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.

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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.

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Love In Aboard Rhythm

Our good buddies Rob and Squeak are here and ,as I was swimming Rob sat on the bow and we chatted ,we started talking about way way way back. Where and when and who ,how did our silky web of friendships begin? My nephew is here playing a sound track and it too is taking me home,as though he stole an old CD from us 10 yrs ago and brought it back. Earlier this morning I kayaked up a green jungle river which meandered Nam like. The smell of stagnant water took me really far back to our backyard on Russell hill rd. But it was names and narrative that inspired my heart and this long over due entry.
Joey left from Tahiti the night Sq,Rob,Charlie and Brooke arrived. He's gone to cram in two gr12 math credits at Yonge and Eg., staying with my parents. Enjoying the cottage with Jeremy, and his loving big sister . My sisters son,Eli,18 is our replacement crew for the summer..Dynamically,it's much more harmonious for me- without the Hitler youth(Joey,first mate..cough arrogant cough brat) With Joey,I react,run to my birth and slam the door . Eli is just great,into fishing,already been spear fishing,game to learn and quick to step up to task. I am facetious about Joey,we do miss him...
We have traveled from Tahiti to Moorea,and are now moored in a second spot in Raiatea of Iles de les societe . Tomorrow we head the twenty miles to Bora Bora .On the fourteenth,under the light and magic of a full moon we look forward to a Fr Polynesian national holiday ,likened to Mardi Gras. Rob leaves the next day .Sq and kids stay for July.
Having Sq and Rob is full on cottage mode holiday grunge,lots of wet towels and now after the initiation of all our mental rules,we hear our voices taken up and crew scold crew in water consumption,blah,blah,much fuss over the flush and swim concepts. Squeak came laden with goodies,not that my more sedate lifestyle needs reinforcement,however,the one size up in a new pair of lulu lemon shorts helps make room for my beloved Ginger people candies,black licorice . Rob answered my longing for Patron,such decadence and such fun. Together we have gone on hikes ,snorkeling with rays and sharks ,rented a beach bungalow for 4 days and nights that we shared in Moorea, bike ride in Huahine .We have just loved dinner parties by the beach uniting old friends and new friends.
Patty sent ' rhythm ' T shirts for all and got us new iPods and a fat hard drive for the photos and video I can now download. Michael arranged the boys flights for us. Jennifer and Sue dropped hand written notes to send with Eli,what an unexpected gift! Books and black licorice hearts from Jen,many thanks.
Once we trade back teen boys,we will head to Tonga and on down to the north Island of New Zealand. There,due to weather patterns and Olivias semi aborted early high school education,we hang our hats for a season. We may stay or Olivia may stay but we need to do something to facilitate her conventional education .
Anyone care to join us for Christmas!? Jeremy and Philippa and my parents will be down . We would adore it if you could join us..
It's been challenging but the skipper is merry,Joey is very well,Olivia and I wouldn't miss it and have much to be very grateful and thrilled about but but...it is hard to carve a little " you" aboard such a caravan. I can't even begin to imagine the return trip,I'm still trying to figure out who am I anyway? The answers I give myself so far are not too illuminative ,no epiphany ,no " by George Ive got it!!"
The friendships make as we gypsy about are a very sweet butter of the journey.
The friendships back home help us feel grounded as we float about on the metaphoric swelling ,rushing, lapping,roaring,undulating waters of the earth we share.
Until Later and with Elis help,pictures!!!! Stand by.Over.

