklace made from American notes – we’re unsure if this was just for Christmas but was an interesting touch all the same. After the church service chairs were moved to the side of the room, and the anticipation seemed to grow. It seemed that the dancing was about to start.

    It is hard to describe the style of dancing, however basically the theme for all the groups was there was one leader with a whistle acting as a conductor, and two lines of people that started outside the church and moved in and out chanting in Marshallese and moving to the beat. It was unlike anything we had seen before. Each group performed about 5 songs -
    sweat pouring off the enthusiastic dancers, and the laughter of onlookers echoing against the church walls. The best had to be the two Sunday school groups with some adorable under 5 year olds not quite managing to keep the beat, but all the same having a grand ole time. A scene from the dancing is shown below with female onlookers in their brightly coloured mumus (traditional dress).

    At the end of each dance the group put out a basket for donations, and in return the crowd received a lolly scramble and food handouts from the dance group (we accepted a couple of packets of noodles but didn’t dare fight the kids for their prized lollies – it was vicious! The lady who was distributing the noodles decided to grab Robin for a dance and proceeded to get very friendly, pursing her lips and lining him up for a smooch – photo to come once we have good internet. All of a sudden her husband had pulled me up and we were learning how they roll in the Marshalls.

    After this slightly traumatic dancing experience we were ushered into a room outside the church that housed our Christmas day banquet feast. A huge flax woven basket filled with turkey, ham, pork, sausages, breadfruit, rice, taro, bananas, and various other goods was placed in front of us. To drink was a soft drink and a coconut (the outer islands of the marshalls are alcohol free). Some of the ladies who seem to know how to have a good time were picking up sausages, putting them in their mouths, and then approaching their male counterparts dangling the sausage in front of them. It didn’t seem to necessarily be their husbands, and we found this quite entertaining for what we thought was a conservative culture? Below is a photo of the banquet room and the group that performed through lunch.

    We thought we might head back to the boat for a few hours of food coma but our host family had other ideas. We were told to wait for the next dance group that would be starting in 10 minutes. In true island time an hour and a half later we were still waiting, by then having been adopted by a group of 20 kids endeavoring to teach us Marshallese. Getting the correct pronunciation was not easy with three young girls screaming the words in your ear. All the same a great bunch of kids.

    After we watched another round of dancing it was about 5pm and we wanted to get back to Confederate before dark, so we snuck out of the church while the third lolly scramble of the day was underway and all the kids were viciously preoccupied.

    While no one ever wants to be away from home for Christmas we really feel lucky to have been adopted by this community. It was a really unique and vivid experience. ! We were even given hand woven earrings and a dolphin wall hanging – photos to come in another blog. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!! Another update tomorrow on our post Chrissy day kite surf. Yeeeaaahhh.

  • Arrival in Aur Atoll

    We finally tore ourselves away from the Majuro supermarkets and civilisation last night and are now anchored in Aur atoll, around 80nm north of Majuro. Yeeeaaa ha. It was a boisterous night on the water with 20 knot winds and very confused bouncy seas. I think that we were ceremoniously introduced to what is know as the “Marshall islands washing machine”. Anyway it all feels worth it when you pull into the lagoon and everything goes calm and beautiful.

    About an hour after our arrival James, the local medical practitioner, was on the VHF telling us we are very welcome here, and please join them for their Christmas feast tomorrow. We just met James ashore and it turns out that the Christmas feast is on an island in the south of the atoll (about 1.5 hours from where we are now). So he will join us on Confederate tomorrow morning and we’ll head down to the island where his family is waiting. Apparently there are around 300 people living on the atoll who will all celebrate on the one island. Even though we’re sad to miss the family christmas celebrations in New Zealand this sounds like a good compromise. AND Robin has just put the turkey and potatoes in the oven for our chrissy eve extravaganza..

    Wishing everyone a very very happy day tomorrow. We would love to be there, but alas the Marshall islands are not the easiest place to fly in and out of. We will be thinking of you all and sending much love as we enjoy the festivities here. Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas! What a year it has been.

    Oh yeah and just a couple of pics.. Confed anchored in Aur, and James presenting us with a welcome basket of coconuts. Delightful.

