Fish ON!!!

Current Location: Underway from Majuro, Marshall Islands
Current Position: 02 35.22 S 178 32.29 E
Next Destination: Savusavu, Fiji
Miles Traveled: 811
Miles to Go: 900

Big news aboard Billabong - two HUGE fish caught!!! The first was on the afternoon of the 20th. Chris had just set out a new lure and was going on about how good it looked in the water; talking about how it dove up "for air" and then sunk down again trailing bubbles. Further describing to me the noise makers that were attached to the lure as well. He was so into it, that I finally had to look for myself. You can tell how exciting passage life is when we both stared out at the lure for a good ten minutes! Within the hour, BAM - our "Fish On" snubber pops out, tightly stretched. "We got a big one!", Chris says. Just as we both look back some type of Bill Fish / Marlin surfaces, and boy howdy is he big. Already we're pretty sure he's too big to keep. I quickly grab a camera and start filming while Chris hand reels the big guy in. Just as he's nearing the boat - BAM - our other "Fish On" snubber goes "Oh no we got another one", Chris shouts as I start laughing at the excitement of it all. But in less then a minute the second line goes slack, thankfully he got off himself. Meanwhile Chris
has pulled in our big guy close enough to realize just how big he is (about 5.5-6 feet), and to confirm he's too big to keep (not to mention that big 'ol bill is a little frightful, as I picture Chris losing a few
fingers). We had to let the line partially back out while we got the proper tools, and so Chris had to hand reel him in again. The hook was not easy to get at, and the fish just didn't understand that we were trying to let him go, so he kept flopping around … so we had to cut the line just above the hook; leaving the Marlin with a fancy new nose ring.

The second fish hooked the following afternoon. We couldn't tell what we had, and from a distance (underwater) we thought it might be a Wahoo - which are quite tasty. So this time when Chris [hand] reeled him in, we were ready, but alas it was a Shortbill Spearfish … about 4.5 feet. There was that daunting bill again, and a beautiful sail. Still a little big, and not the best eating (compared to Tuna and Wahoo), so Chris once again wrestled with the fish in order to get the hook out (which he was able to do) and then released him. No fish for dinner either night, but at least a little afternoon

entertainment to break up our day!

As for the passage we are now making better time with the increased winds. We crossed the equator in the middle of the night on the 20th; thanking King Neptune for our safe journeys and throwing in a wine bottle message (only one this time - we weren't quite as prepared as in our first two crossings). We had a uncomfortable patch the other day, when current counteracted the wind, but by nightfall it was once again smooth going. One squall caught us a bit off-guard and we had to scramble to reef (in the pouring rain of course), but otherwise the skies have been mostly clear and dry. And we've finally decided where we're heading …Fiji (Savusavu). We just haven't been getting in enough Easting, and the forecast doesn't look like much is going to change (in wind direction). (Fiji is at about 180 - just two degrees east of our current location, whereas Samoa is at about 170 W - a good 12 degrees east).

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Another 200 miles down

Current Location: Underway from Majuro, Marshall Islands
Current Position: 00°55.54' N 176°40.71' E
Next Destination: Samoa, Wallis & Futuna, or Fiji
Approx Miles Traveled: 568
Approx Miles to Go: 1232

Today begins our sixth day at sea, and another clear blue day. It has been
slow going, averaging just over 100 miles per day, but it's been smooth and
mostly relaxing. We've been under sail since about 4pm on the 18th; it is
so delightful to turn that monster off and enjoy the peaceful sounds of the
ocean. I'm quite sure that my 10-hour headache the other day was due to
the diesel fumes.

The other night we were barely making way (going about 2 knots) under a
magnificent sky of stars and with nearly flat seas. It was better than
some anchorages we've been in! While our speed lacked, I couldn't help but
enjoy the evening and serenity of the night. The next morning I was
debating what I would prefer; going slow and taking twice as long to get
somewhere but having flat seas, or having more speed with bigger seas. I
still haven't decided. But I was quite grumpy that morning, since the wind
had picked up and the seas were more confused - jostling Billabong back and
forth. On top of that we are still running close-hauled, so we were heeled
over quite a bit. I have decided that I wasn't meant to live at an angle;
besides being uncomfortable (all kinds of joints start to hurt), it is damn
inconvenient … even the most minute tasks become difficult.

It has since calmed a bit and life aboard is once again somewhat relaxing.
The seas are still confused, so every once in awhile Billabong does a head
dive into the chop causing quite the racket and shudder, but otherwise we
are just cruising along enjoy the blue skies and starry nights, and looking
forward to our third equator crossing!

Of course we can't post an update without fishing news: there is none!
We've had a few hits on our teaser line, but nothing on the lures. The
other day Chris had four lines going! Tonight will be our last meat dish,
so we are definitely ready to catch something.

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Billabong begins cruising season 3

Current Location: Underway from Majuro, Marshall Islands
Current Position: 03°37.00' N 174°58.47' E
Next Destination: Samoa, Wallis & Futuna, or Fiji
Approx Miles Traveled: 370
Approx Miles to Go: 1430

You know it's time to leave when a cockroach the size of a small kitten
flies from shore, through your open hatch and lands on your bare back in
the middle of the night. I am thankful for two things; that Chris is
the one who sleeps directly under the hatches, and that he has very
quick reflexes (which he used to capture and destroy the unwanted
guest).

With light winds and flat seas predicted we departed Majuro on Monday,
May 15th. Even I, the non-sailor, thought the conditions were pretty
comfortable. In order to make it to Western Samoa or Wallis & Futuna,
we need to get pretty far east, and have therefore been pinching every
degree possible - slowly inching our way over. We haven't been
completely successful - as we didn't make the Eastern side of Milli, but
have since been able to make up a few degrees.

Our first two days at sea were beautiful, winds were light, but enough
to keep us moving around 5 knots … and the seas were some of the best
we've had (in my opinion) since leaving Ventura. Chris dove right into
his reading, already finishing over five books. I held off, testing out
some new sea-sickness remedies (which include not reading in the first
few days, and so far seem to be working). We've had a few bites on the
fishing lines, but nothing hooked - we aren't trying to hard yet as I
precooked five days worth of food that we have to first get through
before we have room for fish. We also spotted a large pod of small
dolphins, who didn't hesitate to show off with some amazing jumps.

