Monday 26th August - Komodo dragon

So here we sit, in beautiful Ginggo Bay, on Rinca Island. Marieke II is anchored a hundred or so metres from us and we each have our very own beautiful little beach, with resident teenage Komodo dragon. Our dragons lumber out of the jungle and do a slow, dignified patrol along the beach before disappearing again, every few hours. We are delighted; the dragons in our last beautiful anchorage were plentiful and amazing but…they were surely being fed by the tourist boats. Our very own dragons here are entirely free and wild. 

We left there at about 10.00 yesterday. As we passed along our beach, Pete said, “Isn’t it funny that we only ever saw the one dragon here, on the very first day. It never showed its face again.” At that very minute…out popped another slightly larger dragon, under the trees at the water’s edge. It stopped at posed in a very dignified manner, with its nose in the air, and then wandered slowly along to share a bit of beach with a large sea eagle which was standing in the shallows. They were every companionable – MormonLand again! Surely the dragon should have snaffled the eagle in one big mouthful?? But no! The dragons, thus far, have been much less aggression than we have been led to expect. But…we are still very cautious… 

It is very hot and I have been swimming every few hours. I have been a bit sad and disappointed not to see much coral or many fish. But…the water is warm and clean, there are no crocodiles, I should just shut up and not complain…

This morning I set off once again with faithful snork and flip to do a bit of a costal patrol and – glory be! Beautiful coral! Plentiful fish! All the way from2XS to Marieke III! The tide was at exactly the right height; the visibility was good; I was HAPPY!!! 

Tomorrow we are going to another beach not far away, on Padar Island. We are gradually making our way to Labuan Bajo, where there will be a reunion of the fleet and maybe a gala dinner…Seija and I are debating whether to resurrect our Rambu costumes… I don’t think we are due there for another few weeks. So…no emails, no blogphotos till then…  

Happy birthday Ann-Marie…wonderful and loyal friend and one-time colleague. We first met at work and were very stiff and formal with one another because – we already felt VERY wary of one another. We had both applied for the same job, hotly contested, and Ann-Marie had appealed when I got it (by the skin of my teeth…) I managed to win the appeal, also by the skin of my teeth… It didn’t take long for our wariness to subside and for us to become allies and friends. Thank goodness…we have had lots of fun, lots of food, wine, shared confidences, and even a wedding since those early days.