Monday March 11, 2013 - Roderick Bay, NGGELLA ISLAND, Solomon Islands
We have arrived in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands into Nggella (or Florida) group. Savo & Russell islands (with huge coconut plantations owned by Ripel's) are also in Central Province. Before we head to the beach for swimming and snorkelling it was breakfast on deck in Delphinus - we so enjoy the wide variety of fresh fruits each morning! The huge clouds were very dark & heavy with rain - it looks like this might be a wet day and it is a whole day on the beach!
There are around 18,500 people in the Central Province and most live by subsistence farming. The bay that we pull into has a wreck from 2000 of the World Discoverer shipwreck - the Captain missed a very well marked rock when exiting the bay and then beached the ship to prevent it sinking. It looks eerie as we pull in to anchor for the day as sheets of rain obscure it at times. Apparently the local islanders stripped the vessel completely of anything that they could use, and this was a time of unrest in the islands. So apparently the rebels robbed all the passengers of their valuables before they left! It was a very similar size to the Orion so talk about food for thought!
We are soon loading on to the zodiacs with our snorkel gear ready and landing on Nggella island, very close to the World Discoverer, where the Expedition Staff have everything ready to go, including all the bright red kayaks. As we exit we take a walk along the beach to look at the wreck - it is such an eye sore but when it was suggested that it be salvaged and taken away, the villagers demanded 1 million dollars compensation since they felt that it has become a tourist attraction! Apart from a couple of photos I think I would disagree with that. We hadn't brought the camera with us because of the rain (note to self: buy a new waterproof camera before the next trip) but really enjoyed the short walk. There are very few folks here and there are very narrow trails disappearing back into the jungle.
An older couple walks by with bright red lips and mouth - they have been chewing the betel nut which is addictive and tastes dreadful according to Justin Friend - the Destination Manager on board. The betel nut is chewed with pepper leaf and ground lime - NOT the small green fruit, but made from coral, shell or (human?) bone ground into a powder and this is what gives the high when chewed with the betel nut. Apparently betel nut is chewed by 10% of the world's population - all through India, South East Asia, Indonesia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. The state of the teeth of the folks here who chew betel nut is dreadful, and that is from the lime not the actual betel nut. The growing and selling of betel nut is a major part of the economy in Solomon Islands.
We are only allowed to walk to a certain point along the shore in each direction, again according to the arrangements made by Orion with specific families or communities - everything being privately owned is fiercely protected (not that it ever caused us the slightest problem but was certainly of interest in how important every piece of land is when you only can eat and live by subsistence farming on your own piece of land).
We decided to head back to the Orion and get the camera since there were so many photo opportunities and it was very damp but not raining. As we returned the rain started and it absolutely poured - we wrapped the camera in a plastic bag inside the camera bag (were it has spent much time this trip) and huddled under the large sun umbrella with Kevin, one of the boys from Orion - but the rain continued on and on and on......... The Orion looked ghostly in the distance and one by one the snorkelers came back in and headed back to the Orion. The puddles grew all around us and eventually we gave up, paddled BACK to the zodiac! then jumped in and went back to Orion for lunch!
Because of the weather, Orion brought on board the men, women and children to entertain us - this had originally been planned for on shore in their village - I think the villagers loved that they could all be brought out to the Orion in the zodiacs and do their entertaining on the ship! They had the men play their drums and their bamboo pan pipes - never did we realise how big pan pipes are in the Solomon Islands, they are everywhere and are played all the time. They go from the huge 6 feet tall pan pipes which are rested on a trestle to the small pipes that a little more than half of each group plays. These guys danced synchronously at the same time that they played! They were all beautiful bodies with just a small loin cloth or banana leaf and some white painting decorations on their bodies (using the same white lime for the body decorations that they chew along with the betel nut). Then the young ladies danced, about 8 or 10 of them, with grass skirts, headdresses and banana leaf bras - all very much in sync with each other and singing at the same time while the men played the pipes and the drums.
Lastly came the very young boys (maybe 5 to 8 years old) who danced a contemporary dance with their instructor - they all had body decorations painted everywhere and really enjoyed themselves tremendously - it was wonderful entertainment even it was a shame that it was on the Orion versus under the palm trees on shore. This was their first time on the Orion (probably their first time on any ship) and they were all chattering excitedly and had big grins. Orion is very community minded and every stop that we made on the cruise they would bring locals on board (from the village or resort or dance group that they were working with) and take them through the ship and talk to them - trying very hard for the locals to learn and exchange our culture with theirs. These villagers left in the zodiacs all very excited and shouting and singing as they sped back to the shore in the high speed zodiacs.
We did return one more time to the shore, in the afternoon when the sun came out briefly, and managed a few photos including the huge puddle around the base of the very large communal hut that this family lived in. To have been able to take photos in the rain would have been wonderful so there was so many interesting shots and laughable events! It was a great day all around and lots more to come.
The recap of the events of the day that evening in the Leda Lounge was excellent, superb photos, and everyone had enjoyed a wonderful day whatever they had chosen to do
Cheers ..... Jan Umbach
Sent from my iPad
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