April 22nd - Anchorage

Now travels are suffering from a severe lack of wind.
Lucky the Kuna is chocker full of diesel as it will
find its use before the trade winds come.
The 10 mile crossing from Gizo to Kolombangara was an uneventful motoring
session.
The Kuna delivered crew and 20 pelican cases to the Kukundu
SDA Mission.
Once the reef crossed in a narrow but deep passage,
the Kuna entered a peaceful mangrove cove, equipped
with a wharf and, surprisingly, even a slipway! The 24m
heavy timber mission boat 'Vari Vato' is moored in there,
a reassuring sign that there would be enough water under
the keel for the KUNA too.
In the Solomons, anchoring somewhere is tricky, not only
because of the lack of charts. Prior contact with the
community has to be made to seek permission to use the
anchorage. Around Kukundu, there are two villages. One
was very reluctant to let us anchor due to prior visit
from an American birdwatcher boat who brought 50 people
without asking for permission beforehand. The mission
school principal Jimson helped us follow the good protocol.
Film kit and was unloaded and brought to an old mission
house near the bat colony. Near enough but still far in
the blazing heat, walking the 2 kilometers from the boat
to the bats with loads of camera gear several times a day
(my duty) was a challenge!
Pics to come...