Kimuta

After leaving Misima we headed to Kimuta it was afternoon before we left as we had to get the bread first. The sail over was great but once we got there we could see another boat in a lagoon and tried to find a passage. We came close to running a ground so tried to get in closer to the shore instead of the lagoon we ended up with bommies around us everywhere I don’t know how we didn’t hit one but it was really scary. A sailing canoe came past and he showed us where to anchor the water was deep 70 foot but at least we didn’t have to go back to Misima and we weren’t dragging and weren’t on a reef.
It after lunch before we got to go ashore the next day as so many boats were coming up trading things, it does get a bit tiresome when all you want to do is go ashore.



Some trading canoes that came to see us.


We said hello to a few people when we were heading up the beach to a rock that was over hanging the water that we could see from the boat. One of the women who we met in the morning had some baggy to trade(which is a necklace made from shells, they are still used as bride price to give to the wifes family when a man gets married) so we ended up trading some kids clothes and fabric with her while we were there as she didn’t bring it out to the boat in the morning. We had only just made it to the next village and were talking to some of the people who we had met on the boat before it started to rain. A pastor invited us into his house to shelter and was telling us how he was a teacher and resigned to do church work. He is a really nice fellow and we gave him our address after he asked for it so he could write to us.



Daniel up a coconut tree
Michael and Daniel were playing with a bunch of boys and Michael made friends with a boy Wilson who he wants to keep in contact with when we get back. He and the other kids were busy following us around through different villages and showings us around. We walked up to the rock that was over hanging the water which was quite a nice spot. We also found a fenced area that had a heap of pigs in it that was near the rock.We saw Richard who was just about to feed the pigs they are fed on coconut and they only get 2 between them twice a day which we didn’t think was a lot but they seem fat enough.
Michael told him that we had a soccer ball that he could have to share with his friends so he came out to the boat to get it with a couple of boys. They were making bracelets with Kathleen’s beads but it was late and dark before I suggested that they should go home before their parents started worrying. He asked for some of the crumbed chicken I had cooked for tea I gave them a small bit and they left with bracelets they had made with Kathleen’s beads and some other things they had asked for.
The next day Kathleen, Amy and I went snorkeling while Ian and the boys sat in the dingy trying to catch a fish with no success. This was the best snorkeling we have seen so far in PNG before this it has been quite sad really but this still wasn’t as good as what we had seen in Australia. We went for a long swim which was great fun and Amy just makes it even more enjoyable. Daniel and Michael ended up coming for a quick swim and Daniel found a couple of shells then we all went looking for shells we found a couple but most had animals in then Daniel found a nice big one but it had an animal in it also so we put it back.

Ian with all the kids.