Biking Majuro

As I bike along the main drag you can see how narrow this spit of land is.  Visible is the open ocean to my left, and blue lagoon to my right!

Yacht Race

 Once a month there is a yacht race between the cruising boats.  It is pretty mellow and fun, and for me it is about always keeping my boat in good sailing condition, and those cobwebs off (mental and physical).

 This was just after the start, shot by Colin sailing with Blu Bie...

 Genesis Earthling in front during lap 2.  Behind is Seal, De la Mer, and Break Free.  I was overtaken by all of these boats on the next upwind leg...

Race results.  Even with the reverse handicap, I finished very much last.

Canoe Race

For Majuro Day there was a canoe race, and a couple canoes from WAM school were in the race.  We went down to check out the start, and because they needed another sailor, I ended up on one of the canoes!  As the other sailor and I are familiarizing ourselves with the canoe we here a horn go off, so we jump in the boat, first off the start, and begin sailing.  We look back to see that no one else has started yet.  Five minute horn.  Ha!  So we tack and head back to the start.  At least we got a practice in.  

Once the race actually started, we got off to a good run across the lagoon.  It was one of the windier days I'd seen and we were flying!  About 40 minutes into the race we pitch pull the canoe and the boom snaps... race over for us.  We were pretty bummed, but I had a feeling I'd been black magicked.  I probably wasn't supposed to be racing these canoes... 

I am the yellow and green sail front left.  The canoe in the front of the race is flying the sail I made at WAM school...

This is us paddling back after the boom broke...

Marshallese Sailing Canoes!

Sewing Teacher??

 I have become a sewing teacher... somehow.  Before arriving in the Marshall Islands, I hadn't spent more than a few hours behind a sewing machine.  How this all began:  Reese and I are cruising about Majuro by bicycle and decide to swing by the canoe house that we'd heard about.  The canoe house is part of Waan Aelõñ in Majel (WAM) school that is continuing the tradition of building traditional Marshallese sailing canoes.  Being sailors, we appreciate all forms of sailing craft, and I particularly am a fan of outrigger sailing canoes!  

A few of the people that run the show here are other sailors who we'd met before, and they mention that they have some nice heavy duty sewing machines and need some teachers for the trainees in the school.  You guys know how to sew?  Totally!  We can't pay you, though.  Trade?  In addition to full use of the machines for boat projects, we traded for time on the sailing canoes and internet time(which is actually a pretty good deal in the Marshalls).  Also, once we get paying projects into the school, we'll get a cut of the job.  Deal.  We are now sewing teachers.

 

The mini sail loft...

Atoll and about

Reese, Colin, and Myself at a yachty event in Majuro

Reese in the companion way.

Jacob, lagoon sail

good old Gen at mooring in Majuro

water

collecting rain water diverted from decks, plumbed to the galley... yum!