Misc data and adventures of a Tayopa treasure hunter

[KANACKI]

Hello All

Buying the drumbeat was tussle with the other half. My wife only graciously agreed as we originally had an idea for business. But for one reason or another it never really materialized. For me it was pretext of being a business but in reality just an excuse to sail around the world in her. I never really made much money when I sailed her. Today she is skippered by my son in Thailand taking cashed up 20-30 years on adventure cruises off the coast of western Thailand. My other son skippers the schooner I bought " Ocean child " off Bali in Indonesia doing the same thing.

So in effect my wife thought the drumbeat in her eyes was my mid life crises toy. So in effect I have to prove to her it had uses. So in affect in trying to justify having the drumbeat I looked to problems we had on the island. On the island there virtually no employment purposes. training for new skills for island is almost non existent. Many young men and women have rather bleak prospects on the island and 20% of population are living in other countries working sending home money to support family on the island.

While island is a paradise in many ways the reality is there is no such think as perfect paradise.

The reality is my friends the drumbeat is still a crew intensive vessel. In other words where is hell do you get a crew to work for keep on the cheap? There is data base where people interested in sailing on tall ships can register their name giving details of experience. Most are there at various stages learning the ropes. Some however have had some extensive experience. So the idea I proposed was the vessel was going to be sea training vessel to train seamanship. confidence building. in giving young men and women on the island a chance to have an adventures and gain seamanship skips able to transfer into fishing industry.

It was all looking well until disaster hit the island. The island small fishing processing plant and had several tuna fishing boats. Our distance form markets and competition from Chinese fishing trawlers using indentured slave labor from Africa and Ceylon. We even with our low wages we could not compete. The fishing industry on the island closed down with process plant land trawlers left rusting. Our extensive fishing right was sold off over the islanders heads to a large fishing conglomerate. So in effect we was economically bypassed by the fishing industry. However end result was very gloomy for the young men and women now unable to fish their own waters.

But idea to train young men and women seamanship was still there for the fishing industry. Not a good plan my friends as reality was those young men and women had no money to pay for training either? So as usual we had to do everything on the proverbial shoe string. however I had to recruit some experienced crew to become mentors to ones i chose to sail on the journey.

One of the older men on the island Patrick was an experienced trawler man who has worked on trawlers all over the pacific who rose to the rank of mate. Although he never sailed on a tall ship before. I hired an american fellow by the name of George who cut his teeth on a tall ship to become first mate on the "Picton castle" and other vessels. Much bigger vessel than the Drumbeat so his experience was invaluable.

Then there was lovely young women from new Zealander rather dumpy in stature but who had from teenager sailed on the "Young Endevour" another sailing training vessel and had worked up the ranks for 8 years. Her name was Cindy however dumpy appearance belied the fact she was the most fleet footed climber I ever seen climb rigging like a monkey. She was big drinker her nick name was "Keg" But when at sea she was utmost professional.

They was my experienced crew with me, my wife and son. Plus 10 trainees crew I had tried out on short trips to see if they was up to it. Some was never going to cut it. Some had to be put back onshore then 10 I selected was the ones who showed some initiative.

And thus my friends who you select join your crew is paramount because you are squeezed into small confined space together and you need to be able to work as a team.

A team my friends is essential to keep you alive for all the adventures and adversity you encounter my friends?

Coffee my friends?

Kanacki

 

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[Mackaydon]

Kanacki,
Occasionally, we find ourselves parked on the leeward side of some tiny sliver of land with neither land nor ship to create a blip on our 40-mile radar screen. If the seas were calm, I'd allow my Honduran island captain (RIP) to relax; really relax for the evening. He would fish for his dinner, enjoy it with a stashed liquid that was not allowed on my boat, then start to dance and sing by himself while I watched him in sheer enjoyment. I could easily image his ancestral kin doing the same thing on a pirate ship.
Don....

 

[KANACKI]

Kanacki,
Occasionally, we find ourselves parked on the leeward side of some tiny sliver of land with neither land nor ship to create a blip on our 40-mile radar screen. If the seas were calm, I'd allow my Honduran island captain (RIP) to relax; really relax for the evening. He would fish for his dinner, enjoy it with a stashed liquid that was not allowed on my boat, then start to dance and sing by himself while I watched him in sheer enjoyment. I could easily image his ancestral kin doing the same thing on a pirate ship.
Don....

