South Pacific « Aboard Dignity (Lagoon 420) Blog

Evening Show

by steve, on October 13th, 2011 (Drifter, Fiji, Monkey Feet)

In the morning we made a brief trip ashore for Helen’s scheduled bout of dance training. In true Fijian style, minds were changed and this was postponed until the afternoon. We hung around chatting to folks until lunchtime when we returned to the boat taking Rie, the Fijian Indian receptionist. The original plan had been to have her over for dinner the night before as the whole thing had initiated as a result of her expressing a wish to taste some of Helen’s curry. She couldn’t make it the night before but could do lunch where reheated curry is just about as good as the original. She definitely enjoyed it stirring in rather a lot of Helen’s home made chilli paste. She had a lot to talk about. She spends most of the time on the island and goes home for a couple of days each week. She’s the only Fijian Indian who stays over which isolates her a little. I think she needed someone to talk to because that is what she did.

In the afternoon we went back ashore. Helen spent some time with Latu and a few of the other girls helping to make some of their leafy adornments for the evening before receiving her training for the evening dance. I videod one of the runs through the dance so Helen could practise on the boat. And practise she did for well over an hour.

Back ashore Latu helped dress Helen for her dance and I got ready for mine.

Before the show started we were asked to join in with the pre show get together of all the performers. In their changing hut we all stood in a circle and held hands. First a bit of a staff meet with some ticking off – it seems some of the guys in the group had been mucking about. Then came a prayer in Fiji and it finished off with everyone coming close, joining hands in the middle and a big cheer. It felt special that we were included in this.

The show went pretty well. Helen almost missed joining in the fisherman dance as she was off getting a cup of tea at the start but managed to sneak in.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1A8ucXcUH0[/youtube]

Later came Helen’s dance with the girls.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukRs5nDFmYs[/youtube]

And right after this came Rapa Nui, the second dance I’d learned.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVpUAc0mq8w[/youtube]

The Monkey Feets had returned earlier in the day and the kids also took their usual places enjoying themselves immensely.

Afterwards we chilled for a while over a beer before saying our goodbyes. The Drifters are off today and so are we. It’s been a cool 2 weeks here but it’s time to move on. It will be sad to leave this place. It’s strange that although it’s just a resort one gets a little sucked in. The staff treat you as family and after a while we’re all on first name terms (even though I struggle to remember them all). It’s been pretty good. We may even return to wait for our weather window to New Zealand.

(NOTE – I managed to lock into the high speed internet here this morning and all video / pics have been uploaded. Pics from the new boat arrival last Sunday are now also uploaded)

Day Show

by steve, on October 12th, 2011 (Coramandel, Drifter, Fiji)

We woke in a new world. The rain clouds had gone, the air was crisp and the sky was blue. After a week of miserable weather the change to the better has a great affect on the soul.

Around mid morning Helen and I went ashore. Helen was hoping to find one of the female dancers to show her some moves. It took a while and eventually it was decided to spend some time today on a dance they will be doing tonight which is easy to learn. In between all the waiting Helen learned and played a few games of Rummicub with Coby from Drifter who spends most days ashore.

Over the last couple of days we’d got to know a young couple of Brits, Matt and Jo. It was their last full day ashore. They had a dive planned but also decided it would be fun to join in the dance. We spent a little while going through the moves on the beach. In the end, their dive clashed with the show so they missed out.

While the day trippers were having their lunch it was time for me to change for the dance. I was given a sulu and a grass skirt to wear and had some black paint applied. I really had to wonder what I’d put myself in for. I have to confess my main motivation has been to get Helen to dance as the ladies in the troup make an effort to dress the guest dancers up. I knew if I didn’t join in, Helen never would, so here I find myself dressed like a plump native with a bad hair day.

Although I’ve learned two numbers, only one of them was on the lunch time play list. So song number 4 was the fisherman dance and I jumped in to join the guys doing the dance. Before we’d agreed that I would sit in the middle of them so I could get the timing right. In the end they connived to put me on the front row. Yikes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac_nmiP75Oc[/youtube]

It didn’t go so bad. I was nervous but tried not to look it. It was kind of fun to do.

