Here and there

In the years I've lived in the Caribbean, there have been, literally, hundreds of 'nights out' that I've missed where good music was played and a fine time was had by all that I've heard about later on. But there are only a handful, like brighter stars in a sky strewn with them, that I've really wished I'd been there. Because I know what the magic moments are like, when what is already good becomes a gestalt of unplanned energies combining to produce something that lodges in the heart even as it is going on - 'Yes,' whispers the spirit, 'this one is branded deep already' as you return to the actual time you are having.

Grady and David played for four hours outside of Hector's last night. I walked up after work to the sight of guitars being tucked away in cases and the smiling gentle murmur of content people telling me what I'd missed. I knew I couldn't persuade one more song, but asked anyway - like a whiny child who wakes up to see his siblings just packing off to bed, the signs of their fun still in the air along with the smell of popcorn the sleeper missed out on. Ah well. While those times can't be re-created, the opportunity to hear Grady and David play together again can happen and hopefully will.

On a completely different note (so to speak). I just got an email from World Wandering Chuck, updating us on the fishing situation where he is presently at anchor in Majuro in the Marshall Islands. It is reminiscent of so many battles, but in such a unique place geographically, I thought I'd share it here; if only to remind us that we are nowhere near alone in trying to Save What's Left.

From The Marshall Islands Journal, 1/22/2010

I quote:

“Palau is proposing the first presidential summit on fisheries in the Pacific region.

The move is part of the increasingly active fisheries role of the eight island nations that are members of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), which is now setting up its first headquarters in Majuro.

Palau President Johnson Toribiong has invited the heads of state for the other seven member nations to the first summit on the fisheries that is to be held in Palau at the end of February.

Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority Director Glen Joseph confirmed to the journal Tuesday that planning for a summit is underway. “This would be the first of its kind,” he said.

Although fisheries ministers representing Forum Fisheries Agency member nations have been meeting annually for the past several years, there has never been a presidential summit on what is unarguably the Pacific’s most important and high value resources: tuna.”

This is a follow up to my last email “rant” to you. As you can glean from the preceding article that was printed in The Marshall Islands Journal, our weekly newspaper here in the RMI, a meeting is scheduled to take place concerning the issue of the Pacific fisheries .If I were you I would not get my hopes up that this “Presidential Summit” will do anything to stop the problem of overfishing here in the western Pacific region. These summits generally do nothing at all except to provide a nice junket for those involved. Even when the “Forum Fisheries Agency” member nations get together little or nothing seems to be accomplished.

(photo credit: Chuck Handy)

I am told, and I can not support this with hard evidence, that certain large and wealthy nations out here who contribute significantly to the economies of these small island nations (or to certain specific individuals) get a carte blanche to do what they want in regard to fishing. It’s called “checkbook diplomacy”. Meanwhile the resource of tuna is being rapidly depleted. The sad thing about this is that the resource of tuna, like that of the forests on land, if properly managed, is a renewable resource that can be sustained.

On that note, Crew, I am signing off for today.

Cheers and Carry On!

Chuck, from the edge of the world

It is, once again, Sunday. If it is anything like the gorgeous Saturday right behind us, it will be a good day to go fishing, swimming or just lazing about outside somewhere, enjoying the warmth of a Culebra winter day. I can't SEE the day yet, but the stars are still blaring out their light in a cloudless sky, so that is a promising omen.

(photo credit: Center for Coastal Studies)

To end, speaking of good omens, Greg told me yesterday that he saw whales earlier this week on the ferry going over to the big island (Greg was on the ferry, not the whales - they shop local-ly). I confirmed that it wasn't just HIM seeing the whales by asking if the captain stopped the boat, and indeed he did, so this is a true whale of a tale sighting (when I asked if it wasn't a bit early to see whales, Greg replied, like a teacher to an errant student, "MJ, they've been known to be seen as early as January FIRST!") So keep your eyes open on any crossings!