In the Beginning...

On Februray 24th, 2011 at 6am I departed Auckland Airport bound for the Solomon Islands to do 10 months of volunteer work alongside two NGOs (who shall not be named here just in case I get my butt kicked for slagging them off). I had been tasked with helping to organise a waste management system (including sewage and rubbish disposal) and to help out with the local marine reserves. I was be based in Kia Village, a small, sea-side village with no roads and no electricity.




Here’s the low down on my trip. Enjoy.

Sunday May 8th: Professional spear-fisher

My lack of progress with anything that might be considered useful has been demoralising to say the least. Nonetheless I have been making the most of the experience with a bit of recreation. My shoulders aren’t up to anything too stern as I only had my right one operated on last December, and there’s no public land on which I might be able to go tramping, so what better recreation than lulling about in the water for an hour or so each day. It gives me a good excuse to go exploring and keeps Gary and I fed.
At first I was diving right off the deck of the house and spearing what-ever swam my way; mostly travelly and sweet-lips (a relative of NZ’s moki). I was also spending a bit of time hunting mangrove fish out the back out the house but I’ve decided that I might be a little too tempting a treat for the resident crocodiles. More recently though, I’ve been embarking on expeditions in the dug-out canoe to other reefs inside the lagoon and have had some great success.

To add to the experience, I’ve treated myself to a new spear-gun which Gary brought back from New Zealand when he returned from his holiday last week. Its a 1.3m murdering machine with two rubbers and a super sharp tip. I’m now limited only be my lung capacity (I’m staying down for over two minutes) and how well I can hold on if I shoot a monster.
I’m yet to haul in anything monstrous but I’ve shot a few fish that have been too big for myself and Gary to eat. On such occasions I pass them on to appreciative locals with big families to feed. With a little luck, it’s only a matter of time before I shoot something worthy of a village feast. Hopefully by then I’ll have actually got myself into some real work. If not, I’d say my shoulders should be strong enough to put my surfboard to good use, so either way I won’t be complaining.

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