Hello Don Mackay

Its always amazing how these memories stick out, Some of details around it may fade but key moment becomes priceless memory of a moment in time. The times pirates lived in was brutal even for those who chose an ordinary seaman's life. Even the every day person lot was hard. No welfare you worked to you died. Piracy became a better option that be just being crew member of merchant ship for many.

After the 1812 war between America and England, and the war Napoleonic war. Many sailors of privateers and navies become unemployed. no welfare back then with a glut of sailors to man merchant ships wages went down over the few berth available. No wonder veterans from those wars jumped at chance to work on privateers in the south American independence. Thus began a 20 year run of profiteering around south America. Privateering under official letters of marque to technically protect you from the charge of piracy. yet it did not take many of those privateers to stray into piracy.

You may be pleased to know your last name "Mackay" is well known in Chile during was of independence. Captain Mackay operated privateer called fortune and glory that captured a Spanish ship Minerva in 1817.

In fact Mackay has a connection to one of the biggest audacious acts of piracy in history few people know about?

But that my friend is another yarn for another time

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello Again

Getting back to the yarn coffee?

The voyage we hauled good wind crossing equator.

For the first time in time honored tradition basically a superstition usually the captain becomes king Neptune and baptizes the inductees with a crossing name. Tradition was with the equator christened name got protection by king Neptune lord of the deep in that inductee's future voyages.

Each inductee is ceremonially dunked with bucket of sea water all in good fun. They even got certificate and ceremonial name give them. I believe tradition gives some exotic name. When I first crossed the equator i got christened "Kanacki" way way back in 1966. Some navies kept up the tradition however some went too far and now in some navies have banned the ritual. However the original intention was a bit of fun. Normally it was seen as moral boosting ceremony breaking the boredom.

But some times boredom is good thing usually a sign on ship things are sailing smoothly. In the old days on whalers many of crew would carve scrimshaws on mainly but not solely whale bone. The fickle and contrary winds make a slows passage we had about 1500 km but a sailing ship rarely sails in the straight line. The days was hot and sticky and sun bured like sitting next a bar heater.Our wind speed would drop to point the sailing would barely ripple. We was running out of wind.

However there is an old Polynesian seafarers trick if you see sea birds in the distance riding the air thermals it can help you where a puff of wind is. That of course if the birds are going in your direction. :-) It was with that ongoing chase the wind we finally made into Rabaul New Britain. In the last part I had resort using the engines to get into harbor.

Being the place of my growing up I had magical memories of the old colonial outpost, once known as pearl of the pacific. As part of my boyhood memories but now sadly a ruin as the house of my childhood had been incinerated by eruption of volcano. The airport, cemetery. Old Chinese quarter many historical building that survived the bombing of WW2 was not match for Volcano when she erupted. I have made a few attempts of trying to locate my mothers and fathers graves obliterated by tons of ash and lava.

Having 10 young men to dig was of great help but in the end i had conceded it was proverbial needle in the haystack. two thirds of the town was totally destroyed. Most of expats I knew there was either dead or had moved away. However there was old fella I had to see. Old Pat. Don Jose you would loved old Pat.

Old pat was an Australia commando that worked with American marines fighting in Borneo. He original was part of Australian expedition force that went to Singapore but due to the incompetence of English general running the show in Singapore forced to surrender. He was in the Dutch east indies at the time in Timor as the Japanese invaded Indochina. Fighting a rear guard action.

Old Pat was a bit tone deaf as he got older. He was an old bushmen farmer typical of the old Australian movies of the 1950s. He grew up on sheep farm in place called Gundagai in Australia. How he ended up in Rabaul after the war. He was like many ex servicemen totally changed by the horrors they saw in war. And could not return to mainland Australia.

He like my old boy became district liaison officers for the native police force He got on like house of fire with my old boy. My old boy fought in Burma. Plus they both liked to drink on their time off. He lived backing onto the harbour . As a kid I heard all the yarns sitting on his back veranda. Pat was never same when my old boy passed away think he lost a kindred spirit. Most of my family had moved to Australia except me and my mum who worked on the mission since the end WW2. But the old days had gone. He was well into his late 90's with Dementia. yet he would have his lucid moments.

