Now This is What I Expected!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 – Mejiruriku Island

 

I woke up relatively late – I am pretty sure that I am the last one to wake up all the time.  I reminded TC and Paul that we needed to wear red for peace (I can’t remember the actual name of the day, sorry Alex and Anne). I think it was supposed to be red shirts, but we have a limited wardrobe on the boat, so we just put on whatever red we had. And we decided to jump for peace in our red attire.

 

While TC and Paul went out to check for surf, I sat on the boat, drank a cup of coffee (thanks to the Moores and Deanna for their gift) and observed what was going on around me – not too much, but that was okay with me.  I loved just sitting there and admiring the beauty around me.  I cannot describe the place and the pictures do not do it justice either.   To fully appreciate the beauty, I suggest that you start planning your visit to Mejiruriku Island, Jaluit Atoll right now!  

 

Although in my observations, I did see TC and Paul stop the dinghy only a couple minutes after they left.  I guessed that they had caught a fish (they had – it was a rainbow runner, the first of the trip). 

 

While they were gone, I was amazed at the quietness that surrounded me at the anchorage.  Mejiruriku Island has no power plant, so no electricity except for a few solar panels here and there, no cars, and even their boats are fairly silent. There was one boat that had an engine, but it had departed when I first woke up.  The other boats are the traditional outrigger sailing canoes and some rowboats.  Plus, there was no wind, so that contributed to the stillness as our wind generator was silent too. 

 

It was so relaxing to sit there surrounded by a peaceful silence and awesome beauty.

 

Once TC and Paul got back, TC made burgers (veggie burger for me, fish burgers for them).  Then we decided to go ashore.

 

We were greeted by one of the guys I’d seen go by earlier in a traditional outrigger sailing canoe. His boat had this cheerful yellow sail that I wanted to photograph.  He was steering and posed for me. 

 

Four or five children also ran to greet us.  It was kind of funny because they all come barreling out to the shoreline, and then when we made eye contact, they just stopped and got all shy.  Well, except for one little boy.  He made eye contact with TC and started crying hysterically.  I think we scared him.  (Don’t worry, by the end of the afternoon, he was our friend and I was able to get him to smile a bunch.) 

 

It was kind of an interesting excursion.  I don’t think the people knew exactly what to do with us – not that we expect anything.  The local (and I think only) policeman showed us around the island.  He showed us the island’s “river,” which is a good-sized tidal pond in the middle of the island.  Then he took us to the school where some of the kids were playing.  While TC and I were talking with the teacher (one of two) who informed us there hadn’t been a sailboat to visit their island in years, Paul got the kids to sing for him. 

 

After the kids finished singing, I asked them if they would like to take a jumping picture with me for my friend.  The kids really got into it.  (For more on this, visit  my post for my friend Alex’s page by clicking here.) 

 

As we walked back to our dinghy, several families presented us with coconuts and ametoma necklaces.  Ametoma is a local candy made with coconut and sugar, I believe. 

 

To end our day, we did a drift snorkel through the pass.  The highlight for me was finding a big anemone with some clownfish inhabitants, one of whom was ready to defend their home.   Whenever we’d get close to take a picture, he/she would come right out up to us.  TC was actually swimming during our drift snorkel, so he got to see a 3.5 to 4 foot barracuda.


Note:  Can't wait to share some pictures - we're back in the "big city" of Jabor, so when I go onshore with better wi-fi, I'll try and load a few.