I thought I was done after this number but I was dragged into the next dance as it was a no brainer. I just had to hang onto a palm frond and walk back and forward while the girls danced. Getting close to those coconut shells wasn’t so bad. The guy on the other end of the palm frond kept mucking about trying to pull me over. I pulled back of course.

Once all was done and over we made arrangements for dinner aboard Dignity. We’d invited Arnold and Coby from Drifter, Don from Coromandel and Clint, the dive instructor ashore all over for curry and drinks. We also invited Jo and Matt for sundowners. Helen and I went back on the boat for a rest and a clean up for me. I tried cleaning off the paint in the sea but that didn’t work. I tried lots of soap in the shower and that just made a mess. In the end it all just wiped off with a tissue.

At 5:30 I went ashore to pick up Clint, Jo and Matt, took them back to the boat and cranked out the G&Ts. It was a good evening. I took Jo and Matt back ashore for their dinner at 7pm. Clint ended up staying the night in our spare berth.

This morning I took Clint ashore and have visited both Drifter and Coromandel to do some computer assistance.

Practice, practice, practice

by steve, on October 11th, 2011 (Fiji)

Being near the 200 mark I couldn’t get on without finding one more Euler problem to solve. I tried another but got bogged down so left it there.

Once up I hooked up the TV to our media player and went through the recording of the fisherman dance a few times to get a head start on any practice we may be getting. Helen joined in too.

We went ashore in a light patch of the continuing rain for our 11am appointment. Being Fiji Independence Day things were very light and no one was available then to help us learn any moves. I did get to borrow one of the flaming torches (unlit) to have a go at spinning. They were heavier than the looked and it was quite tiring on the arms. I stuck at it dropping it very many times including the same place on my foot a couple of times which now has a nice bruise.

We stayed for lunch as there was some talk of something being arranged. I continued to practice my spinning but with no real progress on the drops. A lady amongst a party of French persons showed how to do it showing that it was just the same moves that a marching band leader uses.

After lunch, prompted by our need, a couple of the few staff at hand organised dance lessons for anyone there who cared. As it was still raining we filled the hut, mainly with the group of French persons. We spent about an hour going over the fisherman dance which is performed sitting cross legged. It was a little confusing as the two guys didn’t always agree on their lefts and rights and sometimes on the moves themselves. We started by learning the first sequence but this soon degenerated into simply going over the song again and again and again non stop.

We then moved onto a second song which was performed (mostly) standing up with one section leaning back on one hand suggestively moving ones groin to the sky in time with the music. This song was again played again and again and again. This time everyone else took time out as the dance was more tiring than the one sitting down. During this dance, Helen received some tuition on bottom wiggling which should lead into some different tuition for her later today. In the end it was just me and the guys and they just kept on going. I was ready to drop by the end of it all.

I had been aiming to be ready for the Wednesday evening show. On their encouragement I am now also in the lunchtime show today. The two dances I’ll do but I don’t know about spinning the burning stick yet. I don’t mind dropping it once or twice but I’m still worse than that.

This morning my shoulders burn and my body aches. Long day ahead.

One glimmer of hope in the weather situation. We had our first (in ages) really good sunset last night. The sky this morning although cloudy is much lighter than the last few days. It is not raining. Yay.

Just another day

by steve, on October 10th, 2011 (Fiji)

The intermittent rain continues and looks to continue. Life goes on.

I did a little maintenance on the boat though hardly extensive. I untied the main sheet and worked out a twist that had built up around the traveller. I also reset the baton slider that we removed over a week ago.

Around mid afternoon we’re getting a few hours of clean water so we make water then. Helen managed another wash yesterday morning with our renewed water supplies.

In the morning I managed to squeeze out another correct Euler problem bringing my total 1 away from 200 correct answers. Must now find another I can tackle as this is a goal I feel compelled to seek and attain.