  • Wreck snorkeling Marshall Islands

    After 5 days around Majuro sorting out a few things, and dropping off our crew (yeaah ha, has been a long two months, enough said) we headed straight out to some of the smaller islands of the main atoll. We snorkeled at Enemonit and Eneko, two very nice anchorages on the northern side of the lagoon. Enemonit had some really cool submerged wrecks and Eneko had some incredible coral and fish life. Nice to see another healthy reef, and so close to the capital of Majuro. As a bonus the very friendly marshall islands yacht club have free moorings at both spots.

    We also had a lovely catch up with a boat Ca Va who had spent time with mutual friends in Tonga. What a nice couple! Robin is positive we will have a homebrew kit someday on Confederate after sampling Jody and Bruce’s dark beer… Hmm I wonder where we’ll put it.

    Anyways we’re about to check weather and if all is good to go we’re making an overnight passage to Aur atoll. We’re really looking forward to getting out into the remote areas of the Marshalls. Looks like we might be able to do some kiting at Aur island, crossing fingers as it’s been way too long!

    For now here’s a few shots of us snorkeling on a submerged plane and helicopter in Enemonit.

  • Arrival in the Marshall Islands

    After a really hard passage ranging from 0 knots to 40 knot squalls we arrived in Marshall islands and are enjoying …

    a) Land and walking!

    b) the boating community here

    c) supermarkets! sounds silly but it’s nice having a few grocery stores after a while without!

    We’re looking forward to exploring the outer islands and checking out the kite surfing which is supposed to be incredible.  After our trip up and the winds we experienced it seems like this may be so! Also looking forward to trying to get in a dive on some of the world war 2 wrecks. Ye ha. More updates to come and some passage reports to come from Robin.

  • Back on the road again – Day 1 Passage Kiribati to Marshalls

    Ooops a bit of a lapse on the blog front.. We’re waiting until good internet in the Marshalls to blog with pictures from Kiribati so for now just an update from Robin’s log book…

    We have just departed Tarawa, Kiribati, bound for Majuro, Marshall Islands. We raised anchor about 0730 and motored just 10 mins to get outside the anchored ships, then raised sail in about 15 knots easterly with clear skies. Caught a mackeral tuna on the way out of the main reef pass (~2 knots incoming current) which will feed us for a couple of days. Beautiful sailing conditions and currently on a beach reach doing 5 knots. Crew happy – Anna still feeling a bit poorly, but on the mend and on light duties.

    1530 – Passed through a squall line (small front) at around 1300. Wind backed to N and about 15-20 knots. Some heavy rain but no strong winds. Went on for a couple of hours then wind died and motored for a while. Anna made a very nice fish pie for lunch. All is well onboard.

  • Random reflections from Kiribati – Part II – Apologies a bit of a deep and meaningful

    There seems to be a large development presence here. Among others, Australia Aid and NZ Aid offices, and a Taiwanese milkfish breeding project similar to what we saw in Tuvalu. One of the main issues is water – both for us and the I-Kiribati. While there are rainwater harvesting projects underway these work on the provision that there is rainwater to harvest. However with such close proximity to the equator rainwater is infrequent – and unfortunately population is dense – around 40,000 people in Tarawa.  Water is everything – both in the sense of drinking, and in irrigation for crops (the only fresh produce we have found since we arrived is some bananas, and small pumpkins for $12AUD – no thanks). It is cheaper to buy imported meat products than local vegetables. We did manage to buy some New Zealand carrots, which is ironic and really bad of us as we are trying to buy local produce where we can. The reality is that here we can’t.

    Anyways all of this has got me thinking about desalination and its place in our future world.  While it is energy intensive it seems like a practical solution for these islands surrounded by miles of salt water, and very little fresh. NZ Aid recently completed a solar powered desalination project in Tuvalu which is apparently not operating at the moment. I need to find out more about the story there.  Before Robin and I left we looked into getting an Open Ocean desalinator on the boat so that we didn’t have to collect rainwater. In the end we decided the $5000 (yikes) could be better used on something else, and the idea of collecting rainwater seemed manageable.  Everything was going fine until we got closer and closer to the equator and it stopped raining! Of course everywhere there are people, there is water, but in some places like Kiribati you feel like water is so precious you don’t want to take it.  Considering at the moment we are using 10 litres of water a day between 3 of us (just a little more than what we are drinking) I don’t think we are being too demanding.

