The Holidays in Roderick Bay

Boat kids watching the dancing

After the stress of being in Honiara, we were ready to be somewhere peaceful for Christmas. We had heard about Roderick Bay from other cruisers and our friend Titus in Ndendo. Although the other islands in the Florida Island group have a reputation for thefts and for charging to anchor, John Roka has made an effort to keep Roderick Bay yacht-friendly. He has free moorings and canoes to patrol the anchorage at night.

 

After a short-ish motor from Honiara, we turned the corner into Roderick Bay and saw a lovely bay as well as the wreck of MS World Discoverer. Our friends on Rehua and Field Trip arrived first and were put on the two available moorings. The other two moorings didn't have lines, so we anchored in about 90 feet of water. After making sure that we wouldn't get too close to shore, we had a relaxing evening in the calm anchorage.

 

We spent some time with the folks from the village. Christmas Eve was spent among friends on Rehua. On Christmas Day, our breakfast was interrupted several times by dugouts wanting to trade. Later, a cruise ship visited the harbor and transported more than 200 people to the beach near the World Discoverer wreck to see some local "kustom dances".

John and his village re-did the show the next evening for us, complete with elaborate costumes and floral arrangements. The music they produced with Pa VC pipe drum set and flip flops was impressive. We ate a dinner of local food and the evening ended with us dancing with the locals- much to their delight and laughter.