Winter on its Way?

Currently it's 9.42pm at night and we are sitting on a mild 25.6 degrees with 77 percent humidity.

Today was the lowest recorded temperature since records began - which was last week when we brought back a shiny new thermometer from our recent NZ trip - a chilly 24.7 degrees, with the high not going over 27 degrees.

Most of last week the temperature hovered around 30 degrees during the day, with our hottest day reaching 31.2 degrees. Oh & did I tell you the air-con broke down at work last week? Thank goodness it was fixed promptly.

Oh, & I have worked out that Cat Hot is roughly 30 degrees.

Tonight's Sunset

Click on Image to see them at a bigger size

Near Miss

We have just come back to Rarotonga after a 2 week holiday in Dunedin on Saturday. Chris and I realised something odd had happened while we were away when we drove past the Met station on the Sunday and saw a few trees shredded and a large piece of roofing iron impaled into the above branches. We thought WTF?

The mystery was solved when we watched the local news. While we were flying home to Raro the weather was leaving its small but dramatic mark on the landscape and lives of several Raro families. A very localised storm, possibly a twister, struck the island (next to the Meteorological centre- ha!) and proceeded inland and ripped the roofs off three homes in a ten minute blast.
Fortunately no one was hurt.

Picture copyright the CI News

180 Degrees of Separation

Rarotonga is a place of contrasts. Nowhere is that more evident than at the airport. Stand on the sideroad behind the airport and face east and it’s pastoral view of Taro patches, cows, pigs and grass as far as the eye can see. Turn 180 degrees and face west and it’s a broad expanse of manmade construction augmented by the deafening thrum of a triple 7.

High Tide

Well the tropical depression has now passed us by and did not develop into a cyclone. But the seas are still fierce, and quite a bit of damage occurred to the wharf around Trader Jack’s at last night’s high tide. At our place the sea has reshaped the beach and managed to sweep up on to the fringes of our lawn.
Pictured: 7.30 last night. The waves surge over the decks of Trader Jack’s and litter the car park with chunks of concrete and coral.

Batten Down the Hatches

With a tropical depression heading our way, and after the stormy weather last week left one ship straddling the breakwater, all the boats that can have been lifted out of the harbour. Pictured: Chris peers through the window of the glass bottom boat.

Every day is Jandal’s day in Raro!

I’ve been a bit slack again & have missed out on reporting the end of the local canoe festival. I also understand I missed National Jandal’s Day in NZ.

So I thought today in honour of the two events I missed I’d post some photos of the building of the traditional canoes. Why? Cos every day is Jandal’s Day in Raro!

Powertools and jandals. That’s hardcore.

The Sounds Of Summer

Summertime means being outdoors and cranking up the radio. Raro has quite few radio stations and I’ve found one that you too can enjoy.

Quote:

The station [Radio Cook Islands] is heard via AM all over Rarotonga, the
Southern Group islands and in the Northern Group only by car radio's with wires
strung between coconut trees.

Click here for the programme guide. It is also streamed over the Internet. Listen online.

Ester Honey Foundation

There is a charity here called the Ester Honey foundation, which acts like an SPCA. (Although there is also an SPCA here too, go figure.) Outside their premises they have a sign saying ‘free puppies’ so I have to give Chris credit for not giving into temptation. But I’ve noticed every time we drive past the foundation he mutters under his breath “Free puppies”.

We went there to look around ages ago and they had a litter of about ten tiny wee puppies that were very cute. Not sure what breed. Most of the dogs here are a strange looking bunch, especially the ones with big heads and little short legs.

Mad about Cars

Aside from the ubiquitous scooter the vehicle of choice here is the ute. I think of them as the island equivalent to a convertible because generally there are people in the back, stretched out and sitting as comfortably as if they were on a couch watching TV. There seems to be some unspoken rule that you must sit on whatever is in the back of the ute, whether it’s a plastic garden chair, a motor scooter or a rider-on lawnmower.
If they’re not sitting, people often stand up behind the cab, positioned so they are cooled by the rushing breeze, and sing.

Pictured: Our Car. Rental Car Agencies advise…Don’t Park Your car under the coconut tree.

Are You Breaking the Law?