    In saying this it feels good every now and then to feel a connection between your livelihood and the environment. Generally growing up in New Zealand we take water for granted, we turn on a tap and it comes out. We use as much as we like, except for the occasional summer when there’s been shortages and we are reminded by advertisements to do our part and “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to turn a tap and have water magically appear for us – but similarly once in a while it is also good to think about where it comes from, and the systems and pipes that take that water from the treatment plant, out of the rivers, from nature, to our tap.  It gives a deeper sense of appreciation for really one of the few things we need in life.

    While a desalinator would be nice, appreciating rain, for drinking and soils is also nice. It creates a sense of connection to nature that is lost in every step of development. It is the same for food – as we get further and further off the beaten path you realize that in terms of food products nowhere is off the beaten path. In Kiribati I can get NZ products, Chinese products, even Filipino products. It is quite probable that tuna caught in Kiribati waters gets sent to Asia and returns in tins. I think development in the future will be about connecting the dots between our consumption and nature, knowing more where our food and water comes from, and attempting to meet needs with the local before the global.

    Returning to a more local world sounds limiting and restricting but I think there is also a sense of satisfaction in knowing where things come from.  Similarly there is a satisfaction that comes from a connection to nature as a provider – catching a fish, pulling fruit off a tree, or vegies out of a garden. That’s why even as we develop we still want to do these things, not out of necessity, but out of choice. Of course this becomes harder and harder with more of the world living in apartments, but I hope not impossible.  Our land and minimal population density in New Zealand makes us incredibly lucky.

    In short if life feels busy and complicated then one need only turn on a tap, pour a glass of cold water, and take a sip. Then remember that to get one of the few things necessary for survival is as simple as turning on a tap. But also remember this is not the case for everyone. We know if we start cursing the rain we are forgetting our connection to the earth, and our connection to those who live in countries where it is hard to get water. Really we should celebrate and marvel at taps every day but we don’t.  I wonder what point we stopped appreciating taps. If we can’t appreciate taps then there will be no end to our development as we will never be satisfied.  Of course this is not just about taps. It is about a shifting sphere of requirements, of which we can’t “live without.” Will we stop when we no longer marvel at space travel? A while back Cat Stevens said of skyscrapers, “will we keep on building them higher until there’s no more room up there?” You have to admit he has a point.

    John Stuart Mills, in 1985, said that “A world from which solitude is extirpated is a very poor ideal.. and solitude in the presence of natural beauty and grandeur, is the cradle of thoughts, and aspirations, which are not only good for the individual but which society can ill do without. Nor is there much satisfaction in contemplating a world with nothing left to the spontaneous activity of nature, with every road of land brought into cultivation which is capable of growing food for human beings, every flowery waste or natural pasture ploughed up, all quadrupeds or birds which are not domesticated for mans use exterminated as his rivals for food, every hedge row or superfluous tree rooted out and scarcely a place left where a wild shrub or flower could grow without being eradicated as a weed in the name of improved agriculture. If the earth must lose that great portion of its pleasantness which it owes to things that the unlimited increase in wealth and population would extirpate from it, for the mere purpose of enabling it to support a large, but not better or happier population, I sincerely hope for the sake of posterity, that they will be content to be stationary, long before necessity compels them to it.”

    Meanwhile a kid in Kiribati squeals in shear delight jumping off a wharf into the sea.

    These kind folks gave us some of their water

    These kind folks gave us some of their water

    The dark side of Tarawa - trash everywhere

    The dark side of Tarawa – trash everywhere

    Heading out to the boat

    Heading out to the boat

    Local fisherman

    Local fisherman

    Local style boats

    Local style boats

    A good days catch

    A good days catch

    Tuna on a bike

    Tuna on a bike

    Kids fishing off the wharf

    Kids fishing off the wharf

  • Random reflections from Kiribati – Part I

    What can I say? Other boats have described this place as none other than a “stinkhole” and yes – that it is. But beneath the layer of grime and litter-stricken streets are a group of people who will go out of their way to help you. The spirit of the place, as always, comes from the people.  Taxi vans cranking “when you’re looking like that,” at full volume, speed down the main road – an approximately 30km stretch with sea on both sides. Several islands are joined by causeways – which contributes to the “stinkiness” of the place given the fact that the sea can no longer flow between the islands. This means that the water in the main lagoon, apparently full of e-coli, doesn’t circulate properly – whether this is speculation or fact we are unsure.

