Day 276, Year 1: Happy Birthday to Michael Stuart
Date: Thursday, July 20, 2006
Weather: Sun Mixed with Clouds
Location: Avatiu Harbor, Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Early this morning, Mark went to shore and rented a car. When he returned, we were getting ready to head for shore when the guy who had helped us tie up here when we arrived hailed us from shore. He was just dropping by to see how we were doing and insisted on getting his dinghy and helping me get to shore. Since this was my first trip in, it took a little exploring and planning, but we found the just right place and Richie named it “Jud’s Landing.” I can tell that I’m going to like this guy!
Once I got to shore, off we went to the outpatient clinic at the hospital. My highest hopes were that the cast could be removed today and that I would be back to normal, but I suspected that would not really be the case. When the doctor asked me very diplomatically how “young” I am, I got the point that because of age things don’t heal as quickly and that I was going to be stuck with this cast a little longer. The x-rays show that the bone is still aligned and should be healing properly. I’m to go back next Friday and if all still looks okay, he will remove the cast in such a way that I can still use it if needed on the passage to Samoa. He can basically cut it in half and it can be reapplied using ace bandages to hold it together. If it is removed on Friday, I still will not be able to put all of my weight on it for another two weeks, but that is progress.
The first doctor that I saw today was on duty just checking in patients and writing orders for what needed to be done. She immediately asked if we would be sailing to Samoa next. Most people would not know to ask that, so we inquired and she said she is originally from Samoa (what she calls the “real” Samoa, not American Samoa). Her father is a doctor and went to school at Stanford in California and she is very familiar with the US. She has two brothers that live on the west coast and she works for the World Health Organization and moves from place to place in the South Pacific. She convinced me that I need to go to the hospital in Apia on the island of Upolu in the Samoas for rehab and that we should spend extra time exploring the other Samoan islands. This is something we were already planning to do, but it was fun talking with her and learning some of the details of how things have changed there in the last 40 years. Mark lived in America Samoa for two years from 1967 to 1969 and visited some of the other Samoan islands. I know he is looking forward to the return and he did enjoy talking with the doctor this morning about some of their common knowledge of the area.
We left the hospital and started our drive around the west side of the island. There are lots of resorts, but they all fit nicely into the landscape. The island is beautiful with lush, green mountains, but the lagoon is very shallow. It has turquoise waters, but not the brilliant turquoise found in Bora Bora. We rounded the southwest corner, drove along the southern coast, and then headed back up the east coast. We stopped at Kura’s Kabanas to visit with the Stuarts and they graciously invited us to lunch. During lunch we discovered that today is Michael’s birthday and we made the decision to celebrate this over dinner. For lunch, we grilled out in the kabana by the water and then the gang put a plastic bag on my leg, hauled me into one of the kayaks, and started walking me across the lagoon. The lagoon is so shallow that you can walk across to the motus. Where fallen trees have embedded themselves in the lagoon, you can just look down and watch the fish. Incredible! The motus across the lagoon have beautiful beaches and it was simply delightful to be pulled through the water and explore. Mark, Garrett, and Michael picked up some of the numerous sea cucumbers and had squirting contests. All Linda and I could think is that “boys will be boys”. But all in all, it was a very relaxing and beautiful afternoon.
We all then piled into the rental car and started looking for a place to have a birthday dinner for Michael. We checked out a few places, and ended at the Portofino. This is an Italian restaurant owned and managed by a couple who moved here from Canada. It was a very nice evening with good food. We didn’t have desert, however, so we will do this part of the birthday ritual once Michael moves aboard Windbird on Saturday. So happy birthday, Michael.
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| 060720 Day 276 Cook Islands, Rarotonga–Visit to Kura's Kabanas |
