Cocos Island

Tropical Rain

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There is a distinct sound to tropical rain. It absolutely pelts down and the trees surrounding the house make dripping and drooping sounds.

Another swim in the rain followed by a simple breakfast. Life here is uncomplicated and quiet. If only we weren’t so worried about Jo.

We walked through the pelting rain to one of only two restaurants which are only open on odd days and odd hours. Today it’s open. We got big cups of coffee ( $16) and sat alone until a group of 4 came in with a local woman and sat near us.

Turns out they are journalists covering this area for a tourism promotion! Not a great time to be here. They shared their sweet pandan rolls with us and Paula our housekeeper arrived to chat and take them back to the house for more photos.

We went onto the Cocos Malay Museum. It’s small and the sign outside advises that if it’s locked ( it wasn’t ) to go to the shire office nearby and get the key.

We got in and spent some time absorbing what life would have been like. The Clunies-Ross family ran a huge copra business here. They employed many Malay people who stayed and became Australian citizens when they voted to stay with Australia.

We felt the museum would benefit from a retired person like Steve to add explanations to their displays. Perhaps he should offer to return and fiend time doing that.

We had ordered some curry puffs and spring rolls at the restaurant and went back to collect them. I got talking to the young man who took our money. ( 16 pieces for $54). Thomas from NZ met Ammanah when he moved to Perth. She was studying. They fell in love and I imagine it would have been hard for her Muslim family to accept Thomas. He decided to move to Cocos with her , convert to Islam and marry. He’s now employed by the local Council to run their waste management program.

They were just lovely to chat to and ask about life on Home Island. It’s very different to life on West Island. Home island is where the Cocos Malays live. Some travel back and forth for work.

Back at the house we shared our food with Wolf and Marion our Putin admirer.

Once again the afternoon was spent reading and playing a banangram. It was pouring. no wifi.

The other two couples usually eat and go to bed very early. So I prepared a cheese plate to share and we sat with Greg, Bruce and Atsuko for awhile. This is a dry island though guests at the house can bring some alcohol with them. You can’t buy it here. We’ve had a very small gin each evening. That’s it!

Our evenings are spent reading. And Steve seems to be able to sleep from 8.30 till 7. Amazing.

We’re hoping for news about our flight tomorrow evening at 6pm. It’s not looking promising. Jo and Martyn still have no idea of their medivac retrieval. Imagine if it were life threatening.

Leaving Cocos. Or Not.

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Tuesday. And the million dollar question is ….. do we leave today ?

No rain this morning but also no wifi so to find out what is happening we walked to the medical clinic. Thank goodness for these medical people. We used their wifi to talk to Martyn and Jo who said the word was out that our plane was going leave Perth.

We packed up and prepared for the 2.30 ferry back to West Island to spend time with Jo.

It poured with rain as we got on and off the ferry.

New friends Bruce & Atsuko
Farewell from Paula & Greg

Got a lift to the clinic with Waka one of the nurses. Jo is in good spirits though we had a cry and a laugh. It’s now reached the stage that it seems the medivac company has put this retrieval in the too hard basket. It’s not the weather. The Doctor here is getting tough with them.

Our plane had landed We made our way across the road joined the queues. Got checked in, got on the plane. So far so good.

An hour later. Two hours later. A short message about the fuel truck breaking down. Someone looked out the window. Luggage coming off.

Captain made an announcement. We are out of crew hours. They have to stop work.

Off the plane and a vague message. ‘We’ll try and find accommodation for you.’ Didn’t sound promising

We struck it lucky. KL the nurse manager here has finished her contact and is leaving. She saw us and took us to the nurses flat at the medical clinic. Having Jo in the clinic all week has brought some lovely people into our lives.

We had a good night then in the morning started to rearrange our travel. Cancel our points business class seat. Book more seats to Brisbane. No more points seats. Double the $$$ as the cricket has just finished. but now whatever it takes. We’re leaving. And Jo isn’t.

It’s so sad that this beautiful place has left us feeling sad.

