Monday 25 August – swarmed by canoes

I think following on from our visit to the village with all our bartering goods, and Kary entertaining the kids, we have become exhibit number one! It seemed like every conceivable canoe was out, kids trying to barter anything for a biscuit. It is boiling hot and in between showers it is stifling, even though the sky is cloudy. Without a breeze we just drip sweat. With everyone’s wounds, Kary, Rowan and now Claudette too, we are trying not to be in the water too much. 

In the afternoon Rowan and I went across to the shore for a walk. An old guy, Bennett, had come out on a canoe and told Rowan he lives on his own, quite a distance from the village, he prefers isolated. He is good at writing English so he is the village scribe.  We went and visited him, for some exercise we took his path through the bush and farm plots towards the village. We saw a very wild looking pig, which they like to hunt for special occasions. We saw lots of coral brick enclosures, mainly overgrown, but I guess things grow so quickly here that it doesn’t take long to be overwhelmed by the vegetation. When we got back to Bennett’s, 3 canoes were there, the kids had spotted our dinghy. They were all very sweet with Bennett, who is crippled and hobbles around with a stick. They all call him their grandfather and he rather sweetly says he loves his grandchildren, who come and check on him. The shallow waters around his home is full of sea cucumbers, which get harvested at certain time of year. It’s so lucrative during the season that the buyers have to come with armed escorts, I assume they are for the Chinese. 

It looks like we will be here a few days as there is no wind, which is making the weather so hot, bringing squalls.