Re: It's about time

Thanks for the imagery....stunning! Very jealous!! What a great
experience for everyone. Mags and I are committed to getting back on the
water next spring, and I can't wait! We rented a boat the other day to
check out one of our club's outstations on the islands and it was so nice
to be back in the environment. I hope you'll consider a Pacific Northwest
leg to your journey as it really is stunning here, if not quite as
culturally divergent (or hot, I'd imagine). ;)

Love to all,

Sean

On 11-06-29 10:13 PM, "Peggy Hill" <peghill6@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'm writing this before I've even got an Internet connection. I see David
>typing away on his real computer with his paid connection the past
>weeks,I've sent wee missiles via satellite but ,oh- to have my old iPad
>and it's familiar screen....simple. It's merely a virtual exercise right
>now.
>We are enroute to Tahiti from the smaller island of Moorea.
>A brief catch up geographically..We landed in French Polynesia after
>almost 17 days crossing from Galapagos,landing in Fatu Hiva of the
>Marquesas .Gorgeous ! Then Rangiroa of the Tuamoto group. We stayed there
>for 3 weeks..We were anchored in Moorea for 4 nights. There was an annual
>puddle-jump regatta thingy,"Tahiti Moorea Rendezvous "to be exact . The
>cruisers choreographed- locals hired,inspired with much dance,delivering
>to all your childhood expectations ,3 woman sitting keepers of a long
>bountiful spread of tropical flowers for us to create as many floral lays
>( you know,the floral necklace) as our hearts desire- anything to perfume
>our mildewy homes..I took much footage of the dancers,very
>Maori,Hawaii,Tahitian . Both Joey and Olivia were in outrigger canoe
>races ,winning heats,Joey and Magalis team got to the finals and lost in
>a dramatic smash splash photo finish- not a lot of this in their lives.
> Joey leaves from the city , Papeete tomorrow night at 11:45 pm and
>Squeak,Rob ,Charlie and Brooke arrive at 9:30 pm .A two hour airport
>party! Joey and Magali have the most precious calf love relationship,so
>tender and affectionate and darling. Someday David and I may reach that
>level of innocent non competitive compatibility,but,then again this ain't
>no island summer youth inspired medium...oy! OY! It is!
> Nephew Eli arrived a couple of days ago and slipped right in
>,fitting like a fine salty dog.He is such a congenial,entertaining,fun
>loving character,a perfect Patty/ Michael cocktail. Rhythms pontoons
>will be low to the water as every bed will soon be concave with bodies.
>Magali,Joeys insanely adorable girlfriend is aboard for the airport
>pilgrimage,apparently Air Tahiti may be on strike- Joeys exit
>airline....Everyday,I try and live by ," being O.K with ' what is'" Very
>challenging! This life,especially at anchorage is very social,like a
>Florida complex with better decor.....So the challenge is to be free and
>liberated,to go with the proverbial f l o w,but still,just yesterday I
>find myself behaving like an impatient child while David chats to a
>cruiser about the local chow mien ,Dios Mio! LETS GO!!! Like wise,we are
>both braced and very very excited to have the Ridout/Armstrong s here for
>July( Rob leaves on July16th)
>
>So,Joey is going home for math and back Aug 31 st It will be very
>interesting how this change reverberates in the collective ego here
>aboard Rhythm
>
>We r now anchored in the Miami of the French Polynesians, Tahiti,very
>Hawaii,very comfy- flash showy vessels,the biggest 100 ft + cat. Ive
>ever seen. It's now night with David and I quiet aboard,having done my
>first gourmand grocery shop since Panama,ooo,la la! The French know salts
>and cheese and tapenade and chocolate and relish ' aubergene ,rice
>crackers and here ,we reap the imports from NZ,pomme de crisp de sweet
>de fresh!
>We now have Internet,we now are surrounded by sculpted local athletes
>,like the boy men who raced beside our boat,just like Dolphins ,they in
>slim sleek kayaks and cutting edge competitive outriggers,the tattooed
>young sponsored indigenous studs were the most auspicious welcome we' ve
>ever had. I now need to rise at dawn to catch up from weeks of pre-"
>throw in the towel"physical fitness /do this at home maintenance.
>We think the flights are on for Joey tomorrow night so, now,the kids are
>on land with the intension and energy of a bon voyage.
>At 7:45, the sun set a while ago,pre dinner full,Im heading for bed.It
>will take a couple of hours but,Im enjoying music wafting from
>somewhere,the declining temperature,the feeling of a caravan community re
>settled and tomorrows departures and arrivals to catalyze mo'emo.
>I think of y'll everyday no matter how hard I try and stay present.I just
>had to bring you along
>love ,love,Peg
>P.S. Please,if Ive forgotten anyone,help me out amigos,just scooping
>lovingly from the golden pond of contacts in head heart and in de iPad.
>
>
>Sent from my iPad