    Crossing the equator into the northern hemisphere has also meant, despite being in the middle of nowhere we are starting to see the impact of world war II on these island nations.  In Tarawa there are still cannons lying around, a reminder of the how these tiny, seemingly “insignificant” atolls in the middle of the Pacific became a playground for American and Japanese soldiers.  The unfortunate location of these islands half way between the two countries, has forever changed their history, and their present story. In the Marshall islands where we will head next the picture is even more vivid with hundreds of wrecks to dive, planes and cannons left lying around, and the of course Bikini atoll – another place that should have been an indiscrete tropical island in the middle of the Pacific however got caught up in American nuclear testing, of all things. The more you think about it the crazier it seems.  More on that when we get to the Marshalls.

    And a few photos from Tarawa – unfortunately due to customs and immigration issues we didn’t make it out to the outer island atolls which are supposed to be pristine, and less stinky.  BUT it is good to see both sides of the story, and Tarawa was indeed an interesting, but at times a saddening place – a tropical atoll at the crossroads of development – imported products and of course too much imported plastic waste for a small island with no infrastructure to handle, few exports to pay off their imports, very little water and fertile soils, plenty of fish, and plenty of overseas fishing boats taking them away.

    Arrival Kiribati

    Arrival Kiribati

    Lunch one of the few restaurants in Kiribati

    Lunch one of the few restaurants in Kiribati

    Fetching the dinghy

    Fetching the dinghy

    Robin and a guy from Tuvalu we delivered a suitcase to from his family in Nanumea

    Robin and a guy from Tuvalu we delivered a suitcase to from his family in Nanumea

    A stick throwing game to commemorate Kiribati's attendance in the 2014 Commonwealth games

    A stick throwing game to commemorate Kiribati’s attendance in the 2014 Commonwealth games

    Bairki park ball games

    Bairki park ball games

    Customs and immigration aboard Confederate

    Customs and immigration aboard Confederate

    Anchored near to the supply ships

    Anchored near to the supply ships

  • Land ho Kiribati

    After 5 days on the big blue wobbly, or actually the big blue pretty calm, we’ve arrived in Tarawa! Four check-in officials just boarded Confederate, where they proceeded to make us first write our own forms, and then fill them out. Very professional! They also asked if we had a photocopier on board. We still can’t figure out where they thought we might keep a photocopier on our 32 foot pride n joy?

    While we failed on the photocopier front, we made up for it in our supreme flag making abilities – Our homemade Kiribati flag proved to be quite a hit with the officials. Check out the photo – Ok so I confess Robin did most of the hard work, but I added the sun and bird this morning. As you can see we’re pretty chuffed with ourselves. ☺ Flag making has been a simple pleasure of recent passages – not to mention a good way to get back in touch with your primary school self. Ah the good ole days of arts n crafts, afternoon naps and home at 3pm. Speaking of naps.. we’ve been up since 330am watching the stars disappear, sun rise and land appearing on the horizon. Better get a nap in before some exploring later on today.


  • Crossing the equator yeaaah

    This morning at around 730 Kiribati time we crossed 0 deg 00 minutes 00 seconds. Ye ha grandma. To be honest it was all over pretty quickly. It’s not like crossing the equator on land. You’re half expecting a sign saying 1 nautical mile to the equator, or perhaps at least a line in the water, but of course these never appear. :-) But we did jump in and swim across 0 degrees, a nice box to tick! And we also threw over a glass of Canadian club as an offering to Neptune (this is a superstitious sailor thing) – I hope Neptune likes whiskey.

    Anyways despite the equator being a bit of an anticlimax it’s really nice timing as this marks the one year anniversary of Robin and my engagement. This time last year (Dec 1st) we were sitting on Confederate anchored off Oneroa, Waiheke celebrating. Now we’re in the same boat but at the equator! It’s incredible to think of how far our little house has sailed this year.

    Feeling hot hot hot – these are some of the warmest conditions we’ve been in, and we’re now in the area known to sailors as the doldrums – a band of very little wind either side of the equator. Luckily today we have about 6-8 knots and we’re cruising along at at a reasonable speed. Looks like we’ll make landfall in Kiribati tomorrow. Ye ha. Looking forward to putting our feet on some solid ground once again.