day 26 - rarotonga, cook islands

moody skies over rarotonga

a couple of minor disappointments – the seas were so rough today that open tenders did not occur until well after lunch… i heard one crew member even fell in today – they are ok, but no thanks!  it was also raining, and there was no crew money exchange available yet, guests only… oh well… i did get a couple of pictures.  i didn’t feel too bad because it turns out that the island is fairly religious and everything is closed on sundays anyway, so i guess i didn’t miss much except terra firma…

my theme tonight was the music of mel torme… i still remember little nino (2 yrs old) quietly scat singing along with the velvet fog until he discovered we were listening to him, then he would clam up!  johnny and i at least had the happy confirmation that he had great big musical ears… it’s such a pleasure to hear him playing the guitar and making music with his friends… glad he’s kept up with it!  (you rock, nino!)  anyway, no set hijackers tonight!  everyone was well behaved as usual…

my port song was inspired by the rain, the clock changing again (time travel) and the cannibal history of the south pacific islands… enjoy!

port song for rarotonga, cook islands

(to the tune of “have you ever seen the rain” by creedence clearwater revival)

someone told me long ago, cannibals over here did roam,              

i know, ‘cause i traveled back today in time  

i went back many yesterdays; one look at me and they yelled, “buffet!”       

so i ran down to hide by papua waterfall,

and i wanna know have you seen rarotonga rain      

have you ever been chased through that rarotonga rain

by cannibals from from those olden days                                                                                                                                         

i felt like i’d been here before; the rain was comin down so hard                  

i know – cause it rains in seattle all the time;

i wasn’t sure quite where to go, i crept the ancient coral road so slow        

no sign of the cannibals and i wondered;

where did they go in the rarotonga rain

where did they go, in that rarotonga rain? 

maybe they found another lunch date                                               

i heard a sound come from behind; i turned around and lost my mind

there stood a cannibal through the ferns n mist

i asked if it’s true that we taste like pork, he pulled out his cannibal fork

he thought a sec, and said, “tastes more like chicken, i guess!” 

man, i ran fast through the rarotonga rain

i mean i hauled ass through that rarotonga rain        

you never seen a big girl run so fast

i got to the sacred marae; those temple places of yesterday

i saw a magical portal through the trees

leaped over all the sacred stones, i’ll boast!  didn’t want to be their sunday roast

i cleared the mystic gateway and shouted out with glee

and i came back thru ancient rarotonga rain

into today and the rarotonga rain,

a quiet sunday and no cannibals left

just nice people, no cannibals left