Thursday
and Friday 18th and 19th August 2016
04 degrees.13.959S
152 degrees 27.072E
Mioko Island
7.9 metres
It was only a few hours from
Rapopo Bay to Mioko Island (Duke of York group.) Our anchorage was just beautiful, right up close
to the beach with its glorious big shady trees, and with a big surf break just around
the corner.
James, the local chief, came to visit. He has banned all of the islanders from visiting
and coming aboard 2XS unless specifically invited…This is direct result of the theft of Peter Frappell’s
iphone. It made for a very peaceful time
on Mioko Island…
We went for a long walk through the village, trailed and
accompanied all the way by darling Jacqui with her little sister (Nora?) and a friend/cousin,
not sure of her name…When we finally got back to 2XS, Jacqui said, very
confidently, “We come to your boat.” And
so they did, riding triumphantly in the dinghy.
We gave them lunch, cold drinks, bracelets, and one new item of clothing
each. They were hysterical with joy…
Mioko is very heavily populated – around 5,000 people. Lots of gorgeous hair – red, golden blonde,
black, brown.
Lots of people stopped us for a chat, and we asked permission
to take photos, for example, of the local beauty salon…
At the school we met
a wonderful, dignified lady called Dora, whose daughter Janice teaches Grade
Seven. Dora, I think, sits under a shady
tree and acts as babysitter and teachers’ aide.
She was, she said, educated by Australian teachers, and she loved them. She spoke beautiful Englsih.
Joseph, a Grade Seven student, designated himself as our
tour guide. He took us solemnly through
school and to the beach – how lovely this island, is for the children, with its
clear blue water, white beaches, shady trees!
We stopped by a gravestone or two for a photo opp
And then back to the schoolrooms. Joseph said, very solemnly, “And now it is
the conclusion of our observations.”
We visited the Grade Seven classroom in the afternoon. Pete gave a brief talk and I read a kiddiebook
about Australian wildflife, which they seemed to enjoy. Grade Seven students are much older here than
in Australia – some of them are strapping young things, at least sixteen years
old or more…
Saturday 20th
August
04 degrees 08.1777S
152 degrees.26.829E
Makana Harbour
5.8 metres
We left Mioko Island after breakfast and are anchored in a tranquil
bay in clear shallow water off a large village on one of the other Duke of York
Islands. I think we have to leave in an
hour or so – Pete has holes in his feet (flipper wounds) and we need more antibiotics
to stop them going totally festy…
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