Thursday 17th
Light winds, so light we dropped the big sail and motored in this picture from two days ago. Flat calm, so we motored out over the reef in search of a big wahoo- but got no fish. Clear water allowed us to see the edge of the reef, and to the deeper water in parts. Yesterday it was calm also, we loaded Judy and snorkeling gear for all of us, and headed out to a little island. Judy and I snorkeled the edge of the reef, I was amazed at all the corals and fish, and that I didn't even mind snorkeling past the edge to the deep water where my imagination made me expect sharks nipping at me- of course no such thing happened. I didn't find any shells, Judy says they hide in the daytime, and come out at night. The only thing that happened was that after an hour snorkeling, I began to feel cold, so got out. Judy is an addict, so stayed in for ages. Gary and I anchored off the reef and watched the bottom and all activity there, fish, coral. It was real clear.
We have been using the bigger sail lately, as the wind has dropped a little. The garden here is in good order, lots of colourful bushes nicely pruned, and cuttings taken and potted out in the shadehouse. Judy and I also built a new wall on the shade house out of big bamboo.

We would be out there now, but it's raining, so are at Volivoli checking e-mail.




Gary and John helped a Peace Corps volunteer to build an outrigger canoe, a paddling one. It took four days to build, a few days to paint, and cost around $300, so that is one happy boy. He lives in a Fijian village, and will now have a canoe to fish from while he is in Fiji.
In this photo, I guess it is Wilbur talking to Mr Ed. The horses just roam into the workshop, we feed them dry grass, so they have got over friendly. Gary said it is a bit like a bull in a china shop, so far they haven't stood on anything, although they did turn the tap on once and flooded the place.

I woke at 2.30 last night, lit a mosquito coil and sat on the porch with Lover Boy (the cat) for an hour or so, the tropical light breeze that slides over your body, never cold, just a perfect feeling. Stars everywhere, sheet lightning in the far east sky.