Coconuts Finally!

So the other day we arrived at Raivavae and -finally- I found coconuts. I was excited but when we got ashore I found that they were all green, that's fine if you're thirsty, but there's no crunchy chewy tasty meat in them. After a week, we sailed around the island and anchored off a smaller island. I went ashore with Logan in a kayak but we both had the uncomfortable feeling of being watched and we left quickly. The next day, the captain started an expedition to find meaty coconuts, and of course I came along. When we landed on the same beach Logan and I had visited, we found the thing that was watching us...a goat! Complete with a pair of curly horns and a beard. Captn Fraingck told us that goats could be malicious creatures, and to watch our backs, but in my excitement to lay tooth into juicy white coconut meat, I ignored his advice. I jumped up onto a branch and started looking up for a tree with yellower browner nuts, when BAM I was flying towards the nearest fronds, it actually felt like the tree was falling towards me. I'd been hit smack in the butt by the goat's bent horns and was sent flying past the perfect coconut, halfway across the small island. The crew had hiked around the island to try to find an easier tree to climb, I landed next to them. Captn Fraingck scolded me for being so slow, and then sent me up another tree to pick my portion. I got Kennan to help me carry them back (he's not so wild about coconuts, so his "portion" consisted of one mini coconut). We later learned that there was supposed to be a tupapau (Tahitian for ghost) on the island. A ghost of what, a goat? He seemed solid enough to me! Life as crew is hard - hard on your butt.

~scurvy, deckpaw~

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Rapa not for Rats

Posted dated from 30 April 2011

The other morning I woke up to a LAND HO. I was already planning my escape, but as soon as I looked out my plan was shattered. A barren rock stuck out of the horizon. Captn Fraingck called it Marotini. I ate breakfast and went back to my spot, nose tucked between Kennan's toes, feeling cheated. By the time I looked out again the next day, we were at anchor, this time near a lush island. Thrilled, I jumped out the hatch and joined the shore party. I soon discovered that the island had no coconuts, no birds and no cheese. I was disappointed in the gods. I heard that there was a wizard's island in the middle of the bay. I ventured out to explore the cone shaped island, but discovered that there were no wizards to grant my wish of coconuts. I was disappointed again. The next day while talking to some people my crew mates had met, we found out that on the mountain there was lots of fruit. The first mate selected me as a member of an expedition to the top, but i was not permitted to ride in the backpack since this expedition counted as P.E. - thrice disappointed and once cheated. As we walked up the mountain panting we discovered an orange tree with all the good fruit out of safe reach, which I was ordered to fetch; and lots of small red guavas, which didn't taste so bad, but the mass of seeds were hard and were not nice on my rat guts. However, we picked a whole ton and when we got back to the boat made them into jam. I tried to argue that juice would be much better (no seeds) but was vetoed. I am having a miserable time and officially rate the island of Rapa on the rat scale at a stunning ZERO.

Give me the real tropics, give me coconuts!

~Scurvy,Deckpaw

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