28 February : mid afternoon we said goodbye to Bud, Marilyn, her sister Janice, Bubba and Reel Dreams and headed to the airport for our flights to Honolulu and then San Francisco. The United flight arrived at 7pm. Passengers were off loaded and the departure time of 8pm came and went. Some passengers were off loaded. Then the first of numerous announcements. Apparently an engine problem which took longer to fix and before they could test it they off loaded the other half of the planes passengers. Engines roared in tests and then we were leaving ... OR NOT. Airport staff thought we were going but then the Captain came in to announce that the crew were out of work hours. So we are all checked out of the Marshall Islands immigration wise so we had to stay in the airport. There were no hotel rooms on the island due to a big conference. The catering from the plane was brought in hot to the terminal to feed us plus drinking cans and water. News came in as it was available so the nub of it
was the flight would not leave until 11am the next day. Blankets were issued. Missed connecting flights were being re-scheduled and vouchers would be issued in the morning for breakfast. So people grabbed chairs or bits of floor or the luggage carousel to sleep on. The airport staff, security staff and restaurant/snack bar staff were excellent keeping things open as long as possible or all night and making sure people had blankets and water. The lights were dimmed about 1am 1 March and we all hunkered down for the night in the tiny lounge.

Morning brought slow information and issue of food vouchers but missed connecting flights had been rescheduled and eventually at 11.25am we took off, 18 hrs 25 minutes late. We climbed and banked out over the lagoon and it was good to see Reel Dreams moored away from the town harbour up at what is called BBQ Beach. The new crew needed to escape to a calmer, prettier location to rest after 2 hectic days of travel themselves. We wish them all the best for their next adventures on Reel Dreams. Andy and I looked on our trip as a research opportunity into motor boats, crewing other people's boats and travelling in the Pacific. We had interesting experiences and gained answers to our questions. The Marshall Islands are not on the usual cruisers track but they are worth visiting. We will be sticking to sails. And another visit to the Pacific ... maybe.

Today 1st March is Nuclear Remembrance Day in the Marshall Islands, a national holiday where the Marshallese remember the nuclear testing of the 1950s by the Americans, the Marshallese who were displaced from their island homes, the nuclear contamination they incurred and ongoing health problems and homelessness (many are still not able to return to their homes due to the deceitful and callous action of the Americans). Bikini Island, where the big bomb Bravo was exploded, has been revegetated by America (The coconut trees in straight lines! ). Compared to the natural islands we visited that were unaffected by the nuclear testing, it is sterile, regimented and is still being monitored every 6 months for nuclear contamination which lies just beneath the top soil brought in in the aftermath. The Bikini islanders are unlikely to return to their precious home for at least another 30+ years. Health problems are ongoing 60+ years on. They desperately want to go home. Our hearts go out to these lovely, calm Marshallese islanders who were friendly, welcoming, quick to smile and laugh. It has been a good cultural experience.

PICTURE : Banner in Departures Hall at Majuro Airport where we had to spend a night