Photo Gallery - October2003
Second Half!
Pictures can be clicked to see a large
version of the image.
Motorsailing
with the mainsail up. We had great wind on the passage to Kiribati (pronounced
Kiribas) for the first 3 days then it died to almost nothing and we motored for
the next 4 and a half days with only a few hours of sailing here and there. The
heat coming from the engine spaces was so incredible we thought the boat would
melt.
The
most incredible sunset we have ever seen. The light patterns seen here we so
awesome we literally stood with mouths agape before the captain snapped out of
it and ran for the camera.
Another
shot of the most awesome sunset ever seen.
The
Queen Jane crosses the Equator for the second time in 3 years (the first having
been in April, 2001 on the passage from Mexico to the Marquesas Islands). In the
large version of this photo you can see the latitude on the GPS showing "N
00 00.005" which is about 30ft North of the line (5 thousandths of a minute
or nautical mile). At a speed of 5.7k it was just not possible to shoot the
photo at exactly "00 00.000".
The
skipper hoisting the Kiribati courtesy flag and the yellow "Q" flag.
It is customary in foreign countries to fly a small flag of the host country on
the starboard side (the boat's home colors fly at the stern or bow). The
"Q" flag is an international signal meaning "we have just arrived
from overseas and request clearance". Raising a new courtesy and
"Q" flag is a ritual which always excites us as it signifies the
end of a (sometimes long) passage and the beginning of new adventures in a
new land.
LAND
HO! Our first view of Tarawa Atoll in Kiribati, Gilbert Islands. One of many
true atolls we will be visiting in the coming months, Tarawa is the home of the
capital of the Republic of Kiribati and only Port of Entry in the Gilberts
group.
The
islet of Betio is the commercial center of Tarawa. This the view from the
anchorage at high tide. At low tide a huge assortment of wreckage can be seen
strewn across the sand flats, some of it artifacts from the invasion of Tarawa
by US forces in 1943, one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific War.
Jonah's
seventh birthday was celebrated at Tarawa the day after we arrived.
Interestingly, last year we arrived at Bundaberg Australia on the exact same
day, October 19th. Here Jonah is about to blow out the candles on his cake.
Please ignore the two feet in the foreground.
Kate
and Jonah assemble one of Jonah's birthday presents, a lego set of an elephant
and mounted pasha.
Some
of the many wrecks attesting to the danger of the reefs surrounding Tarawa.
These fishing boats, and many others like it, were victims of a combination of a
terribly exposed anchorage and high winds which lash these shores
frequently.
The
wharf complex at Betio, Tarawa.
Jonah
just looking cute and mugging for the camera.
The
Kiribati Maritime Training Center on Betio. Over 1500 Kiribati men work on ships
throughout the world contributing badly needed income to their families.
According to one source we spoke with, each Kiribati working overseas supports
about 30 family members at home.
The
Tarawa lagoon taken from the causeway separating Betio and Bairiki, the next
islet to the East of Betio. Tarawa is composed of a dozen or more islets forming
the Southern and Eastern edges of the atoll.
Fishing
boats congregate in the lagoon in front of the small boat passage waiting for a
higher tide so they can pass through to the ocean where they will spend the day
fishing for tuna.
Jonah
riding the bus along the causeway to Bairiki. The local buses are actually
mini-vans and can hold up to 21 people with small children and even sometimes
adults sitting on each others laps.
Kate
on the same bus looking around at the scenery.
Our
friends Martin and Christy on "Wind Runner" just after anchoring next
to us.
Another
view of the shore at Betio at mid-tide. Its hard to believe that this was the
scene of a virtual bloodbath in 1943. Over 1,000 US Marines died taking this
beach from the Japanese when their landing craft faltered on the reef and they
were required to wade ashore almost a half mile through a hail of machine gun
fire.
Monument
on Betio to the servicemen of the US Marines and Navy who gave their lives
to free Tarawa from the Japanese occupation. In the background, behind the blue
construction barrier, cranes and workers from the People's Republic of China are
constructing a sports and recreation complex. The huge complex, completely
funded by the Chinese, was part of a massive deal granting the Chinese fishing
rights to the massive Kiribati EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone)..
Close
up of the Marine monument (the Navy plaques are on the reverse side, see below).
