5 September 2009

Hoga Harbour

August 30th we pick up a mooring in the quiet bay of Hoga island. There is a nice white beach where we meet the other yachties in the evenings around a bonfire. We celebrate a 40 year wedding anniversary with a sunset dinner on the beach. And it's great snorkeling and diving on the the reef just a few hundred meters from the anchorage.

A visit to the steltvillage of ex seanomads is an experience! In former days the families lived on their boats and formed 'floating villages'. With the houses on stelts there still is a close relation between the people and the sea. Most men still go in the day or in the night to the sea to catch fish. Next evening we meet Geertje, a Dutch lady who runs a small diving enterprise, but who also already for 14 year is helping the ex seanomads with schools, teachers and a few small (commercial) projects. A difficult but interesting initiative.

Slideshow Hoga Harbour