Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

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September 1, 2002
Diving today was exceptional once again and then we were invited for dinner at Talperi's home, where John Paul, Manna and Christopher made dinner for all of us including Bobby and Karla from Thalassa and Pamela and her boyfriend from the other side of the lagoon who own a pearl farm and Valentine and Gaston. Nick and I made a big batch of brownies, which naturally were a big hit. Come to find out the other cruisers are usually asked to pay for dinner where we are asked to bring sweets! At $20/pp, brownies, cakes and caramels are a small price to pay! We seem to be in the minority in the cruising community when it comes to going out for dinner. I just can't see paying for a meal when for that same amount of money I can feed us for over a week!  Talperi and I had that discussion, as he is amazed that the cruisers not only are willing to pay but beg him to fix meals for them and they set the price for him! He prefers the arrangement we have as it allows them to taste things they do not have here, also allows the kids to have time with each other.  Dinner was fabulous and John Paul's bread is to die for!

September 2, 2002
This am I awoke to pick up the boat and get all my jewelry things out as Pamela and Valentine came over to look at it. As it turned out they loved my earrings and wanted to buy 4 pair each for Christmas presents. Pamela had a few beautiful pearls that I traded for as well as some cash. She also purchased many of my tools as well as beads and other supplies so she could make her pearls into finished jewelry to sell to the charter boats that come here. Nick and I had a kick teaching them and it was good to speak French a bit.

This eve we had all the German boats over for a potluck. I made mini German potato pancakes, which are my grandmother's specialty. They were a huge hit! We also showed our video of the wall we have been diving here as well as some of my photos.

September 3, 2002
Jim and I dove the wall again and found a deep crevasse in it that was so spectacular I did not want to come up! Also we saw a HUGE jack half as long as Jim. This eve we had some people from a French boat that came in this morning, over for cocktails and then Manna came over for dinner. Weighing in at at least 250lbs I cooked double batches of everything including brownies, which is his favorite now that I have been making them for him for the past week.

September 4, 2002 - my grandmothers 97th Birthday!!
The day began diving again. The French folks went with us as well as Norbert from Harlequin. They all wanted to dive the wall deep and all except Norbert said that they had plenty of experience so when the French woman went deep and stayed deep we were alarmed!  She stayed down at 250 feet for twice as long as the rest of us! I thought I was going to have to go down and retrieve her but instead I waited and baby-sat her through her decompression stops!  She kept trying to go towards the surface instead of slowly gassing off! -Finally I just told her she was following me and her husband told her to do the same as he was almost out of air! Luckily we had hung a spare tank just in case! Norbert did fine and was perfectly comfortable and in control. I told him he could dive with me anytime but that I had no interest in diving with the French until we gave them some detailed lessons on decompression diving! I hope that they just didn't understand - could have been a horrific time for her! This eve I cooked up a batch of conch chowder and cheese tortellini for the locals. I taught them how to shell the conch with out damaging the shell and how to cook them for tenderness. Manna, Pamela, Valdez and Talperi really enjoyed it but John Paul only ate my homemade tortellini. He wanted to know how I made it but once again after describing it I was told never mind-too much work!

September 6, 2002
The past couple of days were spent cleaning the boat. It was the case of Kelcey and the toothbrush getting into all the cracks not touched for the past two months. Today I came up for air and went diving. It was a beautiful site that Jim found with Norbert yesterday. I even had a large snapper escort me back to the surface. I was intrigued with him and my bubbles intrigued him!

September 9, 2002
Traded pearls with Pamela again for jewelry and found out that the locals were killing their dog for dinner. Decided I didn't want to be around for the hanging so jumped in the dinghy and went diving. No disappointment here. We were pleasantly surprised with a huge pod of over 100 dolphins complete with dominant male and infants. It was a thrill to see Nicholas' excitement as well as feel my own! Just as we were ready to go on to dive the wall a huge manta ray came swimming by. Into and down in the water Nick went, and he was able to pet the ray. Just another day in paradise! After there was the wall dive-wow. Another crevasse and huge plate corals. Spectacular once again.

The scene that happened while we were diving was not so pleasant.  Chris went to shore today to hang with the locals, play with the dogs, and help the kids with their work. Talperi's mother came back from Tahiti yesterday and along with her, several relatives from a neighboring island. The episode would be unforgettable.  The demise of a cute hound dog who I must admit had a bit lacking in the intelligence department but Chris found the butchering and eating of the poor fellow a harsh reality for his previous nights sleep on the kitchen table! Talperi had had enough of its insubordinance it seems and not enough meat to feed the populace that would be dining at his table. I just couldn't partake!  I know it was just over a hundred years ago that they were eating each other down here but eating mans best friend???  I guess enough cultural experience for all of us for one day! We ate chicken - hope none of you have a pet one.

