Reflections

 We stepped into this world apart.  Memories of the other fading.  

Only my pinky toe hanging on.
Fought 20 knot winds and 10 foot swell to get back to the place that pinky toe was hanging on to.
Maybe easier to just sever the pinky toe and continue downwind...

Mili Surf!

Some great surf down in Mili.  Low tide, with the waves sucking the reef dry, was sketchy, though.   I paddled in bloody one session, and bruised a bit after another.
When the swell was small, I named one spot Dolphins and another Mosquitos.  When the swell picked up, Mosquitos changed to Drainos and Dolphins became Grinders!

Mosquitos

 

Grinders

 

Dranos

Submarine

Snorkeling in Mili was fantastic.  reef sharks and giant clams.  so many different fish!

 

 drop to the blue

 

During a rainy day, and feeling a bit cooped up in the boat, we decided to hang out under the boat
with the scuba hose.

Serena at the surface

going deep to rescue a spear

 

 

spaceman

A giving culture

It quickly became battle of the gifts!  We were given a huge bunch of bananas, and once they started turning, they all went quick.  So we tried dehydrating them on the cabin top... 

We were given so many coconuts in the beginning, we thought there would be no way to eat them all.  Very quickly though, we had formed a habit of eating at least 4 a day, and everytime we ran out, more would show up!  
In retaliation we gave away some of our canned food, helped with outboard engine repair, and we made a cake for the mayor.  In return, though, we got coconut crab, lobster, and coconut wine!  We had lost the battle, and I think that is the way the islanders prefer it.

 

Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands

While Serena visited we sailed from Majuro to Mili Atoll.  We had a beautiful sail that took one day and one night.  We sailed through the pass into Mili in the pooring rain, too! 
A beautiful quiet place, Mili Atoll. 

  

half bird half woman

 The birds, so fine tuned for this windy environment.

 copra spikes, and pig eating sprouted cocos

Serena!

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...