This morning on the tidal flood I weighed anchor and was escorted through the pass and into the lagoon where Sand Dollar was tied to a mooring buoy near Mike's pearl farm/fishing lodge. We then went into the village for a short tour and to the airport to meet the incoming flight which had two passengers arriving and four leaving. The entire village was there as is the custom. It is the social event of the week complete with prayer service and some short speeches by local dignitaries. The flights come only once every week or two. This is quite a sight but similar to what I have seen in other remote islands in the Bahamas and at Christmas Island in the Pacific.

The afternoon was spent fly fishing for bonefish with a local guide hired through Mike. We each hooked several impressive fish on some of the most beautiful bonefish flats I had ever seen. The fish are not abundant nor are they easy to fool but they are of very good average size and strong fighters. Tomorrow Mike and I will fish some different water.

There are no guests at the fishing lodge at present. It is actually Mike's pearl farm which is being closed down because of poor business conditions in the industry. Over a bottle of wine and a home-cooked dinner I learned a fair bit about the trials and tribulations of the black pearl business in the Pacific.

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