Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“No, we go back now, but tomorrow you come for feast. We cook some pig and fish; we
drink kava, maybe one bat for you to eat, yes?” He grinned around at us and stood up
rather shakily. His aides stood up on cue and helped him over the side and into his dugout.
Presently, they could be seen paddling silently off, melting into the gathering evening dusk
into the dark silhouette of palm trees, pandanas, and lush tropical bush behind which a blue
black sky with scattered, pale clouds on the horizon began bristling with her evening jew-
els.
The following day saw Gavin and I donning wetsuits, weight belts, masks, snorkels,
flippers, and spear guns all bought from the wonderful flea markets and swap meets in
Honolulu. We were itching to get back into the crystal clear water, and we rowed the dinghy
over to the channel where we would dive and work around the entrance, always a great spot
for incoming fish we had discovered. Penny wanted a girly day off and she spent most of
the day with her family.
The sun was hot on our bare shoulders and arms; I could tell we were going to get sunburnt.
The sooner we dived below the better. Gavin shipped the oars once we had reached the
channel, and I threw out the little dinghy anchor, a small ten pound affair with a short length
of chain and about thirty feet of old three strand halyard scrap. I had brought along a net
bag for any spoils along with a float. I recalled a couple of close call with sharks on pre-
vious dives. Now as we speared a fish it would be popped into this bag, and it would float
around where we were diving.
I gasped as I jumped into the water; it was refreshing and sobering. I spat in my mask,
rinsed it in seawater, and pulled it over my face. It was tight but sealed well. I put the
snorkel in my mouth, adjusted the weights, and loaded my gun with the double rubbers and
recently sharpened spear tip. I had found that if one were to file the tip sharp with a file,
heat it on the stove to a cherry red, and quickly thrust it into cold water, it helped harden
the point.
I submerged and started off towards the entrance. It was another world underwater. I could
see for miles almost! What a lovely sight the coral reef made with its teeming fish of
all sizes, colors, and shapes. Oh, and the colorful plants and weeds and coral heads were
dazzling, a true paradise playground. The first thing I saw was a large cowrie shell glitter-
ing whitely from the yellow sand on the seabed. It was about fifteen feet deep, and I swam
down, picked it up, and returned to the top. Gavin had seen me dive down, and he thumbed
a sign when I held it up for him to see. Unfortunately, it was broken underneath, and I let it
fall back onto the sea bed.
I marveled at the black, spiny anemones and thousands of almost transparent electric blue
minnows sweeping about in huge schools, all seemingly maneuvering with one orches-