September 10th
Not as spectacular a dive as yesterdays encounter but enjoyable nonetheless. A huge manta, Nick says the same one as yesterday, allowed me to photograph as well as ride him for well over fifteen minutes, after which I was duty bound to take the German fleet for a shallow dive along the pass. Norbert did the lead and I the follow until our return where I was in the lead so we would return to the boat as the rest were disoriented. After taking pictures of the five of them bobbing around we finally got a great shot. We made it in one piece back to the boat with Ingrid ecstatic with the fact that she did so well. It was nice to see her so pleased with her self! Jim had been ever the hunter, gathering up huge spiral snails, over a hundred of them. Thousands litter the bottom and the locals find it too tedious to cook and clean them, however as he was using their fire and pot over coconut husks they joined in with the fire building and enjoyed a few snacks. They are amazed that we eat some of the things we do and always want to know where we learned about them. Other islands are always the answer and a huge smile followed with an island secret, which is hoped to top the list, is always shared. They may eat dog but they are the sweetest most gentile people. Hearts of gold.

This afternoon I spent baking bread and learning how to make a German biscuit which tastes much like a pretzel. They didn't look very good but the whole batch was gone by bedtime.

September 11, 2002
Windy rainy terrible night accompanied by no sleep. It is now 3pm and I am still in my pajamas. Much has been accomplished despite my attire. More muffins, a loaf of whole wheat bread, laundry, much school work and even an hour of quiet reading. The day reminds me of a quiet rainy day on the river house, fireplace going, children reading, and peace in the heart. Quite a contrast to the glass turquoise waters which we have enjoyed for the past week. Jim shot a fish this morning so I could make poisson cru and use the last of our vegetables. We even had the last of our 7 dollar cabbage in a salad along with our German pretzels, as we call them. Now I get to enjoy my afternoon with a massage, as Martine on Windpocker is a massage therapist. We have been lending them tanks for diving so she offered us massages. If that was not enough pampering we were also invited over to Thalassa for dinner. Bobbie and Carla enjoyed the chicken the other eve with us so wanted to return the favor.

September 12, 2002
We enjoyed a movie from Bobby and Carla's younger days when they went from Tahiti to Europe via Cape Horn! Very exciting! I also was gifted with a chat with Carla about her childhood in Germany. She was actually a refugee who's father being in the military afforded her lifesaving opportunities.  Too much rum punch to remember all the details of the account, so I will have to get the compilation correct when I have an opportunity.

Today I made extra bread and had Talperi and the boys over for bread and jam. John Paul set out diving with Jim and Chris with my equipment so I vegged out and read a book - a much desired rest for my mind but I felt supremely lazy in doing it! Tonight a dinner party for the folks on Orion as they leave tomorrow.

September 13, 2002
Dinner last eve was enjoyable. They are exceedingly interesting people and, as I constantly attempt to do, I inquire where they are from and what the war was like as they were youthful children at the time of WWII.  Elkie said she was not affected as she lived in the country and was not touched by food shortages or bombings but Wolfram was living at the time in Berlin and he and his mother were shipped into the country in Bavaria, while his father served in the army. His father being a vigilant objector to Hitler's theories and incarcerated from 33 to 43 prior to his rise to high power, was earmarked for death. He and his associates, who were required to join the army, were put in a division who's post was to go into bombed out buildings and pillage the leavings. As all bombs are not always detonated upon impact this was hazardous and during his early career in the German military he was blown up with numerous others in a building in Berlin. It is always fascinating to hear the narrative of older (they are 62 and 63) Europeans. They were very grateful for the Marshall Plan after WWII as it helped to stabilize not only Germany but also the whole of Europe, preventing another zealous group from gaining power such as the Nazis did through bogus promises of hope to the unfortunate depleted starving nation of Germany, where the people were scrounging for any optimism they could come across.

This morning I took Bobby on his second dive with me - the wall of Toau! We went to 124 feet and explored the over hangs. An enormous dolphin escorted us down the anchor chain and my buddy the red snapper continued the rest of the job. Bobbie was overjoyed. The visibility was magnificent and the fish action the most excellent yet.

Once at the surface we saw our friends on the boat Brianna approaching so we provided them the Toau welcome and shepherded them into the anchorage. They transported kilos of fruits and vegetables for which we are exceptionally pleased.

September 15, 2002
Yesterday I took Ingrid from Harlequin diving on the wall. With her limited experience she would not be able to see the walls without me. I intended to take her only to 70 feet however it was so beautiful and she was enjoying it so much that I took her to the end of the crevasse where the spiral coral became gigantic platters larger in circumference than we were tall, circling to a small rosette in the center. It was wonderful to dive with someone who appreciates the beauty of the simple forms seen underwater. She was thrilled to see the sights and over flowing with exuberance by the time she was lead to 15 feet where she did her safety stop. She couldn't wait, a huge hug was forthcoming and as awkward as it was in our cumbersome dive equipment she bestowed it. I felt shivers down my spine, knowing that I shared in a once in a lifetime experience.

