Our "Mystery" boat trip....

Bobo took us on a trip to Mystery Island today.  We walked with Bobo to Rukuruku village and took a boat with Boila, a local fisherman and friend of Bobo. 

Boys relaxing with Bobo on the way to Mystery Island

The boat trip was about a half an hour and when we arrived at the first stop on Mystery Island, the boys saw how beautiful the water looked and jumped straight off the boat. Then they ran along the beach and found a leaning palm tree that they took turns in jumping off. 

Louis jumped with an exuberant "Yeehaaaaaa!!!!"

....While Frankie plopped off the end....

We then took the boat around to the other side where Bobo and Phil jumped off the boat to catch some fish.  Boila got his fishing line out and was chopping up sardines as bait. He let the boys have a line too.  He caught two fish, one which Louis recognised as a “Sweet lips.” Louis wasn't keen on seeing the fish flapping around the floor of the boat though, he felt sorry for them.  

Good catch, Boila!

Frankie and I decided that the tail of the sardine was the most successful bait as it worked both times.  Then Bobo and Phil came back, Bobo had speared five trout - so that was lunch sorted then!  

Our advert for tropical shampoo.....

We headed to a deserted beach on the other side of the island for lunch. Bobo and Boila set up a camp fire to cook the fish, and the boys helped a little. Phil and I went for a snorkel before lunch and the boys played with their collection of hermit crabs.  When we got back, Boila cut us some special coconut - some coconuts have a plant that starts growing inside them after they’ve landed, it absorbs the coconut milk while it grows and creates a soft, spongy layer with a clear coconut flavour.  It was a tasty snack while waiting for lunch!   

inside the "special" coconut

We had a lovely picnic of fresh BBQ fish, breadfruit and coleslaw.  It was a beautiful beach and the water was really warm and a gorgeous turquoise colour.  We went for another snorkel afterwards and then had to head back to the other side of the island to a bar as we'd promised Bobo a beer! (Our first alcohol for two weeks!)  

The boys kept an eye on the fish while they cooked on our makeshift BBQ

"Lunch is served"

Our kind of picnic!

Frankie was very attached to one of the hermit crabs and put him in a small red drinks lid with some sand and water so he would feel comfortable.  He took him on the boat and when we got to the other side of the island, he decided to build him a little grave with Louis.  We did explain that he wasn’t actually dead yet, even though we were all very sad, so we called it a house instead.   When we had to leave I told Frankie it was kinder to leave Dwebble (the hermit crab) in his home that he'd built and he agreed but got very upset, he really wants a pet when we get back (probably not a crab though!)

Bye Bye Dwebble..........(sniff!)

Afterwards, the boys wrote "do not disturb" in the sand next their colourful house!

We left Mystery Island a bit later than we had planned to, so were trying to make up time before it got dark, even though we had an easterly wind and some choppy waves to contend with.  It was a fast, wet ride home!  The boys were at the front with Bobo and didn't get wet but loved the wave riding.  Phil and I felt like buckets of water were being repeatedly thrown at us and were completely soaked.  We put on our snorkel and mask for a joke at one point.

We were getting soaked, so only one thing for it......

Going home to Rukuruku

Thanks Bobo - it was another memorable day out altogether!