Over the last day and half the wind has been on and off, and we've had
to motor over fifteen hours. So far it looks like we might have to
continue motoring for a bit longer. The positive side of motoring is
that we are able to get further east. As of now we still haven't
determined whether our landfall will be Samoa, Wallis and Futuna, or Fiji.

We've been lucky to not hit too many squalls and so far the passage has
been relatively dry. We are slowly getting back into the groove of
passage making; rediscovering our sea rhythms after four months at
anchor. The trip up to the Marshall Islands was deceiving with all the
stops we made; most of our "passages" were easy one or two nighter's.
We hadn't realized, until preparing for our passage back south, that we
had covered over 1800 n.miles! With a potential two weeks left at sea,
we'll have plenty of time to get our sea legs!

The most ironic thing-the DAY AFTER leaving our last package finally
arrived in Majuro!!! Unbelievable! Luckily a few boats are still in
Majuro and will be heading in our direction, so with any luck we'll hook
up with the package in Fiji.

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Season 2 Photo Journals

Season 2 Route

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Oh weather window where art thou?

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position: 07°06.30' N 171°22.39' E
Next Dest: Fiji (with potential stops in Kiribati, Wallis, or Samoa)

Apparently Mother Nature doesn't realize that we are ready to depart ... and have been for many days now. The wind has all but died; a nearby large system sucking up all the wind and spitting down rain. We've thought about leaving anyway-- motoring to the winds, but with the system nearby we don't want to chance beating into squall after squall ... especially not on our first nights of passage.

So we wait.

And since we are ready to go with not much else to do but wait, we just seem to aimlessly wander, typically ending up in the stores getting in more look at all the Yummy American foods. Billabong is busting at the seams with more treats and snacks then we've ever departed with. Of course that means that Chris and I are also busting, as we seem to both have developed an enormous sweet tooth that Majuro is all too happy to satisfy.

At least we aren’t yet bored; we still have friends here, Tuesday night salad bars, Thursday night bowling, and lots of internet time!

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Waiting for weather

Seems to be the story of passages ... waiting for good weather. We are now quite ready to leave (even if we didn't yet get our last package in the mail), but now the weather for the next 180 hours does not look so good ... unless we want to spend lots of money on diesel and motor! At this point we are just taking it a day at a time and seeing what happens. We are still hopeful that we might get out of here on Wednesday or Thursday. In the meantime we continue to eat our way through the stores, getting our last "fills" before heading back into deprivation!!!

On Saturday our good friends on Island Sonata returned, so we are thrilled to get a few extra days with them before parting ways.

On Monday we finally left the mooring ball after 4 months of not moving! We took Billabong out for a test sail ... making sure that both Billabong and her crew are ship-shape!

Hopefully our next BLOG will be sent while underway ...

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Almost Ready to Leave

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position: 07°06.30' N 171°22.39' E
Next Dest: Fiji (with potential stops in Kiribati, Wallis, or Samoa)



Yippee! We just got some very exciting news … another package has arrived. Which means only one more to go! We may leave here yet! Apparently the package was first mis-shipped to the UK … now how does that happen? Way to go US Postal Service.

As for the last 10 days or so, we’ve managed to keep busy. Miscellaneous boat projects here and there (like cleaning the bottom, which seemed to have grown its own ecosystem since December, and a bit of sewing), and many social nights; including my (KT’s) birthday, a few sun downers, bowling, and a most excellent Prime Rib dinner at the Resort.

Last Saturday (April 29th) a cruiser’s swap meet was held, where Billabong left with more than they came with (once again having to go through the “where are we going to fit this” game). Following the swap meet was a backwards dinghy race. Chris and I were joined by three of the local children for the madness. Basically anything goes and lots of water is thrown. It is a hilarious fun time, and while Billabong took first in all three heats it was not without a price … the next day our engine continued to overheat and we had to be towed back from a local BBQ party! Chris spent Monday re-building the engine, which didn’t go very smoothly – thankfully we had just recently purchased a duplicate non-working engine (for its spare parts) … it is now that “spare” engine that is working!

The local BBQ on Sunday was great fun. Kim and Tony on Navire had spent a lot of time with a local family, and they threw Navire a going away party. What a terrific family … we had a fabulous time. I am just continuously amazed at the closeness of these island families; so intertwined that it is impossible to tell who is brother-sister versus cousin; mother-father versus aunt-uncle. Children from five to fifteen playing together and socializing.

We are now within one to two weeks of departing Majuro. It is going to be tough going to get enough Easting to hit Samoa (or even Fiji), so we’re keeping our fingers crossed for the right winds. A huge supply ship is currently making its way into the lagoon, so our timing is perfect, we’ll be able to stock up with lots of fresh goodies before leaving. We are very much looking forward to beginning our third cruising season … although I personally wish it didn’t have to start off with two weeks at sea!!!

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Passing Time in Majuro

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position: 07°06.30' N 171°22.39' E
Next Dest: Fiji (with potential stops in Kiribati, Wallis, or Samoa … sometime in May)

Another week or so in Majuro. Still just hanging around, getting chores done, relaxing, and of course, waiting for mail. Although utilizing the US Postal Service, the mail service here is anything but swift or consistent! As of today, a package we sent via AIR from the States has now taken longer than a package we sent via GROUND from the states … and I’m sure we paid twice as much. Even more ironic is we did receive a package today, and it was the third, of three packages sent by Chris’ dad … we still haven’t received the first two or the one sent by us weeks earlier! We aren’t too concerned that they’ll make it, they usually do … it’s just looking like we’ll be waiting for mail instead of weather for our departure come May!!!

There has been lots of cruiser socializing the last week or so. We joined in on the Yacht Club End of the [Racing] Year Bash, where we feasted on BBQ and joined in on the beer (or soda) can sailboat races. The local children make these cool mini sail boats out of cans and usually race them across puddles throughout town. At the party they sell the boats (as a fundraiser) and then we race them across the local resort’s swimming pool. Chris’ boat sank pretty quickly, while I managed to make it into the second round, but then, just inches from a second place finish, by boat stalled out and water came in from behind … I managed to pull her out just before she began to sink into the depths of the resort deep-end. While I didn’t place, I did manage to get my picture in the local News Paper (launching my boat)!!!

A few days after that we joined in on the sushi competition. It was more work then I think either of us expected, but we had a great time and shared some great sushi as well as learned a few new tricks and tips from the other two sushi teams.

And then a few more days later and we celebrated one of our friends birthdays at a surprise get together.