The people we have met has almost made up for it. I’ll write a whole new post about them.

Flight rescheduled for 1.30 Wed.

Walking in Home Island : Part 2

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We continue along the water front in sunshine.

Past the Museum and onto the gravel road leading to the beaches.

It was deserted and quiet. We waded out and out trying to get to water deep enough to swim. 🏊🏻‍♀️ very difficult!

Steve swam off and around to the next bay. I followed at a leisurely pace. It was gorgeous swimming. Not much yo look at. I didn’t spy any turtles or even any fish.

We dried off and walked to the top of the island. We were only a short spit away from Direction Island. This is the place everyone says is stunning. Because of the rain we haven’t made it over. We funny fancy going there for 5 hours sitting on a wet beach no matter how beautiful the water. But our host here Paula, said the bay here is just as beautiful.

We came to the island’s cemetery. I have seen a Muslim cemetery so was surprised to see there were two crosses in each small grave plot one tied with a head scarf. And over the graves a small umbrella to shade.

We walked back through the little township and stopped at the supermarket. Several families were shopping. It was much better stocked than the supermarket cooperative on West Island.

The rain was starting again but did we care? We were already wet!

Back to Oceanic House for lunch and a chat with Wolf & Marion. Their English is better than our German – though Steve’s was trying hard.. They were telling us all the things their Government are doing wrong. Sound familiar!!!!

Too many refugees have made it impossible. Turning off gas, coal and nuclear, thinking the sun & wind would provide enough electricity has lead to huge power shortages and high costs. Wolf was getting very passionate. He loves Australia and advises we do things more thoughtfully. We can only hope.

Our bedroom is large and comfortable and we spent some time reading and listening to the rain before dinner. Tonight fish curry. Just 1 serve. It was hot, it was spicy.

Wolf & Marion had something with sauerkraut and Bruce and Natsuko had noodles.

After dinner we sat in the lounge and chatted to Paula and Greg. Such a well travelled interesting couple.

Do look up her website. PaulaCornell.com

Off to bed with the rain pelting down. I haven’t eeen such continuous rain for a long time.

We won’t be leaving Tuesday according to Greg who was a pilot in the British airforce. Visibility will be against them when landing. This is also why the medivac plane can’t get here to pick up Jo.

We just have to wait. We might get lucky. Heavens knows we need a little luck on this holiday.

Swim Plan Change

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We were up early and organised. Jo is a nurse and a nurturing type of person. She had everything planned ready to go.

Off we walked to Pete, the boat man’s house 4 doors away.

Pete’s place with the boat ready to go
Old man . Wood sculpture in Pete’s garden.
Left over from Halloween

The weather was still a bit rainy and windy but he reassured us it would be quite good to swim with the wind behind them.

We got to the boat ramp loaded the boat, had the safety talk and off we went. Straight away it was very bumpy and we were soaked within minutes. We had a 20 min ride across the lagoon to Home Is where they would start the swim back.

Pete had the lures. We were going to fish while they swam.

The surrounding coconut jungle was awesome.

10 minutes into the 20 min ride, we hit some waves. The boat flew up and bang. Down we came and then a scream from Jo. She landed on her bum heavily ( I did too but had braced a little )

She was in excruciating pain. Pete slowed and made the decision to head back. Jo was in so much pain she couldn’t move. Pete took control and phoned the ambulance and the Police. They were there in ten minutes and Amy and Chris, the nurses from the clinic took over. Out came the green pain whistle, the morphine drip and the very carefully placed support to lift her off the boat onto the stretcher with the two nurses , 3 police and Steve helping move her gently. It was hard to watch.

I went in the ambulance to the clinic. The Doctor who lives on Home island was on his way to where we were on West Island. He was changing over today when the plane arrived with another Doctor.

He took an X-ray. Sent it to Perth. Spoke to a specialist and within an hour found Jo had a compression fracture in the L1 of her spine. Fortunately, her feet and hands were moving.

The drugs kicked in and she started to relax as much as she could.

Plans got changed.