Returning from diving I had a few moments to shower and change before heading off with John Paul, Talperi and Chris to snag lobsters for our feast. Talperi was a maniac! The surf had risen and once he spotted a lobster he would dive into the surf, plummeting his whole arm up into a narrow hole until he either captured one or scared them out where they fled into the surf and he pounced upon them like a cat on a mouse. Eleven lobsters later we called it quits. Chris and I having captured one to Talperi's 10, while John Paul captained the boat off shore fishing for large sharks. Having caught one he pulled it a board in time to gather us off the shore. The tide changing and the swell growing with 11 lobsters and a fish their dog Tequila had caught on my back in a makeshift backpack whose body was a gasoline jerry jug with the top cut off and straps riveted on, I had to make it through the surf and precariously jump onto the boat, lobsters intact. I decided against it and handed Talperi the heavy pack just before being knocked on my butt in the rising surf. No worry, a little wet but still game, I flew myself onto the deck of the boat floundering but safe while the surf subsided between large wave sets. Talperi had a chuckle as did the boys but no matter a fool I had an experience I will not soon forget.

Now here I sit with the children consuming homemade snow cones and munching on red cabbage leaves as if they were potato chips. The "crunch" is an enjoyment not felt for a while. A basketball sized red cabbage has been abridged to a baseball. When asked if I mind if they eat it I think to myself - where on earth would a mother have to moderate the swiftness in which her two teen sons devoured a cabbage!  Crunch, crunch, crunch! What else does one have to do when the schoolwork is done and the swell in the anchorage is higher than you care to negotiate to visit friends?

September 27, 2002
Just came in from shore where we were invited for another of those family get togethers. More food than we could begin to consume including quiche, smoked fish, and home made tarts!! Rosette is home!  Rose as we call her is a most astonishing person - smile on her face and truth be told by her lips. She has a wonderful quirk about the way she tells stories and shows expression as she tells tales. They are especially animated when she speaks of her children but then when you have seven we suppose you best be proud. She is as well as Talperi who I might add has had a Cheshire grin on his face since she arrived home two days ago!  The first morn after she arrived home the whole family came for coffee and beignets. Soon I ran out of jam and then after 3 pots of coffee they finally left!  I love to have them on the boat but occasionally it gets to be too long. They don't seem to mind me doing dishes or finishing beading another pair of earrings. They just sit and watch not needing entertainment as much as companionship I think. But then that is what I would crave if I were the tenth person in a 50 square mile region!

For the past 6 days I have struck up camaraderie with Ann on Oddly Enough. She and I have been working on earrings, her the grunt labor and I the designing. She loves it and it has given me a lot of freedom to follow through on the designs I have dreamt of. Now we are beading them all and she has blossomed in creativity and come up with a number of new combinations. They are all looking quite stunning. In a few days I will create a Christmas line, which will be immense enjoyment. Wonderful to have time to create and as well to have the whole family enjoy tossing ideas around.

The diving has continued to be astonishing. I have been as deep as 261 feet and each time I go deep I love it more than the last. Quiet, serine, tranquil and astonishingly clear with faultless corals the size of small cars. Then due to the fact we must squander so much time doing decompression stops, we have become recognizable with the whole surface community of fish and they actually receive our presence now! When we leave is the big question! We like it here so and the anchorage is so safe we hate to pull up stakes - so it looks like we will stay at least through next week if not longer.

September 29, 2002-
Huge lobster and a slice of Mahi Mahi filled our plates this evening. I traded with Valentine a pair of earrings for a 3 kilo lobster. These spiny lobsters have no claws like the Maine lobsters but the legs had a girth the girth of my thumb. Delicious!  Yesterday Valentine and her mother, Violet came to the boat to be adjusted. Huge shells and broad smiles accompanied them. Nicholas showed them his pearl wire wrapped necklaces and they purchased one even with a price tag of $70 US dollars! They were thrilled with it and I must say it looked stunning on Violets neck. Previous to their visit Ann and I went to Roses home and learned how to make palm frond sheets for walls. They are woven in a way which allows air to pass but stops water and most light from entering. We each did two of them before moving on to shopping baskets. This was a might bit tougher and I must say that for the life of me I could not duplicate mine but the basket I wove turned out acceptable. The fun was in the making as Rose was her usual jovial self. Once finished however she was ready to leave. Another boat - Windpocker - had been on shore with them since early morning and I think Rose just wanted some peace and quiet. I retired to the boat for a quick change before cooking up some oatmeal raisin cookies for the dinner we had to attend on Brianna. Corned beef and cabbage was the fair along with nice French wines. I have never been a fan of corned beef but I will crave that first bite from last night for some time to come. It is either that Cathy is a spectacular cook or that I have not been privy to tender meat for a long time. Most likely a combination of the two! We had a delightful evening and heard stories from the beginnings of Cathy and Bob's relationship. Some hysterical as well as melancholy times were shared. We also enjoyed looking through their book about Easter Island and we believe we might spend a week there as a result.