Three days of pain

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
Tuesday's flight is postponed until Wednesday. I freak out, I don't have any more or enough $SI. The Lata South Pacific Bank (SPB) branch does not have EFTPOS, all savings and cheque accounts. ANZ have an ATM but they have turned it off! Finally, after lots of asking if people take credit cards (and give them back) I find someone to help me out.
Meanwhile the Solomon Airways agent keeps advising postponed flights, once for bad weather. It makes it hard to do anything when you have to keep in contact with the office in case a flight arrives.

On Wednesday, after noticing the map at the Luelta Conference centre I walk to a likely looking surfing spot called Nela. There I meet William Membuta.

Finally the airline says that the next flight it Saturday that means I can go surfing tomorrow, Friday. I arrange a car to take my board to Nela in the morning.

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Next: 2012/03/nela-session

Last surf at Kalabay

Monday
Early surf out in the canoe (boat) to get right out the back quickly and easily. Long wait for not many waves. Moved further in but not much there either. Storm approaching and worried about the three hour boat trip.
Decided to go back to Lata today to make sure that I connect with the flight early on Tuesday morning. Pack everything in a way that may best handle getting my bags wet.
Make it to Lata and move in to the Luelta Lodge.

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Next: 2012/03/three-days-of-pain

Patteson family

Sunday
Woke to rain easing after heavy thunderstorm overnight.
Surf was small and frustrating and the various bits of the wave were not connecting.
Church may have stopped anyone else from surfing today. No-one suggested to me that I should not surf and I did not see any signs of a church service.
Yet another small storm blew through at noon.
Afternoon walk to track down the sugar palm board and to photograph it and its builder.

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Next: 2012/02/last-surf-at-kalabay

Sugar palm board

Saturday
Early surf before the wind kicked in. A day off for the school kids so I have company.

Two others out, 8 or 10 year olds. One riding a Rosewood skateboard deck and the other a surfoplane made from fleshy soft pulp wood with wooden pins holding it together.

Wind kicked in like a seabreeze at about 11am.

I take the little fibreglass canoe to the lee of the little island, Temotu Lite. I find bleached coral, some sea urchins and cute little bright blue fish.

Next: 2012/02/patterson-family