DOLLY BEACH

Rumors of a true sandy beach hearken us to check out Dolly Beach, a beautiful but sweaty 45 minute walk from the carpark. The baby red crabs have had their time at sea, and waves are returning to the island to begin their new chapter on land. We come across a swarm along the trail, including one being carried away by a yellow crazy ant.





























There's a good deal of fresh water around here, too, and we come across some water-loving blue crabs, as well as the usual red crabs and big robber crabs. As we get closer we get a panoramic view of the coast, and walk through a grove of coconut palms before arriving on the white sand. We spend the afternoon lounging and swimming, and Arthur shimmies up a coconut tree and cuts down a treat. The robber crabs (also called coconut crabs, named after their favorite food) wander in about 4 minutes later, and enjoy the fruit(s) of our labor...

Making Bread

No good bread here on-island, so Arthur takes things into his own hands. Not too bad for the first try!

SO, SO HAPPY
After a frustrating day of data analysis, decide it's time to spend some quality with the corn plants. It's dark out, so I grab the headlamp and look at the silks on the ends of the ears: they appear dark and "dried out," which is a sign the ear might be ripe for the pickin'. So we feel the ends of ears, and they feel blunt, not pointy: another good sign. Finally we peel back the husk and pierce the kernels: the juice is creamy, not clear. Alright, alright, it's officially harvest time. We select three of the best candidates, and I can't help but express my sheer joy at the now very real prospect of fresh sweet corn.


We throw it in boiling water for 6 minutes, wait until it's not molten hot (I was never good at waiting for corn to cool off) and slather it with butter and salt. The first bite is crispy and oh-so sweet. I'm a fairly slow eater; this is the first time I clear my plate (er, my cobs) before Arthur does. I've certainly had my fair share of corn on the cob before, and this ranks up there with the very best. So happy!

Arthur and I, in a tribute to the melding of cultures, celebrate the corn harvest with vodka shots.

The first harvest
Arthur comes running into the kitchen "Come quick, there's something big in the garden!" I rush outside and see what all the excitement is about. Oh my goodness, the cucumbers have somehow grown to epic proportions (okay, may not epic, but large!) right under our noses without our noticing. Those large cuke leaves really do hide fruit maturation well. I am still amazed that such a small seed can produce such a large (and delicious) plant. Can't wait to make a fresh cucumber salad...

Our artful cucumber display









Our Art-full cucumber display









Even the chickens get in on the action...

We happen to walk by the phosphate loading dock (well, it is practically our front yard) and notice all the lights are on for some night loading. As ugly as the mining business is, there can be some moments of beauty.

It's been way too long since a corny posting! We could almost make a corn maze out of the stuff, if only we had more.They say you can take the girl out of the Midwest, but you can't take the Midwest out of the girl...

Ring the first weekend of the new year with a bodyboarding attempt, by Arthur. It also happens to be the first day of "swell season" where the cove turns from flat glass (good for snorkeling) to some semi-intense waves (good for bodyboarding). The waves aren't too aggressive, except that the coast goes from very deep to very shallow very quickly (great for snorkeling) and is very rocky (terrible for bodyboarding). Arthur and I stake out our place on the little sandy beach not far from our place, where the coconut palms provide excellent hammock support. I hold down the beach while Arthur goes in for a try. No major rides, but no major accidents; just a few little scraps on the rocks. We watch some folks take some great rides closer to the jetty, where it doesn't seem as rocky. Perhaps that will be the spot to learn...