Friday, our good friends on Island Sonata finally departed to visit some of the outer atolls of the Marshall’s. There is a good chance that we won’t see them again until Australia, which will be weird since we’ve traveled so far with them and spent so much time together.

We had a good Easter Sunday, starting our first Easter breakfast tradition of Hazelnut-chocolate Crepes! Yum were they ever good … good enough that we motioned, voted, and passed the proposal to turn chocolate crepes into an Easter (and maybe other holidays as well) tradition. As I had forgotten to get to the store, I had to be a little creative with our Easter dinner, we managed just fine with a vegetable lasagna and garlic bread. The Easter Bunny seems to have forgotten to stop at Billabong this year, but lucky for us he had managed to find us a few weeks earlier, on our visit to the States, at an early Easter Celebration with Chris’ family in MA!

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Still enjoying Majuro

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position: 07°06.30' N 171°22.39' E
Next Dest: Fiji (with potential stops in Kiribati, Wallis, or Samoa)


After all this time, you’d probably expect us to have moved on and be god knows where … but nope, we are still hanging in Majuro! It hasn’t been boring though – after the new year, we made an impromptu decision to head home for a much desired visit with family and friends we hadn’t seen in two & a half years. We spent six great, but hectic, weeks in the states, visiting CA, AZ, and MA. The states were a shock to our systems, especially after all our time in the remote atolls of Kiribati … we were overwhelmed by the mounds of cars, people, and noise. Never had a place seemed so loud! While it was cold back East, the temperature change was a nice variety to the hot, humid climates of the tropics. Unfortunately, both of us were sick with one type of illness or another almost the entire time we were home! Most importantly though, we were finally able to spend some quality time with friends and family, reacquainting ourselves with barely known nieces and nephews. It was mixed emotions when we left the states … extremely sad to once again be saying goodbye, but very much looking forward to the slow relaxed (and quiet) pace of the boat.

It’s amazing how six weeks can change your entire view of a place. When we first arrived in Majuro, the consistent winds in the anchorage made the temperature decent and quite livable. When we first hit the shops we stood mouths agape, huge smiles forming at all the goods available. The major grocery store in Majuro, Payless, was amazing with multiple rows of American goods, rather than one measly shelf of tinned products.

THEN WE WENT HOME. I guess two and a half years had downsized my memory of American grocery stores. WOW! Three different colors of bell peppers, vegetables that weren’t rotting or covered with flies. A WHOLE aisle of cereal! Oh and don’t even get me started on the cheese and meat sections. Every grocery store we entered I felt obligated to walk EVERY aisle, sometimes multiple times! So clean, so full!!!

The first thing that hit us on our return to Majuro was the suffocating steamy heat engulfing us. Within seconds we were dripping with sweat. Was it always this humid here? What a bummer, we’d finally acclimated to the intense heat and massive humidity of the tropics, only to have to go through the entire torture process over again!!! Next up, we visited Payless … how depressing. How had I been so amazingly happy over such a pitiful store? Wilted veggies, no cheese other than cheddar, no multi grain breads, oh I could go on and on….

It wasn’t all painful though, on our first morning home, I was thrilled to wake up and get back into our leisurely morning pace. And so quiet here! And it didn’t take long before we’d re-acclimated, both to the weather and the shopping facilities. As a matter of fact, just yesterday, after Payless had restocked with the arrival of a ship, I once again found myself running about extremely pleased by the availability of certain foods here in Majuro … I even scored Mozzarella and Parmesan … both in the same day!!! You can’t beat that!

As for what else has been going on in the weeks since we’ve been back, there isn’t a whole lot to report; It took Chris a good two weeks to get healthy again (we believe he may have ended up with Strep Throat). We’ve been working on miscellaneous projects, both fun and tedious. I’ve spent a lot of time on the computer (working on websites and videos) and Chris playing with all his new fishing gear (of which we now own mounds and mounds of thanks to his over zealous shopping sprees in Majuro including the purchase of 1/5 a fishing store for $100). We’ve been bowling every Thursday and attended a variety of cruiser social events, including the Coconut Cup Regatta, which Chris joined in on as crew on Navire, and I attended as part of the Race Committee (everyone wondered why we didn’t Race Billabong … easily explained once they learned I don’t like to sail!). This Sunday there is a Cruiser Sushi Fest, where Chris will be competing as one of the sushi chefs. While we miss our families and friends, we are thrilled to be back on Billabong and back to our normal routines (the question that remains, is how will we ever manage to live back in the States!!!)

We are entertaining a variety of ideas for our next destination; Samoa, Wallis, and/or Kiribati. No matter what, we will definitely return to Fiji. We’ll probably depart Majuro in the beginning of May. At this time we aren’t sure what, if any, outer atolls of the Marshall Islands we’ll get a chance to visit. We’ve heard a LOT of good things about the other atolls, but the timing just might not work out. As we’ve learned, you can’t always see everything, and it was well worth it to give up time in the Marshall’s for our visit home.

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands
Position: 07‹ 06.30' N 171 22.39' E
Next Dest: Nowhere ... gonna spend some time in the
"big city"!

After some relaxing time in Abaiang we returned to Tarawa for a quick check out and then headed on to Butaritari. Butaritari is amazingly different from the other atolls of Kiribati with colors of green that jump out at you and dense vegetation. Of course there is a reason for all the green -- RAIN! We didn't do much while there, as squalls seemed to endlessly travel through the area bringing rain and wind along. We were ready for Majuro.

While the passage to Majuro was not one of my favorites, I think we really lucked out and it truly
could've been multiple times worse. We departed early on Sunday Dec 18th and lucked out with not a single squall hitting us until 3pm. We had 10 foot confused seas, so the ride was a bit bumpy, but the wind had shifted (as predicted) just enough that it was always aft of the beam (so much better than trying to beat into it). Our first night included lots of rain and squalls, with a max wind of 40 knots (YUCK). We couldn't believe our eyes when we woke up to BLUE SKIES! And were even more pleased when a HUGE Mahi Mahi hooked on at 7am ... even I (KT) didn't complain about having to get out of bed to help bring in the fish! We quit fishing until later in the day when we decided to catch extra to share with the large fleet waiting in Majuro. We really didn't expect to catch anything else, and couldn't believe it when a massive yellow-finned tuna hooked on. He was so big we probably would've thrown him back, but due to his weight the only way we could get him on board was to
kill him. Cleaning such a monster of a fish as the sun set and the seas rolled was not easy; it seems
every part of the cockpit was covered in blood and guts. We just managed to finish about 20 minutes
before a squall hit ... lucky again! It was another rain filled night, and unfortunately the wind died
around midnight, so we had to motor-sail the rest of the way to Majuro (about eight-ten hours). On the plus side we were able to crank up our refrig thermometer to keep all the fish nice, cold and fresh!