It's about time

I'm writing this before I've even got an Internet connection. I see David typing away on his real computer with his paid connection the past weeks,I've sent wee missiles via satellite but ,oh- to have my old iPad and it's familiar screen....simple. It's merely a virtual exercise right now.
We are enroute to Tahiti from the smaller island of Moorea.
A brief catch up geographically..We landed in French Polynesia after almost 17 days crossing from Galapagos,landing in Fatu Hiva of the Marquesas .Gorgeous ! Then Rangiroa of the Tuamoto group. We stayed there for 3 weeks..We were anchored in Moorea for 4 nights. There was an annual puddle-jump regatta thingy,"Tahiti Moorea Rendezvous "to be exact . The cruisers choreographed- locals hired,inspired with much dance,delivering to all your childhood expectations ,3 woman sitting keepers of a long bountiful spread of tropical flowers for us to create as many floral lays ( you know,the floral necklace) as our hearts desire- anything to perfume our mildewy homes..I took much footage of the dancers,very Maori,Hawaii,Tahitian . Both Joey and Olivia were in outrigger canoe races ,winning heats,Joey and Magalis team got to the finals and lost in a dramatic smash splash photo finish- not a lot of this in their lives.
Joey leaves from the city , Papeete tomorrow night at 11:45 pm and Squeak,Rob ,Charlie and Brooke arrive at 9:30 pm .A two hour airport party! Joey and Magali have the most precious calf love relationship,so tender and affectionate and darling. Someday David and I may reach that level of innocent non competitive compatibility,but,then again this ain't no island summer youth inspired medium...oy! OY! It is!
Nephew Eli arrived a couple of days ago and slipped right in ,fitting like a fine salty dog.He is such a congenial,entertaining,fun loving character,a perfect Patty/ Michael cocktail. Rhythms pontoons will be low to the water as every bed will soon be concave with bodies. Magali,Joeys insanely adorable girlfriend is aboard for the airport pilgrimage,apparently Air Tahiti may be on strike- Joeys exit airline....Everyday,I try and live by ," being O.K with ' what is'" Very challenging! This life,especially at anchorage is very social,like a Florida complex with better decor.....So the challenge is to be free and liberated,to go with the proverbial f l o w,but still,just yesterday I find myself behaving like an impatient child while David chats to a cruiser about the local chow mien ,Dios Mio! LETS GO!!! Like wise,we are both braced and very very excited to have the Ridout/Armstrong s here for July( Rob leaves on July16th)

So,Joey is going home for math and back Aug 31 st It will be very interesting how this change reverberates in the collective ego here aboard Rhythm

We r now anchored in the Miami of the French Polynesians, Tahiti,very Hawaii,very comfy- flash showy vessels,the biggest 100 ft + cat. Ive ever seen. It's now night with David and I quiet aboard,having done my first gourmand grocery shop since Panama,ooo,la la! The French know salts and cheese and tapenade and chocolate and relish ' aubergene ,rice crackers and here ,we reap the imports from NZ,pomme de crisp de sweet de fresh!
We now have Internet,we now are surrounded by sculpted local athletes ,like the boy men who raced beside our boat,just like Dolphins ,they in slim sleek kayaks and cutting edge competitive outriggers,the tattooed young sponsored indigenous studs were the most auspicious welcome we' ve ever had. I now need to rise at dawn to catch up from weeks of pre-" throw in the towel"physical fitness /do this at home maintenance.
We think the flights are on for Joey tomorrow night so, now,the kids are on land with the intension and energy of a bon voyage.
At 7:45, the sun set a while ago,pre dinner full,Im heading for bed.It will take a couple of hours but,Im enjoying music wafting from somewhere,the declining temperature,the feeling of a caravan community re settled and tomorrows departures and arrivals to catalyze mo'emo.
I think of y'll everyday no matter how hard I try and stay present.I just had to bring you along
love ,love,Peg
P.S. Please,if Ive forgotten anyone,help me out amigos,just scooping lovingly from the golden pond of contacts in head heart and in de iPad.

