bananas in the rigging

Kellie's Comments--Grocery shopping as you know it does not exist in the Marquesas. There are very small stores that have a handful of things, but stocking up, even keeping up, is difficult. As Pete said, we have been the recipient of local kindness when it comes to getting fruit. Here, the grapefruit, papaya and limes grow like apples at home. Some people don't even want the fruit on their trees and give it away willingly. They also grow breadfruit, oranges, mangos and several unidentified fruits and nuts. Bananas grow on stalks, with the individual "hands" circling around. When Americans buy a bunch of bananas at the store, it's really just one of the hands. When you buy them here, you get the whole stalk. There are probably 8-10 hands with 8 bananas each on our stalk... and the individual bananas are twice the size. They are purchased green and all turn ripe at roughly the same time. Today the boat next to us toured the anchorage with their dinghy heaped with banana stalks trying to give them away. Now every boat in the anchorage has a stalk of bananas hanging in the rigging. There is no room to put such a large item down below, and if there are bugs in the stalk, they belong outside, so we all go around with a bright yellow and green decoration on the stern. Banana recipes circulate among the women. What do you do with 60 ripe bananas? Bananas-fritters, pancakes, bread, slushies, and plain. Unfortunately, we have no ice cream, so banana splits haven't been an option. We might have to go check out the markets here. You could buy a half gallon in Nuku Hiva for about $8.

We have heard rumors of kid boats moving our way, so we may circumnavigate this island and see if they show up. We have been offered a ride to another beach that is not accessible by cruising boat. There are rocks there with multicolored crystal in them that are shaped like flowers. They are interesting and unique, so it sounds like a good outing. We already have pounds and pounds of shells on board, so why not rocks too.

Today we had school in the morning and Pete did laundry in buckets on deck. Then we spent the afternoon playing on the beach. There is another family here with 2 kids, so we are instant friends. We got rained off the beach and had to rush back to take in our drying laundry and close the hatches. The kids are currently all playing "Sorry" and enjoying the companionship. I'm enjoying the break before I make pizza for dinner. I'm thankful for all the food I bought in Mexico, as it makes things like pizza possible.

Last night we had a nice radio chat with Loon, Icarian and Wyndeavor. It's amazing that we can hear their voices so far away with no phone. All is well with our friends in Mexico. Wyndeavor is still in the South Marquesas and we're not sure when we'll hook back up. They too are considering what their future will hold.

We'll try to do web e-mail and a website update before we leave here, but no guarantees. I don't expect internet again until Tahiti.