Nine days in Graciosa Bay here in the Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands has been ample. The rain has been relentless, heavy downpours day and night. It's impossible to go outside without bringing the damp inside, and as is generally the case on boats, we have nowhere to dry anything out so things are starting to get a little mouldy. On Saturday we enjoyed a fantastic Welcome ceremony laid on by the Solomon Islands Tourism. The dancing by the guys was out of this world and they'd made such an effort with their costumes. We shall post some pics when we next get a weblink - maybe early September. There were speeches galore from the Premier of this Province, the Bishop etc. They've never, EVER seen so many boats here in the Temotu province so we're a bit of an attraction for the locals right now. They come from far and wide in their dug-outs just to look at the yachts - and those switched on enough, visit their gardens beforehand to supply the fleet with fruit and veg. They're happy to accept cash but seem to prefer 'trade' in the form of fish-hooks, rice, flour etc. T-shirts are a favourite but we didn't bring many of those so we're dipping into my own. Chewing beetle-nut is a favourite past-time leaving the locals with red dye on their lips, stains on their teeth and their gums looking like they have a serious case of gum disease. It can be pretty horrific upon first sighting. Yesterday we were spoilt with a blistering day of sunshine so to deter the local kids from using OD like a climbing frame, it was a matter of taking them for a dip and some swimming lessons! Apparently, there are salt water crocs here, but we've yet to meet anyone who has set eyes on one! This evening we will depart on a 200nm passage westwards to the island of San Cristobal, hoping to arrive Wednesday morning.