Sent from my iPad

French Polynesia

Rangiroa,Tuamotos,French Polynesia. This is the location in which we now dwell,for now.
It really is ," paradise" .Paradise on earth that is,while inhabiting a human body/condition.

I do feel remiss in my personal commitment to recording this adventure in blog. I think I did send an entry while underway,mid Pacific?
Once again,we are in a pocket of mal internet.It is so incredibly irritating; it creates such FOMO ( fear of missing out) not that I feel I am missing something at home but missing my connectedness to the ephemeral ,the love connection. Home love,love to and from home.

Feeling very connected to the presence surrounding us,yes.The very precious connectedness to the sky and sea and all the bountiful and beautiful creatures beneath the surface.Connected to the new and interesting, amusing and comforting sailors in this pretty anchorage.

We had a wonderful time in the infamous Galapagos,having just caught Joeys lovely Magali aboard her parents Trifon before they left . We toured with John from Beyond and The skipper and crew of Top Secret .Lots of laughs ,sea lions and Darwin .We met up with Guppy;Laura and Jillian ,the fantastic director of her documentary,"Maidentrip" .We asked Jillian to join us,did I tell you this ?
We crossed the ocean in 16 days,22 hours,did I say? I can't get Internet to look at blog.
We had a wonderful magical crossing,one we will all treasure as supreme. It was what Id always imagined as David had promised; bridge games,timeless days to nights,shifting shifts every hour,fish flung daily aboard ,catching big tuna and assisting Jillian in the dissection / filleting,bread baking,creative cooking as our rations shrank.Lots of chats with the intrepid Jillian and her creative task as a documentary film director. I wrote daily emails on our satellite ocens email account and thrived on any words from home.Joey was in constant contact with Trifon,Magali our guiding angel.We had text via satellite phone with Guppy and tried to catch Laura as she had left two days ahead of us. I miss both of those girls and the very very grand adventure following Laura around the world.
We arrived in Fatu Hiva, Marquises,French Polynesia. What atmosphere!! It is where Gauguin is buried,now you can picture it.Very lush,dramatic heights,rocks that appear to be grand Indian Kings heads. precipitous waterfalls .The anchorage was insecure ,deep water very gusty was deep and the bay small which created a tumultuous and insecure anchorage.First night in ,we were woken at 3 am, to our anchor alarm,"we are dragging ", it bleeped. David and Joey hoisted anchor and motored Rhythm to bob just out side of the cove to wait for another attempt to grip anchor beneath the suns light. We were exhausted by the time we secured Rhythm. We adored the hikes to the waterfall,hamstring awakening walks up a hairpin road to the too and a 'blow me down' view of the cove where ten sailboats huddled and a festive feast put on by the locals. Trifon was anxious to move on to the promised diving in the Tuamotos We left the morning after they did for a four day sail to Rangiroa. ( with a lot of insane hair pulling annoyance involved in the chain to anchor...)
Rangiroa is the largest atoll of the Tuamotos. World famous destination for deep sea diving. Sharks,turtles,dophins ,barracuda,manta ray,sting ray galore . After awakening to the fact that our skipper seemed to have no extracurricular activities to distract him,I proposed that he and the kids take the diving certification course. They did,and we've also been bug eyed over the multitudinous fish in infinite prism of colors merely snorkeling .Directly at the stern of our boat,whilst cleaning out the porridge pot,a hefty school of red snapper appear ravenous and nip at the brush. While we were snorkeling ,Top Secret brought bread in the water with us and we were wowed by showy scales and gills and fins. Kendras yelp morphed to a belly laugh after snapper chomped her chin!!
We are sooo excited ,on June 26 we will take down Eli Haines in Tahiti .Four days later we fetch Squeak,Charlie and Brooke and send off Joey to HOME for the summer and two grade 12 math courses.
We are so looking forward to these east coast, west coast Canadians!!
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