玲子的航海日記

On July 24th,we arrived Salomon atoll of Chagos.Entering into Salomon Atoll was a slow process because of large coral outcrops in this area and the entrance to the lagoon was narrow.It was good for us to get there in the early afternoon with good light for viewing the coral reef.When we were entering the atoll,it came a sudden gust of wind and rain.We sailed into the squall slowly and suddenly somebody hailed us from Radio Channel 16 .It was from cruisers who anchored in this beautiful lagoon.Sten from Yacht Mata'irea gave us suggestions for a nice anchorage.We were happy to meet people after five days sailing on the sea. 進入Salomon atoll後,我們的船就停在Ile fouquent這個椰子樹多到要噴出來的小島前!這個礁湖裡一共停了6艘船,除了一艘來自加拿大的船,遠遠停在另一邊的Ile Anglaise小島外,其他五艘船都停泊在Fouquet小島附近!後來我們有機會認識這艘來自加拿大的船,它是一對年近七十的老夫婦所擁有,已經停留在Salomon atoll六個月了!這是他們27年的航行生涯中,第七次到Salomon atoll來!我想他們一定非常喜愛這個環礁吧!
There were many little islands surrounded this lagoon.We anchored next to a catamaran called Moon Walker and near the Fouquet island , an island full of shining green coconut trees.At that time,there were six sailboats anchored in this lagoon.Most of us anchored near Fouquet island,only a Canadian yacht anchored at the other side just near Anglaise island.We met them the next day.The Canadian couple were about sixty something.In their 27 years sailing journey, they had come to this atoll for seven times.Each time,they stayed as long as they could.They had stayed in Salomon atoll almost for six months .It was a long time.They loved this atoll very much. (照片取自網路)
我們一停好船,船長,Yuuki和我就一起去拜訪Yaima旁邊的一艘雙體船Moon Walker,水手Russell和Karin是一對來自紐西蘭的年輕夫妻,約莫四十歲左右,他們已經航行世界三年了!Russell說這些無人小島裡有許多的野生鳥類,對人類毫不設防,你可以和他們近距離接觸到大眼瞪小眼的地步;礁湖裡的魚多到爆,隨便丟個魚餌都可以釣到魚!聽起來有些誇張!船長說明天我們就來釣魚吧!哇~新鮮的Sashimi聽起來挺誘人的!
Captain ,Yuuki and I went visiting Moon Walker as soon as we finished anchorage work.Russell and Karin were a young couple from New Zealand.They had sailed in the world for three years.They had been staying in this atoll for weeks.Russell said "if you walk into the coconut jungle on Salomon islands ,you can see many many wild birds.You can get closely to them as possible as you can.They won't fly away.And there are a large amount of fishes.You can get fish easily." It sounded a good idea to go fishing here.Captain said" Let's go fishing tomorrow.When I imagined the fresh sashimi,my mouth was watering.

Karin接著說,"今天下午在礁湖附近發現一隻已經死掉的喙鯨,死亡時間應該是今天早上,牠的身體仍然十分完整,眼睛是清澈的黑色,大家已經把這隻鯨魚拖到礁湖裡,希望能夠遠離鯊魚的攻擊,Mata'irea號已經寫信給英國海軍,他們會派自然科學專家到這個礁湖來做研究,現在礁湖裡所有的船,全都要在鯨魚旁集合,你們來的正是時候!"我和鯨魚的第一次接觸就在Salomon礁湖上,牠是一隻身長約15呎的喙鯨,暗灰色的皮膚還閃著亮亮的光澤,大家因為這隻死去的鯨魚全都開著小艇聚集在礁湖上,一群來自四面八方的水手,討論著喙鯨的生死,宛如一場鯨魚追悼會!
"This morning,Toni and Darren on Yacht Ovation saw a whale washed up on the reef near Fouquet.The whale had not been dead long couse it was still in very good shape. Danika and Sten on Yacht Mata'irea has written BIOT(British Indian Ocean Territory) an email.They hooked up a towing bridle and brought the whale back to a makeshift mooring. Try to keep the whale carcass for the BIOT scientists. All of the yachtsmen will gather by the whale later.You guys just got here on time to join us!"said Karin from the radio.All of the sailors on this atoll gathered by the beaked whale that afternoon.We chatted about the life of a whale and its death.It was like a mourning ceremony for this creature of the great Nature.

The next day,after we came back from our exploring on uninhabited islands,we knew from the radio that the whale had been chewed last night and there was a big hole in its flank.Some nice cruiser towed it to the shallow beach.They tried to keep it for the BIOT scientists. There were a big group of sharks swimming around the lagoon.That evening during the low tide, the five sailboats held a campfire party on the beach near the whale.

Yuuki and I visited the whale before the party.We saw a big hole on this poor whale's flank and there were a lot of sharks trying to get close to it on the beach.

The whale's blood snaked its way through the aquamarine water and attracted many interested parties."They are nurse sharks.They can swim in the shallow water.This afternoon we saw Tiger sharks in this area.The reef is too shallow for them."said Danika from Yacht Mata'irea .She read a lot of books about the whale and sharks.She told Yuuki and I what happened that afternoon and how they towed this giant creature to the beach.Danika and her husband,Sten, were really Nature lovers.We stared at the whale and nurse sharks for a while. It was real and surreal to me. No one talked till the party started.

During the party,all the cruisers gathered by the whale.I heard the rustling sounds from the coconut trees and around us . There were hundreds of hermit crabs and ghost crabs climbing on the beach and  all over the beaked whale. The whale was  gone little by little. It was so real and wild . Nothing in the nature lives for itself. Really! Everything comes back to the Mother Nature at the end. 

The end of the whale story from Yacht Mata'irea!
http://matairea.blogspot.com/2009/07/july-26-2009-salomon-atoll-chagos.html