They managed to get a medivac plane to come tomorrow from Perth. She’ll be going to Perth hospital.

We spent the afternoon going to and from our house rearranging our plans. Steve and I will continue onto Home island tomorrow- and miss our travel buddies so much. They will head to Perth to see what is going to happen next. Poor Jo.

We bought fish and chips from Salty’s the bakery – come take away. Friday is Fish & chips , Tuesday pizza ( to coincide with the twice weekly plane arrivals. ) It is conveniently placed next door to the Cocos club. Where you go and buy a drink until they deliver your food!

By the late afternoon we had met all the important people here on Cocos and heard their stories.

Amy, the gorgeous nurse is the partner of Pete the boat man. KL another nurse comes from Currumbin and is headed back for Christmas – on our plane. Waka arrived 7 months ago and Chris arrived this week to replace KL. We saw them all at the Cocos club and Salty’s getting their Friday Fish and chips.

I took Jo her fish dinner as we are the only ones in the clinic. They usually don’t have anyone over night. So Martyn is staying the night with Waka only a phone call away.

We are thankful that the rest of us weren’t injured and Jo can get away tomorrow.

Oh …..that’s if the expected cyclone doesn’t arrive.

No swim this time. Steve and Martyn are planning another one.

Cocos Club fun.
Us with Jo and Martyn before the accident.

Tour da Cocos

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A lazy start to the day sitting on the verandah but not at all concerned that the weather looks a little cloudy. The breeze keeps the bugs and the rain away. Think positive.

The boys set off to organise e-bikes for us to discover the island. I haven’t ridden a bike for a few years but ‘they’ say you don’t forget.

Well, I’ve never ridden an e -bike. And yes, they help you move along at a cracking pace. But these bikes were soooo heavy, and very hard to manoeuvre. But we did it. All day ! We covered this little slice of paradise from north to south. Lots of kilometres.

First stop the cooperative supermarket. We were told to bring most of our food as the supermarket and restaurants are light on products and are only open certain days.

Our bags were crammed with cheese & crackers , jatz, fruit, cereal, wraps bagels ham etc etc. Frozen milk kept it all cold route. Lucky we did, as the supermarket had very empty shelves. Lots of deodorant? They definitely need it in the heat, but do the locals and visitors buy it at very inflated prices?

We visited the Big Barge. A unique barge repurposed into an Art Gallery and cafe. It’s by the water and a delightful spot for a coffee and sweet treat.

The barge built by the Clunies-Ross family on Home island and finally brought to West Island retired and opened as a gallery.
The history of the barge
I had to have a little swing.
With friends Jo and Martyn

Back on the bikes and along to Trannies Beach – which we renamed Frannies Beach!

A beautiful swim in crystal clear water with colourful fish and tons of busy crabs going about their business.

Martyn leaping out of the water.

A quick dry off and back in the bikes to next stop the jetty where the ferry leaves for Home island and Direction Island ( voted the most beautiful beach in Australia) – and we’re going tomorrow.

The boys looking at the lagoon across to Home island.

Thursday, the boys will be swimming across the lagoon. Partly for a challenge but mostly to raise funds for breast cancer. Jo has made a good recovery from breast cancer and Martyn wants to continue to raise awareness and much needed funds. I will include a link if you’d like to donate a $ towards it.

The weather isn’t great but it’s not boiling hot! That’s a positive.

We cycled back to Waves our house here and enjoyed lunch on the deck before setting off to the other end of the island to the Yacht Club.

Beautiful beaches.

The photo doesn’t show the colours!
Attractive reef shoes for these beautiful beaches.

The Yacht Club was a disappointment! Not an icy drink in sight. But pristine beaches.

Back to Waves for a well deserved shower and Gin & Tonic on the verandah.

Tonight we’re going to the Cocos club. There’s not much alcohol on these islands but there is at the Cocos club. But dinner! They don’t do food. The restaurant that’s open tonight is only for a school function!!! But they supply a bbq pack which we’ll cook at home on our verandah. Not a disappointment.

Apparently there are a few little sharks.