We ended up sharing the fish with SEVEN other boats, and we've been eating it for three days straight -- now that's a lot of fish!!! We arrived along with Island Sonata and SawLeeAh ..

and with our arrival Majuro hit its all time record for the number of yachts in any one year (somewhere around 30)! We've spent our first two days wandering around in a haze ... so much STUFF! And mostly American! For the first time in two years we recognize the brands and are using the american dollar. In addition we watched NFL Football via ESPN while drinking a cold beer. Christmas music, advertisements and decorations line the stores. We've been shopping shopping shopping. Also the weather has been a bit crappy (rain and wind) so the temperatures have been down at least a bit. All this combined and it finally feels like Christmas. And the best part ... United States Post means we are getting all kinds of yummy goodness sent in from the states -- we are
like two kids in a candy store.

We wish everyone a very Happy Holiday Season and Terrific New Year!

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The Second World War and The South Pacific

I am not a history buff, as a matter of fact history tends to be one of my least favorite topics ... however there is something about World War II that intrigues me.  It leaves me feeling dizzy with mixed emotions of amazement and fascination intertwined with a deep sadness and sometimes even horror and shock.  I know embarrassingly little about WWII, not ever realizing how much the small islands and atolls of the Pacific played a roll, until we began our exploration of them.

It started with an email from my Dad ... Did you know your Grandpa was in the following islands [during the war]...?  For what I wondered, nothing happened out there, on those tiny little islands and atolls ... oh how wrong I was.  Some of the largest D-Days of the war occurred in these remote "paradise" locations.



Our tour began in Tuvalu.  During the war, more than 6,000 Americans occupied Tuvalu as they set up base on Funafuti and built airfields at Nukufetau and Nanumea.  From this strategic location the US was able to bomb Japanese bases in Kiribati, Nauru and the Marshall Islands.

During our stay in Nukufetau we walked upon the old tarmac, now retaken by the atoll jungle, peered into a deep well dug during the war, now tainted and polluted, and pushed our way through the dense greens to see a downed B17.  None of it seemed terribly real, just old artifacts left from a long time ago.

Then Chris happened upon two cement slabs nearly buried beneath the deep growth of the inner atoll. While one slab was unreadable, the other slab clearly read "Al Zuro  ♥'s Mrs. Mildred Zuro", "USMC", "10-17-43".  That's when the reality hit me.  What entered my mind was an 18 year old boy (perhaps older at 20 or 22), newly married, battling a tropical heat he was unaccustomed to, miles from home, unknowing of what was to happen next ... thinking of his wife and previous life back home.  What worried me most (and yes, I was truly worried, some 63 years later) was that by now I knew that the Battle of Tarawa, an extremely bloody battle, occurred just over a month later on November 20, 1943.  Was the 10/17 date the inscription date or, since it was inscribed twice, could it have been their marriage date?  If the former, was Al part of the Tarawa battle, and if so could he have possible survived?

The next time we had email access we anxiously emailed Chris' dad, Art, asking him to help us research Al and Mildred.  It is amazing what Art can accomplish, he is a very thorough man!  I'm not sure how many hours he put into it, but from the mounds of paperwork he showed us, it appears to be quite a few.  Luckily all his diligent work paid off.  I was extremely happy to hear that Al survived the war, and he and Mildred had four sons.  He died on Friday, January 15, 1999 at the age of 78 (meaning that he was indeed around 22 years of age during his stint in Nukufetau).  At the time of his death he had seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and was living in St Petersburg, Florida.  Mildred died a few years later in 2002.  The story was completed when Art was able to contact a couple of the sons to share this piece of family history.

We continued to see reminders of the war as we headed north into Kiribati.  In Tabiteuea a large gun shell hung from a tree, used like a bell and for decoration.  In Abemama pieces of another plane were covered by bush.

Battle of Tarawa   



But the real tragedy of the war hit us when we reached Tarawa (Kiribati).   In December of 1941 the Japanese bombed Ocean Island and took along with it, Butaritari, Makin, and Tarawa.  From the accounts we've read and heard, it seems it didn't take long for the killing to begin.  On October 14, 1942, twenty-two unarmed British Coast Watchers were murdered (supposedly be-headed) by the Japanese.  The British Memorial (pictured right), dedicated to these twenty-two young men seems to be one of the few historical sites that most of the Tarawa locals know about.  It stand beautifully within one of the local cemeteries.

In 1943 the US Marines attacked; the Betio attack was the first real battle of the Central Pacific, the first real test of the American Amphibious doctrine, and the first American troops to attack a defended atoll.  The plan was to land over 18,000 Marines on the northern lagoon beaches.  The landing area had been divided from west to east, into three beaches; Red Beach 1, 2 and 3. Intelligence had estimated between 2,500 and 3,100 Japanese forces.  Interestingly enough these calculations were derived from the number of latrines (toilets) the Japanese had built (the latrines were multi-holed wooden "buildings" built over the water and clearly visible on aerial photographs). Even more interesting was that the estimated number was remarkable accurate! (The Japanese forces consisted of  2,619 combat troops.  However, in addition there were 2,217 labor forces)

It is impossible to grasp the massiveness of the attack and the space it occurred in.  Imagine 35,000 troops, 6,000 vehicles, 19 carriers, 12 battleships, and more; a fleet of warships covering 50 square miles of ocean, and a huge percentage of it was committed to the Betio attack.  Now imagine Betio; less than 2 miles long and approximately 700 yards at its widest spot; its total acreage reaching barely 1/2 of a square mile.  Think about it this way: it is about the size of New York's Central Park.

Blockhouse: A structure of heavy timbers or reinforced concrete used for military defense with sides loopholed and pierced for gunfire and often with a projecting upper story 

Pillbox: A small low concrete emplacement for machine guns and antitank weapons

But even with huge forces, the attack wouldn't be easy.  First, Betio had natural defenses, with 800 - 1200 yards of fringing reef and extreme tides.  Next the Japanese had built a 3-5 foot high barricade from coconut logs, wired and stapled together, along the edge of the beach.  Behind the barricade, machine gun emplacements were connected by trenches.  Twenty-five 37mm-75mm field guns sat in pillboxes, so protected that only a direct hit from a large shell  would be able to disable them.  In total the Japanese had over 500 blockhouses and pillboxes.  The Japanese also had fourteen coastal defense guns covering the beaches.  On the seaward side (where Japanese had expected the attack to come from), the beaches had been mined and obstacles set up to funnel any invasion crafts into lanes covered by the artillery.  Rear Admiral Shibasaki told his troops that the Americans could not take Tarawa with a million men in a hundred years.

