Australia Nov 17, 20012

Today we anchored off Ile des Pins or Isle of Pines.  It was a French colony originally discovered by the British.  The French used it to inter political prisoners.  Bob and I walked to the prison ruins which were about 1.5 miles from the pier.  When we arrived at the pier there were Melanesian dancers on the beach performing some Melanesian dances in their grass skirts.  Visitors were welcomed with flower headbands woven with palm fronds and flowers.  Several tables were set up along the beach with sarongs and jewelry.  Of course I had to buy something from them.  My own collection of sarongs. We also walked along the beach and I was sorry I didn’t bring my bathing suit ashore.  It was an idyllic place to swim in amongst the smaller rock islands and caves.  We are still sorry we did not bring our own snorkel.  While walking on this island it occurred to me that I could spend a vacation here.  The scuba is supposed to be very pristine.  The island had some of the most interesting looking trees that I have ever seen.  The roots of the trees appeared to be all tangled and all reaching for the same goal.