I recall one of his yarns he said they was attacking Bouganville They was entrenched at a beachead at night pitch black dug in. As black as misers heart old Pat described it you could not put a hand in front of you. Over cast and no starlight. His commanding officer for some reason thought it was all too quiet and debated with Pat. In fact everyone's ears was still ringing from the days fighting. It was surreal quite peaceful a lull in days fighting. Many troops felt dead on their feet from lack of sleep. Most of all the men was trying to come down off the Adrenalin from earlier fighting in the day.

However the officer who was next to machine gunner and loader on picket duty ordered Pat to send up a flare. Old Pat sent a flare up and to their horror the Japaneses was doing a Banzai suicide bayonet charge in total silence was only a few perhaps 10 to 15 feet away. In an instant all hell broke lose as the left and right flank opens and his gunner to left opened up in night show of death with rattle and sting of machine gun fire. Few Japanese ever made to their trenches. Old pat must of had one of those moments where he said if they waited a second longer to put up the flare they would of been over run and most likely killed? It went from complete calm to complete chaos ion seconds.

They was so close you could almost see the whites of their eyes in light of the flare. The next morning they had over 200 fly blown dead bodies and body parts bloated and the smell was putrid. Old Pat used to get a distant look and say ya never forget the smell of death. When the time came they moved out of trenches to a new forward position half the dead Japanese soldiers looked very young. The troops found picture on Japanese perhaps of their wives, lovers, children, mothers, father, brothers or sisters.

There was no quarter given on both sides with very bloody close quarter combat. And truth be told atrocities was done on either side. They worked through the island on mopping up operations foxhole by each foxhole using flame thrower into bunkers. One such group of Japanese was using local natives as human shields unbeknownst to the commandos they flame throwing one such bunker and women and children came out screaming in flames. Pat grimaced at the memory and said that was one of the most horrifying things to see. And the men decided to kill all of them to spare them the agony. However the burning Japanese soldiers was left burn. Such was the hatred. This horror was repeated all over war on many of the islands of Pacific.

While my friends historical revisionist these days will portray them as evil whites guys. The truth of the matter the Japanese got what they deserved. They was the aggressor that started it all and was very brutal in the treatment pow and civilians . However i do not hold the Japanese born after WW2 responsible for the sins of their fathers because they was not even born. 75 years might of past by memories of atrocities still run raw.

Old pat found solace in this old colonial outpost unable to go back to his home town as people back home had no understanding the horrors he partook in. It was the last time I saw old Pat the nuns in local convent take him in for his final years. And his stories all became a memory. i heard he died 2 weeks shy of his 100th birthday.

It was these things revisiting the place and chance to show my young crew member the Japanese tunnels around Rabaul , To help give them an understanding of sacrifices that was gives by those who had gone before them to what they have today.

Gee it late again coffee?

To be continued...

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello All

Coffee? I need some Don Jose sock coffee ... I think have flu coming down with.

I have posted before about the tunnels of Rabaul. There was story that 2000 troops capture in Malaya was buried alive in tunnels by the Japanese. As a kids in the early 1960's we always hoping to discover a hidden entrance. My older brother his friends and me squirt of tag along kid found a cave in a hill over looking Rabaul with skeletons of Japanese solders and a heavy caliber machine gun. Years later souvenir hunters pilfered the site to sell artifacts to tourists.The machine gun on its stand all rusted still had an ammunition belts with live ammo feeding into it. It looked as if it was frozen in time.

However its late and old kanacki feels like crap..

My apologies I deviated again. the voyage contained. It was an adventure for my crew visiting the tunnels as party of the journey. my friends. The drumbeat upped anchor we sailed toward Bougainville and yet once again I mention that island before. Across the strait we entered Solomon Islands and travel through iron bottom sound. Nicknames for amount of ships sunk there during WW2. Fighting in these islands. We had one island in particular that we wanted to visit to have search for the remains lost Spanish colony. However as said in earlier post when entering another countries formalities had to be taken care of first. thus the drumbeat had to formally enter the country though Honiara.

Coffee?

To be continued.....

Kanacki

 

[Real of Tayopa]

Gentle I find that I am indebted to DOUG for my prologue. Thanks Doug, I had forgotten it.

 

[KANACKI]

Hello Don Jose

Its was fitting prologue to your adventurous life my friend.

