Sundays here are pretty low key. We go in to church at 1000, it’s over by 1100 at which time we go to our host family’s house for Sunday feast. No games, silliness or work is allowed. Once the feast is over we head back to Charisma – usually by around 1330 or so and spend the rest of the day on our projects.

Today for us was garbage burning day (OK, yeah, yeah, cruising is not all blue water adventuring – sometimes it’s even a bit pedestrian) . Even though we don’t have a lot of packaging it’s surprising how the rubbish adds up. We dinghied over to a deserted beach at low tide, dig a hole, start a good hot fire with sticks and such (OK and I admit to using some gasoline mixed with diesel to speed the process) and once it’s going well, start putting the garbage on the fire. We separate organic (which goes to the fishies and turtles) from plastic (which goes back to the mainland in itty bitty pieces- cut up by Ann- for proper disposal) and only burn paper type product. Once we’re done it’s all only ashes and after the tide comes in and out you’d never know we were there, much less our garbage. We’re getting pretty savvy here too as we are now able to get coconuts down off the trees and open them for drinking (with my machete) and the once drained, cut open for a snack off the meat. I think we might be going native here. Besides the coconuts, Ann weaves mats, I carve bowls and fish in the lagoon and we’re making dinner using the local veggies – cassava and pumpkin, although tonight we were pleased to add some eggplant and carrots courtesy of the care package sent by Bright Angel care of Caps Tres. Cruisers really take care of each other.

Tomorrow, more weaving (Monday is the big day for weaving here) and I’m going to start another bowl. The last one has been the talk of the village and I’d like to do one more. I have an idea of setting an inlaid sea shell in each of the four sides. We’ll see.