Kelcey Chandler-Yates and Jim Yates present...

UnderSeaPhotoVideo.com

April 11, 2004

April 10th, 2004
Ten days after arriving home I was back to feeling like a maid. Nick and I put our feet down and insisted that sailing to the beautiful anchorages of this area were necessary tonic for our souls. Life is again good as gold as under sail we approach the crystal waters of one of our favorite spots. Easter is right around the corner but better yet is Christopher's 17th birthday. We will spend it with some of our dearest friends, Amecia and Lole (pronounced Lolly). Lole is Tongan and will teach us more ways to feed off the reef at low tide. It is amazing how many little creatures are so tasty especially after foraging for them yourselves. It is also a great way to get exercise or if you choose to stay home on the boat, a great way to get a bit of peace. This is what I chose today after being stabbed by a sea urchin yesterday-the roe of his brethren was worth the pain however. For Chris's birthday Lole did a classic Tongan umu and we roasted a suckling pig.

April 18, 2004
We have really enjoyed yapping with Lole about Tongan lore -- he is a total crack up and is wise beyond his years. Our friends Jamie and Brad arrived from the States and Jim purchased a suckling pig from a nurse at the hospital. Yesterday we all enjoyed doing an umu on the beach with pella and lamb ribs and yams that the ladies at the market gave me. I must say that there is no other way to describe our eating---we pigged out!!

April 19, 2004
-Diving was the activity today.-and spear fishing for Chris of course! It was a great dive for them with lots fish and even a giant clam for dinner. Unfortunately the spear fisherman wasn't where the groupers were! It's burgers and hotdogs tonight.

April 26, 2004-Obviously we have been having way too much fun. Eating like always when Jamie and Brad are down has been one of our favorite activities. Many nights of fresh clams off the reef and pen muscles from in the sand. It was a good thing I had plenty of coconut milk on board because it always seemed coconut curry was the sauce of the day. Two days ago however I was able to find 3 kilos! of lobster tails so the first night they ate tail till they couldn't possibly eat any more, and last eve we invited Trish and Christy and the kids who are from Ireland, out to the boat as well as Lole and Amecia and had lobster Newberg, homemade pudding, fresh salad which was a huge hit with my group as we had not had it in over 2 weeks, and sausages and hotdogs. Never know what the group is going to come up with when you have so many nationalities present. Jamie and I seemed to be in the kitchen all night having a ball while the kids were flying off the bow of the boat and the guys were chatting it up. Trish and Amecia sat on the steps to the kitchen observing our antics! Jim and Lole cleaned the day's catch of Jumbo Clam and boy were they Jumbo!!

April 29, 2004
AHHHHHHHHHH it is so nice to have a day to rest-I love to have people visit but to be all alone on the boat is heavenly. The boys are studying, Jim is at the hospital and Hinano and I are going snorkeling.

Blue starfish, orange starfish, nudibranchs, Spanish dancers and a beautiful sea horse-the third that we have been able to find. Off to town to pick Jim up from the hospital …

April 30th 2004
The internet was our goal of the day -- heaps of messages and stocks to browse. Once done I sauntered to the market to purchase fresh bananas for breakfast tomorrow and talk to my favorite market ladies. My favorite oman was sitting forlorn at her booth. Her daughter was bit by a stonefish a few weeks ago and the doctors told her amputation of the distal portion of her thumb was the only way to save her hand. A week had passed since the diagnosis and Tongan medicine was proved of no value. Now the wound was malodorous, festering and black and had advanced into the palm of the hand. Still the daughter would not return to the hospital. Ïs there any way you can help me Kelcey?" I ran to Jim and asked him if I could have him take her to the hospital. Now she is there on strong antibiotics awaiting the infection to be controlled before the doctors judge how much of the thumb has to be removed. Jim and I shake our heads, as the people trust us so much here yet question their own people. It will be hard to leave as we have made a remarkable difference to many of the villagers.