Amphibious Vehicle:  A device for transporting personnel and equipment that can operate as a wheeled or tracked vehicle on land and as a boat in water. Two principal types appeared during World War II: the LVT (“landing vehicle, tracked”),  and the “duck” (DUKW), The LVT resembled a tank, whereas the duck moved on rubber tires ashore and was propeller-driven when afloat.

On November 20, 1943 the Second Marine Division began the assault against Betio from within the lagoon.  Due to the surrounding coral and low tide, the American landing craft could not make it to the shore; starting from 300-900 feet out the marines had to make their way in.  125 vehicles were able to make it over the reefs and assist the land assault.  The LVTs (amphibious tractors or alligators) were able to deliver 1500 men to the beach.  However the remaining troops had to wade in, chest deep in water, under fire.  There was a lot of confusion, and a lot of death.

Red Beach 1 consisted of a deep cove easily defended by fire from both sides.  Here the Japanese waited until the vehicles and marines were within a hundred yards of the beach and then opened fire; with the marines in a cross-fire between the arms of the cove.

On Red Beach 2 the Marines encountered the log barricade.

And just beyond the 800+ yards of beach that made up Red Beach 3, stood the Japanese Command Post Bunker;  a 60 by 40 ft reinforced concrete blockhouse, standing 25 feet high, with two 13mm machine guns mounted on the roof.

5,000 men attacked that day, and by midnight more than 1500 were dead or wounded, making it the bloodiest day (up to then) in Marine Corp History.  Even more horrifying was when Chris and I watched some of the video footage from the Tarawa battle; until then I hadn't really put 2 and 2 together enough to imagine what that many injured and dead people would look like in such a small space.  I can't imagine how the survivors continued to function and fight.

Because the US couldn't get their full force ashore, and therefore couldn't get by the Japanese forces, the marines who did make it ashore had to spend the night huddled together on a narrow strip of beach.  On the second day Major Ryan, his troops, and two tanks fought down the west coast and captured a large beach (called Green Beach).  With this capture reinforcements could now land, along with heavy weaponry.

On Nov 23, 1943 the fighting ended.  Betio was declared secured at 1312 on the 4th day.  The battle lasted 72 hours and 42 minutes.  Only 17 Japanese prisoners (along with 129 Koreans) were captured, another 4,690 estimated dead.  There are conflicting totals on the American casualties, the numbers ranging between 3,110 to 3,407 killed, wounded, and missing; nearly 1% of the ENTIRE (390,000) Marine Corps officers and men.  With over 1,000 men in the killed or missing category.  The total death count (American and Japanese) neared 6,000.  All in less than a 1/2 square mile.

The Battle of Tarawa made history in another way as well; the film With the Marines at Tarawa, was the first war footage with dead American soldiers to be released and shown in the States.  While this bloody battle proved that the war would not easily be finished, thereby increasing war bond sales, it had a dramatic effect on military enlistments, causing a 35% drop.

Many other battles occurred in the Pacific, including the fierce battle at Iwo Jima, where the historical flag raising photograph was shot and remains a symbol of the courage and unconquerable will of our Military to this day.  Two great books are; D-Days in the Pacific by Donald L Miller, and Flags of Our Fathers, by James Bradley with Ron Powers.

As Chris and I explored the structures and weapons now deserted for more than 60 years, I couldn't help but think of the young men (and in later wars, women) that fought not only in the Second World War, but in every battle that has occurred in America's short history.  And closer to home, I felt a huge twinge of relief (and very lucky) that so many of my own family members have survived a variety of wars.  There is a huge history of military, especially strong in the Marines, in my family, and as we walked through the ruins of war I had a tremendous urge to call them up and tell them how proud and thankful I am  ... but also how very hopeful I am that the Battles of Tarawa someday cease forever.

Resources:
D-Days in the Pacific, by Donald L Miller
South Pacific, Lonely Planet
Flags of Our Fathers, James Bradley w/ Ron Powers
Britannica 2003 Deluxe Edition, CD-ROM
http://www.pacificwrecks.com
http://www.janeresture.com

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Exploring Kiribati

Location: Abaiang, Kiribati
Position: 01°49.02' N 173°00.90' E
Next Dest: Butaritari, Kiribati

We've been in Kiribati for six weeks now, and are enjoying the
various atolls visited since Onotoa. It's amazing how each atoll
can be so different. Onotoa is known among the other atolls for
their organization and cleanliness, which was quite noticeable.

After leaving the clean, friendly atoll of Onotoa we visited
Tabiteuea (aka Tab-North). Supposedly Tab-North is known for
their knives, but we didn't have any troubles what-so-ever.
In true I-Kiribati fashion, we did a whole lot of nothing in
Tabiteuea. Just tried to keep cool!

After six days we left for Abemama (an overnighter from Tab-North),
where we had a "thrilling" pass experience as our instrumentation
(like much needed depth) continued to go out and 17knot head winds
met a 4 knot tail current creating large standing waves. Chris
(who stands watch on the bow) was SOAKED as the bow punched through
the waves on more than one occasion!!! On the bright side, we were
greeted by a pod of dolphins (although they are hard to enjoy in such
conditions)!

Just as the previous atolls have some sort of reputation (cleanliness
& knives), Abemama is also known for something. But you'll have to
read "Sex Lives of Cannibals" for that bit of information as it a
little to risqué to post!

We had a great time in Abemama, exploring various parts of the atoll
as we moved around utilizing three different anchorages. After
eleven days we pulled anchor and headed for the "big city" of Tarawa.

As we'd heard ahead of time, Southern Tarawa (Betio) is quite dirty
and WAY over crowded. Some have referred to Betio as the armpit of
Kiribati ... but it is not without its good points too. The people
seemed to still be extremely friendly and as we walked the streets
we enjoyed seeing the Kiribati traditions (such as singing and Toddy
cutting) still in practice. Betio is also the site of a major US
and Japanese WWII battle and relics could be seen all along the roads
and beach fronts. We planned on a short stay consisting of check-in,
interneting, provisioning, and WWII relic searching.
Our stay was extended a few days when the wind died. While bummed
we couldn't leave, we took advantage of the down-time and enjoyed a
huge "traditional" Thanksgiving (although not too traditional since
we celebrated on Sunday).

