22 Jan - True Blue's last trip

Unfortunately for us, and those that following us to Pohnpei (and all the other pacific patrol boat countries) the recreational boats that were supplied have to be sold and will not be replaced due to cuts in Defence spending. I won't go into it on a public blog, as some people tend to get upset when hearing reality. It is a story to be taken offline over a beer or three. Needless to say we have greatly enjoyed the opportunities the 'rec boat' has added to our Pohnpei Experience. Fishing, diving, snorkeling, ski-tube, trips to the outer lying atolls; it has been great. I guess we will go and play on our playground now...... (inside line).

Dean and I took 'True Blue' out for her last run in Navy hands. We chased and caught a few wahoo and a couple of little skipjack tuna.

Coming home at 4500 rpm shows the boat is run down and ready for sale......

The jetty was underwater so fittingly we had to move to the lawn in front of our Anzac Memorial. A truely sad day, not only for the Navy familys currently in the Pacific, but also for those that follow us who will not get to experience all the joy having a boat has provided. A bad decision: let's leave it at that.

20 Jan - Got Sakau

Friday 20 Jan saw the FSM National Police finally have their Christmas Party. Better late than never. Geoff, Dean and Scott chipped in to rent the facility and the National Police all chipped in to buy food, soft drinks and water. It was basic but a great afternoon and evening.

The boys cooked up a storm. Chicken pieces and ribs done island style on top of a coconut husk fire.

When beer wass not supplied free the lads went the 'local' option of sakau. Baron started proceedings by cutting up and cleaning the roots.

It is a peppery flavoured sedative that is all the rage over here. Driving anywhere at night you can see people selling it, drinking it and if you go home late enough there is always a few fools driving home at 10 miles an hour after drinking it.

Then Alvino got stuck into smashing it all up into a pulp.

Scott was a little naughty and snuck in a couple of ribs before the food was blessed.

Hey when you live on an island it is pretty cool to get stuck into some of the culture.

After a few beers the hardest part is not smashing your own fingers as you hold all the roots on the sakau stone.

Two people pounding at a time makes for much more entertainment for the crowd.

Dinner is finally served and enjoyed (and blessed).

Mud crab and beer. Does it get any better????

Ricky (on the right) starting to so the sedative effects of sakau.

Six cups of this, on top of a few beers, and I was ready for bed. Home in bed before nine-thirty. Hungover for most of the next day. Maybe I'll stop at one cup of sakau next time. Maybe.....

15 Jan - Trout Dive

I'll call this a Trout Dive day as that was what it was, however I don't have any photos to prove it as I foolishly left the underwater camera housing behind. The coral trout and grouper where definately there is large numbers. I'll take the camera housing next time I promise.

We trolled on the way to our destination and managed to get our friend Rick on to his first fish on a rod and reel.

Easy does it, you don't want to lose your first one.

A solid little wahoo that gave every one on board heaps of smiles and a good feed.

Getting the hooks out of a live wahoo is never fun.

Like I said, very dissapointing that I forgot the camera housing for the dives. Hopefully the fish are all still spawing in a month when we do that dive again.

14 Jan - Jaxon's Pirate Party

It's not every day that you turn 5 so we had to make sure that Jaxon had a great day. His birthday was on a Thursday so we had a Pirate Party for him on the weekend. Our friend Jamie did a great job on a treasure hunt, map and all. Nic did a great job on the cake, and well I didn't do much at all. I was there though and had a great time.

Jaxon Boy, the pirate.

After going to five different stores to make up my Captain Hook outfit it turned out pretty effective. I even had real tears of fear from a couple of the kids. Good pirate stuff I say.

Nic started the activities with some colouring in of pirate pictures. Captain Hook promised them that if they didn't stay in the lines that it would 'off with their heads'.

Even Indi wasn't convinced that Captain Hook was a 'goodie'.

It was decided that we wouldn't do pin the tail on the donkey. Instead we did pin the hook on Captain Hook. With a couple of glasses of red under my belt a couple of nights before I had a go at Captain Hook for the occassion.

Pirate Princess Indi did pretty well (even if she wasn't that keen on the blindfold).

Happy with her effort.

They all had a go, which gave everyone a breather from crazy kids for a little while.

Mike and I enjoyed party as much as the kids I think.

Jamie with her best 'Ahhhrrrr' face.

Mummy and Daddy pirates.

Jamie's awesome treasure map. It was based on the compound we live in; there was definately a lot of effort put into this.

And away we go to find the first clue.

Clue number three I think.

Team work was needed to get across the swamp. Lucky it rains a bit here, so we had a swamp ready to go.

Waiting our turn, good work Indi and Mummy.

The bosses composter even got a role as a pretty scary bomb thingie.

And away we go again. This was the best treasure hunt ever.

A bomb pinatta.

Jaxon about to cop some Captain Hook action.

The string holding up the pinatta didn't last to long so Mike bravely held it up. Nice job, glad I wasn't doing it.

Then it was down to 'Lake Moonbeam' for the final stage of the treasure hunt.

William, king of the kids, did a great job of deciferring the clues throughout the hunt.

And at last it ends. Great job Jamie.

The Motley Crew.

Yep it's raining once again in Pohnpei.

Nic's awesome effort at a Pirate Cake. The best pirate cake ever.

Happy as Larry with this cake Mummy.

After lunch it was pool time.

Harrison was the coolist kid at the party. With fake hair on his chest and all.

Yet another great birthday party set up by Nic, with a little help from Jamie this time. Great job ladies.

12 Jan - Jaxon's Birthday

Possibly Jaxon's last birthday on island. More than likely he will sneak another one in just before we head home next year. The day started early as they do when you turn '5'. After a couple of presents it was off to school.

Spot the 'whitie'. Jaxon loves hanging out with his Pohnpean friends.

As is the norm when it is someone's birthday they make a big deal of it. This year Indi was able to be part of the celebration and was part of the tunnel that Jaxon had to walk through.

Jaxon was assigned five boys to help him, with them all required to follow him around for the ceremony.

King for five minutes.

After school it was out to lunch with our friend Brenda. He has the gift of the gab, after going and choosing his birthday present he went out for lunch. Then he convinced Brenda to take him home so that he could watch cartoons at her house.

Uncle Marty and Auntie Penny sent to awesome car track over for Jaxon. It's been used pretty constantly for a five days now and hasn't broken. Great present. Anything that Jaxon doesn't break in the first day could probably survive re-entry on the space shuttle.

Down the Surfclub for dinner. We saw this guy paddling past, another great sight in Pohnpei.

The next day we played with Jaxon's new cricket bat and ball set. Indi was happy to throw the ball in any direction. Jaxon's coordination is coming along and he managed to smack a few balls to the boundary.