Some old laws regarding treason are being reviewed in parliament currently. The CI News has also brought to light some interesting laws still in existence:

In Rarotonga is it illegal to Practise Witchcraft, including fortune telling.

You will not be charged for killing people using the "Power of your Mind", unless you frighten to death anyone who is sick or under 16 years if age. That’s illegal.

Tis the Season

Cyclone season has begun.

All Souls Day

The 31st of Oct is celebrated in the Cooks as Turama, the vigil night of All Souls Day. Graves are tidied up and lovingly decorated with bright flowers and in the evening holy water is sprinkled over them while the families gather to sing hymns and remember their those who have passed on.

No Watery Grave Just Yet

Due to rain and high seas on Monday the Miss Mataroa wasn’t sunk as planned – which ‘gave them more time’ to carry out other ‘extra’ operations like remove the 500 litres of lube oil, along with about 8000 litres of oily water still on board her. Uh yeah. Probably a good thing they removed that, but I’m no expert.

Certainly this whole event is the main topic of conversation about town and has been making the newspaper’s frontpage for the past days and keeping the letters to the editor well stocked. Apparently Greenpeace has been called in, and on today’s frontpage a protestor was pictured waving a placard that said “Whale sanctuary – Yeah right”. Only in Raro could they use a beer slogan to push environmental concerns…

Horrors from the Deep and other News Stories

Let’s see, it must be time for a round-up of recent Raro events:

The 30th annual Round Raro Road Race took place earlier this month. While I am no slave to the temple of fitness, I quite like the idea of running around a whole island…

A Muumuu Fashion Competition was held last week at the National Auditorium. While I don’t know the results I am sure flounces and flowery prints were the winners on the day.

The Cook Islands Government has taken a blugeon-2-birds-with-one-stone approach to some trickery items they have been dealing with.
Firstly the problem of the Miss Mataroa, what to do with this once proud vessel that is now a rusting hulk in the harbour?

Secondly, what to do with several tonnes of asbestos roofing left out in the open, gradually disintegrating in an unsecured pile out in the jungle?

Solution = sail the Miss Mataroa out into deep water and sink her. But then they thought aha, we’ll wrap the asbestos loosely in black plastic with brown parcel tape, load it up on the Miss Mataroa and sink both our problems.

This Final Solution was supposed to take place today, but anyone wandering down by the harbour as we did over the weekend couldn’t help but notice that the Miss Mataroa had developed a rather pronounced list to the starboard side. So apparently the asbestos is being repacked as I type and the big event will take place tomorrow.

Er…. Am I the only one having seconds thoughts about this plan?




Pictured (far left): The Miss Mataroa in Avarua Harbour when she as just an eyesore, not an eco-terrorist.

Just an Observation.

A full moon is always glorious to see. But a full moon on a tropical island is magical.

So Long and Thanks for all the Fish

I haven’t seen the whales for a while and a quick flick through my Jasons guide reveals the whales migrate past Raro from June to Oct, so that may explain it. Well it was good while it lasted.

I am reminded of something that Nan “the Whale Lady” told Chris about whale songs. Apparently only the male humpbacks sing and they sing the same song for a year and then it changes to a new one. Interesting, huh? To hear what the whales are singing this year, & you have broadband, Click Here or Here if you don’t.

End of an Era

I forgot to mention the island's only monkey, Lulu, has passed away. R.I.P our little primate friend.

Cook Islands A to Z

Having said farewell to our first visitors, I was thinking about where others planning to visit Rarotonga might go for information. Apart from reading the Lonely Planet or the free visitors guide produced by Jasons, I’ve found an online resource the Cook Islands A to Z which isn’t too bad. I especially like what they have to say about Coconuts.

Flowers

The flowers here are gorgeous and abundant with bright colours, large and varied petals, and pleasant aromas. The most popular are: Frangipani, Gardenia, Hibiscus, and Bougainvillea. And whatever the occasion, formal or fun, it’s standard issue to have a fresh or fake flower tucked behind an ear, or worn in garlands around the neck or head, called an “ei”, (pronounce it like you were Fonzie: aay) - elsewhere known as a Lei.

I’m told what to look for in a head ei is good mixture of colour. Also you can make them last a few days by putting them in the fridge. I made mine into a centrepiece for the table – I’m like an island Martha Stewart.