After a few nights anchored out by "the island" (away from the smelly,
noisy main harbor) the winds filled in and we made our way to
Abaiang. It was not a fun passage, the wind filled in quickly
and we had to beat to Abaiang in 20-30 knots ... NOT FUN!!!

But we are here now, and all is calm. We haven't yet had a chance to
explore the atoll, but are looking forward to it.

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Back in the Northern Hemisphere

Location: Abemama, Kiribati
Position: 00°24.18' N 173°54.50' E
Next Dest: Tarawa, Kiribati

After two weeks in Onotoa, we made an overnight trip to Tabiteuea (also called Tab-North). Again we were welcomed with huge smiles and many a "Mauri" (hello). In Tab-North they build two story
traditional huts (or houses) that are really amazing. I couldn't help but be reminded of the Tarzan tree house in Disneyland.

After a week in Tabiteuea another overnight trip (where we crossed the equator for the second time in our cruising career) brought us to Abemama. Being closer to Tarawa they get more yachts, so we aren't quite the spectacle that we were in the previous atolls, but we are still treated like Kings & Queens. We enjoyed a great feast and dancing last Wednesday ... by far the best village food we've
tasted to date! We also spent a hot & dusty day motor biking the entire atoll - 36 miles end to end!

You know you are adjusting to the tropical climates when on an overcast day you jump into the water and think "it's too cold" ... only to discover the water temp is 85 degrees! Robert Louis Stevenson spent four months here and liked it so much he built a house here. Abemama was written up as one of the two friendly islands in "Searching for Paradise, A Grand tour of the World's Unspoiled Islands" by Thurston Clarke. He also wrote a book "Equator: A Journey" which describes life here in more detail. To date we have found Onotoa more unspoiled and friendly but we'll see..

There is an other interesting book called, "Sex lives of Cannibals". It is about a man (and his girlfriend) who move to Tarawa (from the states). It can be a bit negative, but mostly in a humorous way. It might be a fun read for those interested in some of the nuisances of the "out there" lifestyle of atoll/Kiribati life! The funny thing is the islands we've visited so far are even more remote.. no power, phones etc.

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Onotoa, Kiribati

Location: Onotoa, Kiribati
Position: 01°49.55' S 175°32.63' E llz=-1.82583,175.54383,13
Next Dest: One of the many atolls in Kiribati

The first big news is that we are officially out of the cyclone area! Safe & happy! We
are currently anchored in Onotoa Kirabati ... our first destination that is not even
mentioned in Lonely Planet! Off the 'beaten track' and loving it! The atoll is
mis-charted by at least 2 miles (scary this day and age), but we think the last chart
was from the 1800's ... so what's to be expected? The lagoon isn't charted for depth,
so we anchored outside and took the dinghy in with the hand held depth sounder and found
a place in 15' of water.. nice and calm.

The village is amazing ... extremely traditional and clean with terrific & friendly
people. We (Island Sonata and us) are the first two boats of the season. We increased
the ematong (white people) population dramatically; there are two Peace corp workers
from the states and a British Guy (who was born here in the 50's) who married a local
woman and just moved back two weeks ago after "30 years in trousers". A few days ago
some of our friends arrived (three additional boats) -- the locals are happily
overwhelmed ... one guy told us they have never had this many boats at one time, and we
think they don't usually get more than this in an entire year! Last night we went in
(w/ all the other boats) for what we thought was just going to be a little music
impromptu, with a couple of locals playing guitars and MJ (Island Sonota) playing the
keyboard ... the locals put together an entire party with food, dancing, and music. It
was a fabulous night!

On our way into the lagoon, and then again when Chris helped two other boats enter the
lagoon, we came across a huge pod of spinner dolphins, who seemed to love playing in the
wake of the boats. A few days later when Chris and John (Island Sonata) went out
fishing the dolphins were still there and loved 'racing' the dinghy. Chris was like an
excited child when he got back to Billabong and told me about the dolphins. The next
day we went out together, loaded up with lots of camera gear. Dolphins are amazing
creatures, and zooming around playing with them from the dinghy makes our top ten list
of cruising experiences! We got some terrific underwater footage and are already
planning our next trip out! Chris did try to jump in the water with them, but as
playful as they are, the were a bit skittish and took off (but not before Chris got a
good look at them in the crystal clear blue waters!).

If you can't tell ... we love it here, and are extremely happy that we 'found' this
little piece of paradise!

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Playing with Dolphins Video

Playing in our dinghy with a large pod of dolphins outside the anchorage in Onotoa, Kiribati

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Nukufetau & A Fish Story

Location: Nukufetau, Tuvalu
Position: 08°02.88' S 178°22.79' E
Next Dest: Nanumea, Tuvalu

We arrived in Nukufetau yesterday morning. Nukufetau is the next atoll north of
Funafuti (about 50n.m.). We are very happy we got permission to come here
(Funafuti is the main port, so we had to check out of the country there, and
normally they don't want you stopping anywhere once you've checked out).

It was an enjoyable overnight trip. We left Funafuti around 4p.m. for a slow
relaxing sail. Just after dark, Chris checked our fishing line and sure enough
something was on it!! We thought it was a bird at first, as there was one
nearby squawking away. Then as Chris pulled in the lines, I turned on the flash
light and we had caught not one, but TWO yellow finned tuna!!! After 5 months
of not catching a single fish aboard Billabong I was beginning to think we were
doomed! Hooray that the curse has been broken. We got the first one aboard,
and I (who HATES watching fish die, let alone be a part of the killing) had to
hold it down while Chris went after the second fish. We weren't sure if we
should keep the second one or not (too much to eat) when the fish helped us to
make the decision as he flopped from the transom step into the water. Chris
probably could've held onto him, but we figured we had enough anyway. Not to
mention we were doing all this underway, in the dark, and I'd prefer to loose
the fish overboard then have Chris fall in after him! One of these days Chris
and I will have a good method for bringing aboard and killing a fish, but for
now it seems all we manage to do is create a bloody mess ... you'd think we'd
slaughtered a cow in our cockpit. With the boat rocking & rolling it's not easy
to accomplish much ... so we basically just bagged the entire fish and I managed
to shove the whole guy into our frig. All night the fishy smell lingered in our
cockpit!