Your are a living link to an era where a whole generation across the world stood and fought for good against a mighty evil. At huge costs slaying the great beast to give us nearly 70 odd years of some what shaky peace. Many of us here are indebted to your generation because for most of us been spared the agony and wholesale slaughter of war across the globe.

And with that I salute you amigo.

Coffee?

The drumbeat had to legally first land at the designated port of entry which is Honiara. With usually immigration and customs procedures.Honiara the capital had only just gone through some turbulent times. It took and Australian and New Zealand Army to stabilize the capital that crime was out of control and government was on verge of collapse. There was no night time excursions off the ship.

Honiara was the capital of the Solomon islands however what many people do not understand the white mans concept of nationhood was vastly different from the cultural tribal links the nation had. In truth the island group called the Solomon islands is lose group of island tribal kingdoms that had little common with each other in language and customs. Honiara was mixing bowl of these island kingdoms. However the mixing was no harmonious as old tribal hatreds was stronger than any concept of national identity. Once with clearance it was better and safer to visit outer island that to linger a Honiara itself.

So we free to sail around and land where so chose. first stop was Santa Isabel Island.then onto Nendo island.

The Spanish first discovered the Solomon Islands and the first landing was made at Santa Isabel Island, by the Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña on 7 February 1568. A settlement was established by the Spaniards on an island called Nendo, and a small boat (known in the accounts as "the brigantine") was built to survey and chart the surrounding sea and islands. These local explorations resulted in the discoveries of the islands of Malaita among others.

he Spanish immediately came into contact with Solomon Islanders and at first the relationship was cordial. However, the Spanish expedition's need for fresh food and water quickly led to tension and conflict, the Solomon Islanders’ subsistence economy being unable to provide continuous supplies to the Spanish.

Having found no gold and little food, and beset by attacks and sickness, the Spanish colonists shifted their colony to the site of today's Honiara on Guadalcanal, and the settlement on Santa Isabel was abandoned.

Eventually the exact location of this first Spanish settlement was lost on Santa Isabel Island?

I had gotten information for a Sydney based researcher that had 3 or 4 sites that might of been the original settlement. however for us was to get a chance to even go and look we had visit and trade with islanders getting to know there customs. Getting access to their land. All meant complex tribal negations with local chiefs. On Santa Isabel Island there are 8 local tribal languages. In Honiara we had picket up a local missionary that spoke some of the languages and spoke pidgin English a little different from the New Guinea Pidgin English.

Once again old Kanacki had to go ashore with this missionary 2 of my crew and exchange greetings. The Drumbeat rode at anchor with sails all rolled up. She looked a fine sight however I wondered what dark memories that may be triggered? During the days when sailing ship exactly like mine came there black birding enslaving the islanders in the 18th century.


To be continued...

Kanacki

 

[Mackaydon]

Kanacki,
Yes, Capt. MacKay's ship was a launch called La Fortuna. He also captured the Spanish brig, Santa Maria. On board that vessel were important papers handed over to the patriots in Valp. and for these activities as a privateer, he was given a degree of official approval.
Don.........

 

[KANACKI]

Hello All

Well at times in life where i did not need to take unnecessary risks. But time and time again I was habitual offender. I think you get addicted to element of risk my friends While some take it to extremes as see yoube of sky divers in flying suits mountain climbers and extreme sports. At the end of day no real monetary reward in fact the opposite was the case. Yet time and time again it was adrenaline they was addicted too. So by no means my action was never as extreme as them but in s different way. Charm had got me far my friends and the ability to cold read people in effect to garner trust.

Everyone has moments in their lives they have moments in thinking what the hell I am doing? Like your consciousness saying wake up what the hell are you doing? Those moment and i know all of you in one point of their lives have had those moments. Coming ashore from the drumbeat putting up to beach with hundred or so kids and few adults looking at the drumbeat gently rocking like a racehorse tethered to an anchor in the bay. I cannot imagine what the adults looking suspiciously at first at the drumbeat? I wondered if they remembered the old tales of slavers that used capture whole village as slave and sell them as slaves or so called indentured workers for sugar cane industry in Australia.

