Friday 27th July
After the predicted good night’s sleep everyone congregates on the steps of the ruined hospital for the walk with Chief Watson. It’s a warm but overcast morning which is probably a blessing for the 1.5 hour trek over to the village. Most of the walk is up and down through jungle from sea level to higher where you can look over to other islands and onto the village below. The path follows an old road left over from the leper colony which is now very overgrown. En route Chief Watson points out several buildings (including the Indian church, water storage buildings and generator houses) and explains how the lepers lived in their own racial groups within the colony. He also shows us lock-houses where couples found having relationships were separated for fear their liaisons may result in pregnancies. When we arrive at the main village we’re greeted warmly by whoever we meet. Chief Watson leads us to the school where he advises Chief Paul to enter and ask permission for us to visit. We all wait at the gate until Paul returns to tell us we are welcome to enter. The head teacher and his wife show us the school while a room is prepared for us - the room is brushed out ,then rush mats are placed on the floor for us to sit on. There are 18 children in the school ranging in ages from 5 to 14. The head master advises that if we would like, the children will sing us some songs, including a new one they’ve just been learning. The singing is with such heart that it brings tears to our eyes while watching these beaming, very beautiful, happy faces. This is followed by some dancing to percussion with wooden sticks. Afterwards the children all introduce themselves to us by name, age and class. Our skippers do the same, then Chief Paul is unexpectedly invited to speak. Paul gives an excellent impromptu speech of thanks and appreciation and Ian is wiping his brow with relief that it wasn’t him! We are invited to present our gifts to the children (books, colouring pencils etc) and then spend some time wandering around the school grounds. We see the banging of the drum – their version of the school bell announcing lunchtime! As we’re leaving we meet the local Mums strolling to the school with the lunch baskets. We walk back to the bay by the same route and agree to meet on the hospital steps at 3.30pm to start setting up the BBQ which we have invited the villagers to join. It’s a quick trip to the boat then off in the dinghy to another little islet across the lagoon. The snorkelling is excellent – the best coral gardens any of us have ever seen. Annie snorkels ashore where she finds a few good shells then comes face to face with a reef shark on the way back out and nearly drops the shells! We realise we’re running late so we when get back to the boat Ian and Stewy go ashore to light the BBQ while Annie stays aboard to organise the food and cool box. Ian helps the locals build an impressive BBQ with what they can find – bricks, corrugated steel and a round steel plate. Other boats arrive and we set up a buffet bar with drinks and salads while the meat cooks. Luckily, it’s a bit like the loaves and the fishes and we seem to manage to feed everyone. The women are keeping all the bottles for coconut oil, everyone is mixing well and it’s a really lovely evening. Chief Watson tells Andy he’s very pleased at how it’s all going and that everyone seems so happy in each others company. Once the food’s over, the music and dancing begins and there’s lots of laughing as locals and yachties take the floor! The children are also having a ball – we’ve blown up some balloons and they’re bouncing and bursting all over the place. Most of the boats have donated diesel so there’s a spotlight on our party for the whole evening (usually the lights are out in the village by this time !) Late on, and after a great night, we eventually start heading back to the boats – Ian invites Jens and Andreas for a night-cap. We’re just getting comfortable in the cockpit with our rums when …….oh yes…we’re invaded by Tallulah Ruby and Cleone and before we know it there’s a singing, “dancing – in- the- cockpit”, old Jus’ do it style party in full swing! No idea what time it peters out but needless to say the cockpit table gets another hammering, the bar stores are depleted, there’s a few casualties ill over the side and a new romance blossoms……indeed just like old Jus’do it!