I spent my second watch (2am-5am) dreaming of all the fish dishes I was going to
make when we arrived. I was like the shrimp guy in Forrest Gump who recited all
the various shrimp dishes!

I also enjoyed a huge lightening storm. It's fun to watch when they are off in
the distance and not right over you (that's when fun turns to scary and
pain-in-the-ass). We luckily skirted squall after squall as the convergence
zone just missed us.

The next morning Chris got to enjoy a huge pod of dolphins that surfed along at
our bow. He thought about waking me up, but decided it was too early and I
probably needed sleep (gee am I THAT bad in the morning?, hee hee).

We easily navigated the pass entrance, and due to wind strength and direction
opted to anchor in the Southeast corner instead of in front of the village.
After setting our hook, a very friendly police official came over to check our
papers (Funafuti had faxed them the okay for our arrival).

An hour or so later we went with Island Sonata (who made the passage with us) to
meet Teseai (the police official) and his son. They were coconut crab hunting
near an old WWII plane wreck. He showed us the B17 crash and also gave us two
coconut crabs. Back on Billabong we swam (in 87 degree F water) and napped.
Then it was fish cleaning time. This guy was huge ... I couldn't believe how
much meat we got off him. We are very glad we didn't keep both, because even
with Island Sonata's help there is no way we could've eaten both of them before
they spoiled. Another bloody mess in our cockpit - more fish smell on top of
the existing fish smell - but well worth it when we sat down to a huge feast.
We had Island Sonata over for dinner, and as usual I made too much ... Tuna
Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls, Cooked Tuna Rolls (MJ isn't a huge fan of raw fish),
Tuna Nigiri Sushi, Seared Sesame Tuna, Oriental Cucumber Salad (made before I
realized how much fish we had, as I was afraid we wouldn't have enough to eat,
ha ha), and of course the coconut crabs! Served with melted butter, wasabi
mayo, wasabi & soy, sweet chili & mayo, and fish sauce & mayo for dipping.
Yummers! I am so excited that MJ bought me sushi plates for Christmas (Chris
still can't believe we are carrying a set of sushi plates & bowls on aboard) ...
but it all looked so pretty served "properly"! We ate until our belly's
protruded, and then topped it all off with brownies! It was sickening how much
food we put away last night!

This morning a local stopped by to say hello, and in the usual friendly local
manner, gave both us and Island Sonata a fish! It's not proper to say no, so we
gratefully accepted!

We can already tell in difference between the small village here in Nukufetau
versus the more largely populated Funafuti. We are excited to go into the
village tomorrow and get a closer look!

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Heading North -- Tuvalu Arrival

Location: Funafiti, Tuvalu
Position: 08°30.94' S 179°11.57' E
Next Dest: Kiribati (in 2-4 weeks)



We departed Savusavu, Fiji early Saturday morning. After four days of rocking and rolling we arrived at Funafiti, Tuvalu (arriving before sun up on Wednesday). The passage was uneventful, which we figure is probably a good thing. After 4-1/2 months filled with only day trips (in Fiji), it took us a bit to get into the groove of a passage making!

We enjoyed buddy boating with Island Sonata on the way up ... it is always nice to see another boat out there and know you aren't alone!!! We spent our first day in Funafiti checking in, and then talking around the town. Atolls are always interesting to explore, considering they are long and narrow strips of land (in about 20 seconds you can walk from the inside of the atoll to the outside!).



The people seem super friendly and we are very excited about spending some time here. Our first night (as typical after a passage) was heavenly (solid sleep in an non-moving bed!). More to come as we explore our first atoll on the way to the Marshalls!

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New Route for Billabong

Current Location: Savusavu, Fiji
Next Destination: Funafiti, Tuvalu

We find ourselves once again in Savusavu. Not much new to report; we have been busy visiting with old friends (from our first season of cruising), and preparing Billabong and ourselves for our next passage (including a side trip via airplane to Suva).

We have FINALLY confirmed our plans for the remaining months of this cruising season. Instead of continuing west to Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Australia, we will head North to the Marshall Islands. This will include stops in Tuvalu and Kiribati. We should be arriving in the Marshalls around Dec/Jan and will sit the cyclone season out there. By going north we will now have an extra season in the South Pacific. Next year (April/May 2006) we will head back down to Fiji and then west, ending in Australia around Dec 2006. We should be heading out of Fiji by the end of the week (hopefully before our Visas expire on Sept 18th).

We'll continue to stay in touch via the website and Blogs. Stay tuned!!!

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Also Island to Navaqiri Village: It's all about the People

Current Location: Baulailai Bay
Current Position: 16°44.88' S 178°29.02' E
Next Destination: Bua Bay

It is impossible to find the words to describe our recent experiences …they are unlike anything we've ever imagined and it is all due to the wonderful natives of Fiji. These people have opened our eyes and hearts to way of living that we can only hope to keep with us when we (someday) return to America.

As we prefer to keep the BLOGs short (and since we are four weeks behind), we'll save the details for a future website update and just give you a brief summary in the BLOG (guess you'll just have to wait for the really good stuff!).

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MALAU POINT / LABASA

Our next extended stay was three nights at Malau Point which provided bus access to the "big city" of Labasa. As with the States it seems that large cities change everything … we could quickly feel the good moods of weeks past draining away as we battled traffic, noise, trash, and some less friendly Fijians. On the bright side we were ecstatic about hitting an internet café and browsing the HUGE fresh veggie market. Meat and Veggies at last!!!

ULUIVAWANI

We truly lucked at when we landed here … After leaving Malau Point we spent a windy night anchored at Nukubati Bay, so windy that the following morning (now August 1st) we picked up anchor and went looking for a more protected spot. Uluivawani is not listed on the charts as an anchorage, but as we motored by we noticed how calm it was and thought the sandy beach looked like an added bonus.

There were only two houses ashore, so we weren't sure what to expect when we went ashore with Shadowfax (who we'd been traveling with this entire time). What we found was one of the nicest couples we've met (Ben and Nie) who live with their father and work/farm the surrounding land.

Ben and Nie took us on an amazing hike, to the top of rocks overlooking the bay, with a beautiful view that still sits in the forefront of my memory. They offered us food & tea and opened their home to us without a second thought. In return (although they wanted & expected nothing) we offered to cook them dinner and held a potluck at their house. We aren't sure if they really liked our Palongi dishes, but they would never say otherwise (we did noticed they seemed to take extra rice!).