While today around the globe there is an estimated 20.9 Million people trapped in some form of slavery today. It's sometimes called “Modern-Day Slavery” and sometimes “Human Trafficking." At all times it is slavery at its core. The drumbeat for us westerners is seen as romance for the islanders it memory of enslavement. Although times of change two world wars and the efforts of the missionaries to tone some of the islanders more barbaric customs. As Don Jose eloquent stated the native passion for Mary Kai Kai

But in truth it was somewhere between both camps. While natives suffered horribly by ancient mariners the natives in turn murdered whole ships crews. The Solomon islands are full of wreck ships captured and plundered by natives. The first ships was explorations ships. then ships turning up after sandalwood, later copra and slaves. And money acquired in the sale sandalwood from such voyages was a novelty to the natives because money and gold had no use in there world. Whats was precious more than gold for them clothes, iron from the ship tobacco. alcohol and weapons.

So you could imagine a tense moment of making contact. Fortunately for me I have so many successful contacts with various tribes in New Guinea it was a never real problem. Secondly we have brought an missionary interpreter called Thomas. Who was able to communicate in pidgin Solomon islander style and me partly with New Guinea pidgin. Which as impressive enough. i kept George and Patrick and my son on the drumbeat with 8 of crew but brought Cindy and my wife ashore.

This was symbolic gesture as it told them we come in peace with good will of course an old trick was bring a bag of toys little plastic circus animals and farm animals given to the kids sparked avalanche of children. Bringing broad smiles all round..My wife was infinite trader by heart. Where ever she went she always have things to trade. While there was signs of 20th century in the village. It was still only a token impact on their way of life. As tribal custom dictates we out of respect had to see the head man of the village.

Once would be excused for thinking these native no or little contact with the outside world but in truth it is some where in between. Various yachts have called in over the years. Mostly with a guide. At first dealing these people you bring a pleasantries and bring on your intentions progressively. After all we are on their turf. And how would you react if you was in their shoes? We explain we was on sail training voyage with several islanders from our island. Because we was not from any traditional enemies of theirs it did not seem a issue as long as they behave and keep their hands off the women in the village.

Meanwhile my wife was already trading trinkets with the women of village . So we brought up the reason why we was here? We slowing explained that we was looking for traces of settlement that once existed? WE talked about history of tribe the WW2. The chief said he would give permission as long as the actual landholders which are the women agreed? Of course with all the clothes and cheap jewelry the women of village could not careless unless we dug up their crops.

coffee break?

to be continued Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello All

In regards to the lost Spanish Colony?

Attempting to return to the Solomon Islands in 1568, Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña on his second trip of 1595, discovered Nendo Island on 8 September 1595, which they named Santa Cruz. Mendaña landed at what they named Graciosa Bay and a settlement was commenced. However while Mendana had big ideas many of their fellow colonists did not?

Relations with local islanders and their chief Malope started well, with food provided and assistance in constructing buildings. However, morale amongst the Spanish was low with malaria rife. Some disgruntled soldiers deliberately murdered villagers in order to provoke hostilities and so force the abandonment of the colony, and seditious petitions were signed.

Mendaña took action, and at his behest Maestre de Campo Pedro Merino Manrique, leader of the malcontents, was cut down in his presence, and on the same day the Spaniards' best friend, Malope, was murdered by some of Manrique's gang in revenge. Even before the colony had even started it was doomed.

Wracked by internal divisions and an increasing death toll, the settlement began to fall apart. Finally the nail in coffin when Mendaña himself died on 18 October 1595, leaving his wife Isabel Barreto as heir and governor, her brother Lorenzo Barreto as captain-general tried to quell the hugely disappointed colonists. On 30 October, the decision was made to abandon the settlement. When the three ships departed on 18 November 1595, forty-seven people had died in the space of one month, and the first European colony in the South Seas was ended after only during barely 2 months.

As a settlement it was a total failure. So in effect no substantial building or relics at the site. But pieces of pottery and graves of those who died are still present in the soil. Racking through the ground we found bits of broken pottery at the site. Today house and road sits over the site. With trees growing through an foundation like structure.

But regardless of so few relics the simple fact standing where the Spanish colony of Solomon islands failed is priceless moment in history. For my crew it was little harmless adventure visiting an island meeting islanders with cultural exchange. Part of journey my friend for not just learning seamanship but some things text books can never teach.

Hello Don Mackay

I Recall the name Budge Mackay and yes he was rather successful privateer. He had successful career in business and founding Valparaiso as a port.

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Once again the drumbeat put to sea on its journey south to Vanuatu.