After lunch aboard with freshly baked bread we went ashore to watch the lunch time show. Prior to the show starting we witnessed the delivery of a new boat to the resort. The local staff performed a Fijian custom to bless the boat. They awaited it’s arrival on the beach with banners and once it arrived the wrapped it with colourful cloth. After this they had some cava and said some speeches. Although the place was full of day trippers this was not advertised as one of the days attractions. It was quite strange to see this custom playing out under the noses of folks while they ate their dinner, most not realizing anything particularly special was going on.

The show performers are keen to include the audience in their dances should they wish. Next Wednesday evening will be our last attendance (probably) of the main show so we’ve both plucked up the courage to join in. After yesterday’s show we met Rico, the group leader (we think) who has organised for both Helen and I to get some lessons today. Helen is quite keen on learning one of the bottom wiggling dances. I’m right behind her on that one, in all senses of the word. It would be pretty cool if I could get involved in one of the fire dances and there is one sitting down dance that tends to attract the visitors. We’ll see.

While ashore I managed to do a deal with the resort owner for our excess wine. We get a little more than we paid for it and they get it for less than local cost. Works for everyone. We’ll be much lighter going south than we were coming north. Perhaps that will make a difference.

After a brief return to the boat we went ashore in time to watch the Australia -v- South Africa match. I was rooting for the boks against a strong crowd of Australia supporters (including all the staff). It was a nail biter and in the end I felt sorry for the boks who played so well but not to win the match. The All Blacks game against Argentina held no attraction to us as it was very much a foregone conclusion.

After the game we ate dinner ashore – beef curry again. I had a mishap when I sat down on one of the benches. The leg on the corner where I was sitting was not on a solid piece of sand. It sank in, the table tipped and I went over backwards. The curry slid off my plate into my lap and onto my tee-shirt. What a mess.

We now have a bit of a plan for leaving here. Weather permitting (as is always the caveat) we plan on moving out of this anchorage on Thursday or Friday and move a short way up the coast to Momi Bay where we’ll stay a night or two. From there we’ll move to Denaru where we’ll watch the semi finals ashore on the big screens as well as do our final provisioning. We’ll await our crew member who arrives the following Wednesday before departing. We’ll probably head over to Musket Cove where we can watch the finals before clearing out of Fiji the following week.

Rubbish

by steve, on October 9th, 2011 (Coramandel, Drifter, Endless, Fiji)

The weather continues to be pretty iffy with bouts of strong rain interspersed with cloudy skies and the occasional peak of sunshine. It looks to be much the same for the next few days.

On the subject of weather, yesterday morning we saw signs of a ‘big fat high’ predicted to form and leave Australia. This is often the herald of a good sailing window down to New Zealand. This mornings forecast reinforces the picture and, being a day later, gives us an extra days forecast on it and making the forecast more accurate. Had we been sitting here waiting to go we would be watching this one very closely, perhaps to leave in a couple of days. For now, we will watch it, and it’s aftermath, to learn something of the local weather.

We had a few visits in the morning. Petr from Endless popped by to say goodbye as they were off. Arnold from Drifter popped by to return our hard drive and lend us his. Don, Hannah and cat visited from Coramandel for a chat. Don’s a long time cruiser and Hannah is his current visitor/crew. He’s a jack of many trades including chiropractics. We agreed a swap of some of our surplus wine for some bone crunching later in the day.

Later in the day was around 4pm when we headed ashore. Don gave us both a good session on the massage tables here at the resort. The right hand side of my back was stiff. Apparently this was due to tension on the left hand side of my back which was caused by my left leg being shorter than the right which in turn was caused by my preference to step down onto my left leg. Plenty of action was taken on these causes and symptoms. It’s wasn’t overly painful but some strange things were done.

The Ireland v Wales match was on at 6pm but we forgot the summertime switch in NZ which hadn’t happened here. Therefore the match started at 5pm and we missed most of the first half. A few of us congregated around the resort TV to watch the rest of the match.

It turned out that Wayne, one of the resort owners, had Sky TV in his home within the resort. He let us go there to watch the England v France match. What a load of rubbish. England are now out. The second half had it’s excitement but we watched with our usual despair at our home team.

We are anticipating today’s match between South Africa and Australia with much excitement.

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Evening Show

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Just another day

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