We only stayed two nights and when we went in to say goodbye and thank-you, they sent us back to our boats with so much food (coconuts, kasava, bananas) that we nearly sunk the dinghy!

NAURORE (NAVIQIRI VILLAGE)

If the last two months in Fiji hadn't yet convinced us that there is something quite special about the Fijian People & their culture, Naviqiri Village alone would've done so! It is with tears in my eyes that I think about Naviqiri and what to write, as it was just today that we departed after a two week stay. We can't believe it was only two weeks, it felt like at least a month, and the people touched something special within Chris and I.

We shared meals … everywhere we went lunch or tea was offered. We had a few visitors on Billabong for tea & snacks, and one couple out for dinner (who later reported to her sister that the food was "like in the magazines"!!!). It also seemed that we were beckoned into way too many grog (kava) parties - it is just impossible to say no! A couple of the days we brought in some special treats, attempting to make enough for the entire village - it was quite the mob scene as we handed out cakes,
cookies and lollies (they sure do love sweets!).

We shared games … Chris nearly killed himself playing rugby with both the kids and adults, but there is no doubt that sports can unite where language might fail, and no matter how old he might feel the next morning (or same evening) he played just about every afternoon. I stuck to Frisbee (which we introduced them to), volleyball and children games (jump rope, three legged races, wheel barrel races, leap frog, and duck-duck goose). It got so the children (and I think some of the adults too) would come looking for us after school … I think we spent EVERY afternoon of our two weeks hanging out and playing, staying until the very last bit of light left the sky!

We shared crafts and work … Chris pulled his back helping a few of the men build a house, while I gained a sore bum sitting on hard floors discovering that weaving & broom making take a lot of time and patience! We learned the process of coconut oil making and yaquona drying (for kava). I shared some of my cross-stitches (just to prove that Palongi's can be creative too!).

As with most the South Pacific, they LOVE getting their pictures taken and looking at the resulting photo on the LCD screen. It seemed they were even more enthusiastic then most we'd come across. If we had had enough paper and ink (and time) we would have tried to print a copy for everyone; instead we put together a visitor's book for them, including five color collage prints of photos we had taken during our visit. I was first amazed at the elegant words Chris used when he presented our
loloma (gift) to the village (during Church service), and then even more amazed with the smiles and tears of the villagers as they crowded around the book later in the day, pointing and laughing at the various pictures.

We also enjoyed some terrific walking/hiking. The views were outstanding, and we were always accompanied by a local or two which made it all the more enjoyable. It felt as though we truly got to know many of the villagers and they got to know us. It seemed there was never enough time in a day and the two weeks went quickly. We said our goodbyes (on August 16th), stopping by each house (nearly 40 of them) to give handshakes, hugs, and Vinaka Vakalevu's (Thank you very much's). We had become especially good friends with Sera, Fredie and their family. Even Fredie (and just about Chris) shed tears as we said goodbye. Grandma (as we call her) hugged me so tight I thought I might
pass out!

As we motored out of the bay, they flashed us using the sun's reflection off of mirrors (we of course flashed back) … and kept flashing … and kept flashing … and kept flashing … I kid you not, it went on for a good 30 minutes while we got farther and farther away. Already I am looking forward to our return …

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Rabi and Also Islands

Location: Dalice Bay, Also Island
Position: 16°13.22' S 179°50.15' E
Next Dest: Heading West on the North side of Vanua Levu

Also Island

Albert's Cove Rabi Island

We moved on to Albert's Cove on Rabi (pronounced Rambi) Island the next
morning. Shadowfax scored by hooking up a large Mahi Mahi, which they
were generous enough to share with us. Chris and Karl went to shore to
say hello to the locals who piled them up with Papayas. It still amazes
me how generous islanders are - they give so much (especially for people
who have so little). That evening it was another feast aboard Billabong
as we enjoyed some spicy fish curry and continued in our Chinese
Checkers tournament (which had begun the previous night).

The following day (14th) we all went ashore to visit with the local
family and present a few gifts as thank-you's for the Papayas. In
return they prepared a fermented Coconut juice drink for us (called
Toddy). After one bowl, Julie and I left the rest for the boys to
finish up! We followed the Toddy with a walk along Albert's perfect
white sand beach.

On the 15th we walked the supposedly "easy" trail (easy per the locals
standards) over to Smiley bay. It was a dense trail, and there wasn't
much to Smiley Bay, but the adventure was fun none-the-less.

We didn't do too much the next two days, just enjoyed the sun, water,
and beaches and of course played a lot of Chinese checkers. Chris did a
bit of fishing from the dinghy and snagged a pretty good size Barracuda.
We shared half with the local family and then split the other half with
Shadowfax. Surprisingly Barracuda is good eatin'!

On Monday (the 18th) we moved on to Dalice Bay off of "Also Island" (on
the north side of Vanua Levu). We are truly enjoying the unique
experiences of this Island and Cawara Village.

ALSO ISLAND:

We spent about 10 days at "Also Island" and Cawaro (pronounced Thawaro)
village, where we were treated like family. "Also Island" is named
after two cruisers who now live on the island. About three years ago
Jim & Kyoko (boat name Also II) came to Cawaro village and fell in love
with the people. They have since started a boat building business and
are working on starting up a copra & coconut product business in order
to bring work (and therefore money) to the local village (Cawaro).
We especially enjoyed the children of Cawaro, spending a full day at
their school, visiting each (and every) class; talking about our
adventures as cruisers, the American people & schools, and getting to
know the (mostly quite shy) children. The children loved hearing about
America, sailing, and of course having their pictures taken!

We also spent quite a bit of time hanging around (and helping where we
could) Also Island. We enjoyed a number of lunches (w/ the workers) and
tea-times (4pm tea and snack before the locals returned to the village).
Between all the visiting (and of course Church on Sunday) we did also
manage to get in a bit of "site seeing", hiking with Lepsy (a local) and
two children … which we desperately needed since it seemed that every
time we turned around someone was offering us food!

It wasn't all fun and games, as a bad weather system came through bringing
with it high winds, lots of rain, and a few sleepless nights.
Finally on Tuesday (July 26th) we went into the village to say our
goodbyes … everyone wanted our addresses and quite a few tears were shed
(it's amazing that we can feel so close to people we just barely met) as
we shook hands and dished out hugs. It was nearly impossible to tear
our hands away from the small children that clinged so tightly!

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