You know part of journey you live in close proximity of crew and learn about peoples habits and thinking. It amazing what you can learn from other people. Cindy aka the "Keg" was dynamic on the sails puts most of young men to shame climbing the sails. She was new Zealander of Moari extraction. She was larger than life but a big heart. She drank with boys and left them passed out on the floor. Yet when time came sail instant professional. she was short stocky kind and easy going but stir her up the wrong way it was at your own peril. Few years after this voyage my and my wife met her in New Zealand where she was married with 2 young daughters. Sadly. She died of massive heart attack in a very busy McDonalds in Auckland falling face first into a big mac. Her husband and two young kids was traumatized by the sudden death. It turned out she carried a heart defect.

Such is fate of some people you meet passing through life. Now George my other crew member that time. Was a very late bloomer my friends. His experience sailing tall ships started very late in life. In fact he was another these people that yearn for adventures sailing such tall ship. He read all books jack London etc.... However his life was very different. He had a very good secure job in the united states. A wife a big house in suburbs 2 kids etc... The perfect american dream. On the outside that is.....

Many people go through life pretending to be the perfect family but in truth behind closed door they was dysfunctional. His wife and he had grown apart only putting on the pretense they was married for the kids sake. Their kids had everything yet still was't enough. He had to continually bailed out young son. and the daughter like her mum just treated him with contempt. He was the family ATM burning himself out at work for a wife cheating on him and children sponging off him every 5 minutes.

Well it came enough was enough finally the family imploded. Divorce and all the crap that comers with it. Everything he worked his whole life tried to do the right thing expected of him he did. Devastated he looked for a new live. He saw a tall ship advertising for people to sail and have learn the art of sailing as well as an adventure. From his first experience he was hooked. Gone was his house and luxury cars. He left his old life behind crewing in various tall ships. Well he was prime example of you never too old try some thing new? That was when he was in his late 40's not in his late 50's he still works on tall ships as a first mate.

So you see people come from all walks of life that yearn for and become crew member on a tall ship. Most love their ship as their own because it labor of love to work on them. I think the fellowship and comradeship making a voyage gives special bonds that many cannot ever get in so called modern day normal life.

So my friends the voyage in tropical seas my friends has many stories to tell.

Once again my apologies. Grand kids tugging on their granddad.

To be continued....

Kanacki

 

[Mackaydon]

Kanacki,
I'm familiar with Scot Peter Mackay, founder of the Valparaiso Mackay school (1857): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mackay_School
but I'll have to look up Budge Mackay; he's a new one; Thanks.
Don.....

 

[KANACKI]

Kanacki,
I'm familiar with Scot Peter Mackay, founder of the Valparaiso Mackay school (1857): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mackay_School
but I'll have to look up Budge Mackay; he's a new one; Thanks.
Don.....

Hello Don

You may want to look up "Guillermo Mackay " Some times " budge" one version recalls three English sailors James. Mackay and Budge?

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello Don

My apologies my memory is slipping... it was William Mackay later latinised in "Guillermo Mackay "



James Layton, Fredrick Budge and William Mackay all arrived in Valparaiso in 1817 where they fitted out "la fortuna"

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello All

Coffee?

The drumbeat rolled storm free down next port of entry in Vanuatu from the north was Luganville. While the Solomon islands was beset with law and order problems Vanuatu my friends is proverbial paradise. The young crew was becoming more and more proficient every day. Cindy, George and Patrick was fantastic in sharing their expertise with seamanship with the young crew.You could see the pleasure in their eyes sharing their passion. Patrick was an ex trawler man. For years he fly out to Alaska to work on the trawlers as a deck hand. Eventually he worked his way up to a mate qualification. His experience in arctic seas will be must when we head eventually down to Antarctic seas. But even for he it was learning experience with rigging. George was natural with showing crew various knots. I joked with him and said I bet you was a scout as wee lad? He grinned and yep.

As we sailed south my friends we enjoyed the warm tropics sailing to one of most beautiful paradises in the world. Luganville is on the island of Espirto Santo. After the usual customs and immigration checks we was free to travel the islands. We had awesome weather. For some recreation to took the drumbeat back up the coast to a place called port Orly . It had an excellent beach and Anchorage.

Communication with locals is not as hard because some either know French or English or a bit of both. Vanuatu has three official languages, English, French, and Bislama, a creole language derived from English. Bislama is the first language of many urban ni-Vanuatu, that is, the residents of Port Vila and Luganville. It is the most common second language elsewhere in the Vanuatu islands. It is similar to Tok Pisin of Papua New Guinea, and other nearby creoles.

