Gypsies,Nomads,Sailors

Gypsies,Nomads,Sailors
On Suwarrow Cook Island Atoll

We attended our last shark feed and potluck dinner on Suwarrow last night. They are so very special. In the morning,James demonstrated how to make coconut pancakes by first collecting the sprouted coconut pod with no more than two to three leaves,inside, the coconut milk is solid ,spongy and sweet,the meat ,closest to the shell is at this stage,hard opaque and bland tasting,to be tossed. One grates the "pod" and then combines equal parts flour ,sugar to taste and then mix with enough fresh water to create a consistency like that of a cow pie. Then they are ready to deep fry. I recommend using coconut oil - just enough to coat the pan . It was special too as John had collected upon the reef many purple spined sea urchins. A delicacy ,one eats them freshly opened ,with condiments as one would dress oysters,I enhanced the slither with lime and hot sauce ,conscious of it's high price at restaurants world wide .I had to trust the park ranger in John in his call to share the creatures with us. I had just began to collect on the beach the washed up purple pencil shaped coral/ shells that were once the live spikes on the sea urchins body. I'm going to send them home for my girlfriends...The entire atoll is made up of coral of course and Ive been really disciplined about not bringing too much aboard. The evening was fun and entertaining as always . I really get a kick out of the two older American men solo sailing ,Kennedy,a lawyer from Alabama aboard FarStar and Jerry aboard Challenger,a North Carolina man who caught his first shark at age 12. Just to hear the two of them speak on the radio is a daily treat.Last night Kennedy commented on my dress,I like a lady who dresses up. Oh man! I couldn't measure up to the feminine glam of those southern gals. Oh yes ,practicing divorce law for27 years he confessed,displayed many a gilded woman...
To think I was forlorn and I was sad to see our new friends leave on Saturday and didn't think the " new fleet" would find me a friend,however,I find with yachties we nomads have a very strong bond in our common denominator. I met a woman last night,Jo,born in Canada,married Rob,an Aussie.His family are boat builders and while they were married and honeymooned in Bequia,they designed,BlueMoon before returning home to build her. They are now enroute back to NZ where they bought a fine strip of land on the north island where they plan on building an earth bound home. There is one powerboat among our fleet,a rarity and the couple,Adam and Eve are from Los Angeles ,the boat called...Eden! they seem so clean and fit and young and talk passionately about the tv series,she saying thats all there is to do.I suspect,I betchcha,that they've got a little gym aboard! I really enjoy Warren and Marie aboard,( I forget)Met them in Riatea. they are Dutch and I got all excited talking about Laura and Guppy and Jillian.( as I always do and realize I miss them both and often wonder how Laura is doing and where she is,Marie informed me that she is already entering the Torres Strait!! Almost clearing Australia!!)

Yesterday I thought,if I can see something even a little thrilling of nature daily and talk to someone I've just met,daily I think this trip is indeed healthy and bountiful. However,not complete,even Eli says ,one needs a hobby. Ive tried to engage Olivia in some sewing,the machine is poised and if we cant sew in Suwarrow,we never will!!...? The last few days I've struggled with that pull between the frenetic life I've left behind and living so very close to nature at a pace that is,at present not very demanding. I'm reading and swimming daily,cooking and being a little social.David today seems happy and proud as he just cooked his first loaf of bread.I've decided we all need to take turns ,I made the one white loaf underway,Olivia spent. A day making traditional boiled and baked bagels and next will be Eli who wants to make Naan ,Indian bread.

Sent from my iPad

Blog Adrift

Blog Adrift
I've tried,honestly,Ive tried to catch up and blog about the last8 weeks. Or more?It's just so daunting and the attempts are like a reef wreckage.
I can only begin here and now to save the day.
We are anchored in the inner waters of the island of Suwarrow. It's almost been two weeks since we entered into the dreamy serenity of this Cook Island Atoll. We swiftly entered the pass and rounded into the quiet waters where all the boats were nestled , we wove through ,sleepy from our shared night shifts,motoring into the fold of the twenty-something boats in the harbor. A reunion ,like a warm breast,with many familiar yachts .Finally we caught up with Salamander! There was Gromit ,new Canadian friends we met in Huahine and there is Steel Sapphire. Waved beneath white sassy shades revealed David, he and Kendra from TopSecret ,now aboard "This Side up " We anchored with a clear and perfect view of the island and a swimmy-welcome from 3 black tipped sharks,plentiful and curious but not aggressive.
We are Eli,Olivia ,David and I.
We are in a whole new world here,so at variance to the rowdydow of our crossing from Galapagos,the darling and social hubbub of The Trifon Romance,the arrival of Eli and the departure of Joey and the arrival of Rob,Squeak,Charlie and Brooke.
The deeply committed and successful cultivation of our own working structures for living in harmony together aboard Rhythm....The Spanish to French cultures we attempted ;explored,shopped,photographed and the islands and waters we submerged ourselves into together. It was full and rich with a forever lasting connected memoir .
Whole ,New- This was weighty for me personally . It was particular to my longings as longing relates to my faith in this voyage . During our passage we "celebrated" ,meaning we said out loud, Today,Aug 5th,marks 1 year aboard Rhythm. I attempted to process this,or actually more like judge that. This or that- where was I at ?Suwarrow delivers the island dream,the desert island with real sharks,aqua marine waters,no shops,English speaking,it resembles camp as the island is park land .We adore the two Cook Island tattooed park wardens ,men with large hearts and the spirituality of true indigenous people with deep connections to the preservation of nature .James and John host regular potlucks,take us on reef walks ,welcome anniversary and birthday celebrations in the club house or on the beach. Eli has fished with John , catching grouper,barracuda,cod. John has husked coconuts for me and given me a reflexology foot massage.John grows lettuce and bok choy .
The Yachties ! What a fabulous group of people. We all share the cosy dreamy response to this island,This is what all our efforts have been about. Like the title to Tom Neals book,based on Suvarov,as he spells it,"An Island To Ones own. "We are,however,so very together here.
David and Eli went out,under the light and lure of the full moon on three different occasions to hunt for lobsters . We feasted aboard rhythm with Salamader after the first score .We celebrated next with Yaringa and Narama after more "bug"were brought back in the surreal light of the bright night. I slept on the bow,there is very little rain and a heaven full of sultry cool night breeze.Mmmmmm
We are now running low on fresh stores,still have lots of flour and rice,however,we are on the last dried fruit,a tub full of diced veggies ,enhanced with canned asparagus and hearts of palm marinating in the fridge- I long for and passionately crave these southern Ontario treasures: peaches,blueberries,strawberries,raspberries,watermelon, cantaloupes ,corn on the cob,beef steak tomatoes,rock hard apples...last night I was dying,dying as I ate abundantly from a bag of dried apricots and a pack of sugar finger cookies- yetch...
We will soon set sail for American Samoa,where Eli will depart and Joey will arrive. Joey will have two more grade 12 credits in his back pocket.
Next stop is Tonga where we languorously waylay our sojourns to destination NewZealand.

Sent from my iPad