Unlike many other occupied Pacific islands which were bypassed by US forces,
Tarawa was needed as an airbase to attack the heavily fortified island of
Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands to the North West. The plaque shows that
1,113 marines were killed and 2.290 were wounded. A high price indeed. There is
also a Japanese monument on another part of the island which we do not have a
photo of. According to our information over 4,300 Japanese were killed in the
invasion of Tarawa and only 13 were taken prisoner.
On
the opposite side of the monument, plaques commemorating the sacrifices of the
sailors of the US Navy report that 30 sailors were killed and 59 wounded. The
lower plaque says that the monument was "sealed" on Nov. 20, 1987 (the
25th anniversary of the invasion) and is to be opened on Nov. 20th, 2143 on the
200th anniversary of the invasion. The inscription below it reads "From our
world to yours. Freedom above all!".
A
US tank stranded on the sand flats on Red Beach One just off the coast of Betio,
Tarawa at low tide. This very beach was littered with the bodies of US Marines
during the 3 days of the battle for Tarawa. In this photo 2 kids can be seen on
top of the tank's turret relaxing.
Jonah
and Kate at the edge of Red Beach One looking out over the sand flats. The wharf
complex can be seen in the background.
Sailboats
at anchor off Betio can be seen in this photo taken from Red Beach One.
John,
a resident Aussie and our WWII tour guide seated, William off "Piet Heyne"
(a 75 year old single- hander who we met in Vanuatu) and Jordan and Jonah pose
on the shore of Red Beach One.
The
Japanese power generation bunker where a massive generator was housed. The steel
and concrete reinforced bunker has survived fairly well considering how many
years have passed.
Jonah
and John, our guide, walking through the entrance hall to the bunker's gate (at
right).
An
8 inch gun installed by the Japanese for defense of Tarawa. This is one of 2 8
inch guns mounted 100 yards apart on the ocean side of Betio Island and pointed
South to seaward.
This
sign explains the provenance of the two 8 inch guns. Basically it says that they
guns were purchased from the British Vickers Armstrong company in 1900 and were
originally installed on a Japanese battleship.
A
view of one of the 8 inch guns from the front. A very imposing angle. These guns
must have been very effective when they landed a direct hit. However, since the
invasion came from the lagoon side of the island and not the seaward side, it is
doubtful they played any decisive role one way or the other.
In
this photo you can get a feel for the size of the gun emplacement. Eddie from
"Athinor" stands to the side of the gun.
A
Japanese tank on the sand flats at low tide on Red Beach Two (or perhaps three).
After
the WWII tour, Kate and Molly (John's wife) and Jordan and William all went to a
nearby Chinese restaurant for lunch.
Martin
(from "Wind Runner") filling jerry jugs at the gas station.
View
of the Betio small boat harbor taken from the dinghy landing. On the right is
the start of the huge commercial wharf. On the left is the old wharf which stops
before the edge of the reef. Between them they form the channel leading into the
basin.
This
view (to the left of the above shot) shows a pair of barges moored to the edge
of the basic and several small boats on moorings on the Western edge of the
basin.
The
telecom office on Betio. People who don't have their own phones (most everyone
on Betio) come here to place and receive calls. We arranged (via email) with
Jordan's mother for her to phone us here one morning.
Inside
the telecom office, which is nicely air-conditioned, a small 'booth' shown here
offers some privacy while using the telephone.
This
section of Betio is made up mostly of old 1940s quonset huts now used as copra
(dried coconut meat) wharehouses. Copra is the only export other then fish from
Kiribati and is used to make soap, perfume and other products.
Two
women and some children walking down the street in Betio. The shirts they are
wearing are the traditional garment for women in Kiribati.
Jonah
playing on the jib boom above the sailing dinghy.
Jonah
dressed as a cannibal for Halloween. The mask was made by himself and his mom
and the spear was purchased in a village in Vanuatu. The "loin cloth"
was done by dad and is a pillowcase.
Some
of the scary kids who attended the 2003 Queen Jane Halloween Party, which was a
great success. At far left is Oliver (age 10) from "Athinor" and at
far right is Jessica (age 7) from "Infidion".
Rebecca
(age 12) of "Athinor" as a belly dancer. Jordan guessed she was
"Jeannie" from I Dream of Jeannie and she gave a blank stare and said
"Who?".
Patty
of "Infidion", mother of Jessica.
Rick
from "Infidion" as a Pirate and Eddie of "Athinor" as
himself.
Jonah
taking a big swing at the Pinata which was made by the crew of "Infidion"
and "Athinor".