In addition, there are over one hundred local languages spread over the archipelago. Vanuatu is the country with the highest density of languages per capita in the world But some how they are just content to get along.

The beach has some of whitest sand. a real picture post card place virtually all to ourselves. Meeting some of the friendly locals we had an awesome feast after swimming in aquamarine water. Although not dissimilar to what we had on our island in north Pacific. Some crew went fishing and caught red eye snapper, dolphin fish and lobster crabs, at the beach we added roast pork sweet potatoes and good dose of beer and rum. It was chance for the crew to unwind.



I am bewildered it has not been discovered yet by tourists? The locals was friendly as had game of beach soccer with locals. before long half the town came out kids mothers husband brought us food to us they we did not really. Before long a band appeared with guitar ukulele and tradition song they sang in churches really sung with harmony. In all of this my wife had disappeared I had wondered where she had got too? She the eternal business women was trading items with women in which out nowhere a mini market sprung up on the beach. What started as picnic for the crew turned out to be village fair of sorts. As the day wore one somehow the locals challenged my young crew members to out rigger canoe race. In turn off the beach a race between 2 groups of 6 paddling in unison and behold my crew one. I did not have the heart to tell the locals most of young fellows from their island did out rigger canoe racing as sport, So they was well drilled in the use of a paddle.

For those who never seen outrigger canoe race world championships for an example watch below. But as you see the world championships actually grueling to do.



Fortunately for us our little race on Espirto Santo was a short one across the bay in flat water.

So ended the day with some my fellow islanders doing fire dance on the beach. The next morning I net an american fellow that I did not meet the day before. Amazing because it seemed I was introduced one million and one people in the day before of peoples faces and sharking hands . Yet here i was talking to ex Vietnam vet who had dropped out in 1970's . I asked him where he lived? In tree house he smiled. You took he point down the beach which it was small hut you could not mock the view. Waking up to that view everyday.

Some times the simplest things in life are better than the most expensive of places.



Such as the people you meet my friends on voyages around the pacific.

Alas once again it late and old Kanacki needs to sleep.

To be continued...

Kanacki

 

[Mackaydon]

Kanacki,
You're better than 'Ancestry.com' !!
https://www.armada.cl/armada/tradic.../l/goleta-la-fortuna-2/2014-02-14/152754.html
Many thanks,
Don.......
PS: From the year 1818 the schooner "La Fortuna", under the command of the English captain Juan Santiago Hurrell, went to war in corso. It was bought by Don Guillermo Mackay at $ 18,000 at the time, with the funds obtained from the expeditions of another private schooner, the "Minerva". Don Guillermo Mackay sold half of his share to the Chilean Francisco Ramírez, forming a joint-stock company, the first in Chile, in which Santiago Hurrel also participated. The Chilean shipowner Francisco Ramírez obtained the first maritime trade patent from the Government. In 1818 he set fire to the brig "San Miguel" and captured the brig "Gran Poder". Built in 1817, it displaced 180 tons.
Don......

 

[KANACKI]

Kanacki,
You're better than 'Ancestry.com' !!
https://www.armada.cl/armada/tradic.../l/goleta-la-fortuna-2/2014-02-14/152754.html
Many thanks,
Don.......
PS: From the year 1818 the schooner "La Fortuna", under the command of the English captain Juan Santiago Hurrell, went to war in corso. It was bought by Don Guillermo Mackay at $ 18,000 at the time, with the funds obtained from the expeditions of another private schooner, the "Minerva". Don Guillermo Mackay sold half of his share to the Chilean Francisco Ramírez, forming a joint-stock company, the first in Chile, in which Santiago Hurrel also participated. The Chilean shipowner Francisco Ramírez obtained the first maritime trade patent from the Government. In 1818 he set fire to the brig "San Miguel" and captured the brig "Gran Poder". Built in 1817, it displaced 180 tons.
Don......

Hello Don I am afraid the accolades should go my friend to Hardluck.

In years of researching Crow and I had this strange one up man ship with Hardluck. On the rare occasion we found something he hadn't found first it was high fives between me an Crow. However it was not very often.

While William Mackay was a legal privateer he was no pirate. But he was a witness to events that led to one of the greatest acts of looting of treasure on the South American Coast.

