It took us less than ah hour to get back to Friwen island, very happy that the anchor came up no problem in the deep water and that it held so well. We were amazed to arrive in the Friwen anchorage and find 15 yachts and a couple of motor launches. The vast majority were Aussie catamarans who had a big Christmas get together yesterday with lots of kids and beach activities. This is the most boats we have seen in an anchorage since New Zealand. Rowan once again organised with the local guy Otto to go Dugong searching in the morning, we got a last minute message to say he had gone to church so we tried in the area ourselves which was equally unsuccessful as last time. We did do a very long drift snorkel with the current, which was strong enough for Luke to do the whole way with no flippers, the current just carried him along. Poor Luke is in the wars he has been savaged by bites and has blisters from his flippers! In this heat and plankton rich waters nothing heals very easily, but very grateful to my sister Lynda for sending more mercurochrome to Luke in London. It works so well when we are in and out the water so much. It was a good snorkel plenty to see and always something new.
After a relaxing afternoon we invited our buddy boats from Solomon Islands and PNG for evening drinks. Claudette, was in good form and enjoyed her month back in the States, fascinating for the kids to meet this South African female solo sailor. Gary and Kim were in good form, Gary a little hung over from yesterday’s activities. Their dinghy still has loads of leaks which makes life a little difficult but these seasoned sailors take it all very casually. They circumnavigated the world when he retired at 35 before kids, she fell pregnant on their way to South Africa, after arriving in Madagascar, they diverted to the suez so that could have the baby in Israel. They had a break for 30 years from sailing and started again this year.
It was early to bed as everyone is off diving tomorrow and being picked up at 7am.
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