News from Escapade at Lamotrek

We had a very easy run across to Elato Atoll. Gentle southerly breeze propelling us at around 4-5 kts which is all we needed for the short run. So easy that we set up the computer on top of the companion way hatch and watched videos for most of the the trip. As usual we arrived in the dark, 11pm off Elato so decided to amble on the extra 8M to Lamotrek instead. arrived off the south entrance to Lamotrek around 2am after observing that, once again, the charts were a little bit out, as I went past the first island of the atoll I noticed the depth gauge start to register as well as noting that I could see the breakers on the shore and count the palm leaves in the trees - 30 degrees to stbd and the depth gauge returns to --- Hove to off the entrance to wait for daylight and a good decision again as the islands prove to be .9 miles WSW of their charted position. The chart itself is correct so with the use of a couple of clearing bearings and a good look out in the bow (she refused to climb the mast despite my insistance that it is the best place) we made our entry around 0630 noting the location of the main reef is right were the chart says the passage should be! About 3 miles from the main island of Lamotrek we are hailed on the VHF "Yacht Boat this is Lamotrek" I was in the bow preparing the anchor albeit with a handheld VHF in my pocket but Felicity beat me to it and responded. During the ensuing conversation I noted that this was the first place since we left Australia to get their mouth around "Escapade" correctly the first time, turns out that Fash aulep had warned them of our presence in the area. The real bonus was advice that there were two moorings close to shore and we were invited to use either. Turns out they were installed only a month or two ago by another yacht touring the area who had come back especially to install them. Interesting and simple arrangement using chain with a large rock as the ground anchor. After organising ourselves we went ashore with the landing fee in hand as well as a couple of basic gifts for the chief. No Polo shirt this time as we already knew from reading other blogs that no-one on this island wears a shirt, no-one at all. Chief seemed happy with his gift of Coffee, a cap and some strawberry tarts. The cap went straight on his head so we figure we scored one point at least. A young lad from village #3 was appointed as our guide and we headed off for and island tour. This island was larger than Fash aulep and has three villages . It was also noticeably cleaner and better kept which helped explain the comment from Thomas (GF3), the Health worker on Fash aulep, who had just returned when we arrived there and remarked to me that they had let the place go while he was in Yap and he was hassling the chief to organise a clean up and get rid of the mosquitos. Gino took us around and showed us a couple of Japanese WWII plane wrecks as well as visiting a few houses were they were making Lavalava. They get more visitors here including the odd cruise ship so it wasn't long before they started bringing out things to trade. Felicity bought two Lavalava and ordered two palm leaf fans which we agreed to pick up the following day. This is the island were we had read that they were building a new sailing canoe, the largest they had ever built and by now it had progressed to a full hull with the prows and gunwales being worked on and trimmed down. The sections are made from a single piece of wood and carved out into the required shape so the two prows were a real work of carving with the hand adze the use. They had also managed to add a few modern tools to their collection and there were a couple of hand planes, an orbital sander and an angle grinder around, the later being powered by a petrol generator. They had recently broken the sanding attachment for the angle grinder and asked if I had one the same but not to be. They did gleeful accept the gift of sikflex 291 and 250ml of epoxy.

Building the canoe	The Prow being carved

I was invited to the after noon QLD starting at 3pm to which I arrived with my own cup. These guys drink "Tuba" which is made from juice extracted from coconut palms by modifying the part which grows the coconut, they then add water and yeast like the guys in Fash aulep but they the reckon the Tuba is much better than the "yeast". My experience could best be described as - "what flavour of fermented loin cloth would you like sir?" However I have learned that they dont think much of the taste either which is why I have now noticed they scull the whole cup full in one hit, a habit I have had to plead with them not to employ when drinking "Yacht Boat Tuba" as I refer to the rum/water/sugar/limejuice combo. On the plus side these guys organise there "Tuba circles" a bit more than the guys on Fash aulep and that night when I returned for the evening session they were sitting around passing on the local navigation practices to the younger chaps.
They next day we took five of the boys sailing, 4 senior high school and one teacher from the elementary school. They Knew their way around so we went out the first channel and around the outside of the lagoon past the Japanese longline fishing boat (high and dry on the reef, so High the chart says it's an island!) nd back in through a 3m channel which got me a little nervous. By the time we were half way around they had things worked out and I left them to it. Despite the number of visitors the get, none of them had been on a "yacht boat" before and they seemed genuinely thrilled with the experience. Felicity filled in the local yacht log while we were sailing noting that Cadibarra 8 had stopped for a day a few weeks earlier.

Out sailing for the day

Felicity came down with a bout of gastro the next day so she was laid up and our departure delayed by at least a day. I continued to muck around fixing power inverters and some things on the boat. When it came time to leave the Chief presented us with a lavalava for Felicity, hand made rope using coconut fibre for me and a carved figure for Escapade called a Monkey man which bears a striking resemblance to ... The final gift was a couple of lobster freshly cooked which unfortunately Felicity did not feel well enough to help me eat and a bunch of bananas and I mean the whole bunch, as well as the obligatory coconuts which are always accepted welcomingly.

Bananas!

Following messages of panic/despair/approaching armageddon from our newly independent offspring, we have altered plans and are now making a beeline/rhumbline/goat track for the solomon islands although with the current rate of fuel consumption and the wind forecast, we will be relying on favourable ocean currents to make it there.