Even now my friends there are ethical debates and legal issues still being wrangled behind closed doors in regards to legal ownership of such items deemed cultural objects of art? Due to legal reasons I cannot go further on matter other than pointing out the moral dilemma of actual true ownership of these items, the colonial country at the time, the independent country or the institution?

For example like such items below. Gold candlesticks weighing 36 oz in gold apiece plundered from churches in 19th century. Worth about a little shy of 190 thousand dollars US alone in melt value. As historical cultural pieces of art they are priceless.



The moral question remains should the finder of such objects of art lost to the world be compensated for their time and efforts in recovering these historic objects of cultural art?

Kanacki

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

Hello Don I am afraid the accolades should go my friend to Hardluck.

In years of researching Crow and I had this strange one up man ship with Hardluck. On the rare occasion we found something he hadn't found first it was high fives between me an Crow. However it was not very often.

While William Mackay was a legal privateer he was no pirate. But he was a witness to events that led to one of the greatest acts of looting of treasure on the South American Coast.

Even now my friends there are ethical debates and legal issues still being wrangled behind closed doors in regards to legal ownership of such items deemed cultural objects of art? Due to legal reasons I cannot go further on matter other than pointing out the moral dilemma of actual true ownership of these items, the colonial country at the time, the independent country or the institution?

For example like such items below. Gold candlesticks weighing 36 oz in gold apiece plundered from churches in 19th century. Worth about a little shy of 190 thousand dollars US alone in melt value. As historical cultural pieces of art they are priceless.

View attachment 1694565

The moral question remains should the finder of such objects of art lost to the world be compensated for their time and efforts in recovering these historic objects of cultural art?

Kanacki

Last question... so much the better than melting to repay for time and effort to rescue them.

No judgment here... I know not what I would do , so how does anyone give justice in such a predicament??

#/;0{>~

 

[KANACKI]

Last question... so much the better than melting to repay for time and effort to rescue them.

No judgment here... I know not what I would do , so how does anyone give justice in such a predicament??

#/;0{>~

Hello PM there is no easy solution. There is old saying called "Hobsons choice" in other words you damed if you do and damed if you don't.

Its a potential problem many people who dream of finding treasure will encounter.

Kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hello All

My apologies I drifted off topic . Coffee?

The drumbeat continued its voyage through Vanuatu to Ambyum to see an active volcano. unfortunate for me or anchorage was not safe enough to leave the vessel unattended. But allowed some of day/ night trip to go on trip to see an active volcano in action. At night you can see the fires of hell itself in action in most spectacular fashion.



However we later continued onto Port Vila on the island of Elate. Port Vila is the capital of Vanuatu. Cruise ships pull into the port.The crew had a break again while in port. Vila no doubt my friends one of the most beautiful ports in the Pacific.



Its always a nice stop over by we was in transit with short voyage to new Caledonia. It was about 550 km cruise passing through the loyalties island to the isle of Pines.



As you can see the strange pine trees more in keeping of Europe and the United States. A tropical paradise with pines trees. Some of strange sight you see traveling through the south sea islands. You could imagine the stories of old mariner that first visited these islands. Sex could be bought with the price of rusty nail. Some of the first ships that encountered islands. Some earliest ships captains reported their ships we was being secretly pulled apart for rusty nails by lusty sailors.:-)

Onward we sailed to Noumea our official port of entry in New Caledonia.



Once again it is easy to become a tour guide so my apologies. I had purpose of catching up with an old treasure hunter living in Noumea. It has our last port of call until we catch up with that pesky beach beach bum of a pirate Crow most likely hanging out at his bar drinking bad manners? Bad manners is a nick name for rum my friends.

But for now I had to catch up with an old treasure hunter retired who lives on yacht in the marina. Old Kanacka Jack. While the world is changing so fast my friends there is some places that some of the old salts of around the Pacific are still around. I include our esteemed Don Jose one of them my friends. He was in his eighties at the time of my visit sadly a few tears later I heard Kanacka jack passed away.

However at the time of my visit Jack was alive and kicking...A day spent listen to him telling old yarns of the Pacific and drinking wine with him was priceless my friends.

However once again times up its late again.

So grab a coffee and pull up seat by the campfire.

The old guy had an amazing story to tell?

To be continued....


Kanacki